Lily flower tattoos are the epitome of feminine grace, refinement, and resilience. This flower comes in a range of gorgeous varieties, each with distinct visual features and a unique charm of its own. Each type of lily, with its rich hues and shapely contours, can make for the perfect body art. Although lilies are generally a preferred choice for women, there is no rule that men cannot get them if they wish! It all boils down to one’s creative vision and choice of design to find the ideal customization of a lily flower tattoo art.
Scroll down to take a look through our broad collection of eye-catching and meaningful lily flower tattoo designs in this article.
Lily Flower Tattoo Meaning
Lilies have had a symbolic significance across cultures. In ancient Greece and Egypt, the flowers were associated with deities of fertility and womanhood. They are also said to have featured quite frequently in royal and religious customs as offerings or decorations. As with the flower, lily flower tattoos traditionally symbolize purity and innocence. In contemporary times, however, a lily flower tattoo’s interpretation can widely vary, depending on the wearer’s personal beliefs and philosophy.
It can also have various regional meanings. In the next section, let us take a look at how this multifaceted flower embodies different emotions, thoughts, and values.
Lily Flower Tattoo Meaning In Different Cultures
The geographical location that a specific type of lily is native to, or more popular in, as well as its color, plays a role in its symbolism to some extent. Keep reading for a general idea of how different colors add culture-specific meaning to this charming little flower.
Yellow Lily Tattoo Meaning
A bright and vibrant yellow lily, generally conveys feelings of warmth and may represent joy, happiness, and positivity or optimism. In Chinese culture, lilies represent strong friendships, loyalty, and deeply valued human connections, whereas in Japan, yellow lilies are associated with good fortune, wealth, and prosperity. Over time, due to its refreshing color, yellow lilies have also come to be a symbol of hope, creativity, and comfort.
Pink Lily Tattoo Meaning
Lilies in soft and delicate pink hues are commonplace in East Asian countries such as China, Korea, and Japan. They represent affection, gratitude, admiration, and devotion. They are often gifted to others to express appreciation, as a romantic gesture, or as exchange gifts during celebratory events. In Japanese culture, pink lilies are also associated with geishas, signifying delicate femininity, elegance, and refinement. However, in Western countries, pink lilies may be used to express sympathy or remembrance in memory of a loved one.
Red Lily Tattoo Meaning
A fiery red hue on a lily is associated with unbridled passions. In various Western countries, red lilies are one of the flowers used to represent intensely passionate love and desire. In Hinduism, they are often linked to the Goddess Durga who personifies feminine strength and courage. In China, they represent good fortune, abundance, and prosperity, while in Europe and Japan, red lilies have historically represented royalty, nobility, as well as elite warriors and leaders.
Purple Lily Tattoo Meaning
Several decades ago, flowers in purple were rare and considered something of a luxury. Thus any flower in this color has held an air of unattainable beauty, catching the attention of people in high places such as royalty or nobility. Hence, purple lilies have varied symbolism across cultures.
Western Europe during the Victorian era was all about using shades of purple to signify royalty or aristocracy. It was an expensive shade and by extension, purple lilies signified wealth, prestige, and refinement. In Italy, purple was the color of wisdom or spiritual enlightenment through association with deities of wisdom and strategy and purple lilies stood for the same. In Celtic culture, purple lilies were viewed as a sign of the spiritual realm or supernatural and magical entities. Purple lilies are associated with luxury, abundance, and divine energy in Hinduism. Some sectors linked them to Laxmi, the goddess of prosperity, and Saraswati, the goddess of wisdom. The Zulu tribe from South Africa reserved purple lilies to represent positions of power and authority.
In contemporary culture, purple lilies can be used for artistic expressions that are not particularly moored in their traditional symbolism to create spectacular body art.
Orange Lily Tattoo Meaning
Typically, an orange lily encapsulates emotions of excitement, enthusiasm, and infectious positive energy. A tattoo depicting it may represent a joyous milestone in life, mark new beginnings, or relay one’s passion for adventure and exploration. In most Western European interpretations, orange lilies are gifted to congratulate others on their achievements or to offer encouragement on an especially gloomy, hopeless day. In North America, orange lilies express confidence and boldness in acknowledging one’s romantic feelings. The Chinese pick orange lilies as a celebration of one’s relationships, both romantic and platonic. Some native American cultures associate them with the sun and as a marker of warmth and spiritual guidance. For them, these flowers speak of hope, resilience, and an attachment to the natural world. While orange lilies are used in funeral processions in certain parts of Europe, they usually symbolize fond memories shared with the departed.
Butterfly And Lily Tattoo Meaning
Since butterflies are attracted to flowers for their nectar, tattoos that depict them accompanying flowers are also quite common. Their symbiotic relationship has various interpretations across cultures. A general symbolism arises from how butterflies undergo metamorphosis, transforming from caterpillars to winged insects that inspire poetry and fables, while the lily flower provides sustenance. A butterfly and lily can thus symbolize agents of a transformative journey. In east Asian cultures such as Japan and China, both butterflies and lilies are symbols of rebirth and spiritual growth and ascension.
