Here’s a reason why so many people sport butterfly tattoos: these ethereal winged wonders are not only stunning, but they are also powerful symbols of transformation and freedom. And, just as in nature, the variety of butterfly designs is endless—they can be simple or super detailed, bold and brightly colored, or delicate and monochromatic. The classic style also makes for a great first-time tattoo design or one to get with your best friend.

Whatever your reason for wanting a butterfly tattoo, the most important part is to be sure of what you want it to look like. If you’re still searching for that perfect something, keep scrolling for 35 butterfly tattoo ideas that will help you design your next piece of ink.

@JT_TATTоо

The shape of the butterfly’s wings looks great around circular bones like the knee. Keep the design otherwise simple to play up the shape.

 

@PERSEPHоNITATTооS

Butterfly designs are great because they can be stylized in a number of ways. If you prefer a minimal tattoo, stick to a few lines—maybe even just one.

 

@TATSTEMPLE1 / INSTAGRAM

Placed behind the ear, butterfly tattoos gain a sense of playfulness, as they can only be seen from certain angles or when longer hair is pulled back. The white detailing adds to the whimsical feeling as well.

 

@FFIоN.ELIZABETH.TATTоо

Because butterfly wings tend to be intricate, line art is a really interesting and creative approach to the design. If you plan on adding a lot of lines, keep the other decorations and coloring simple.

 

@SоNIATESSARI

Butterflies come in a variety of colors and designs, so they can easily match any aesthetic. This butterfly tattoo uses subtle shading and white ink to create a dynamic sense of light and dark.

 

@JACKSоNTATTооART

The shoulder is a great location for a butterfly tattoo, as the amount of surface area means you can make it any shape and size you’d like. The extra space also allows you to add more drawn-out details, like the shadow under the butterfly in this design.

 

@TATTооIST_GAоN

The more, the merrier. Placing a few butterflies along the arm gives the impression that they’re flying upward. Using a fine line style guarantees a sense of delicateness, and spacing out the butterflies adds to the weightlessness.

 

@GIAHI / INSTAGRAM

Butterfly tattoos don’t have to be super minimal or super maximal—feel free to play around with elements to find your perfect design. Here, the intricate butterfly line design is customized with a gradient of red and purple ink to add visual interest.

 

@MIRYAMLUMPINI / INSTAGRAM

Can’t decide on just one color for your butterfly duo design? This rainbow combination makes the flyers feel fun and youthful.

 

@GHINKоS / INSTAGRAM

Geometric designs work well for butterfly tattoos because of the intricate designs that normally appear on their wings. Sharp, straight lines don’t ruin a butterfly’s image—instead, they add a sense of contrast that feels organic. We love the duality of this design that features a traditional wing on the left and one with sharp jagged edges on the right.

 

@PоSITIVELY.ENERGIZED.TATTооS

Rather than opting for a straight butterfly design, why not combine it with another natural element? Here, the butterfly is combined with florals, giving the tattoo delicately powerful energy.

 

@WINCHESTERTATTоо1 / INSTAGRAM

If you want a more realistic tattoo, butterflies can be designed to look as though they’re about to fly off your skin. With details like a large, properly placed shadow and dynamic shading on the wings, this butterfly is ready to take flight.

 

@AVENUETATTооRENо/@CооL.HAND.LUKE.69

Butterfly tattoos don’t have to be small and minimal. Adding heavy shading or bright colors can add some bold personality to the popular design choice.

 

@KYLIERоYART / INSTAGRAM

Try playing around with different tattoo styles with your butterfly design. This tattoo uses pastel coloring and a technique that makes it look like the wings themselves are overlapping.

 

@SIDESHоWJANE / INSTAGRAM

Thanks to the heavy black that naturally occurs on butterflies, blackwork tends to work well in these designs. Rather than feeling heavy, the black offers bold contrast, elevating the brighter, more delicate details.

 

@CIRCLES.777

Placing a butterfly in the center of your chest makes a statement. Going for a red, smudgy color calls even more attention to it, making for a truly unique ink piece.

 

@MNSANTANATATTоо / INSTAGRAM

A collection of butterflies along the ribs feels very chic and delicate because of the curves of the body and the movement of the design.

 

@INK.CARоLW

Thanks to their ability to be any size without losing detail, butterflies are great add-ons to existing tattoos. If you’ve already got ink and are faced with filling an empty space, a butterfly can be just the thing to do it.

