Popular Tattoo Ideas:

Heart Tattoos

Heart tattoos can be designed in a variety of styles to suit anyone's needs and aesthetics: from a simple outline placed on the inside of one's wrist to an intricate Celtic design featuring interlocking knots and weaving, a heart tattoo can vary in size, shape, and placement. In addition, the inclusion of another symbol or image can add layers of meaning to your tattoo and help to make it something truly unique.

Meanings of Heart Tattoos

Heart tattoos can have a variety of meanings depending on the style they are design in and any additional elements you add to the design. In general, some of the most common meanings are included below, though this is by no means exhaustive:

Love
Heartache
Marriage/Relationship
Best Friends
Sisterhood
Stability
Life/Life-giving
Cultural heritage
Key to one's heart
Remembrance of loved one
Military service
Hope
Christian/Catholic faith
Passion
Adoration
Perseverance
Medicine/Healing
Trapped
Suffering
Unity
Artistic nature
Love of cooking
Memory of a pet
Judaism/Jewish faith
Trust
Past, present, future
Love for family members
Patriotism
Spirituality
Femininity
Power of the body
Past, present, future

Heart Tattoo Variations

Whether you decide on having a simple heart tattoo or an intricate scene featuring a heart and other elements, there are several variations to keep in mind. The heart is a powerful symbol across time and culture, so take your time deciding which heart variation captures the exact meaning you're looking for! Heart Sometimes simple is best! But even though a heart tattoo can be simplistic on the surface, there are still layers of meaning underneath. One great design for a simple yet beautiful and meaningful heart tattoo is to get an outline of a heart on the inside of your wrist or ankle. The delicate size and placement make this a great choice for women who are looking for a design that can truly go with anything! You can personalize the tattoo by adding color – you may want to have a yellow heart if it stands for friendship or a red heart if it stands for love. If you want to make it even clearer that your heart is symbolizing a particular individual you love, you can include their name inside the heart as an indication that you carry them in your heart always. Of course, you can always go with the classic red heart! This is usually designed as a show of love for a particular individual – most often a spouse or significant other. Instead of wedding rings, why not each get a small red heart tattooed on your left ring finger, the traditional place for a wedding band.

Blue Heart Tattoo Designs

Having a blue heart tattoo can mean a couple of different things. On the one hand, it can mean that you are cold-hearted: you are unable to feel anything, perhaps due to your personal nature or from struggling with depression. On the other hand, blue is the hottest part of a fire or star, so the blue heart tattoo can also mean that your passion is on fire!

Depending on which meaning applies to you, there are a few different design choices you can go with. If you want a blue heart to represent your cold-heartedness, consider adding icicles or a few swirls to indicate an icy wind. If you see the blue heart as representing your inner fire and passion, add a few blue flames alongside the heart.

As with any heart tattoo, there are several ways to personalize this design further, such as by adding elements like flowers, an individual's name, or a meaningful quote, and by determine where to place the tattoo and what size you'd like it to be. For instance, if you're a passionate writer, why not get the blue heart tattooed on your hand, the writer's most important tool?

Black Heart Tattoo Designs

Black heart tattoos are symbolic of a devastating day in someone's life; the actual personal meaning will vary by individual – perhaps the loss of a friend or to mark a horrible day in history – but in general they denote sadness. If you are memorializing an individual, you may want to include their name under the heart, or add additional elements such as a cross, angel wings, or somber flowers such as lilies or red roses.

One popular variation on the black heart tattoo is a design commemorating the tragic events of 9/11. These designs feature such images as the World Trade Center Buildings on either side of the heart, the American flag wrapped around the heart, or a bald eagle soaring above the heart. You may also want to consider getting this tattoo done above your own heart to demonstrate that you hold these brave men and women in your heart forever.

Interlocking/Intertwined/Linked Hearts

Getting an interlocking heart tattoo is a great way to demonstrate the connection you have with a loved one or significant other, or for a parent to represent the love they have for their children. Often, these hearts are simple outlines rather than filled in hearts, but elaborate swirls can be added to the bottom tip to create a more personal design. You can color the hearts pink or blue to represent the gender of yourself and your significant other, perhaps getting it over your own heart to demonstrate that they are always with you or on the inside of your wrist as a constant visible reminder of your love. Another great design idea is for parents: represent yourself with a large heart and then have smaller hearts linked to the big heart, representing your children. You can even include their birthdates or names on the inside of the hearts for that extra personal touch.

Another interesting design choice is for those who are Jewish or have an affinity with Jewish culture. Have an upside-down heart interlocked with a right-side-up heart to represent the Star of David. You can get the hearts in blue and gold or blue and white, traditional Jewish colors, or add a verse from the Torah or some Hebrew lettering to further emphasize your love for your faith.

Crying Heart

Getting a crying heart tattoo is a clear demonstration of one's broken heart and the sadness and grief it has caused. While you may choose to keep this a simple tattoo, such as a plain heart with tears rolling down the front, another option is to personify the heart with a face. Often this face is done with wide, sad eyes, defined eyebrows and long lashes, a mouth opened in a frown, and big tears rolling down its cheeks. While this tattoo can be done in black and white, a bolder choice would be to get it inked in color. This can make it more personal to your own look, such as your eye color and eyebrow shape, and it creates a true statement no matter where it's placed on your body.

Another option for designing your crying heart tattoo is to have the eyes above the heart, which is done in a plain red or pink. In this design, the heart is often broken, with the eyes above it crying into the crack, creating an almost river-like appearance. This tattoo can be further personalized by having the eye shape and color resemble your own, or by including a meaningful phrase or the name of the one who broke your heart.

Kingdom Hearts

Kingdom Hearts is a popular roleplaying video game that has sold tens of millions of copies worldwide – so if you're a fan, a Kingdom Hearts tattoo may be perfect for you! There have been several games in the series featuring many characters and plot lines, so the design possibilities are almost endless – you can include a favorite character in your tattoo, a meaningful quote, or any other aspect of the game that is important to you.

One particularly timeless design that you may want to consider is the game's logo: a blue outline of a heart with swirls where the ends meet at the top, with a golden crown resting on the top. You can also add two keys crossed over the heart, another emblem of the game, for a more elaborate tattoo.

Bleeding Heart

A bleeding heart tattoo most often symbolizes lost love, and is usually in reference to a loved one's death. The blood symbolizes how your own heart feels like it's dying and losing strength, and this feature can be incorporated into a heart tattoo in a few different ways.