Now, armed with what different lily flower tattoos might mean, let us take a look at a host of tattoo designs we have compiled for you.
64 Lily Flower Tattoo Designs
The philosophical, aesthetic, as well as creative scope of creating a unique and infinitely beguiling lily flower tattoo idea is endless. We offer you a comprehensive catalog of some truly mesmerizing designs that will leave you spoilt for choice! Dive right into it and prepare to be dazed.
Simple Lily Flower Tattoos
Of course, artistic and creative experiments can multiply the appeal of the plainest of flowers. However, the lily is a naturally elegant beauty with its slender stem, delicately curving petals, and prominent stamens. Take a look at these lily tattoo ideas that use only the basic flower body and yet have an arresting presence.
1. Basic Lily Flower Outline Tattoo
Although this tattoo features a simple outline of a single lily flower, the bold, thick, and crude lines, mimicking a pen sketch-style illustration, add texture and character to the shape. The shading is minimal but the rough and edgy-looking lines alone are sure to captivate you and provide a sense of mystery surrounding the wearer.
2. Lily Flower Bouquet Tattoo
The aesthetic appeal of a lily flower is effortlessly enhanced by a bouquet of them. There is minimal accented shading in the floral shapes that strikes a balance between the flowers and the leaves. The lines are neatly executed, creating a gorgeous piece of body art.
3. Geometric Lily Flower Tattoo
This geometric lily flower tattoo employs heavy use of dotwork for a gradient and textured shading effect. The geometric shape of a diamond serves as a frame with the lily’s petals overlapping its lines for a multidimensional look. You may experiment with other geometric shapes such as a circle, rectangle, hexagon, etc., to see how it spices things up.
4. Colorful Lily Flower Tattoo With Quote
All this tattoo features is a simple lily flower head and a quote in a classic font, yet its charisma is uncontested. The rich pigments of yellow and orange petals contrasting with the gray leaves have an immediate attention-grabbing quality. A favorite quote in an attractive font is one of the best ways to make one’s beliefs apparent.
Miko, a lifestyle blogger, talks about her tattoos and piercings in one of her blog posts. She has a memorial lily tattoo dedicated to her mother which also quotes her. Reminiscing the past and its connection to the tattoo, she writes, “When she used to tuck me in (for I’m not going to admit how many years!) she used to say the same thing each night; Goodnight, Sleep Tight, Sweet Dreams, See You In the Morning, I Love You. Whenever she said this, I never had a bad dream, whenever I was away on a school trip or at a friend’s house she’d text it to me, and as it happens, those were the last words I ever said to her… yeah, turns out I’m a sap – don’t tell anyone! So, I decided to get that, surrounded by lilies which were her favorite flower (i).”
Tiger Lily Flower Tattoos
A tiger lily earns its name courtesy of its stunning, blazing orange shade marked with a smattering of black or deep red dots. Given that tigers have striped coats and not dotted ones, many tiger lilies have dotted-line markings that appear as lines rather than dots from a distance. This common Asian garden lily speaks of confidence and a sense of pride in the wearer’s personality and is sure to impress an audience no matter what style it is done in. Take a look at some of the examples we have here.
1. Fiery Vibrant Tiger Lily Tattoo
This simple tattoo features bold outlines and bright rich pigments that radiate warmth and animal magnetism. The shading is more artistic than realistic and the petal spots are subtle as per the wearer’s preference. A cute little detail is the tiger paw prints at the bottom that expand the desirability of the tattoo design while allowing the wearer to play with its symbolism.
2. Vintage Tiger Lily Tattoo
This vintage greeting card-inspired tattoo design features a tiger lily in the wild, accompanied by other wildflowers. The pigments used are in muted hues with significant black ink shading to achieve a grungy, worn-out, retro vibe. This tattoo may represent a general symbolism of a garden flower like a tiger lily being as resilient as wildflowers that thrive wherever they are planted. Or a wearer may handpick the flowers they want for the tattoo for personalized expression.
3. Tiger Lily With Hummingbird Tattoo
This tattoo pairing communicates the wearer’s preference for eye-catching colors and an optimistic attitude in life. As we have seen with the tiger lily, a hummingbird happens to be a fowl with iridescent feathers, giving it a gleaming, glittering coat. Both these elements together make for a radiant picture one cannot have enough of.
4. Alice In Wonderland Tiger Lily Tattoo
This delightful animated tiger lily from Alice In Wonderland is a memorable character and its tattoo can be an ode to cherished childhood memories. In the story, the tiger lily is an observant, kind, and polite talking flower that offers help, guidance, and wisdom to Alice while the other flowers are rude. It is seen as Alice’s stabilizing force in a chaotic wonderland. It also has a cutesy illustration with striped and curved petals and stamens that double as tiger whiskers. The wearer may express their fondness for the character or the will to be a helpful stabilizing force in the lives of other people, like this character.
