Do you know about your tattoo placement meaning? Choosing the right body part to get tattooed isn’t a random choice. A person gives a lot of thought in their tattoo placement decision and those thoughts can reveal a lot about one’s personality.
When it comes to tattoos, our body is a blank canvas that carries a message and reveals hidden truths about our personality. Read on to know what your tattoo placement says about you and your personality.
Significance of tattoo placement meaning
According to The Harris poll, a survey conducted in 2015 showed that around three in ten Americans (29%) have at least one tattoo. Each tattoo often symbolizes something very personal – a story, an experience, a memory, a feeling, an attitude, or even a loved one. Tattoos are more popular than ever and this is the reason why social scientists are trying to learn more about tattoo placement meaning.
According to a study, tattoos often reveal certain personality traits about a person. Researchers believe that your tattoo can reveal whether:
- You’re an extrovert and highly social
- You seek new experiences and adventures
- You have a strong sense of uniqueness
However, apart from what you choose to ink on your skin, your tattoo placement can also carry a lot of symbolism as well. You may randomly choose a body part to get tattooed, but it can have a profound meaning that you may not be aware of. Such is the significance of your tattoo placement meaning.
The fact is, the placement of your tattoo can reveal a lot about your personality as the art you select to have on your body typically has a lot of personal significance and is generally not random. Although some people may give you advice about what tattoo you should have, rarely anyone would tell about where you should get your tattoo and the importance of tattoo placement.
Let’s find out more about tattoo placement and its meaning.
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What Your Tattoo Placement Says About You & Your Personality
Want to learn about your tattoo placement meaning? Let us take a closer look at what different body parts mean and symbolize when it comes to getting inked:
1. Face
Although face tattoos are traditionally associated with gang members and criminals, it became a fashion trend after Mike Tyson got his famous tribal face tattoo. Now with several artists and celebrities, like Post Malone and Lil Wayne, proudly displaying their facial tattoos, many people are encouraged to get face tattoos. However, it can affect someone’s employment opportunities and career as these are still somewhat socially unacceptable and taboo in several cultures.
Regardless, if you still choose to tattoo your face, then it surely means that you are undoubtedly bold, ballsy and out there. You are daring, brave gutsy and do not shy away from making commitments. Such extreme body art can also mean that you are edgy, rebellious, intimidating and cool yet mysterious. Small-sized tattoos on the face are often sophisticated, understated and stylish. These tattoos can make a subtle or solid statement and show that you are rebellious or it can be a reflection of your identity and tell your life story. These are still one of the most controversial forms of tattoos.
Face tattoos always stand out and seem exceptionally impressive when properly done. Individuals who have tattoos on their face tend to do it as an act of rebellion and defiance against social conventions and norms.
Irrespective of why you choose to get ink on your face, there is no doubt that you have a strong personality to carry it off with determination and confidence despite the judging eyes on the street.
2. Behind ears
While both men and women can have tattoos behind their ears, feminine and dainty tattoo designs are best suited for this tattoo placement. It is primarily for determined, straightforward and bold people who are not afraid of showing their body art. If you have a tattoo behind your ears, it means that you are cool, unique and love expressing yourself. It can also mean that you are a secretive person just like your ear tattoo which can be easily hidden by letting your hair down or wearing a hat.
If you have a tattoo behind the ears, then you are likely to have a hippie-like attitude, feel confident about your choices, and love to express yourself openly and freely. Some people use also this body part to commemorate their loved ones, pets, spirit animals, or even their love for music. Hence, some tattoos can have specific tattoo placement spiritual meaning as well.
Experts believe that individuals with body art behind the ear tend to be free spirits. they may be afraid about their tattoo being overexposed, but want to show it off as well to their loved ones at the same time. However, they prefer having the option to hide it when they want to. Now you know tattoo placement meaning when it’s placed behind your ears.
3. Neck
Originally associated with gang members, today tattoo placement meaning for having ink on your neck has changed drastically. A neck tattoo means that you are tough, wise, bold, love attention and have an open mind. For women, this tattoo placement can mean they are flexible and love having the option to change their mind. They can easily choose when to expose their body art and when to hide it with their long hair. A back of neck tattoo can mean that you are strong, brave, can take tough decisions, love challenges and are open to taking risks.
As the neck and throat are related to communication, these tattoos can often mean that you are open to interacting with new people and making new friends. It also means you love new experiences. You seem to have a clear understanding of who you are and what you want from your life and you have the ability to transform your life by making the best decisions.
It is believed that individuals with this tattoo placement tend to be the most courageous and bravest. As neck tattoos can be painful due to the sensitivity of the skin, it also means that you are bold, strong, and wise. Women who have tattoos on the nape of the neck tend to be independent and seek flexibility in their choices and decisions. This is how your tattoo placement reveals your personality.
