If you’re thinking about getting a finger tattoo, you’re in good company. The placement first skyrocketed in popularity thanks to the tiny tattoo trend, but it’s more than just a canvas for dainty designs. In fact, there’s no real limit to how creative you can get with your finger tattoos—from text pieces like the “Rest Easy” Post Malone has written across his fingers, to fine line geometric designs, and full color floral pieces. To prove how versatile this placement can be, here we’re sharing 14 finger tattoos that may just inspire you to get rid of your rings and replace them with a more permanent accessory instead.
1. This lil rainstorm
This cute design by Australian artist Tukoi Oya, who’s actually known for her signature glowing UV tattoos, is one of the cutest finger tattoos we’ve seen. She uses two separate fingers to complete the covert piece that she’s hidden along the inside of her client’s digits.
2. Botanical bbs
Finger tattoo designs are notoriously hard to keep looking fresh and tend to fade faster than other tattoos. You shouldn’t let that deter you from getting a finger tattoo, but it’s something to keep in mind while you weigh your options. Toronto-based artist Brittany Randell, who tattooed this cute botanical piece, tells Inside Out, “when getting finger tattoos, always be mindful that the first session may not heal well and a touch up is likely required.”
3. These fine lines
Small and simple geometric designs are another popular choice for finger tattoos. Here, French hand poke tattoo artist Estelle Dalgalarrondo stacks lines and arrows along three of her client’s fingers. Don’t let the simplicity fool you, though—tattooing straight lines is no easy feat for even the most seasoned tattooer. Some artists say that straight lines are actually the most difficult to do, requiring a ton of focus and control. And it’s even harder to make your lines this clean when you’re working on an area that’s particularly prone to pain.
4. This teeny rose
There are few areas of the body where a rose this teeny could make such a big impact. Because our fingers take up a lot less real estate than other parts of the body though, tiny flower tattoos like this one—done by tattooist Sydney Smith—make a much bigger statement there.
5. Some sweet sparkles
These minimal sparkling stars are perfectly balanced on either side of this client’s knuckle thanks to the signature delicate hand poke work of Russian tattoo artist Daria Razovskih, resident at Sasha Tattooing studio in Saint-Petersburg.
6. These floral fingers
Can you spot the fresh tattoo here? While it’s a little hard to tell, the violet is the only fresh finger floral—meaning the other two flowers are proof that not all finger tattoos fade away fast. Plus, this trio of flowers by Toronto’s Jess Chen make for playful pops of color on the skin.
7. This winding wave
This is more than a finger tattoo. The wavy design spans from fingertip to forearm and serves as a reminder that finger tattoos don’t necessarily need to end at your knuckles. The artist behind this design, Nathalie Tali tells Inside Out, “I wanted to use this tattoo to portray the fluidity of liquid forms and their beauty by flowing with my client’s anatomy and keeping it minimal while still creating a dramatic expression of movement.”
8. These colorful calculations
Like any other tattoo, a finger tattoo can be used as a way to celebrate the things you love. In this client’s case, they used their finger ink to symbolize their love of music. Done by Moscow-based tattooer Marina Sycheva, the mathematical symbols in each of these mini multicolored tattoos represent a different Ed Sheeran album.
9. This slithering snake
To give an otherwise simple tattoo some depth, Liza van Olden-Sie, resident artist at The Tattoo Garden in the Netherlands, included some black and grey shading throughout the body of this middle finger snake design.
10. A starry scene
This cool, minimal design by Lee (AKA @rat666tatt), co-owner of Tapestry Collective, is another finger tattoo that ventures slightly past the knuckles. Lee is also the founder of Good Judy, a direct to consumer brand that sells eco-friendly tattoo supplies to help make the industry greener—a cause we can definitely get behind.
11. These weathered hands
We can’t control the weather, but with a tattoo like this piece by South Korean tattooist Bongkee, you can—at least in some capacity—take the weather into your own hands. The palm side of the finger can be a difficult placement when it comes to healing though (a lot of bending happens there) so you’ll need to be especially mindful of your aftercare routine if you get a tattoo in this area.
12. Five finger ornaments
If you’re considering using your finger tattoos to replace more traditional jewelry, an ornamental-style design—like this patterned piece done by artist Bryndon Shepherd during his recent guest spot at our very own Inside Out studio—might be the perfect fit for you.
13. This funky face
Individually, each finger is a relatively small canvas, but if you put them together, there’s a lot more space to work with. This Berlin-based artist did exactly that and tattooed one of their signature abstract portrait designs along the entire width of their client’s fingers, using each finger as a canvas for a different part of the face.
14. This thin thumb ring
This single, simple line around the finger officially makes us want to ditch our rings and replace them with more permanent accessories. And turns out, replacing rings with tattoos—especially pricey wedding rings—is a pretty common practice. Makes sense since a small finger tattoo typically doesn’t cost much (although cost is incredibly variable and ultimately depends on your artist’s rates). Another major pro: these kinds of rings are impossible to lose.
If you love these finger tattoo designs, make sure to check out our gallery of 9 Tiny Tattoos That Are Just Delicate Enough for more inspo.