The first way to personalize the design of your bleeding heart tattoo is to determine the type of heart you want to use. As discussed throughout this article, the different colors of hearts (such as blue or black hearts, realistic hearts, or entwined hearts) can add another layer of meaning, and would be a great way to further demonstrate the loss and despair you feel in the wake of losing your loved one. For instance, an anatomical heart that is bleeding adds a level of realism that truly captures how your heart feels like it's dying. You can also use an outline heart with the blood falling almost like paint dripping – perfect if you or your loved one is artistic.

Another unique design choice is to have the hearts resemble cherries or apples on a branch, with the blood dripping from the bottom of the fruit. This is a fitting choice if you've lost multiple friends or family members, and the branch design gives you the option of adding more bleeding hearts over time.

Filigree Heart

Filigree is an ancient style of design that dates back thousands of years and is incredibly intricate in its patterns and style. Though the term "filigree" primarily refers to a particular type of jewelry work involving tiny beads and/or twisted threads that are soldered together or to another object and arranged in delicate and artistic motifs, the term also refers to a broader style that includes tattoos.

Getting a filigree heart tattoo is a wonderful way to express your artistic side and provides a great opportunity to work closely with your tattoo artist on the design. Though the design choices are seemingly endless, there are a few basic formats that are usually followed. Many people will fill the heart shape with an intricate series of designs – perhaps flowers, paisley, fleur-de-lis, or the shape of waves. This is often best done in black ink in order to have the focus be on the design itself, though you may want to have a few elements (perhaps a single fleur-de-lis in the middle of the heart or a few rosebuds) done in color in order to make the tattoo pop. You can also focus the filigree design along the outline of the heart, with a bold black outline surrounded by more intricate patterns and designs.

Heart with Banner / Heart with Scroll

Adding a banner or scroll to your heart tattoo creates one of the most iconic tattoo images in recent memory. The heart is most often a basic red heart, but any color heart will do depending on your personal style and the meaning you wish to impart.

The banner is often done as an unfurled scroll across the center or towards the top of the heart. Usually a name is on the banner, such as "Mom" or the name of your spouse, but it can also include a phrase such as "Gone But Not Forgotten" if the tattoo is in memory of someone you've lost.

This tattoo can also be done as a joint tattoo with your spouse or significant other, with each getting a heart tattoo with a banner stating the other's name or the date of your wedding. This tattoo is also great for parents, as you can include all of your children's names on one banner or have separate banners with each of their names listed individually.

Heart and Ribbon

Many organizations and causes can be identified by colored ribbons – for instance, a pink ribbon is a symbol of breast cancer, a red ribbon of AIDS, and a yellow ribbon of suicide prevention/awareness. Getting a ribbon around a heart tattoo is a beautiful way of signaling your dedication to one of these, or another, cause, or to indicate that you've lost someone due to breast cancer, AIDS, suicide, or any other issue with a ribbon associated with it.

If the tattoo is representative of your dedication to one of these causes, you may wish to get it around or on top of a red heart, symbolizing the life and energy you have put into raising awareness. If the tattoo is in memory of a person you have lost to one of these issues, you may wish to have the ribbon encircling or on top of a black heart, which is symbolic of death. To further personalize this design, you can include the individual's name on the ribbon or beneath the heart, or you can include a meaningful quote about the cause below the heart and ribbon.

Swirl Heart

When looking for a feminine heart tattoo design, the swirl heart is where it's at! There are so many different ways to design a swirl heart that it's almost impossible not to have a tattoo that is unique to you. Most swirl hearts start with an outlined heart, though you can definitely have it filled in with any color that suits you and your style, and there are a few different places where you can add swirls. The bottom point of the heart is a great place for extending some light and airy swirls – these can extend along your body for as far as you like, or maybe encircle your wrist like a bracelet. Another option is for starting the swirls as the heart curves upwards, or including swirls when the two sides meet in the middle.

The patterns the swirls make can be as intricate or simple as you like, and in any color (or colors) that you desire. You can also add details such as leaves, as though the swirls are vines, butterflies, smaller hearts, stars, or fairy wings. Because of the delicate and feminine nature of this design, it looks best when placed on a smaller area such as the wrist, ankle, or behind the ear.

Double Heart/Two Hearts

Many couples are increasingly turning to tattoos in order to demonstrate their love for and commitment to one another. One popular couples tattoo is that of the double heart or two hearts, which is a slightly different design than that of the interlocking hearts tattoo discussed above. For this design, each member of the couple should get a pair of hearts tattooed of their choosing, but ideally of the same design and in the same location as the other person's matching tattoo. The hearts can be connected by Cupid's arrow, there can be one heart inside the other, or the hearts can simply be side by side: the choice is yours! You can opt for the traditional red, do a simple black outline, or any other color of your choosing – this should be an incredibly personal tattoo to you and your significant other, so feel free to express your love in any design choice you see fit.

Locked Heart/Locked Heart and Key/Key to My Heart

Key to my heart tattoos are a beautiful, yet simple, declaration of true love. This joint tattoo can have a variety of meanings, depending on who is involved, if anyone! Usually, one person has a locked heart and the other person has a key, thereby symbolizing their love for another: only that person has the key to unlock your heart! While most often the heart will be tattooed on the women and the key on the man, this is by no means a hard and fast rule.

There are several design choices to explore when considering getting this tattoo with your partner. If you want to emphasize the love this tattoo represents, consider getting the heart done in red ink with two roses intertwined behind it. Next, decide the nature of the lock you want to include around the heart: it could be old fashioned such as from an old Gothic fairy tale, something more modern as on a household safe, or even a bike lock if the two of you are avid cyclists! For the key, make sure that it matches the style of the lock. For instance, if you are getting an old fashioned lock, consider using an old skeleton key with a section of chain or a ribbon hanging off of it with your significant other's name inked on it.

This doesn't have to be a romantic tattoo, however, as often sisters will get lock and heart tattoos to demonstrate their life-long bond of sisterhood. For such a sibling tattoo, you may want to include other touches that are meaningful to you both, such as roses, diamonds, delicate birds, or colored ribbons. The locked heart can also be a tribute to your mother, who may be the only person who knows the secrets of your heart. As with the sisterhood tattoo, consider adding personal touches such as your mom's favorite flower or angel wings if she's passed away.

Another design option is when this tattoo is just for an individual. Sometimes, we don't let others into our heart, as only we hold the key to our hopes, fears, and desires. If this is the case, you can get both the locked heart and the key to the heart tattooed on yourself. As with the lock and heart designs discussed above, there are several design choices available when choosing the style of the lock, heart, key, and any other elements you wish to include. For your tattoo, you may want to place the locked heart on the back of one leg and the key on the back of the other, or one on the inside of each wrist or ankle. If the mysteries of your own heart are impossible even for you to unlock, then you only need to get the locked heart tattoo – no key will fit!