Fun Fact
Jeon Jungkook, a member of the sensational K-pop group BTS, has a vibrantly colored tiger lily illustrated on his forearm as part of his extremely detailed sleeve tattoo. It is his birth flower and hence holds special significance to him.
Calla Lily Flower Tattoos
Calla lilies have a unique, trumpet-shaped flower head that narrows down gracefully to its stem into a slender wine glass silhouette. These glossy flowers symbolize purity, devotion, elegance, mystery, remembrance, and comfort. Their shape can be stylized in several innovative ways for awe-inspiring lily tattoo designs. Scroll down for some wholesome ideas.
1. Simplistic Outline Calla Lily Tattoo
Our first pick for a calla lily tattoo is this flowy, whimsical, line art that moves away from distracting details to highlight the pleasurable shape of the flower itself. There are a few delicate lines for some subtle shading but most of the appeal of this tattoo lies in clean, bold lines that twist and curve in agreeable ways for an artistic floral tattoo.
2. Brush Pen Comic-Style Calla Lily Tattoo
A comic-style calla lily tattoo like this one makes for an unforgettable artistic piece. The style of this illustration resembles brush pen strokes, combining thin and thick lines, gradient dotwork shading, and black work details to create a multi-textured portrait. It puts forward an exaggerated depiction of the flower to showcase it in all its glory.
3. Rich Gothic Calla Lily Mural Tattoo
This richly pigmented tattoo uses deep shades for a dark and gothic look. It comprises a white calla lily as the centerpiece against a black diamond shape positioned between a common deep purple lily on top and wildflowers at the bottom. All that solid ink-fill may take forever to execute as well as heal, but if it turns out this sophisticated, it may be well worth it.
4. Artistic Calla Lilies Tattoo
An amusing little artistic rendition of calla lilies, this tattoo uses pastel shades of purple, red, green, and blue for a design that would appeal to takers of modern art. The lines are rough and pasty as if they were done using color pastels. The tattoo resembles a quick and carefree doodle that exudes a raw, creative flavor.
May Lily Flower Tattoos
The May lily goes by multiple names that all seem equally suitable; May Bells, Our Lady’s Tears, and Lily of the Valley. Although not a true lily, this flower has quite an adorable bell-like shape that bears some resemblance to the core shape of lilies, making it one of the popular choices for lily flower tattoos. Let us take a look at how they may be stylized for tattoos.
1. May Lily Outline Tattoo
This sweet little May lily outline tattoo highlights the winsome shape of the flower. The lines are crisply done with a little bit of shading for just the right amount of depth required. The tattoo displays aesthetic appeal while also helping the wearer express themselves in a clean and simple fashion.
2. Crayon May Lily Tattoo
This enchantingly textured May lily looks like a dreamy and magical depiction of the bell flowers done using crayon colors. The entire piece seems to shimmer despite no actual glitter being used, thanks to the clever little details including dots and circles. There are also two butterflies done in a similar way with soft pastel yellows, blues, and gentle grazings of black. This is surely one tattoo that your friends or even you, would not stop gushing about.
3. May Lily Bouquet Tattoo
A bouquet of this generously endowed flower stem makes for a picture-perfect tattoo piece for wide areas of the skin. The outlined figures of the tiny May lilies against a background of large, shaded leaves, make for an exquisite contrast, increasing the overall appeal of the tattoo.
4. Shadow May Lilies Tattoo
This ethereal lily flower tattoo has a hauntingly beautiful vibe. It completely lacks any outlines and its body wholly comprises gradient shading, giving it a translucent, ghostly appearance. The minimal white ink details make for subtle highlights, further adding to the ephemeral concept of this shadow May lily tattoo.
Spider Lily Flower Tattoos
The spider lily gets its name thanks to the spindly petals that arch outward and droop downward, resembling a spider, albeit a gorgeous one, naturally occurring in red or white. It also has long delicate stamens that enhance the attractiveness of the flower. Scroll down to view how a tattoo featuring these beautiful flowers would look on your skin.
1. Linework Deep Red Spider Lily Tattoo
The tattoo artist has shown off their craftsmanship with this deep red spider lily with commendable linework. It appears as if this illustration was done using a felt tip pen with a light hand to lightly glide across the skin. A thoroughly captivating tattoo that would appeal to minimalist and maximalist takers alike.
2. Spider Lily Tattoo With Oriental Elements
Spider lily tattoos are most common in oriental tattoos. This specific tattoo features a water dragon but they may as frequently accompany other east Asian traditional symbols such as phoenixes, koi fish, lotuses, cranes, cats, etc. Another brilliant oriental element idea would be to pair these lilies with Asian script done in the brush pen style of transliterated words (for non-natives) that the wearer may have a personal connection to.
