Small butterfly tattoos are some of the most enduring, popular forms of body art. Every artist’s portfolio contains at least a few exciting butterfly designs.
The butterfly is a tremendously versatile subject, often able to be etched in stunning detail or quiet simplicity to represent beauty, freedom and transformation.
While traditionally a design popular with women for the creature’s allure and beauty, the size and style of butterfly tattoos have opened designs to men as well, as have symbolic links with conditions such as autism for example.
Read on for an awesome array of small butterfly tattoo ideas that you can use as inspiration for your next tattoo, while towards the end of the gallery you’ll find useful FAQs to help in your decision making.
1. Tattoos for the Ankle
2. Colorful Tattoo Ideas
3. Tattoos on the Forearm
4. Tattoos for the Hand and Fingers
5. Linework Tattoos
6. Rib and Side Body Art
7. Shoulder Tattoo Designs
8. Upper Arm Small Butterfly Tattoos
9. Tattoos for the Wrist
FAQs
What does a small butterfly tattoo symbolize?
Butterfly tattoos can represent not only physical beauty, but spiritual beauty as well, and often symbolize balance after transformation.
They are a an extremely popular tattoo design also related to freedom, liberty, and transformation.
Where should I place my butterfly tattoo?
There’s a lot of versatility in a small sized butterfly tattoo. Traditionally you would find a lot of butterfly tattoos on the shoulder blade, upper arm, or in the small of the back (the tramp stamp style).
These days there are a lot of interesting placements that accentuate the body’s curves or muscle movements, with ink around the ankle and lower part of the leg, or across the ribs being a very prominent placement.
With the increase in visible tattoo your butterfly can be also placed quite openly or prominently on the hand, behind the ear, or even on the fingers.
Are butterfly tattoos just for women?
Butterfly tattoos are very popular for women, showcasing femininity and sex appeal, but by no means are they for women only.
With gender stereotypes in the tattoo world breaking down these days a killer butterfly design is just as likely to be etched on a man as a woman, and prominently placed when done so no matter the size.
Also, butterfly symbols are linked with Autism awareness or incorporated into other important symbolic ideas such as the semicolon tattoo, which are sported by both men and women.
What style small butterfly tattoo should I get?
Butterflies come in a vast variety of shapes, colors, and sizes and are considered delicate and fragile creatures in the natural world.
This wide variety of characteristics can be found in tattoo. Popular styles for small butterfly body art include:
- Traditional black and gray tattoo art, sometimes featuring silhouettes and shadow
- Bright watercolor ink splashes surrounding solid black line art
- Realistic butterfly tattoos done with single needle or fine detail
- Geometric art and the incorporation of a variety of flowers in black and gray or color tattoos
- Simple yet elegant linework tattoos or small stamp-like pieces
Can I get a butterfly temporary tattoo?
Bear in mind that if you’re unsure about the size or placement of a butterfly tattoo, that a temporary tattoo may help.
A temporary tattoo that lasts a week or two may be useful in determining if that risky placement, extra large or ultra tiny butterfly design fits what you’re looking for in your next permanent piece of body art.