Anatomical Heart/Human Heart/Realistic Heart

Realistic heart tattoos, while not a common tattoo, are becoming more and more prevalent. An anatomical heart tattoo is an actual representation of the human heart will therefore be in color – for an added level of accuracy, you may want to have it designed to scale and even placed over your heart. Because of the realistic nature of this tattoo, it is often a favorite of cardiologists or other medical professionals.

Sometimes the realistic heart tattoo is held in a human hand, either yours or someone else's. On a symbolic level, this can demonstrate that you hold someone's heart in your hand and therefore love them very one. On a more pragmatic level, especially to a medical professional, this can also mean that you hold others' lives and wellbeing in your hand.

Three Hearts

We often hear that "bad things come in three", but this isn't strictly true! There is great power behind the number 3, and getting three hearts tattooed is a way to demonstrate your belief in this. Another meaning of this tattoo is that of "past, present, and future": one heart represents your past, another your present, and the third your future. You can get different styles of hearts to represent these stages of your life, or you can include certain dates in each one to signal the times you are referring to.

Another great meaning of the three hearts tattoo is that of family and togetherness. This tattoo is perfect for new parents to signify the birth of their first child, such as by having two larger hearts standing for the parents and a smaller heart joining them symbolizing the new baby.

Overall, there are several design options for this tattoo, and first you must decide how you want the hearts to be situated: the three hearts can be side by side, interlocking, inside one another, or overlapping. These can also be any type of hearts you choose, in any color, and of any size – the possibilities are truly endless!

Half Heart

Don't mistake this for a broken heart tattoo, discussed below! Half heart tattoos are perfect for best friends, siblings, parent and child, and dedicated couples, though a single individual can get this tattoo as well! The ability to personalize this tattoo is almost endless, as you can choose from whatever heart design you like, as well as any color or size – just make sure whoever you're getting the tattoo with gets the same heart design! The tattoo looks particularly good when done on an upturned forearm, a finger, or foot – somewhere that it can easily be joined up with the other person's corresponding half heart. To personalize this tattoo, you may wish to get the other person's name in your heart, or split up a word like "Besties" or a phrase like "Best Friends".

If done on just the one person, a great place to get this tattoo is on your upturned forearms: one half of the heart goes on one forearm and the other half on the other forearm, so when you join them together the whole heart is formed. The same effect can also be done on two fingers or toes if you'd prefer a smaller, more discreet tattoo.

Broken Heart

Broken heart tattoos are often used as a physical reminder of a lost loved one or a relationship that ended in heartache. There are several design options to consider when working with your tattoo artist on your broken heart tattoo. First, decide on the type of heart that you want to depict – a black heart might be an especially suitable design choice, or you may want to use a Gothic-style heart to further express the dark nature of this design.

Another design choice to consider is how broken you want the heart to be. If the tattoo symbolizes a truly tragic loss, whether of a loved one or a failed relationship, you may want to have the heart broken completely in half. If the loss or heartbreak is something you feel you can eventually recover from, you may want to get a less severe break; perhaps just a crack will do.

If you are getting the tattoo in memory of a lost loved one, one design option to consider is adding a picture of that individual and/or something that they enjoyed in life, such as a musical note, football, etc. If the tattoo is in memory of a pet, you may want to include your pet's likeness or a paw print in the design of your broken heart tattoo.

Twisted Heart / Heart-Shaped Spiral

This particular heart tattoo design has gained traction over the last ten years, having come to prominence as a tattoo on Marilyn Manson. The tattoo can represent the downward spiral love might bring, the complex inner workings of our own heart, and the raw nature of love and emotion. The design of this tattoo features a roughly outlined heart that then spirals inwards. Often this is done in plain black in, but it can also be done in blood red or a combination of the two colors.

Tribal Heart

Tribal heart tattoos are perennial favorites due to their classic design and their ability to clearly convey your personal message. As there are hundreds of designs to choose from, you'll be able to easily find something that is unique to you. Tribal designs feature bold lines and intricate patterns, which you can include within the heart itself or as the outlines of a heart. A particularly feminine option is to include smaller, boldly inked hearts within your tribal heart design – you'll definitely be feeling the love with that design!

Another design possibility is that of tribal razor/barbed wire forming a heart. This has a dark, sharp, bold, and edgy look, and is fine on its own but it also works well with softer elements such as flowers, butterflies, and the name of your loved one inscribed within or below the heart. Such a contrast between the two elements creates an extraordinary image of balance, and the opposing effects of sharp and soft that love can make us feel.

Sacred Heart

The symbol of the sacred heart has a long history, dating back to the 17^th century, and getting this tattoo is a great way to demonstrate your Christian (and in particular Catholic) faith and your dedication to Christ, though in general the sacred heart symbolizes love and compassion to all people.

The main elements of this tattoo are a red heart, a cross going into the top of the heart, and (optionally) barbed wire encircling the heart, though people sometimes put roses in place of the thorny wire. You can also include beams of light shining out from the heart or a halo on top to demonstrate the holy nature of the symbol. The sacred heart also looks great when combined with other elements, such as angels and Jesus, in a larger piece across your whole back or chest.

Because of the personal and religious nature of this tattoo, it's best to work with your tattoo artist when designing a sacred heart tattoo so that the meaning you associate with the sacred heart is conveyed in exactly the right way.

Gothic Heart

If you like the general design of heart tattoos but prefer to impart a darker meaning and reflect your more somber personality, then a gothic heart tattoo may be perfect for you! Gothic hearts can feature a number of design elements, some of them borrowing from other forms and using additional symbols, so it's quite easy to come up with a tattoo that is completely unique to you.

One design choice would be to have the heart outlined in black with a slight spiral or thorn design, in some ways echoing both the tribal heart and spiral heart, with a few red roses attached to the thorns to give it that Gothic romantic feel. You can also design your Gothic heart to be filled with blood red or black ink, and attach bat wings to demonstrate your affinity with these nocturnal creatures (or the vampires they represent!). Another good Gothic-style design is to have the heart be done as an old fashioned lock with swirls on the inside. You can include the initial or name of the person who holds the key to your heart somewhere in the design to add that more personal touch.

Heart and Dagger

The dagger is a symbol of strength but also of stealth and savagery. Getting a dagger, differentiated from a sword by its shorter blade and from a knife by its jagged edge, and a heart tattoo can demonstrate that you find strength in love, that you are a fighter for love, or, somewhat more negatively, that you were hurt by someone you love.