3. Dainty Single-Needle Spider Lily Tattoo
This super-tiny colored spider lily tattoo is done with a single fine needle for uniform lines throughout the shape. The little, delicate curves of the petals and their bead-like endings, make for an alluring tattoo that powerfully commands the attention of an audience despite its small size. This is one tattoo style that may appeal to beginner tattoo enthusiasts as well as those with a taste for minimal designs.
4. Blackwork Spider Lily Tattoo
This blackwork spider lily tattoo shows that although red spider lilies are more common in tattoo art, a black one can be just as mesmerizing. The fine line strokes and heavy dotwork are astounding, giving the tattoo a magical touch. The white tops of the pointy petals create a rather delightful contrast, making the flowers look as if they were shimmering away in the night against the backdrop of lively fireworks.
White Lily Flower Tattoos
Lilies generally represent qualities like purity and innocence, and no other lily does it as well as a white one. However, based on how a wearer chooses to stylize white lilies, tattoos depicting these flowers may have different meanings. Let us check out a few examples.
1. Realistic White Lily Tattoo
This hyper-realistic, gouache painting-style white lily looks like a motif plucked out of expensive wallpaper. Both the flower and the leaves use varying hues of gray for the pastel shading, increasing the classic appeal of the tattoo. Although this looks truly magnificent on light skin, leaves of a shade or two lighter would look equally compelling on darker skin tones.
2. White Lily Outline Tattoo With Blackwork Detailing
The artistic interplay between a fine white outline and solid black shading, results in this interesting, experimental lily flower tattoo. It might simply be an aesthetic choice of the wearer to drive attention toward the color contrasts, or it may also be interpreted as a new flower sprouting from decaying parts. No matter the symbolism, the unique illustration does capture the lasting interest of an observer.
3. White Lily Memorial Tattoo
As in certain cultures where white lilies represent remembrance and comfort, and feature in funereal ceremonies, it may not come as a surprise if it is chosen for a memorial tattoo. This one in the image above features a softly painted white lily with a delicate font to write the memorial dedication and dates. It does look like the design was mindfully put together and evokes a deep sense of nostalgia.
4. White Lily Tattoo With Accent Shading
In order to make a white lily tattoo, the entire tattoo need not use white ink. Smart color choices for accent shading can use other colors to make the flower look white. Like, this tattoo uses gray, beige, and yellow for shadows. The highlight is done using tiny white lines but overall, the use of white ink is minimal. The use of a full moon adds its own meaning to this tattoo which mostly represents feminine energy.
Purple Lily Flower Tattoos
Adorned in the color of royalty, status, and luxury, a purple lily tattoo has a versatile range where it shines through regardless of the style being minimal or extravagant. Check out the following experimental purple lily flower tattoo designs that will instantly win you over.
1. Small Filigree Purple Lily Tattoo
This small purple lily tattoo is done in an old-school traditional style. The little twirly shapes surrounding the flowerhead seem to be inspired by tribal-style tattoos while the shading quality is more on the solid side. Overall, this filigree-type tattoo is a great choice for people looking for more traditional floral motifs and can easily complement any older tribal patterns.
2. Pastel Purple Calla Lily Tattoo
This vibrant and richly pigmented pastel purple calla lily is done in such a realistic manner that it seems to pop out of the skin. Varying shades of purple have been used for the trumpet-bodied flower, and the leaves, respectively, giving it a vigorous and hypnotizing quality. This tattoo is sure to turn heads and earn you many compliments.
3. Fine Line Purple Tiger Lily Tattoo
Combining traditional and modern tattoo elements, this fine-line purple tiger lily would redefine your personality for you. While the twirls are very similar to classic tribal patterns, the gradient dotwork shading, fade-out edges, watercolor shading, and white ink highlights, are all recent, revolutionary tattoo techniques that would make this piece stand out.
4. Soft Purple Lily Tattoo With Dotwork
A soft purple lily that just borders on appearing pinkish, is just the balance for those who cannot choose between a pink or purple shade for their lily flower tattoo. More of the twirly shapes provide fine-lined foliage details to the flower, creating a satisfactory floral tattoo. There are also little dotwork details that appear like hanging lines or trinkets giving it a unique charm.
Pink Lily Flower Tattoos
Pink lilies not only express wholesome human connections but also look great in all types of skin tones. Pink just happens to be one of the widely accepted colors in florals, which naturally increases the creative scope for pink lily tattoo designs. Take a look at these lovely designs.
1. Coral And Pink Lily Tattoo
Going for a coral-pink lily effortlessly adds warmth to the feelings of admiration, affection, gratitude, and love that pink lilies already stand for. The corals and pinks blend beautifully, while the clean lines highlight the shape, and the warm olive leaves make for a striking combination for this design. There is nothing not to love in this truly delightful design.