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4. Chest
Chest tattoos mean that you are strong, brave and a badass. You are also powerful, bold and have high pain tolerance. For men, it is also a sign of masculinity and strength when they have animal designs on their chest, like wolves, lions and eagles. Depending on the design, it can also mean that you are sentimental, especially when the art is an homage to family and faith. Tattoo placement meaning for chest tattoos are very symbolic as they are displayed in a face forward fashion.
This tattoo placement is a sign of something truly valuable and meaningful to the person. However, the importance of the tattoo greatly depends on its size. The size of the art and tattoo placement may depict a sign which may hold significant value to the individual. A small tattoo is a symbol of a life event from the past that had a serious impact on the individual. However, if you have a large chest piece, then the tattoo represents something that is very close to your heart.
For men, a chest tattoo means that they are highly confident. But for women, the chest tattoo is a symbol of love, romance, and connection.
A chest tattoo can often be connected with other tattoos in the neck, ribcage, and arms. When a person has multiple tattoos in different places on their body, a chest tattoo can be a connecting link and represent a theme that gives a deeper meaning to all the individual tattoos.
5. Ribcage
What is the tattoo placement meaning for ink on your ribcage? Although it might not be the most popular body part for a tattoo, more and more people are opting to get their ribcage inked. As this is a sensitive body part, a ribcage tattoo often means that you are a mentally tough person who is brave and resilient. Moreover, as you need to show a lot of skin to let others see your tattoo, it means that you are also very confident about your body.
Girls with ribcage tattoos are usually very artistic, creative yet emotionally sensitive. Due to the area and size of these tattoos, they tend to be more detailed, ornate, and bigger, which indicates the inner depth of the individual.
For women, these tattoos can mean that you are sensual, delicate, cute, and a bit mysterious. For men, however, rib tattoos can depict power and masculinity. But this tattoo placement is most common in women who are sexy, beautiful, creative, compassionate, and seek self-affirmation. Rib cage tattoos can represent both femininity and strength.
6. Back
This tattoo placement meaning shows that you are shy but mysterious. For some women, back tattoos can symbolize the end of a phase of their life, such as a relationship, and is often an indication of moving on, maturity and growth. Tattoos in the lower back are associated with sexuality, while body art over the spine and back represents one’s core beliefs. Depending on the design, your back tattoo can symbolize inner strength and power.
These tattoos signify that it is something important to you but you don’t necessarily need to look at it regularly. As you can’t look at your own back in a natural way, these are usually very restrained. Like your spine, this tattoo placement signifies foundation.
Back tattoos hold a lot of meaning to the individual, but they don’t need to have them in front of them to appreciate it. People with back tattoos are usually more mysterious, bolder, and less inclined to care what anyone might think.
Women with lower back tattoos are usually confident, feminine, and sensually aware. Men with back tattoos are confident, have a lot of love for themselves, and tend to be show-offs.
Read: What Do Your Eyes Reveal About Your Personality? Fun Personality Test
7. Arms
Arm tattoos can have a variety of tattoo placement meaning. An arm tattoo, especially a solid armband, can represent strength, power and luck. A bicep tattoo, whether in men or women, indicates mental and physical strength by accentuating the curves of the muscles. However, a solid black tattoo on the arm, particularly an armband, can signify that you mourn the loss of a loved one. Moreover, a tattoo on the left arm often represents something deeply meaningful as it is located closer to our heart. Arm tattoos can also reveal that you are protective about the people and values you love and admire.
A tattoo on the arm can convey a wide range of meanings which can only be properly determined by the size of the tattoo. If you have a small-sized tattoo on your arm then it may signify that you have a wild nature yet you may be a bit cautious.
A half sleeve shows a person who wants to showcase their artistic side but still have a career and be able to appear ‘normal’ to the outside world. A person with a full sleeve clearly doesn’t care what the world thinks about their art.
However, a tattoo on your inner bicep reveals that you want to share something with the world but you are not sure about it. You secretly want people to notice your tattoo and want them to ask you about it. If you have any arm tattoo, then it means that you are highly confident and open to taking risks. You like to be in charge of your life.
8. Forearm
Tattoo placement meaning for the forearm can reveal a lot of things about your personality. As this body art is almost always visible, it means that you are confident, straightforward, and honest. You don’t feel the need to hide anything from others and wear your heart on your sleeve. Forearm tattoos are seen as the best form of self-expression as you openly embrace your thoughts and proudly show it to the world.
Although forearm tattoos can be covered with full-sleeve shirts, people who prefer this tattoo placement love to show their ink to everyone. This body part reveals that you are tough, bold and you love attracting attention from others. Tattoos placed on the forearm seemingly reinforce and validate the inner meanings and values of the person.