The heart and dagger tattoo can be designed in a few different ways. If you are feeling particularly heartbroken or devastated by a loved one's betrayal, you may want to have the dagger thrust into a black heart, perhaps with drops of blood coming out. If the heart and dagger tattoo symbolizes strength, however, you could have two daggers crossed over the heart (usually red or even of a realistic design) or have a single dagger in the center of the heart or sticking out of the top. If the tattoo symbolizes the strength of an individual's love or the love that you feel for someone, consider getting that person's name underneath the heart.

Heart with Knife

The knife is often seen as a clean weapon, as opposed to the dagger's jagged edges and ability to be concealed easily, but also has a more innocuous connotation as a chef's most important tool in the kitchen. Having a heart and knife tattoo, therefore, can have a variety of different meanings and it can be designed in a variety of different styles.

If you're a chef or simply love to cook in your kitchen at home, consider getting a red heart with two knives across it. These knives can be the same or they can be two different knives that you use, such as a serrated and a bread knife. You can also get a single knife on an upward angle across the heart, or the knife could be piercing the heart, demonstrating that you would bleed and sacrifice anything for your freedom in the kitchen.

The heart and knife tattoo can also have a darker meaning: the heartache and loss felt by losing a loved one, whether through a breakup or death. Breakups can be clean, but they rarely leave parties feeling in good spirits. A knife through your heart can demonstrate this clean break but also the pain you feel in the wake of your significant other's absence. Another meaning is the loss of a loved one through death, and the pain that has left behind – you feel as though a knife has gone through your heart. For these meanings, a knife going through a red or black (or any other color you desire!) heart is best: it can pierce the side of the heart, with blood dripping down, be going into the top of the heart, or go all the way through the heart, with the point of the sword coming out the other end. For a more personal touch, you can include the name of the person you lost (whether through breakup or death) on or beneath the heart or even on the blade of the sword, or you can include a quote such as "Live Through the Pain" underneath the heart or on a banner going across the heart.

Sword and Heart

Swords are rich with symbolic meaning, and when paired with a heart the symbolism is further intensified. Swords can be indicative of military service, whether your own or that of a loved one, so having a sword paired with a heart can demonstrate your love for a soldier or, if you are the soldier, your willingness to fight and die for the love of your country. You can also pair a sword with a heart if you find strength in love: if this is the meaning you find in the sword and heart symbolism, then consider adding the name of the person you love on a banner fluttering across the heart or on the sword that's paired with the heart.

There are a few different ways this tattoo can be designed, and the ability to choose whatever sword and heart you wish – no matter the style, color, or size – means that the tattoo can be individualized in countless different ways. If the heart and sword primarily symbolize bravery and strength, you may want to choose a tribal design with its bold patterning and connotations of ferocity and physical power.

If you want the tattoo to symbolize your love for an individual or their love for you, consider getting a romantic heart and sword tattoo: perhaps the sword can mimic that of a medieval knight and the heart done in a swirl design to emphasize the softer side of love: the duality of masculinity and femininity is quite prominent in this design, adding yet another layer of symbolism to the tattoo.

Heart with Feathers

Adding different elements to design, such as pairing heart tattoos with feathers, is a great way to create even greater symbolic significance in your design. One meaning of the heart tattoo with feathers is of the legendary "weighing of the soul" ritual performed by Egyptians during the mummification process. In this ceremony, the god Anubis weighed an individual's heart against the weight of a feather. If that person's heart weighed less than a feather, then their spirit could ascend through the Corridors of Judgment. The feather and heart tattoo, therefore, is symbolic of one's purity in spirit, one's integrity and that one's soul worthy of passing over into the Afterlife. To make this meaning clear in your tattoo, you may want to add scales to the design, with a heart in one and the feather in the other – depending on how you feel your soul measures up, you can have the heart weigh less or more than the feather.

Another, more whimsical, meaning for adding feathers to your heart tattoo is to signify your light and carefree nature, and that you are not weighed down by earthly matters. This design can be done by adding a small heart into a feather tattoo – this is often done in black, but any color can be used depending on your personal preferences – or by having the top of a feather be in the shape of a heart.

Dolphin Heart

Dolphins are some of the most intelligent creatures on land or in the sea, and this intelligence coupled with their knowledge of the sea's deepest and darkest mysteries adds another layer to a heart tattoo. Incorporating a dolphin into a heart tattoo can be done in a few ways.

The first design option is to have two dolphins forming a heart with their noses touching in the middle. This is a particularly cute option for couples, as you can personify the dolphins to stand for yourself and your significant other, such as through eye color or adding elements like a favorite flower or music notes to signify likes and hobbies. This is also a cute way for a parent and child to signify their love for one another: a larger dolphin signifies the parent with a smaller dolphin (representing the child) on a spurt of water so that their noses still meet in the middle to form a heart.

Another design option, one more suited to your love of nature or your affinity for dolphins, is to have a dolphin be one half of the heart and a wave of water be the other half, with the dolphin's nose meeting the crest of the wave and its tail touching the bottom of the wave to form a heart. While this looks great in oceanic colors such as blues and greens, you can also go with a more tribal style for this design whereby the dolphin and the wave are done in the bold, black lines typical of tribal tattoos.

Heart with Barbed Wire / Heart and Thorns

There are a couple of different meanings for this tattoo, and several ways to design a heart with barbed wire depending on the meaning you ascribe to it. From a religious standpoint, the barbed thorns can be symbolic of Jesus' suffering on the cross, as he was forced to wear a crown of thorns around his head throughout the ordeal. For your design to depict this meaning, you may wish to have a crown of thorns atop the heart, have the outline of the heart itself done in thorns, or for a few single thorns to be piercing the heart.

Another potential meaning when adding thorns or barbed wire to a heart is that love or your love for a particular person is ensnaring you and has left you feeling trapped. For this design, you may wish to have barbed wire wrapped around a red heart, perhaps with blood dripping down to signify pain and suffering, or for barbed wire to be twisted into the shape of a heart itself (plain black ink is best for this design).

This tattoo is great on its own, but you can also add a meaningful quote, such as from the bible or one dealing with heartache, or include it as part of a larger piece. If on its own, the tattoo can be whatever size you want in order to fit in your preferred location – small if you want to place it on your wrist or the back of your neck, or much larger if you want to place it on your bicep or over your own heart.

Chained Heart / Heart and Chain

There are several meanings that can be ascribed to the chain, but having a chained heart or heart and chain tattoo is often indicative of feelings of being trapped and isolated. The options for designing this tattoo are numerous, as you can choose whatever style of heart (such as Gothic, anatomical, plain red) that you like. You can then choose whether you want just chains or for there to be a lock (and perhaps a key!) attached to the chain as well.