2. Artsy Pink May Lily Tattoo
As if May lilies were not adorable enough, this futuristic illustrative tattoo with popping bubblegum shades elevates the charm of this lily flower tattoo. It is surrounded by celestial elements such as the moon, planets, and stars, giving it an extraterrestrial aura that will have fans of sci-fi, futuristic cartoons, and modern art drooling over it.
3. Botanical Pink Lily Tattoo
This tender and delicate rendition of pink lilies plays with a subdued pink hue with super-fine lines, airy dotwork, and elegant floral outlines for a sketch that could belong in a botanical journal. This tattoo is not just superficially pretty, but the pairing with the wildflowers and weeds could give it a free-spirited personality, mirroring that of the wearer.
4. Sublime Pink Lily Vine Tattoo
If a tattoo such as this does not earn a storm of compliments, it is either badly done by an amateur artist, or people are simply being stingy with their words. A deep pink shade like this would layer in a pleasing contrast against most skin tones. Add to it these blackwork leaves slithering along the length of the calf, providing movement to the tattoo and making it appear alive. You simply cannot go wrong with this one!
Lily Flower Spine Tattoos
The spine is one of the most seductive and intriguing tattoo placements as it traces the delicate line of the spine, drawing attention to one’s physical structure. A mindful and skillfully illustrated lily does more than justify the unmistakable appeal of the spine placement. Take a look at how the following lily flower spine tattoos live up to the hype.
1. Black And Gray Lily Tattoo
Black and gray tattoos are one of the most popular tattoo trends in the industry at the moment. Graceful lily petals, leaves, and stems done in shades ranging from solid black to a gray so light, it appears white, is just what you need if you are looking for a classic lily flower tattoo with a modern touch. You may also add a bit of white ink highlights to give your tattoo a dewy appearance.
2. Ornamental Lily Tattoo
If the objective is to draw attention to the seductive spinal line, why not line it with a string of ink! As you can see, the focal point of this tattoo is the dainty, fine-line lily in the top half of the string. The rest of the string features minimal floral shapes and dots to resemble an ornament that is permanently embedded in your back. It is a tattoo that will make the prospect of wearing backless outfits doubly exciting!
3. Line Art Lily And Quote Tattoo
Apparently, a vulnerable and delicate part of the body goes best with delicate tattoo art. Here is another intricate and minimal design for the spine that features a line art of a lily flower where the flowerhead is a mindful tangle of a single line that creates the petals and a leaf and then reaches downward, further twirling into letters that spell a quote. This is a clever way to flaunt one’s love for the flower as well as their favorite quote in a sophisticated manner.
4. Geometric Fine Line Lily Tattoo
This fade-out black and gray tattoo, along with fine line details and grainy dotwork, uses the geometric element to its advantage. Unlike the realistic shapes of the flowers and leaves, the stem is a straight line through the diamond shape that appears to have a translucent quality that plays through the overlay of these two shapes. You may also try this design with other geometric shapes for a completely varied design.
Lily Flower Sleeve Tattoos
If a sleeve tattoo fails to grab the attention of an audience, then it simply means the audience has yet to glance in its direction. An entire limb covered in permanent ink would make even the shy ones forgo their inhibitions and look! In this section, we shall take a look at how lilies can contribute to the already dominating charisma of sleeve tattoos.
1. Engraving-Style Half-Sleeve Tattoo
The dark aesthetic of this engraving-style tattoo is so hard-hitting that it appears like it was literally carved into the skin instead of simply being needled in. The line details are crisp and the blackwork is impressive, not missing even a pinch of skin that it’s supposed to cover. The bigger the shapes in this design, the more eye-catching it would turn out to be.
2. Lily Of The Wild Valley Tattoo
This floral sleeve canvas comprises multiple other flowers besides the lily of the valley or the May lily. Upon closer inspection, one can find daisies, roses, snapdragons, and a whole bunch of weeds and wildflowers. The wearer may choose to assign distinct symbolism to each of these elements or may simply choose to go for this design for its botanical aesthetic appeal.
3. Shadow Work Lily Sleeve Tattoo
Shadow work is hands down one of the coolest tattoo techniques to add an etherealness to tattoos across a wide range of sizes. There are no strict outlines of the shapes and the varying degrees of shading depth make the shapes of the elements. This gives the flowers a light, floaty appearance and an overall whimsical quality to the tattoo.
4. Garden Flowers And Lily Tattoo
A sleeve tattoo offers ample space for one to be experimental with their choice of tattoo elements. So unless someone is a diehard fan of lilies, opting for other elements is quite possible to create a story, without making it appear awkward. Here is an idea for combining lilies with other flowers, bugs, or butterflies to create a scene out of a well-tended garden. It looks quite elegant as a black and gray tattoo but a vibrantly colored one could be a literal showstopper!