9. Wrist
It is believed that the inner wrist releases spiritual energy and hence, the art in this tattoo placement can be deeply personally significant to you. It also means that you are fashionable, trendy, and stylish yet protective. You believe in healing and moving forward rather than holding on to the past. A wrist tattoo can also represent a person’s sexuality and sexual orientation.
A wrist tattoo placement meaning can reveal that you are a sensitive person who is going through or has overcome a lot of emotional pain. As getting your wrist inked can be a painful experience, you can relate to this pain and may even find it healing. This is also a favorite spot for people who have engaged in self-harm practices and want to hide their scars by painting over them.
This symbolizes that you have evolved and grown as a person. Some experts believe that when it comes to tattoo placement, body art on the wrist holds a stronger significance for people recovering from abuse, emotional pain, depression, substance use, and other adverse life experiences. Wrist tattoos are believed to be the most thoughtful tattoos.
Read: What Wearing All Black Reveals About Your Personality
10. Fingers
This tattoo placement is less common due to practical and cultural factors. Finger tattoos are truly unique and you can only get them from the most talented tattoo artists. However, as workplaces are relaxing their views on visible tattoos, these are slowly becoming a trend and more people are opting for it.
Tattoo placement meaning for finger tattoos reveal that you are blunt, succinct, and to the point. Usually, words and letters are used for fingers. These tattoos are perhaps the most unique due to their limited space. The art needs to be carefully selected as it should successfully deliver the message of the tattoo, even though it may be small.
Finger tattoos indicate that you prefer keeping a low profile and are not known for seeking attention. However, you are opinionated and love expressing yourself. Body art on a finger can also represent a strong statement and depict a bold personality. Individuals with ring tattoos on their fingers represent a commitment to their romantic partner.
11. Thigh
This tattoo placement meaning shows that you are a unique, secretive and mysterious individual. It also means that you are creative, fashionable and a little bit sassy. Thigh tattoos are highly attractive and represent your seductive and sensual nature. Although the symbolism mainly depends on the design of your tattoo, in general thigh tattoos reveal that you are confident, fearless, strong, sentimental and mysterious. These seductive tattoos indicate that you are bold and beautiful.
If you have a tattoo on your thighs then it denotes that you might be a shy individual, similar to people with ankle and feet tattoos. However, you are a bit more confident and love getting some attention. Thigh tattoos can be very intricate and detailed as there is a lot of space to create the art on.
However, tattoos on the thigh can also have a sensual vibe when placed higher up the thigh. As these are more intimate and are seen only by people we feel confident enough to open up to, these tattoos often carry a very deep meaning.
These tattoos also contain a lot of emotional value and show that you are a trendy and fashionable person.
12. Calves
It has been observed that more men than women tend to have calf tattoos. However, an increasing number of women are also opting for this tattoo placement. Most men who are usually into sports or are athletes tend to have calf tattoos as they wear shorts and are easy to display.
When it comes to tattoo placement meaning, calves can offer adequate space to the tattoo artist for creating a more intricate design that tells a deeper story about the person and their life. This tattoo means that you prefer standing out in the crowd, whether you are a man or a woman. This tattoo placement often contains a hidden and deep meaning which reflect your inner beliefs and values. It also depicts that you are creative and detail-oriented and you prefer attracting attention from others.
Read: 6 Easy Ways To Start Loving Your Body
13. Ankles & feet
One of the most common aspects of getting inked is to show them off. However, people with tattoos on their ankles and feet are more discreet and shy about their tattoos. This tattoo placement reveals that you are somewhat mysterious and you are very selective about who you share your stories with.
For women, this tattoo placement meaning shows that they are feminine, delicate and sophisticated; while for men, masculine design and imagery can reveal that the person is bold, rugged and macho. As tattoos on ankle and feet are less noticeable, it may also mean that you are introverted, shy and don’t prefer explaining your actions to others. However, you love expressing yourself in a subtle way.
As the space in this body part is usually limited, the tattoos tend to be small yet meaningful. Body art on ankles and feet typically tend to commemorate and celebrate deceased loved ones who may be gone but never forgotten. However, most introverts also seem to prefer this body part for getting tattoos, which can speak a lot about their personality.
Apart from these, there are many other places you can choose to get inked and each of these spots can have a different meaning. However, we need to keep in mind that just like us, our tattoos are unique and each tattoo carries a special significance and meaning to the person.
Yes, your tattoo says a lot about your personality, but it will never reveal the different layers of your unique self that make you who you are. understanding the relation between tattoo placement and personality can help you add more depth to your tattoos.
Here is an interesting video that you may find helpful:
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