8 Best Back-Of-The-Arm Tattoo: Stylish And Subtle Ink Designs

Captivate your audience even with your back towards them without saying a word.

Reviewed by Brik Rangel, Tattoo Artist Brik Rangel Brik RangelTattoo Artist facebook_iconlinkedin_iconinsta_icon
Written by Manjari Uppal, MSc Manjari Uppal MSc linkedin_icon Experience: 3 years
Edited by Anjali Sayee, BTech Anjali Sayee BTech linkedin_icon Experience: 7 years
Fact-checked by Joyce Joyson, MA (Mass Communication & Journalism) Joyce Joyson MA (Mass Communication & Journalism) linkedin_icon
Last Updated on

A back-of-arm tattoo is a unique and refreshing body art piece. It packs a surprising punch placed at an unexpected spot, endowing the wearer with an air of intrigue and hinting at their imaginative and unconventional choices when it comes to their social appearance. Interestingly, the back of the arm has quite a decent stretch of skin beginning from the shoulder all the way down to the wrist, so there are uncountable ways of designing body art around this placement. But, if you are at a loss for ideas, then here is a list of exciting back-of-arm tattoo ideas that can offer you a fresh artistic perspective, helping you arrive at the perfect concept for yourself. Keep scrolling to learn more.

8 Best Back-Of-The-Arm Tattoo Ideas

With a stunning back-of-arm tattoo, you get to flaunt a surprising twist to your personality, not just appearing cool for thinking of a unique placement, but also leaving a lasting impression in a room full of people. If you are wondering ‘what tattoo should I get,’ take inspiration from the designs below done on a unique placement that heightens their appeal.

1. Back-Of-The-Arm Tattoo For Women

Back of arm tattoo of flowers
Image: Stable Diffusion/StyleCraze Design Team

Floral motifs are a common back-of-arm tattoo design for women. The flower you choose to get etched on your skin gives people some insight into your personality traits. This tattoo features two peonies that symbolize wealth and good fortune. It also represents a compassionate and honorable person. The peony is often considered a representation of femininity since it signifies elegance and grace.

2. Back-Of-The-Arm Tattoo Sleeve

A full sleeve back of arm tattoo
Image: Dall·E/StyleCraze Design Team

A full sleeve tattoo spans the entire length of the arm, providing equally mesmerizing designs on the front as well as the back. You can integrate a back-of-arm tattoo into your sleeve design by adding a focal element somewhere behind. The trick is to ensure that this focal element fits right in with the design of the overall sleeve, so it complements it properly. This focal element can be something big or tiny, like an important date or name, hidden in the design.

3. Back-Of-The-Arm Tattoo Above Elbow

A back of arm tattoo of the number seven above the elbow
Image: Stable Diffusion/StyleCraze Design Team

There is something quite captivating about a back-of-arm tattoo placed just above the crease of the elbow. It is generally considered a painful area for a tattoo and therefore getting it inked may convey that the subject of the tattoo is extremely important to the wearer. The tattoo above shows a simple tattoo of the number 7. This could be an important date, the month July, the number of people in their close circle or family, or a lucky number. Instead of numbers, you can also get important words, lyrics, or icons that mean something deep to you.

4. Back-Of-The-Arm Tattoo For Males

A tribal back of arm tattoo for males
Image: Dall·E/StyleCraze Design Team

Men who work their arms have a larger skin area, allowing large-sized tattoos to appear classy and awe-inspiring. This tattoo features the tribal sun as a main element at the back of the shoulder. A set of tribal symbol columns is added to the design, making it appear like a totem pole illustrated in honor of a mythological sun God. If you are looking for something focused less on symbolism, you can always pick your favorite sport or animal for a tattoo across a vast back-of-arm space.

5. Simple Back Forearm Tattoo

A simple back of arm tattoo of a cat
Image: Dall·E/StyleCraze Design Team

When in doubt, keep it simple! If elaborate designs or multi-leveled symbolism are too overwhelming, opt for something simple with minimal details. This tattoo depicts an outline rendition of a tiny cat, done on the back of the forearm. The focus of the tattoo is to look good from an artistic viewpoint so that the wearer enjoys flaunting it with their sleeves rolled up. If you are into colors, go for realistic or imaginative colors as per your preference. Remember that as long as you like it, your tattoo need not be a complex network of techniques and philosophies.

