25 Daring Dragonfly Tattoo Ideas

Dragonfly tattoos have become increasingly popular in recent years. The beautiful insect can now be found on numerous bodies in ink form. The dragonfly is a symbol of new beginnings and change. This makes it particularly favored as tattoos for people who want a design that signals progress and growth. There is no right or wrong way to go about your dragonfly tattoo. In fact, the weirder the better!

We wanted to get a better understanding of the types of dragonfly tattoos there are out there so we turned to social media to discover which types of tattoos are resonating most with people. We were pleasantly surprised to find a variety of great dragonfly tattoo ideas to share with you. Get inspired by these designs and come up with your very own tattoo idea!

Dragonfly Tattoo + 11:11

Let’s kick things off with this very fine dragonfly tattoo with “11:11” tattooed underneath it. If you’d like your tattoo to look delicate, consider something similar with very think linework.

With a Little White Ink

Here’s a great dragonfly tattoo that utilizes white ink for highlight. If you are going with black ink, consider a touch of white to really make it pop.

With Shadow

Here’s a tattoo that has a shadow underneath to give the illusion that the dragonfly has landed on the skin. It’s a cool effect that will work great for many folks that want an evocative design.

Tons of Detail

Wow! Look at all of that minute detail in the wings of this dragonfly tattoo. The artist has really taken the time to give the dragonfly texture. What a winner!

Micro

If you’re not looking for a huge commitment, consider a micro dragonfly tattoo. Tiny, micro tattoos are a huge trend today and it just might be the right direction to go for you.

Watercolor

Watercolor tattoos are another huge trend today. As you can see in the above example, the artist has used colorful ink and a blending technique to make it look as if this tattoo is actually painted on.

Mandala

Yet another popular trend today is mandala-inspired designs. This dragonfly tattoo looks absolutely magical thanks to the gentle fade the artist has accomplished.

With Ornamentation

If you want a more balanced look for your dragonfly tattoo, consider requesting ornamental elements. They really help bring a tattoo to life and are very pretty.

Bold In Black

If you’re going to go with just black ink, which is the most popular choice among dragonfly tattoos, go all the way in. A dark tattoo like this one really makes a statement.

A Chest Piece

If you do want a real commitment, consider getting your dragonfly tattoo in the center of your chest and flanking it with botanicals as this person has done. Any symmetrical shape works well in the center of the chest.

Rainbow

Here’s another watercolor design that is packed with delicious colors. If you’re bored with just black, you can go full color as this person has done for a truly stylish design.

Stylish

Work with an artist with a point of view and you could walk away with a cool, stylized design like this one. It’s been masterfully done.

Yin-Yang

Here’s one of the more unique dragonfly tattoos on this list that contains all sorts of shapes including a yin-yang symbol. Dragonflies have such a recognizable shape that you can fill it with whatever your heart desires.

With Your Favorite Flower

Why get just a dragonfly tattoo when you can also add a flower for even more beauty. The peony in this design is just dandy.

Semicolon

Semicolon tattoos are a symbol that raises awareness around mental health. They look fantastic in between the wings and the color of this dragonfly tattoo.

RELATED: Semicolon Tattoo Ideas That Raise Mental Health Awareness & Show Solidarity

Super Fine

Find yourself a skilled tattoo artist and you don’t need any bells and whistles to make your design stand out. A straightforward, well-tattooed design is ideal.

Living for the Drama

It’s clear that the watercolor effect is big among dragonfly tattoos. This design marries blues, purples, and pinks in the most dramatic and breathtaking way. Bravo!

Meditative

“Nirvana,” this tattoo says above a dragonfly tattoo that finds meditative symbols in between the wings. If you’d like a tattoo that chills you out every time you see it, consider something similar.

Minimalist

If your motto is always “less is more,” go with a minimalist design. This person has gotten a simple dragonfly tattoo but the wings contain so much texture and visual interest that you don’t miss the details.