One option if you want the tattoo to stand for feelings of being trapped and isolated is for chains to be wrapped around the entire heart, without a lock and key, demonstrating that there is no way to escape. For this design, the heart can be in red and the chains in black or grey scale, or the entire tattoo can be in grey scale to emphasize the emptiness and desolation that you feel.

If you want the heart to represent how your heart is locked and need to be opened, you can have a chain encircling the heart with a lock in the front: this can either be an old style skeleton lock with a front-facing keyhole, or it can be a more modern lock such as combination lock or a small, diary-style lock. For a more personal touch, you can add the name of the person who holds the key to your heart or add a meaningful quote such as "Only Love Can Set Me Free".

Candy Heart

Having a tattoo featuring candy can demonstrate your childlike nature, your inner sweetness, or just your love for candy! The colorful nature of candy also makes it a fun and bold tattoo to design, but be sure to work closely with your tattoo artist to ensure the colors and placement are exactly to your specifications.

Candy hearts are one of the most popular Valentine's candies, and are best known for the playful messages of love inscribed on different colored hearts. The ability to choose your own message and color make this design incredibly personal. You (or you and your significant other!) can be sweet and loving by getting messages such as "Be Mine" or "You + Me" tattooed on one or multiple hearts, or you can be a bit more snarky and sarcastic in your message using such phrases as "Not Yours" or "Get Bent" on the hears – truly sugarcoating a somewhat mean-spirited message!

Basketball Heart

As the sport itself has grown in popularity, so too have basketball tattoos! One clear way to show your love for and dedication to the game is to combine a basketball and heart in your tattoo. There are a couple of ways to do this, but the foundation of the design is to have the basketball done in the shape of a heart. You can keep the design simple by having just a black outline and some black lines that mimic the lines on a basketball, or you can include the orange color and bumpy texture of the basketball in the design as well. You can even have the basketball be done in the style of an anatomical heart, complete with veins and arteries, if you truly want to depict how this sport is a part of your blood. Any of these designs can be further personalized by adding your jersey number or the number of your favorite player underneath the basketball heart.

Heart and Cross

Adding a cross to your heart tattoo creates a beautiful and meaningful symbol that demonstrates a coupling of love and faith, or as a symbol of remembrance of someone you love who has passed away. There are several different design options for this tattoo, all of which can be further personalized depending on your own style and the symbolic significance you wish to the design to impart.

One design that is particularly feminine and delicate is to have an outline of a heart, either plain or stylized with curves and/or spirals at the bottom tip, around the cross, which can also just be outlined. This looks elegant when done in black but you can personalize the design by adding color to either the heart, cross, or both. Similar to this, another delicate design is two overlapping hearts with the overlap in the shape of a cross – you can make this clear by having the hearts done in red ink and the cross done in black ink.

If you prefer a bolder, or perhaps more masculine design, you can have the cross impaling the heart, with perhaps drops of blood coming out. This is a clear symbol of suffering through love, whether it be heartache or through the pain of losing a loved one. You can personalize the design by drawing on any one of the many cross designs discussed in this article, and by choosing to include a meaningful quote or the name of the person you lost.

You can also get both the cross and heart done in a Celtic style, with the cross done in interlocking outlines that loop through and outlined heart. While this design looks great when done in the gold and green of the Irish flag, it also is understatedly beautiful when done in plain black or grey scale.

Dragon Heart

Not unlike the dolphin and heart tattoo, there are a few different ways to incorporate this mythical beast into your heart design. One classic design for your dragon and heart tattoo is to have two dragons facing each other to make a heart shape, with their tails entwined at the bottom and their noses touching at the top. For a bold and fanciful design, have the dragons be in bright colors such as reds, blues and greens; they can even be breathing fire to join the heart together. If you prefer the tribal style, you can have a silhouette of two dragons done in black ink for a strong, tough tattoo design.

Another option is to have a single dragon behind the heart with its talons piercing the heart and its tail curled around the bottom of the heart. While any heart can be used for this design, using a Gothic heart or a black heart can add another layer of depth or create a stylized medieval look.

Heart Flower / Heart and Flower

Flowers are a great addition to any heart tattoo as they add to the beauty and strength that hearts symbolize. Combining the heart and flower element can be done in several ways, and the variety of choices for both elements means that the overall design possibilities are endless!

The opportunities for personalizing this tattoo lie in the style of heart and the type of flower(s) you want, but there are a few general design guidelines to follow. One design style is to have the heart formed by the stems and leaves with one or more flowers interspersed along this leafy outline. You could also have the flower be at the top where the two points meet, making that the true centerpiece of the design.

Another design option would be to include a collage of different hearts and flowers: this can range from just one flower and one heart, to a full sleeve or back piece! For instance, consider having a yellow rose paired with a heart to symbolize a true and deep friendship (you can even include that friend's name on a banner across the heart) or create an intricate design of flowers within the heart itself. If you want to emphasize nature and the natural world, consider adding other elements such as butterflies, small animals, or fairies to this design.

Devil Heart

Many people get devil tattoos, but getting a devil heart tattoo will add a unique twist to this popular design. When combining these two symbols, the heart and the devil, you can indicate that you are a devil in love, or a heartbreaker. There are a couple of different design choices when going with this tattoo, and while you are free to go with whatever color you like, red is the classic color choice!

One design choice is to get a solid red heart and then add devil horns and a forked devil tail, also in red. You could even add red arms extending from the heart, one of which can hold a pitchfork, and even batwings! A simpler design would be to have a red outline of a heart with devil horns on top and a devil tail extending from the bottom point of the heart.

If you want to demonstrate your dual nature in love, maybe you're a good AND a bad girl or boy, you can have a heart with both devil horns and a halo on top, or with both devil horns and angel wings.

Stitched Heart

While there are a few potential meanings associated with this tattoo, it is often representative of a broken heart that has healed. The best general design to demonstrate that you have persevered through your heartache is to have stitches joining both sides of the broken heart. Depending on how much you've healed, the two sides can be completely joined together with the stitches, or there can still be a bit of space between the halves if you're still struggling to get back to your normal self. For a more Gothic twist, you can have the stitches resemble those found on Frankenstein's monster, with the outline of the heart slightly jagged and rough. If the heartache is due to the loss of a loved one, consider adding their name or the date of their death to the inside of the heart or below the tattoo.

This style of tattoo is also great for anyone who sews, whether as a hobby or profession. There are a few different ways to highlight your crafty side: you can get a red heart with the outline done in stitches and a needle and thread coming off of one side and tucked into your skin (a really cool effect!) or tucked into the middle of the heart. For an even simpler design, just have the outline of a heart done in stitches – perfect for a small, out of the way spot such as behind your ear or even on your thumb.

