Though the idea of having a tattoo needle digging into the fragile skin of your ear may sound scary and painful, ear tattoos can be beautiful and delicate. Bonus: Often tiny by necessity, these designs are easily hidden, in case tattoos are a no-go in your home or workplace. The possibilities aren’t completely limitless, but the ear offers a several locations for art in spite of its small size, including the lobe, helix, and tragus areas.
The preparation and aftercare for ear tattoos are pretty similar to that of other placements, so if you’ve gotten a tattoo before, this information may not be new. If it’s your first time, there are a few easy ways to prepare for your appointment, from gathering ideas for designs to picking up the best products for aftercare.
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Swaying Leaves on the Scapha and Outer Ear
These delicate-looking leaves appear on the scapha (if you’re not sure what that is, see the previous slide!) as well as the area in front of the ear, gorgeously accenting the body part. Upon a closer look, you’ll notice that each leaf is comprised of a grouping of spots. At the base of the leaf, the dots are closer together appearing darker before fanning out to form the rest of the shape and the tip. This style of tattooing gives the finished piece an ombré effect.
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Spotted Diamonds on Helix and Tragus
These mini diamonds by Gi adorn the ear in a random pattern, extending across to the front of the tragus. It’s an example of how simple, itty-bitty specks can form more intricate body art.
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Starstruck
Dot and fine line work create the tiny stars and diamonds on the scapha. Gi added more of the dots to lower helix and lobe to create this abstract piece.
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Twinkling Coverup on the Back of the Ear
This client wanted to cover up a scar, so Gi did exactly that — etching a bold star on top of the former wound. Look closely to see the tiny specks that form diamonds and below it.
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Just a Dot
Gi hand poked this leafy ink on the scapha of the ear. Its thin leaves branch out from a fine branch that extends from the upper ear to the cusp of the lobe. If you zoom in closer, you’ll also see the diamond-shaped grouping of dots.
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Barbed Madness
This barbed wire tattoo, created by Berlin-based artist Sagflap, covers the face, ear, and neck. They drew a net-like pattern that extends from the client’s sideburns down to the jaw and across the entire scapha and lobe. The last part of the ink peeks out from behind the ear before ending about halfway down the neck.
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Slim Lines on the Outer Cartilage
This ink is like a tattoo and piercing in one. Belgium-based tattooist Romah drew two rings on her client’s upper cartilage area, which mimics a double helix piercing. She added two more fine lines on the lower part of the helix. From afar someone may mistake the bold lines and trio of spots right above the tragus for black jewelry.
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Star Studded
This ink by Sagflap covers the scapha, lobe, and part of the cartilage with stars. Each star is different. Zoom in and you’ll see each one has different line weights, which makes it that much more fun to look at.
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Blue Swirls on the Whole Ear
There’s no real pattern to these hypnotic squiggles, which feature vibrant blue lines that whip around the ear and even behind it.
