There are a great many really cool and interesting designs around for shoulder tattoos to suit both male and female body art fans but this particular placement has definitely grown in popularity in recent years. In decades past, there was a huge difference in the locations chosen for the placement of tattoos between the two sexes. Men were quite happy to go for bold masculine designs on prominent areas like the arms, chest or shoulders while women tended to go for more discrete placements on the hip, belly button or ankle. This situation has changed considerably in recent years and women are no longer shy about displaying their body art designs on more visible locations. There are a variety of different designs to suit either sex, although there is still a noticeable difference in the choice of images used in these tattoos. The majority of women still like beautiful, colourful designs that ooze femininity while their male counterparts often stick to monochrome designs such as tribal artwork or strong, powerful animal images. Let’s take a look at some of the most popular designs used for tattoos on the shoulder area today.
The shoulder is a popular location for a first tattoo as it is not on display the majority of the time like your arms are but it is also a perfect location to start off with a small to medium design that can later be extended into a larger more elaborate tattoo. Designs for shoulder tattoos may even be extended down the arm or across the chest, over the shoulder and even down the back, and can be done over a period of time. Many sleeve designs originally start as shoulder tattoos and the artwork is gradually built up and added to over time however while these can look very beautiful upon completion there is a lot of work and expense involved. This may be rather more than you had in mind so if you prefer just a single symbol, in a small to medium size tattoo instead, these still look pretty cool as long as they are done to scale. In other words, always choose a design that suits the area of skin you have in mind for the placement as a tiny image will look lost if inked on a large muscular shoulder.
Popular masculine designs for shoulder tattoos include Celtic symbols, zodiac signs, big cats and dragons while butterflies, stars and floral designs are favourites with female fans. There are some beautiful flower images that can be inked on the female skin for a truly, stunning visual effect particularly exotic flowers like the orchid, hibiscus or lily as well as the more traditional rose, carnation or cherry blossom. Even when displayed in more formal attire, such as a cocktail dress or evening gown these can still look sexy and classy if the design is created with the artistic talent of an experienced tattooist. These look particularly beautiful when inked in a variety of vibrant colours, both as a single small or medium flower and also with multiple flowers strategically placed around the shoulder area.