Heart and Anchor / Anchor Heart

Both heart and anchor tattoos are extremely meaningful and symbolic, so the joining of them together creates an even deeper meaning. An anchor is a symbol of being grounded and of one's affinity with our planet's many seas and oceans – adding a heart can build on such meanings to demonstrate how love keeps you grounded, or that you have a true love for sailing and our planet's natural resources.

As you can use whatever style heart or anchor you choose, there are almost limitless possibilities for personalizing this design. Some general design ideas include having an anchor and heart fused together – perhaps with the name of the person whose love keeps you grounded inside the heart – or to have a heart be a part of the metal anchor design.

If you want to keep the elements separate, you can have the chain of an anchor hooked over one side of the heart with the anchor below, or have them placed side-by-side but leaning into one another to demonstrate how you rely on love as your anchor.

Whatever way you situate your heart and anchor – separate, fused together, or side-by-side – you can choose from a few different tattoo styles to further personalize this tattoo. If you want the tattoo to represent your love of the sea, consider getting the artwork done in a sailor-style, with bold colors and perhaps a banner across the heart and anchor with a seafaring quote or the name of the person you love. You can also get a realistic anchor and heart tattoo if you believe your lifeblood to be closely linked to the ocean, or opt for a softer, more whimsical design if the anchor and heart are representing your love for another.

Lion Heart

Opting for a lion heart or "heart of a lion" tattoo is a clear way to demonstrate your strength and desire to protect those you love. One design option is to have the lion's head facing straight on and to shape its mane to resemble a heart. Another option is to have a red heart done in the chest of the lion as it boldly looks out into the distance. A third design idea would be to have two lion heads facing in opposite directions on the sides of an anatomical heart, demonstrate that you truly have the heart of a lion.

Whichever design you choose, the lion heart tattoo looks great in either grey scale or color, so work closely with your tattoo artist to make sure the design suits your personal tastes. You can also add additional elements such as a crown (after all, the lion is the king of the jungle!) or the name of someone you feel especially protective over, such as your child.

"i carry your heart"

Taken from a famous e.e. cummings poem, the phrase "i carry your heart (i carry it in my heart)" is a beautiful way to demonstrate your love for that special someone. While this can definitely be done as a plain script tattoo in whatever font you choose, there are also some ways to play with the design to make it even more personal and unique.

One option for adding a simple touch to the script alone is to include a small red heart next to the script. Another design idea is to have the words themselves form a heart, which you can have inked over your own heart to further emphasize the meaning of the poem. If you want to symbolize the hearts of both yourself and your significant other, you can have the words along an infinity heart (a design in which two hearts are joined together to resemble the infinity symbol – see below!). Finally, you may wish to ignore the words altogether! Instead, your design can include a heart – standing for "i carry your heart" - with another heart next to it in parentheses – standing for "(i carry it in my heart)" – to take the place of the words themselves.

Infinity Heart

Though infinity is a mathematical concept, we also use the word is a figurative sense to discuss something that goes on forever – such as our love for another person. Getting an infinity heart tattoo is a great way to demonstrate your love for a significant other, parent, or child, as the combination of both the infinity symbol and the heart make it clear that your love is everlasting.

There are a couple different options for designing this tattoo, all of which can be done in color, plain black ink, or a mixture of both! One great design for couples is to have two hearts joined together like the infinity symbol with the pointed ends in the middle; you can include both partners' names within or along each heart. Another design option, popular with sisters, is to have the infinity symbol looping horizontally through the center of the heart. You could also have the infinity symbol with a heart creating a break in the middle of one of the loops – this looks especially eye-catching when the infinity symbol is done in black and the heart in red. A final design idea is to combine the heart and infinity symbols by having one side of the infinity symbol be a normal loop and the other half a heart, though sometimes the heart half is slightly bigger. No matter which design you choose, consider adding the name of an individual or a simple word like "family" to make it clear who you feel infinite love for.

Heart with Flames / Flaming Heart

A flaming heart tattoo represents a strong love and a burning passion, be it for a person, place, or interest/hobby. There are a few different ways to design your flaming heart tattoo, as well as ample opportunities for you to personalize each design and make it your own!

The classic flaming heart tattoo design features a bright red heart with fiery flames of red, orange, and yellow behind it or coming off the top of the heart. If you're a fan of the tribal style, consider getting an outlined heart with tribal flame patterns surrounding the heart. You can also have the heart itself be made of flames, with two large flames forming the heart and other, smaller flames, coming off the sides. No matter which design you choose, you can further personalize the design by including the name of the person who ignites your passion within or below the heart, or include another object or symbol that can stand for that person (such as their favorite flower) or for a hobby that you are truly passionate about (such as a basketball or musical instrument).

Mom Heart

This is one of the most popular tattoo designs of all time – a true classic! Most often, the design is done in a 'Sailor Jerry' style: a bold red heart with a tan or white banner unfurled across the center of the heart reading "Mom" in bold block lettering. There may be the addition of other elements, such as your mom's favorite flowers, an arrow going through the heart, flames coming out of the top, or anything else that you feel captures the relationship between you and your mother.

If you don't care for the Sailor Jerry style, you can choose from any style of heart you like, making this an incredibly easy design to personalize to your own specifications. For instance, a Mom heart tattoo can be a great remembrance of your mother if she's passed away: you can add angel wings to the heart and write either "Mom" or her name on the inside or beneath the heart, perhaps with her date of death included as well.

Puzzle Heart

Puzzle piece tattoos are somewhat unconventional but are also incredibly creative and personal – their designs are distinct and unique, and are able to convey a range of personal meanings of importance to the wearer. Having a puzzle piece heart tattoo, whether in several pieces or just one, can demonstrate that you are puzzled by love, need someone's love to complete you, or that you and your significant other fit together like puzzle pieces.

There are a few different ways to design your heart puzzle piece tattoo, some of which are perfect for an individual and others more suited to couples. If you want your tattoo to signify that love completes you, have four puzzle pieces fitting together to make a heart design (either forming the shape of a heart or forming a square with a heart on it). If you still need someone's love to complete you, have three of the puzzle pieces joined together but one missing – again, these pieces can either form the shape of a heart or a square with a heart on it. You can choose any colors you like for the tattoo, but it looks especially good with plain black outlined puzzle pieces and a red heart.

The puzzle heart tattoo is perfect for couples. You and your significant other can get complementary puzzle pieces tattooed on yourselves, preferably in the same location such as on the inside of your wrist or behind your ear. For the heart component, have each puzzle piece contain half a heart so that they fit together to form a complete puzzle and complete heart! You can also get the name of your partner included in the tattoo in order to personalize it further. This style also works great for siblings and best friends!