Lily Flower Shoulder Tattoos
Options for shoulder tattoos are quite versatile in terms of visibility and space. They are wide enough for small- to medium-size tattoos but they also provide a physical landscape that can allow larger tattoos to branch out beautifully across the back, chest, neck, or down the arms. Take a look at the following lily flower shoulder tattoos for some creative inspiration.
1. Cute Dotwork May Lilies Tattoo
Don’t these cute little animated May bells look like they might shrug at any moment, sprout tiny eyes, noses, and mouths, and start giggling? If you think a wide shoulder is best for heavily shaded tattoos, then this tattoo with its simple crisp lines and sparse dotwork shading is here to challenge you. Not only does it sit gracefully on the shoulder, but also evokes a sense of cheerful liveliness.
2. Off Shoulder-Style Lily Of Valley Tattoo
Another lily of the valley tattoo for the shoulder with a unique creative touch for the design! It starts as a plain line on the upper arm, reaches the shoulder, and at this point, branches out into floral wisps and ribbons. It looks like a magical wand or an eccentric gymnastic prop. While the wisp reaching toward the chest features wild weeds, the one reaching toward the shoulder blade comprises May lily blooms and buds. It is an interesting design that can help accessorize your off-shoulder outfits and draw attention to your shoulder line.
3. Epaulet-Style Lily Of The Valley Tattoo
We cannot move forward with a shoulder tattoo list without mentioning an epaulet-style design that symmetrically graces both shoulders. The crowd-favorite Lily of the Valley features in yet another jaw-dropping design with the plant reaching towards the neck on both sides with the lily blooms dangling downwards. The choice of warm shades for the tattoo complements the dusky skin beautifully and elevates its allure.
4. Illustrative Lily And Bird Tattoo
This illustration of these elegant and flowy calla lilies with a spatuletail hummingbird creates an incredible, artistic half-sleeve tattoo. It features super-fine outlines, seamless watercolor shading, and a mindful choice of colors that magnify the overall enticement of the art piece. The stylish curve of the hummingbird’s tail adds a tasteful detail and there is no denying the vintage charm it oozes.
Lily Flower Foot Tattoos
Foot tattoos signal the confidence of the wearer. Many may argue that it is the shy ones who opt for this placement as it comparatively offers lesser visibility. However, when barefoot, it effectively drives attention towards a body part not many are confident about. Here is how you can make the best of lily flower tattoos on foot placement.
1. Black And White Lily Tattoo
A tattoo that efficiently employs black and white fine lines with expert stippling work, can look as appealing on the foot as any other part of the body. It functions as a permanent floral embellishment, accessorizing the feet in the absence of footwear. Pair it with florescent slippers for an exceptionally stunning look for your happy feet.
2. Gauzy Lilies And Koi Tattoo
An oriental style pairing of soft, lacy lilies with koi fish is a convenient design idea for the top of the feet. This flowy design is extremely delicate and ephemeral and yet proudly displays its visual excellence. In terms of symbolism, both lilies and koi fish represent strength, resilience, and prosperity. It is remarkable how such strong meanings could be presented through such a brittle-looking rendition.
3. Aesthetic Lacy Lily Tattoo
Another delicate foot lily tattoo piece, but one that adorns the side of the feet. Notice how the design conveniently curves around the ankle as it would be a painful spot for tattooing. The effeminate seduction of this tattoo is indisputable, especially when gracing a clean and freshly pedicured foot. Its charm would only become more obvious with each movement of the feet.
4. Blue Lily Cover-Up Tattoo
A cover-up tattoo that does not just conceal a previous mishap but also has a visual appeal on its own is reflective of the competitive talents of the tattooist. The cover-up lily tattoo in the image above smartly uses the contours of the previous tattoos as a blueprint of its own shape, however, no trace of the earlier ink is visible on the finished piece. The choice of an aquatic floral style for this lily was a genius move as it made covering the curves of the previous tattoo more convenient.
Lily Flower Neck Tattoos
It is universally acclaimed that the sight of a bare neck inspires forbidden desires and has a magnetic pull. However, a well-planned floral tattoo on the neck can have an equal, or maybe even increased appeal, drawing attention towards the fragile neckline. In this section, we shall explore some unique lily flower neck tattoos that work with quirky concepts and add an agreeable edge to one’s personality.
1. Anatomical Lily Tattoo
Human anatomical diagrams are slowly gaining popularity in the world of tattoos, be it the image of a heart, eyes, or hyper-realistic bones and muscles. One can highlight their philosophical genius by combining an anatomical part of the body with lilies. In this tattoo, for instance, a brain is framed by blue lilies and may hint at the wearer’s love for biology, or their attraction to brains over beauty.
2. Black Shadow Work Lily Tattoo
This realistic lily neck tattoo weaves shadow and light elements so cleverly that the flower might as well have been an actual one glued to the neck! Despite the stippling work, the dots on the petals, characteristic of tiger lilies, are evident and stand out. The fade-out edges soften the glaring impact of a neck tattoo, while the curvy contours provide it with an optical movement that brings it to life every time the wearer swallows.
