The Ornaments of Ornamental Tattoos
Tired of bold outlines and overly literal designs? Step into something more refined—where art becomes ornament and ink flows with elegance. Ornamental tattoos offer intricate detail, rhythmic symmetry, and expressive beauty without shouting for attention.
Whether it’s a delicate wrist piece or an elaborate full sleeve, every design is tailored to your rhythm—crafted to complement your movement, your mood, and your meaning.
Let your skin wear something unforgettable. Book your custom ornamental tattoo with one of Christchurch’s most trusted artists at B.LIST Studio today.
Mandalas
This common circular design, symbolising unity and harmony, comprises intricate patterns radiating from a single point. Draw the eye to select parts of your body or cover round joints like the elbow, knee, or shoulder as a starting point to which you can spread out and add on.
Geometric Shapes
Shapes and patterns like triangles, circles, and squares are arranged symmetrically to form cohesive, streamlined, and pleasing-to-the-eye designs. There is a big focus on bold lines to define shapes, which also hold plenty of symbolism—circles often represent unity and wholeness, while squares symbolise stability and structure.
Although this element is often pretty abstract, if you want a mini portrait of your favourite anime character made from tiny little squares, our anime tattooists won’t turn you away.
Floral and Natural Elements
Organic motifs like flowers, leaves, and vines add a touch of nature and feminine beauty to a decorative, ornamental tattoo. These blossoms can be admired as they are or a tribute to birthday flowers and specific meanings.
Cultural Inspirations
Ornamental tattoos often draw from cultural art forms, including henna designs from South Asia, Celtic knots, and local Māori patterns. Each style has its own historical significance and aesthetic qualities.
While our ornamental tattoo artists usually love cracking a cheeky joke, we show deep respect for the cultural aspects of our work.
Blackwork and Dotwork
Blackwork focuses on the solidness of black ink and its absence, creating a stark contrast on the skin. Dotwork relies on meticulously placed dots to build shading, depth, and texture, and it can also be combined with blackwork for more intricate details
The versatility of these techniques allows them to seamlessly blend with other styles like geometric or traditional designs.
Abstract
Curved lines and spirals are often used to create movement within the design, contributing to the elegance and fluidity typical of ornamental tattoos. Ornamental tattoo artists frequently use symmetry to create balance and harmony in the design.
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Ornamental Ink
FAQs
Find answers to your most pressing questions about our tattoo services and products.
Are ornamental tattoos religious?
It all depends on your intent! Our ornamental tattoo artists can definitely incorporate specific religious symbolism into your tattoo or create an aesthetics-only piece. The choice ultimately depends on what resonates with you.
Can anyone get an ornamental tattoo?
Absolutely. This style is incredibly versatile, meaning that no two pieces are the same; they can be tailored to suit your ideas and preferences. Express your experiences or beliefs in a symbolic way that isn’t too literal.
Instead of an existential and loud piece that screams about your belief in the impermanence of life, you can rep a beautiful, swirly masterpiece that basically means the same thing. And if anyone asks about the meaning of your tattoo, you can show off how cool it is by explaining the symbolism behind each element.
Can I incorporate other styles into my ornamental tattoo?
Definitely. Our resident realism, portrait, and Japanese tattoo artists specialise in an array of styles, with some of our favourite ones to incorporate being:
- Biomechanical: Intertwining futuristic elements with organic life for a contrasting piece
- Neo-traditional: Adding colour to traditionally black and white ornamental tattoos or using ornamental patterns to fill in the solid colour areas of neo-traditional tattoos
- Realism: Using ornamental designs as a frame or decorative border for portraits