Treble Clef and Bass Clef Heart

Cool and creative, treble and bass clef tattoos show where the heart of the wearer lies – in music! This tattoo is perfect for musicians, or for anyone who has a true love and passion for music, no matter the genre or style. Whichever design you choose, consider getting the tattoo on your wrist or neck to denote the meaning that "music is in my veins", as the tattoo itself will be right over your veins and arteries. When looked at upside, the treble clef looks incredibly like one half of a heart. The bass clef also looks like one half of a heart, so the design for the treble and bass clef tattoo is to have a heart outlined done with the treble clef upside-down and forming one side of the heart and the bass clef forming the other. You can further personalize this design by having musical notes surrounding or coming off of the heart, or by including the instrument you play within the heart itself. If the tattoo is your way of remembering a music lover who has passed away, consider adding their name or the date of their death to your tattoo.

Heart Star / Stars and Heart

Star tattoos are full of meaning, as they often stand for the goals we wish to achieve, the sign we're born under, or even military service. Adding a star to a heart tattoo, therefore, provides an extra layer of meaning and significance, as the heart is a powerful symbol on its own. But combining the heart and star into one tattoo is also a very whimsical, positive, and sweet statement to the world and those around you: you see the best in things and are achieving goals that you're passionate about!

There are several ways to design your heart and star tattoo. If you prefer a smaller design that is understated yet elegant, get outlines of both shapes: these can either be separate or overlap on one side. Another design idea is to get an outline of a heart with one half of that outline made up of small stars – though normally done in black, color would look great in this design as well. For those who are bold and vivacious, a more vibrant design might suit you better: consider using different colored and shaped hearts and stars to create an elaborate statement piece running across your back or down one side of your torso or leg.

Heart With Wings/Winged Heart/Angel Heart

Heart with wings tattoos are a great choice if the tattoo is serving as a memorial for someone you have lost. There are a few different ways to design this tattoo, with several opportunities to personalize the design. Though the most basic design choice – a red heart with angel wings extending from it – can be easily personalized by choosing whatever style of heart you want, there are a few other ideas if you want something truly special. One such design idea is to use a tribal style for the wings, having them feather out from the heart in bold, black strokes. You can also choose to wrap the wings around the heart, as this signifies that the individual is hugging your heart and keeping you safe.

Another way to personalize this design is to add extra elements to the design to help it stand out. For instance, you can add the individual's name and/or date of death, include red roses to signify romantic love and yellow roses for friendship, you can add two rings if you and the person you lost were married, a halo if you want to emphasize the individual's religious faith or that they are now in heaven, or include smaller hearts or stars if you had children together.

Heart with Halo

While a halo is sometimes added to a heart with wings tattoo (see above) you can also just have a halo over the center or tipped over one side of the heart. This is a great way to create a meaningful tattoo in remembrance of someone you loved, as the halo signifies that the individual is looking over you from heaven. To further personalize this memorial tattoo, add the individual's name or date of death to the heart or underneath the design.

Another fun option for this design is to add devil horns to the heart and halo: this demonstrates that you have both a good and a bad side when it comes to love and matters of the heart! You can either have the halo and devil horns on one heart, or you can have two overlapping hearts, one with devil horns and one with a halo.

Heart Butterfly

A butterfly is a symbol of metamorphosis and personal growth; thus, getting a heart butterfly tattoo can be indicative of how love has made you a new person or signify your personal growth through love. One option it to have the wings of the butterfly form a heart: though seemingly simple on the surface, this design can be personalized in any way you want: because of the incredible variation in the patterns and colors on butterflies, you can create a truly unique tattoo!

Butterflies and hearts can also be used to create a beautiful and elaborate pattern across your whole back or along one side of your torso. As with the hearts and stars design discussed above, you can intersperse vibrantly colorful hearts and butterflies among one another to form a truly one-of-a-kind design.

Skull Heart

While skull tattoos usually signify death, adding them to a heart design can soften this somber meaning, as well as help personalize your own heart tattoo even further. One variation of the skull heart tattoo design is to have two skulls facing away from or towards each other to form a heart shape: this can be done by either having the skulls on their own or by having them fit into a heart outline. You can also have a skull on its own within a heart outline – this is great using either a traditional red heart or an anatomical heart. Another fun option is to have a traditional skull and a skull bride kissing on the inside of the heart, demonstrating that sometimes love is the kiss of death.

Snake Heart

Snakes are incredibly symbolic creatures in many cultures, representing such varied meanings as fertility, defense, and temptation, so incorporating snakes into a heart tattoo adds another layer of meaning. This tattoo can be designed in a number of ways, using any snakes you want – you can thus personalize this tattoo in numerous ways!

There are a few general designs for this tattoo: have one snake curled around a heart, one snake forming a heart with its head and tail coming together at the top, or have two snakes facing each other to form a heart with their heads touching at the top and their tails at the bottom. Having a snake curled around your heart can demonstrate that you are protecting your heart from any pain: this is especially effective if you have the snake's jaw open to show its fangs poised for attack. Two snakes forming a heart looks great when done in a tribal design, signifying toughness and masculinity, while personifying the two snakes to represent yourself and your significant other can be incredibly adorable, especially if they're kissing!

Zebra Heart

The zebra heart design is a unique spin on the basic heart design. Create a zebra pattern with a heart outline, or eliminate the outlined border and simply have the pattern create a heart shape). This looks especially fun and eye-catching when the traditional black and white pattern is changed to black and bright pink or blue, but you are free to pick any color you choose! The feminine nature of this tattoo makes it a great choice for placement on the wrist, ankle, or other delicate part of the body.

Heart and Crown

When combined together, the heart and crown represent loyalty in love and friendship, or that you are ruled by love. There are a few different ways to incorporate these two symbols into one tattoo, with the basic design featuring a crown above or on top of a heart. While the heart is almost always done in a traditional red, this tattoo also looks great when using an anatomical heart. The ability to personalize this design comes from choosing whatever crown you want – you can add your favorite jewels, have it mimic the crown of your country's monarch or a crown from fiction, or have it be a broken crown to demonstrate that although you are ruled by love, you aren't always successful in love.

One variation on the basic design is to include a banner with a loved one's name on it – this can demonstrate how that person is the king or queen of your heart. Another variation is to strip the design down to basics, a great choice for those wanting a smaller tattoo that can be placed behind the ear or even on a finger: get an outline of a heart with an outlined crown on top or slightly above the heart, all done in black ink.