3. Red Spider Lily Tattoo
As seen in earlier tattoos, red spider lilies have the advantage of a striking red shade and long spindly petals and stamens that take up space in quite an assertive and bewitching way. It manages to hold its space stretching along the length of the neck, standing out in stark contrast against the skin’s natural color.
4. Belladonna Lily Bouquet Tattoo
Though not technically from the lily family, the belladonna lily has an uncanny resemblance to lilies. The trumpet shape and distinct stamens can confuse the untrained eye, but in terms of creative illustration, it can stand for whatever the wearer wishes for it to. This breathtaking dotwork lily flower tattoo takes up an entire side of the neck, imparting an intriguing, mysterious aura to the wearer.
Did You Know?
The spine, feet, and neck are some of the most painful spots to get a tattoo. So, if you are a beginner, discuss the pain tolerance with your tattooist and opt for smaller or minimal-style tattoos that heal quickly.
Lily Flower Tattoos For Men
We stand by our claim that lily flower tattoos can be just as enthralling on men as they are on women, despite their feminine allure and metaphorics. And here, in this section, we shall show rather than tell what we mean. Check out these stunning tattoo ideas.
1. Half-Sleeve Shadow Work Lily Tattoo
This forearm half-sleeve tattoo utilizes large lily flowerheads while filling up the negative space with rich black ink. This excessive use of negative space speaks of the longer time it must have taken to tattoo and heal, bearing testimony to the wearer’s pain tolerance and determination to get such a tattoo. Because of the heavy blackwork, the lilies can be perceived to be white and construed to have respective symbolic meanings.
2. Blackwork Lily Tattoo On The Back Of The Hand
This is a goth-style backhand tattoo of a lily that uses a lot of blackwork as well. It is a highly visible placement that conveys that the wearer is proud of flaunting it and talking about its significance, value, and connection to their personal story. Despite the heavy use of black ink, one can make out the depth of the shapes, the stamens, and the contours of this skillfully done tattoo.
3. Blackwork Lily Tattoo On Neck
This is a basic lily neck tattoo with a minimally shaded flower and heavily inked leaves and stem. This tattoo shows that a tattoo for a man need not always have an extra edge. A simple motif such as this can say all that needs to be said while suitably adorning the neckline of a man.
4. Lily Of The Valley Tattoo Behind The Ear
Here’s another tattoo to drive a nail through the previous point. Not only is this a less edgy tattoo but it is also of a lily of the valley variety, which is generally perceived as a sweet and cute floral shape. The solid linework and practiced dotted depth are all the high-tension appeal that this neck tattoo needs.
Minimalist Lily Flower Tattoos
Talking of trendy tattoo designs, we cannot leave minimalism out. To reiterate a previously discussed aspect of the lily flower, its natural shape itself holds oodles of charm and elegance. So from a minimalistic design perspective, the tiniest, or the most basic illustration would get brownie points! Browse through these cool minimal lily flower tattoo ideas if you like keeping things low-key.
1. Solid Outline Lily Tattoo
When we say solid outline, we really mean solid outline! There is nothing except a crisp and clean outline of the flower and accompanying little weeks branching from the same stem. No extra shading or dotwork is used to emphasize the fact that this outline alone could speak volumes if beautifully sketched and presented.
2. Diaphanous Lily Tattoo
Not all diaphanous-styled tattoos are minimal, especially if they have a bunch of extra details inked around them. However, this tattoo features a single sprig with a lily bloom and a bud, and a handful of flowers. The fine-line details, soft dotwork, and white ink accents give it all the glam a minimal art piece can take without getting overbearing.
3. Micro Stamp-Style Lily Tattoo
A recent Korean tattoo trend is getting a bunch of micro-stamp style element tattoos scattered across a vast skin area. In this image for example, you can see a couple of unique flowers, including a lily of the valley, and a tiny hamster (or mouse) just spread across the inner arm. The colors are bright and each shape is reminiscent of the tiny temporary sheet tattoos one got as a freebie with candies as kids!
4. Framed Lily Tattoo
A flower as glorious as the lily deserves to be framed! Take cues from this fine-line tattoo that depicts a clear, superfine lily outline within double frames. For the wearer, the lily may represent a person and the framing may hint at it being a memorial piece. In general, framing something conveys the high regard someone has for that object, which can also be said in the case of this tattoo.
Lily Flower Tattoos With Names
Nothing can convey a person’s absolute devotion towards someone as a tattoo that comes accompanied by their name. No other element can as openly declare the love the wearer has for that person. Here are a few lily flower name tattoos that you may opt for in honor or remembrance of someone who holds a special place in your heart.
