6 Finger Tattoo Ideas That Are Perfect for This Tricky Placement — See Photos

Instead of pointing to Ursa Major, why not have the stars at your fingertips (or at least near them)? While they might not literally twinkle, these designs “give the area spark,” says Michelle Santana is a tattoo artist at Bang Bang Tattoo in New York City, who calls star tattoos “timeless.”

Stars can complement any body location, adds Kim, but work well on your fingers because they don’t require too much detail or space. Brilliant.

Tiny florals

Courtesy of @bangbangnyc

Courtesy of @tattoocute

Freshly cut flowers are nice, but wouldn’t it be more pleasant if they lasted longer than a couple of days? Solitary floral tattoos, particularly poppies, daisies, clovers, and lavender sprigs, Kim says, are springing up this season. “They’re flowers that don’t require a ton of detail,” she adds. And we cannot overstate that simplicity is key to long-lasting finger ink: “I don’t recommend overly detailed florals since they don’t hold up well over time.”

Butterflies

Courtesy of @bangbangnyc

Courtesy of @bangbangnyc

Butterflies are taking flight this season, and not just from your garden. Santana has been seeing more of the winged insects land on clients’ fingers. “Butterflies are beautiful and are usually associated with the idea of ‘rebirth, freedom, and flight,’” she says. “They also create harmony with any design they float around.”

Permanent jewelry and ornamental designs

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Courtesy of @inkedbyash

As a card-carrying member of the “zapped” bracelet fan club (see the Catbird stack on my wrist), I’m considering one of these tattoos myself. More people have been getting sprawling ornamental designs that wrap around their fingers. “Ornamental designs consist of jewelry-inspired concepts, but can also include celestial objects like stars and moons, crosses, vines, or designs that look engraved,” says Santana.

Cuticle tattoos

Courtesy of @bangbangnyc

Courtesy of @bangbangnyc

Fact: The skin at the top of your finger, near your nail, retains ink better than other parts of your finger. “It’s because anatomically this area has the nail bed tissue in the underlying dermis, which is a stable layer of skin with a rich blood supply that may help trap tattoo ink,” Dr. Song says. “Functionally, this area likely has reduced exposure to friction and wear compared to the pads of the fingers,” and lends itself to tiny tats, including delicate hearts, diamonds, and stars. You can also accessorize your cuticle with a chain, like the one above.

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