Heart and Rose / Rose Heart

A rose is a beautiful symbol of love, desire, and friendship, and adding it to a heart tattoo design creates a unique image that can be styled in a truly personal way. There are a few different variations on the heart and rose, or rose heart, design. The first variation is to have a rose and heart next to or overlapping one another. The heart in this design is usually a vibrant red, but you are obviously free to choose any color or style (it's your tattoo!) such as a heart locket, a Gothic heart, or an anatomical heart. The rose can also be any color you choose: red for love, yellow for friendship, white for purity and virtue, or simply any color that catches your eye and suits your style. You can personalize this design by having a banner going across the heart with your significant other's name, a meaningful phrase such as "Til Death" from your wedding vows, or simply a word such as "Faith".

Another design variation is to have a rose forming a heart, with the vibrant blooming petals in the center and its stem curling down, around, and up to form the remainder of the heart. You may wish to have the rose be thorny if you've had a rough time in love, or be thorn-free if you are in a healthy and happy relationship.

Heart Vine

Vines are symbolic of strength, progress, and survival, so adding a heart to a vine tattoo creates a doubly layered meaning. One design variation is to create a heart out of a vine, with curled leaves and a few random offshoots making for a delicate and intricate pattern. This looks beautiful on the inside of a wrist or on the lower back. To further personalize this design variation, consider adding a few of your favorite flowers or some ivy leaves to the vine.

Another design variation is to have a vine combined with hearts, which can be of any size or color. You can have the vine connecting a few hearts – a great design choice for a tattoo going up one side of your torso or along the top or bottom of your back – or you can have hearts coming off different branches of the vine. A final variation is to have a vine encircling the heart, which can demonstrate that love tangles you up.

Heart Tree

Tree tattoos symbolize growth, knowledge, and life itself, and these meanings can be compounded with the addition of a heart. You can choose any heart or tree that you want for this tattoo, but often the designs work best with a bold red heart or anatomical heart and strong trees such as oak, maple, and evergreens.

One classic design is to have a tree coming out of the top of a heart with its roots curled around the rest of the heart. This looks particularly stunning when done with an anatomical heart, as it literally demonstrates how the heart and love are givers of life.

Another, more somber design is to have a heart hanging from a noose attached to a tree branch. This can demonstrate how your love for someone or something has died, or that you feel like love is killing you.

You can also have a tree forming a heart: this is done by having a solid trunk at the bottom with the tree then splitting in two before curving around to form the top of the heart, with its branches and treetops creating intricate patterns. Another play on this design is to have the leafy top of a tree form a heart shape.

A fun design that can be meaningful to anyone with a close family is to create a literal family tree by having a large tree filled with hearts that represent your family members: you can include their names of birthdates in the hearts to further personalize the design. This tattoo looks great as a full back piece, and is truly something special!

Jack of Hearts

Playing card tattoos have been around for a long time, and each card has its own special meanings and connotations. The Jack of Hearts is a particularly playful card and can be representative of a knave of the heart, or roguish in love. The classic Jack of Hearts tattoo design is the actual card (from whatever playing deck you choose) in full color, though it can also be done in black or grey scale. There are also some variations on this classic design. For instance, you can get a bold red heart or a heart outline with the Jack's profile inside the heart, or you can have the Jack's profile extending from the top of the heart. To further personalize the tattoo, consider getting your own birthdate included to demonstrate that you embody the Jack of Hearts, or get the name of your significant other to signify that this person was able to win over your heart and cure you of your knavish ways.

Heart Peace Sign

The peace sign is one of the most recognized symbols throughout the world and getting a heart peace sign tattoo is perfect for those who want to denote both peace and love. One way to capture both symbols in one design is to replace the circle shape of the peace sign circle with a heart. Another variation is to have the pointed bottom of the heart overlap with the segmented bottom of the peace sign, forming an infinity bond between peace and love. This tattoo looks great when kept in simple black outline, but feel free to add color for a more vibrant touch!

Irish Claddagh / Claddagh Ring

The The popular Claddagh design is most often seen on rings or other jewelry, and it serves as the perfect tattoo to signify love between a committed couple. The design features two hands holding a heart with a crown above the center of the heart: these three elements correspond to the qualities of love (the heart), friendship (the hands), and loyalty (the crown), making for an incredibly meaningful design!

The Irish Claddagh tattoo should have all three elements, but there are a few variations. If you prefer a simple design, just have a black outline of the hands, heart, and crown. Those wanting a more complex and vivid tattoo can make the hands quite realistic, perhaps modeled after the person who holds your heart, and the crown can include whatever jewels or be in whatever style you prefer.

Those looking to include more Celtic elements to the design can have Celtic knot work as the top of the design which then connects to the hands to create a circle: this can thereby signify the eternal and never-ending nature of your love, friendship, and loyalty. You can also include the colors of the Irish flag in your tattoo to demonstrate pride in your heritage and culture, whether by having a green and gold shamrock in the background, or having the hands and/or heart follow the tricolor pattern in their coloring.

Paw Print Heart

The Paw print hearts are perfect for any pet lover, or for couples or friends to get as matching tattoos that symbolize their love for one another. This tattoo can be designed in a few different ways. You may choose to have just the footpad done in the shape of a heart, or you can have both the footpad and the toe pads done in a heart design. Another fun option is to get a heart with paw prints forming a pattern inside it – this is a great option for a family, as you can get each member's initials or birthday inked inside a paw print.

This tattoo also serves as a touching memorial to a pet you've lost. Consider copying the size and shape of their actual footprint, adjusting either the toes, footpad, or both into the shape of a heart, and then including their name or a picture of your pet along side their paw print.

Celtic Love Knot / Celtic Knot Heart

The Celtic heart tattoos are a great way to demonstrate both your cultural heritage or affinity for Celtic culture, as well as your love for another. The intricate and interconnected nature of this design is also indicative of strength and unity, adding another layer of meaning to the tattoo.

In terms of their design, Celtic heart tattoos usually consist of four different and often interlocking patterns – knots, spirals, crosses, and/or step work – and you are welcome to utilize either one or several of these patterns in your own Celtic heart tattoo. When designing your tattoo, you can also personalize the various elements by playing with color. You may wish to have the interlocking patterns done in black with green or gold as the fill-in color, thereby utilizing the same colors as the Irish flag. Whatever design or color you choose for your tattoo, the placement is up to you! these tattoos work well in delicate places such as behind the ear, inside the wrist, or on the ankle – thereby reflecting the delicate yet complex nature of the design – though they also look fantastic when done as a larger piece on the bicep or shoulder blade.

Heart tattoos come in all different shapes, sizes, and designs – whether you're a man or a woman, old or young, you'll be able to find the perfect heart tattoo for you! For custom design of a Heart, you can check our Custom Tattoo Page.