The ear has become a popular place to get a tattoo, often to add to (or replace) ear piercings. Because ear tattoos are not easily hidden, it’s important for you as a tattoo artist to understand how do one correctly.
In this article, we’ll break down:
What To Know About Doing an Ear Tattoo
How Much Do Tattoos on the Ear Hurt?
Tattoos on and around the ear can be very painful. An important consideration with an inner ear tattoo is that there are a lot of nerve endings in that area. There also isn’t a lot of fat around the ear to protect the client from the pain of the ear tattoo.
For an ear tattoo behind the ear, the skin is right on top of the skull, which will increase the amount of pain.
And while on-the-ear designs aren’t on bone, ear cartilage is also extremely painful to have tattooed.
As we explain in the Tattoo Pain Chart, tattooing thin skin, areas near lots of nerve endings, and skin right on top of a bone can be quite painful for the client. An ear tattoo is going to rate up there with the spine, hips, and knuckles for how much they hurt.
On top of that, the buzzing and vibration of the tattoo machine that close to the client’s ear might cause additional pain, so check in with your client to make sure they’re okay.
How Much Will A Tattoo on the Ear Fade?
Tattoos on the ear generally fade quickly, likely because ears are often exposed to the sun. Hair and hats can help shade the tattoo from the sun while it heals, but clients should use sunscreen on their ear tattoo once it heals to extend the life span of their tattoo.
Things like hair products and holding a phone up to the ear can also irritate a new ear tattoo and cause it to fade more quickly than usual. Similar to tattoos on the finger where the skin is thin and exposed to the elements, tattoos on the ear will generally start to fade fairly quickly.
Designing an Ear Tattoo
Common Ear Tattoo Designs
Some of the most common art you’ll see for tattoos behind the ear are related to the Harry Potter series. Lightning bolts and the groups of stars found at the bottom of the pages of Harry Potter books are very popular.
Flowers are very common design requests for tattoos both on the ear and behind the ear. They’re versatile, so they can be made to fit within the contour of the ear and don’t take up too much space.
Things to Think About When Designing an Ear Tattoo
Because of the small space, an ear tattoo design generally needs to be simple. Trying to fit a complicated design into such a tiny tattoo will make the design unreadable, and when the ink expands, the tattoo will look like a dark blob. However, there are a ton of different designs you can still do that complement the shape of the ear.
Minimalist tattoos like dots and line work are great for the inner ear because they really pop in a small area. You can add dot work to a minimal tattoo to make the design stand out even more.
When you’re looking for cool inspiration for ear tattoo designs, try looking at something like a crescent moon, dragon, fish, or something else that has a flow similar to the shape of the ear.Note:
It’s also important for your client to understand that behind the ear tattoos, while generally delicate and discreet, are still going to be very visible on the body. While they can convey beauty and the client’s personality, they need to ensure that their workplace will not have any issues with it. If necessary, covering the tattoo with makeup or hair is possible. However, this will nto be possible during the healing process.
An Ear Tattoo is Complicated, but Cool
As a tattoo artist, there are a few important things to think about when a client requests an ear tattoo. As mentioned above, you should let a client know that ear tattoos are very painful and are likely to fade quickly. It’s important that your client understands this so they are prepared for the pain and able to take good care of their new tattoo.
They should also understand that they will be able to see the tattoo machine in their peripheral vision (which can cause some clients to get worried).
And, of course, if their tattoo wraps around in front of the ear, it borders on becoming a “face tattoo.” Your client needs to understand that public perception of them will change, and that some job positions will not accept a person with face tattoos. (This is why most tattoo artists refuse to tattoo young clients who want designs too close to the face.)
Ear Tattoo Design Inspiration Gallery
Nature-Inspired Tiny Tattoo
Lines and Dotwork
Classic Designs
Animal Tattoos
Behind the Ear Tattoos
Tiny Stars Design
Tattoo “Earrings”
Prepare for a Tattooing Career with the Artist Accelerator Program
Learning the differences between tattoo styles is an important step in your journey, but it can also be pretty eye-opening to how difficult tattooing can be. Without the right knowledge, it’s impossible to level up your skills and become a professional tattoo artist.
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Click here to learn more about the Artist Accelerator Program.