Neo-Traditional

Neo-traditional tattoos bring traditional elements from Americana tattoos but update them in new and creative ways. Bold lines and bright colors bring this design to life in a spectacular fashion.

Starry Night

Wow! We find a piece inspired by Vincent van Gogh’s Starry Night. As we mentioned before, a dragonfly’s shape is pretty singular so you can get away with doing a lot with the wings while still making your dragonfly tattoo recognizable.

Fire

Here’s another neo-traditional dragonfly tattoo. It comes with a cool, red background that makes the colors inside the wings truly pop.

Magic

If your motto is “go big or go home,” you should consider a back piece that takes up a lot of real estate. Take a look at all of those fine lines used to bring this magical design to life. It’s just so incredible!

Dagger

Dagger tattoos are extremely popular and you can turn your dragonfly tattoo into one easily, We love the emerald color here that pops against that orangish-red background.

YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE: 35 Fabulous Forearm Tattoo Ideas

The Messenger

“Many mystic people consider a dragonfly to be a messenger from the spirit guides,” the person who shared this image writes. “Their purpose is to reveal the magical path to people.” What a beautiful sentiment and an equally attractive tattoo.

There you go! What did you think of these dragonfly tattoo ideas? We hope you have some ink inspiration in mind and will consider getting your own original dragonfly tattoo. These designs represent tons of creativity and plenty of original ideas worthy of your attention.

Check Out These Gorgeous Butterfly Tattoos to Inspire Your Own Ink!

Minimal

Understated sophistication can be found in this tattoo that is composed of very thin lines of black ink. For something equally appealing, ask your tattoo artist for crisp lines and organic shapes.

A Little More To It

If you want to stick to black ink, you can ask your artist for something with a little more pattern and visual interest. In this micro tattoo, we find just enough detail without it being too busy.

Don’t Fear Color

Don’t be afraid to get colorful with your butterfly tattoo. In this design, we find plenty of warm tones and a truly inspired pattern in the wings that is one-of-a-kind.

Monarch Butterfly Tattoo

One of the most recognizable butterflies in North America is the monarch butterfly. These gorgeous creatures are often considered symbols of migration as these butterflies travel long distances, thousands of miles, during the fall.

Back to Black

We go back to monochrome with this black butterfly tattoo that’s been applied in a traditional style. Simple shapes and patterns are hallmarks of traditional tattooing and this tattoo displays both in a winning fashion.

Creeped Out

Work with an artist you trust to come up with a tattoo that feels singular and inspired. In this piece, we find shapes from a skull in the butterfly’s wings. It’s a bit creepy but visually stunning nonetheless.

Hearts

We find a very cute idea in this butterfly tattoo that has been stylized with tiny hearts in its wings. Get creative with your design for a totally unique tattoo that only you have!

Seeing Red

Red ink is an upgrade to black that we wish more people would consider. For whatever reason, red looks incredible on most skin tones and adds even more visual interest than you will find with just black ink.

Roses

Similar to the hearts butterfly tattoo, this one imagines wings filled with blooms. Please, run with this idea and create something that’s completely original and fabulous.

Two-Faced

How cute is this neo-traditional banger? In this butterfly tattoo, we find two faces in the wings which is definitely not something you see every day. Bravo!

Rainbow Realism

Wow! Take a look at all of the different colors in the wings of this butterfly tattoo. It’s surreal in its color but it does look insanely real in its composition.

More Realism

We find some hyperrealistic butterflies in these tattoos that look absolutely stunning. If you’d like tattoos that look like they could fly off of your arm, find a tattoo artist who specializes in this sort of thing.

Feeling Blue

Red is not the only ink option other than black. You can find happiness in these blueberry blue butterfly tattoos. If you want to go with your favorite color, you should!