6. Small Back-Of-The-Arm Tattoo For Females

A small back of arm tattoo for females
Image: Stable Diffusion/StyleCraze Design Team

A small-sized tattoo on the back of your arm may seem like a waste of space, but considering the narrower build of women’s arms, it may actually be a brilliant choice. Here, a single, tiny blackout star tattoo is etched on the back of the arm. There is no exaggerated pomp and show about the design and yet it expresses the wearer’s interest in celestial objects, mysterious magical forces, and the harmonious interconnectedness of them. It also appears like a simple charm to draw attention towards the wearer. Consider other similar icons, like a heart or lock, for a subtle little body art that you can feel connected to.

7. Back-Of-The-Arm Tattoo With Words

A back of arm tattoo with the word hope
Image: Stable Diffusion/StyleCraze Design Team

There can be no better way to convey a straightforward message through your tattoo than words. This tattoo features the word ‘hope’ in bold, capitalized letters. It shows the wearer’s belief in the good things to come after having been through challenging times in their life. This tattoo can bring hope to onlookers who have given up on their circumstance or dreams. You can opt for similar words, phrases, or lyrics to express your beliefs and ideologies through your tattoo. Words like ‘strength’, ‘love’, or ‘resilience’ can act as daily affirmations, offering reminders of your core values and what you stand for.

8. Back-Of-The-Arm Flower Tattoo

A back of arm tattoo of a flower
Image: Stable Diffusion/StyleCraze Design Team

Floral tattoos are aesthetically pleasing and come in a wide variety of species, each with its own assigned symbolism. Their versatile meanings make them a frequently featured element in body art pieces. A flower tattoo can be a representation of the wearer’s birth flower as well as a memorial piece for a loved one. A single flower may symbolize the wearer’s journey to blossoming into the person they are. Additionally, you can get a garland or bouquet of flowers that may represent your family or special memories. This is one of the most naturally aesthetic designs you can get.

Back-of-arm tattoos can immediately draw your audience’s attention, making them watch your every move and yearn to get to know you better. They are an easy way to brighten the day for onlookers. If you want stunning arm tattoo ideas with a twist, the above-mentioned designs on the back-of-the-arm placement can speak volumes and express what you cannot through speech. And if you are not big on symbolism, opt for simple elements that add a fun little charm to the back of your arm, making you appear like an interesting and fun person to be around. Do keep in mind that the elbow is one of the most painful placements for tattoos. While that is an alarming fact, the pain further adds to your expression, hinting at the attachment you have with your tattoo. So scroll back up and take notes to come up with your own, stunning back-of-arm tattoo idea.

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Brik Rangel
Brik RangelTattoo Artist
Brik Rangel is a highly skilled tattoo artist who has 12 years of experience in the field. She specializes in transformative tattoo makeovers and cover-ups. After honing her craft in São Paulo, Brazil, she now works as a tattoo artist and manager at Manhattan Tattoos in New York, and as a tattoo artist at Divine Tattoos in New Jersey.

Read full bio of Brik Rangel
Manjari Uppal
Manjari Uppal Beauty & Lifestyle Writer
Manjari is a beauty and lifestyle writer with over three years of experience in writing across different niches, including beauty, health, wellness, and technology. She first discovered her passion for writing in school and has since honed her craft to perfection.

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Anjali Sayee
Anjali SayeeAssociate Editor
Anjali is an associate editor at StyleCraze. She specializes in hairstyles and hair and skin care and has written over 200 articles in these domains. She has 7 years of experience, and her philosophy about hair and skin care is simple: if you love and care for it, it will be healthy.

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Joyce Joyson
Joyce JoysonBeauty & Lifestyle Writer
Joyce Joyson is a beauty and lifestyle writer with over a year of experience crafting short-form content for the beauty, fashion, and lifestyle niches. She has a triple majors bachelor’s degree in History, Political Science, and Geography from IIS University and a master’s degree in Mass Communication and Journalism from Kristu Jayanti College.

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