 

@TR4DEM4RC_TATS / INSTAGRAM

Placing a word or phrase next to a butterfly tattoo will enhance the tattoo’s symbolism. While butterflies often represent change, endurance, or life itself, adding your own quote will give it a meaning that’s important to you.

 

@JоANNAMRоMAN / INSTAGRAM

Because butterflies can be easily identified when broken down to their basic shapes, they look really good in a line art style. Making the lines feel more sketched out gives the otherwise simple shapes a sense of personality.

 

 

@ZIIXUU_TATT

Butterfly finger tattoos don’t need to be simplified to keep them from overwhelming the finger. Feel free to add extra loops or overlapping lines to add visual interest while keeping it well-spaced.

 

@DIRTYINKTATTооSTUDIо

To play up the movement that naturally comes to a butterfly tattoo, go for a design featuring a series of butterflies. Place each butterfly’s wings into a different mid-flight position to make them seem like they’re flying away.

 

@PLAINJANETATTооCо

Because the body of a butterfly is dominated by its beautiful wings, a design without the actual body can still make an obvious impact. In this tattoo, the wings almost feel more weightless without the body, as it conjures up the image of delicate dried wings, rather than live ones.

 

@LUCASSMANSILLA / INSTAGRAM

Rather than focusing on the inner wing of a butterfly design, try pulling attention to the blackwork complexities of the wing. The white details create a striking contrast while managing to feel natural.

 

@оооооATMEAL / INSTAGRAM

Butterfly tattoos don’t all have to look the same. Try going for a more playful design that’s more about the overall aesthetic than a specific style like this adorable flower-adorned version.

 

@ITS.MEEEEEGAN

Large butterfly tattoos don’t have to feel any heavier than tiny ones, as butterflies always have a fair amount of negative space in their design. This naturally pushes the thicker lines to the inner and outer parts of the tattoo to strike the right balance.

 

@JASETATTооS

Because butterflies are often associated with women and “femininity,” they pop up in designs featuring other such images, like florals or the crescent moon. Other delicate details including sparkles and dot work pair just as well.

 

@TEDDYXTATTоо / INSTAGRAM

As long as you keep the general shape of a butterfly’s wings, you can customize the design in any style you want. Here, the wings feature a Kurosomi cartoon design and in the place of a body, there’s an unexpected black heart.

 

@LIDITATTоо

Adding a word or a phrase to a butterfly tattoo can underline its meaning, whether personal or symbolic. This design uses the word “resilience” to emphasize the butterfly’s representation of hope and continuation.

 

@BLACKNINKED / INSTAGRAM

This original blue and black butterfly featuring wavy lines and eyes with lashes proves that even though it’s a popular tattoo design, you can make sure that yours is truly unique.

 

@JEZHUоT

If you’re going for a more realistic butterfly design, it doesn’t have to mean using color. Instead, go for a tattoo that employs varying line thicknesses, smooth and light shading, and small bits of blackwork to give the illusion of depth and light.

 

@MоSS.MEADоWS / INSTAGRAM

Placing a butterfly tattoo on the calf creates a contrast that makes it stand out, as the calf is such a firm, straight part of the body.

 

@MALоBITA / INSTAGRAM

Butterflies are a great idea for matching tattoos. Because butterflies have such a fundamental design, you can be sure they’ll look the same. Plus, they can be customized to any shape, size, and style, so your matching tattoos are unique to the pair of you.

 

@HUNTER.SCHUоN.TATTоо / INSTAGRAM

Butterfly designs make for great hand tattoos because of the movement innate to both the insect and the body part. The wing shape of the butterfly also fits well with that of the hand, so the two elements harmonize with one another well.

 

@FLEURNоIRETATTоо / INSTAGRAM

If you look at this trippy butterfly tattoo for too long, it actually looks like it’s moving. This type of illusionist artwork requires a specific tattoo artist, so if it’s what you’re looking for, be sure to do your research.

 

@TEDDYXTATTоо / INSTAGRAM

Being that monarchs have some mythical-ness to them, it makes sense that they’d be incorporated in a tarot card tattoo design such as this one.

 

@LITTLE.TATTооS / INSTAGRAM

You have your black ink and colored ink to choose from, but an often overlooked option is a white tattoo. This tiny white butterfly design is perfect for someone who’s not trying to call attention to their ink.

 

@BLACKNINKED / INSTAGRAM

No matter what tattoos you might already be sporting, a butterfly makes a great addition without overwhelming or detracting from your current ink.