Small tattoo stencils
48 designs for a wrist, ankle, neck or forearm, from 1 inch tiny pieces to 4 inch small ones. Each prints as a stencil, an outline and a color flash.
3.50 in3.50 inSingle rose with stem
3.5″Single rose with stem
1.5″Rose bud, fine line
3.75″Traditional rose with leaves
1″Tiny rose outline
3.75″Rose and banner (blank)
3.5″Traditional sunflower
3.5″Lotus on water
3″Wildflower bouquet, fine line
1.5″Tiny daisy, fine line
3″Bold blackwork tulip
1.75″Five-petal flower, easy outline
3.5″Traditional cross with rays
1″Tiny cross, fine line
2.5″Cross with wildflowers, fine line
1.75″Simple cross outline
3.5″Three crosses on a hill
3.5″Traditional butterfly
1.25″Tiny butterfly, fine line
2.5″Butterfly with trail, fine line
3″Bold blackwork butterfly
1.75″Simple butterfly outline
3.75″Butterfly on a flower
3.5″Traditional skull
1.25″Tiny skull, fine line
3″Bold blackwork skull
2″Skull and crossbones
3.5″Nautical compass rose
1.25″Tiny compass, fine line
2.5″Compass with mountains, fine line
1.5″Simple compass star
4″Traditional angel wings
1.25″Tiny halo and wings, fine line
3″Single angel wing, fine line
3.5″Winged heart, blackwork
1.75″Simple halo and wings
3.5″Heart with banner (blank)
1″Tiny heart, fine line
1.75″One-line heart, fine line
3″Geometric heart
2.5″Heart lock and key
1.5″Simple heart outline
3″Traditional spider
1″Tiny spider, fine line
3″Hanging spider, fine line
3.5″Geometric spider
2.5″Spider outline
4″Dove with olive branch and banner
1.5″Tiny dove, fine line
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§1Tiny and small: two size groups
This page holds two groups. Tiny designs default to 1 to 1.75 inches: R-09 Tiny rose outline, HT-03 Tiny heart, CR-03 Tiny cross, SP-03 Tiny spider and AN-03 Tiny halo and wings. Small designs default to 2 to 4 inches and carry more parts, such as BF-11 Butterfly on a flower, CC-01 Nautical compass rose and AN-01 Traditional angel wings.
The default is a starting point, and any design can be printed larger or smaller. Detail sets the lower limit. Ink spreads a little in the skin over the years, so a design with a banner, leaves or rays needs more room than a single heart.
§2Small tattoo sizes by placement
| Placement | Usual size | Good designs |
|---|---|---|
| Wrist | 1–3 in | R-09, HT-03, CR-03, BF-03, FL-04 Tiny daisy |
| Ankle | 1–3 in | FL-12, BF-10, AN-10, SK-03, CC-03 |
| Neck | 2–4 in | R-03 Rose bud, AN-03, SP-03 |
| Forearm | 3–6 in | R-04, FL-01, BF-01, SK-01, CC-01, HT-07 |
| Calf | 2–6 in | SP-10, CR-11, BF-08, SK-08, AN-08 |
| Chest | 3–10 in | AN-01, R-10, HT-01, CR-01 |
| Thigh, back | 4–10 in | FL-02 Lotus on water, SP-06, BF-11 (at the small end) |
Ranges come from the size charts published by Saved Tattoo and Inkjin. On a thigh or back a 4 inch piece is the smallest size these charts list, so a small design there reads as an accent rather than a feature.
§3Tiny flash and small outlines
Small flash is the quickest kind of tattoo to choose: the drawing is finished, and you only decide where it goes and whether it stays black. Switch the print format to Flash to see any design here in flat color. HT-10 Heart lock and key, SK-09 Skull and crossbones and CC-10 Simple compass star work in color or plain black.
For a small butterfly outline, the size decides the design. BF-03 Tiny butterfly sits at 1.25 inches for a wrist; BF-01 Traditional butterfly at 3.5 inches fills a forearm spot. The one-line butterflies are sorted out on the easy stencils page. Planning several small pieces on one arm? Print them at the same scale and lay the sheets on the skin together before you book.
§4Questions
Q1What size is a small tattoo?
In the size charts we use, a wrist or ankle tattoo runs 1 to 3 inches and a forearm piece 3 to 6 inches. On this page tiny designs default to 1 to 1.75 inches and small ones to 2 to 4 inches.
Q2Which small designs work on the wrist?
The fine-line tiny ones: HT-03 Tiny heart, CR-03 Tiny cross, R-09 Tiny rose outline, BF-03 Tiny butterfly and FL-04 Tiny daisy, all 1 to 1.5 inches by default.
Q3Is there tiny tattoo flash in color?
Yes. Open any design and choose the Flash format: the same outline comes filled with flat color, and at 1 to 2 inches it prints as a small color swatch you can hold against the skin.
Q4Can a small tattoo have a lot of detail?
Less than it seems on screen. Fine lines placed close together can blur over the years, so print a detailed design such as CC-01 or BF-11 at 3 inches or more and keep 1 inch tattoos to a few lines.