RELATED: 25 Small Butterfly Tattoos That Will Make Your Heart Flutter

Symbolism

In this black ink butterfly tattoo, we find the infinity symbol which is an extremely popular subject for tattoos today. If you’d like your tattoo to have extra meaning, consider something similar.

Delicate

We find a small butterfly tattoo that’s been applied so delicately it barely looks real. We believe this is a stick and poke tattoo which offers a lot more detail in very small designs.

Textbook

This is a textbook, traditional tattoo that takes advantage of simple shapes and light shading to bring the butterfly to life. While colorful butterfly tattoos are gorgeous, sometimes black and grey can really hit the spot.

Once More, With Color

This tattoo is strikingly similar to the previous one but the person has chosen to go full-color. We bring you both for you to see the virtues of each. We hope that they help you decide which direction you want to go with your own tattoo.

Unusual

Sometimes the most unusual ideas yield the most incredible tattoos. This black and grey butterfly tattoo is unlike any other on this list. Let your artist go wild and you might walk away with something equally as breathtaking.

Be Bold

Here’s another butterfly tattoo that’s bold in its approach. While you will see no butterfly in the wild that looks like this, you instantly know what the subject matter is. What a beauty!

Checkered

In this butterfly tattoo, we find flames and a checkered pattern which are both highly unusual in this genre. As you can see, the sky’s the limit so let your imagination run wild.

Norigae

The person with this butterfly tattoo wanted to celebrate their Korean heritage so they worked a Norigae, a sort of tassel, into the design. Isn’t it stunning?

Wonderfully Weird

In this butterfly tattoo, we find a figure that looks like it’s melting. The person who shared this image offered no explanation, but did they need to? It looks fantastic!

Papillon

This butterfly tattoo comes from France. There, you’ll hear these creatures called papillon. It’s a very strange design that somehow works. We love all of the different textures the artist has created.

Profile

By far, the most popular style of butterfly tattoo shows the creature with both wings spread, like a top-down view. This design bucks convention by showing the butterfly in “profile.” We think it turned out beautifully.

YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE: 50 Mental Health Tattoos That Raise Awareness of Depression & Anxiety

Red & Yellow

Red and yellow look striking when paired together. We find these colors dazzling in this butterfly tattoo that’s done in a neo-traditional style.

A Whole Scene

If you’re interested in a butterfly sleeve tattoo, you could do no better than this example. Pair butterflies with botanical elements like flowers and fruit for an evocative design that is sure to delight.

Smoldering

We find our second flaming butterfly tattoo on the list in this mysterious design. Take a look at all of the tiny dots used to add texture. What a thrill!

Ombré

In this glamorous butterfly tattoo, we find a slight ombré effect that looks so moody and beautiful. Speak with your tattoo artist about color to plan the perfect scheme for your design.

Deep Blue

Wow! This butterfly tattoo is truly a stunner! We find a dark blue tone that verges on black. Notice how the blue transition to purple and red at the bottom. What a remarkable tattoo and fresh idea!

Psychadelic

In this rather trippy design, we find some dazzling colors amid a rather morbid subject matter. There’s a skull design worked into the wings that’s unsettling but very attractive.

Witchy

A popular placement for butterfly tattoos is in the center of the chest because it accentuates the natural shape. We find a rather witchy design with eyes, a crescent moon, and other decorative elements that really set it apart.

Autumnal Vibes

Are you really feeling fall this season? Get a butterfly tattoo that celebrates all things autumn by simply choosing a warm color scheme like this one. Orange and a grayish-green really pop next to one another.

Butterfly Lady

We leave you with this design of a “butterfly lady” that’s done in the traditional style. Simple shapes and bold lines are all it takes to bring this gorgeous character to life. Go for it!

There you go! We hope you enjoyed these butterfly tattoo ideas and will keep them in mind as you consult a tattoo artist about your very own butterfly ink. There’s no right or wrong way to go about getting a butterfly tattoo so get really creative to walk away with inspired and unique ink.