1. Lily With Name Stem Tattoo
The stem making up the name is perhaps the most common way in which floral name tattoos are done. In this case, this soft pink watercolor lily has a stem with a calligraphed name and features on the back of the hand, just below the thumb. At such a visible spot, it conveys the pride, gratitude, and love the wearer has for the person.
2. Lily Tattoo With Name In Foreign Language
The name written in a foreign script, be it a direct translation or a philosophically relevant word, can increase the desirability of the tattoo a hundredfold. The grand picture only gets more wholesome if the illustration is done in the style of the culture the foreign script is from. In this case, it is an oriental-style sketch that fits well with the Japanese name.
Quick tip
While getting a tattoo in a foreign script, it is important to be respectful of the culture and not use offensive symbols with it. Do your research on the script so you do not unintentionally end up getting cuss words permanently tattooed on your skin.
3. Twin Watercolor Lilies And Names Tattoo
If you wish to tattoo more than one name with lilies, this is one way to do it. Twin watercolor lilies in complementary colors run down the length of the nape, their stems terminating in the names they are dedicated to. As per personal artistic preference, one can always choose if these twin tattoos need to be aligned the same or have symmetrical shapes. This style of tattoo can easily be a couple’s tattoo or can be dedicated to one’s parents or children.
4. Black And Gray Lily Tattoo With Name
Here is another basic and convenient way to combine names with a lily flower tattoo. The name simply features as the label somewhere around the shape of the flower. Artistically, it can be curved around the floral shape, cut through it, or overlapped in a way where one element appears to be placed over the other. In this case, the name seems to be placed slightly atop one of the flower petals.
So, that was our wide-ranging list of lily flower tattoo ideas, covering traditional as well as contemporary tattoo styles and techniques. As per the latest trends, you might want to look deeper into minimal, blackwork, or shadow work tattoos and explore more experimental ideas for a unique tattoo. You can play with the symbolic value of different elements paired with your lilies to weave interesting personal tales or flaunt decorative body art that you are proud of. We hope you found just the inspiration you needed, and our list inspired you to get a customized lily flower tattoo of your own. You can always have a detailed discussion with your tattoo artist about the creative scope and process of making your tattoo to achieve exactly what you want. In addition, follow aftercare instructions given by your tattooist to make sure the final finish is worth all the planning and excitement.
Frequently Asked Questions
How painful is getting a rose tattoo on the wrist?
Getting a rose tattoo on the wrist can be a painful experience as this area has a lot of nerve endings and is closer to the bones and joints. Also, this area has less flesh content and hence getting tattooed over this area can cause pain and discomfort.
How long does a rose wrist tattoo take to heal?
A tattoo generally takes around a few weeks to months to heal depending on the size and placement of the tattoo. The first few days are the initial healing phase where the tattooed skin, essentially an open wound, heals. You may notice light scabbing and peeling.A tattoo may appear healed after a few days of getting it inked. However, if one adheres to a good aftercare post-tattooing, as per anecdotal evidence the healing can take somewhat 6 months.
Can I cover a rose wrist tattoo with makeup if needed?
Yes, you can cover an old rose tattoo with makeup. However, covering a freshly inked rose tattoo with makeup may interfere with the healing process and increase the risk of infection and bacterial contamination.
Can I swim after getting a rose wrist tattoo?
It is recommended to avoid swimming until your rose tattoo is completely healed. If the water in the pool is not sterilized, it can inject bacteria into the skin, affecting the healing process. This could cause irritation and discomfort, result in color changes, and increase the risk of getting an infection.
How do I choose the right style for a rose wrist tattoo?
Be it a traditional, minimalistic, watercolor, or realism tattoo, look for the one that resonates with your aesthetic and personal style. Also, consider the size and the very placement of the tattoo on the wrist. One can also consult a tattoo artist to discuss ideas on what type of rose tattoo design might work well for them.
Key Takeaways
Lilies are large, elegant flowers that represent feminine grace, strength, and resilience. Depending on its color, a lily may have slightly varied symbolism. For instance, white lilies represent purity, while purple lilies stand for luxury, status, and royalty. Although more popularly related to feminine concepts, lily flower tattoos can look great on a male body, be it as part of a sleeve tattoo or a simple outline on the neck.
Image: Dall·E/StyleCraze Design Team
The grace and elegance of a lily flower tattoo requires the skilled hands of an experienced tattooist. Check out the following YouTube video to watch how a professional artist draws each and every stroke of a lily tattoo with abject focus and precision!
Personal Experience: Source
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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.
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Aparna Harry is a beauty and lifestyle content writer with over three years of experience in writing for different genres. She has a master’s degree in English Literature from The English And Foreign Languages University and a bachelor’s degree in education from the University of Mysore.
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Subhrojyoti is an associate editor at StyleCraze with four years of experience. He has a master’s degree in English from Presidency University, Kolkata, and has also done a post-graduate certificate course in Editing and Publishing from Jadavpur University, Kolkata.
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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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