Many placement trends come and go in the tattooing industry however back tattoos remain a favourite simply because this offers wide canvas of skin for the tattooist to work on that can also be easily concealed by clothing. One of the biggest trends during the nineties was the now infamous lower back tat which got the unfortunate label of a tramp stamp! This was popular with young women in particular and became associated with bad girls with loose morals and although this was certainly not always the case, there is still a bit of stigma connected with these designs to this day. These were often inked in dark tribal patterns and many designs of this nature looked very similar unlike today when more feminine images in bright vibrant colours are used instead. There are some very beautiful designs that feature fairies, flowers, stars and butterflies, often several of these images combined which are light years away from the tacky looking designs of old.
The upper back, particularly between the shoulder blades is another popular area with both men and women as this is a nice flat area of skin that provides a decent sized canvas for the tattooist to create your chosen design. Popular images here include small to medium images like zodiac signs, shooting stars, floral designs and script tattoos however for those who want larger more elaborate back tattoos then oriental images look great here. These include cherry blossoms, koi fish and dragons which all look visually stunning when inked on the skin in a multitude of brightly coloured inks however monochrome tribal patterns and artwork in this style are another favourite here. This is a popular choice for many male tattoo enthusiasts as these designs are very manly and can really accentuate the shape of the body to great effect. Other designs may run all the way down the back from top to bottom on one side and written tattoos as opposed to those using more conventional picture images look really cool here. These may simply include a word or simple phrase in a large bold font however more detailed text tattoos of this kind can be depicted in a foreign script are another idea. This could include a Sanskrit mantra, a prayer in Hebrew or even a sacred verse in Arabic.
It is even possible with back tattoos to have the entire area inked with the design of your choice however bare in mind that this will be both time consuming and expensive due to the time and work involved. Designs of this kind are usually completed over several sessions although many tattoo enthusiasts may start with a design on one specific area and then later have it extended up, down or across onto a larger area, over time. There are many celebrities who have opted for body art in this area and this has increased the popularity of this particular tattoo placement. Angelina Jolie has several different tattoos on various areas of her back while Natalie Portman has a small one on the top right hand side of hers. Mena Suvari has a lion tattooed at the base of her neck and three inspirational words inked horizontally on the top centre of her back underneath it.
