30 Behind the Ear Tattoos for Everyone in 2024
When you think about getting a tattoo, your first thought isn’t to consider placing it behind the ear and why would you? Who’s going to see it? You’d actually be surprised at how visible these tattoos can be and how intricate they can get. If you’ve been wanting a tattoo behind the ear, then we’ve got that something you’ve been looking for.
But before you go and get your own behind-the-ear tattoo, let us help guide you in choosing the perfect piece of ink. Below we’ll show you the daintiest, most inspiring, and prettiest behind-the-ear tattoo ideas of 2024. You’ll surely be inspired with the perfect idea of which tattoo style to get, as well as where to get tattooed on your body.
With that said, let’s begin.
The Best Behind the Ear Tattoos - A Dainty Ornamental Tattoo Behind the Ear
Welcome to another list of awesome tattoos to inspire you. On the list today are tattoos behind the ear and first up is this lovely micro ornamental design. I adore how clean the linework is, especially because tattooing behind the ear can be quite a challenge. Especially when working with color.
IG: newtattoo_nina
Precious Micro Dove Tattoo Behind the Ear
Here we have an adorable micro tattoo behind the ear, how gorgeous does it look? Simple tattoos are always a winner because if you don’t like it you can always cover it up. However, this tattoo is the perfect design for behind the ear because it’s simple and timeless.
IG: choiyun_tattoo
Stunning Fineline Feminine Flora Tattoo
This is one of the bigger designs on the list and it’s absolutely beautiful. I love how it was placed, even though it’s behind the ear, it extends onto the neck acting as both a behind-the-ear design and neck tattoo. The fact that the artist managed to get the linework so fine in this area is amazing.
IG: tattooist_sodam
Lovely Micro-Color Flower Tattoo Behind the Ear
Floral tattoos seem to be ever popular amongst the ladies and it makes sense, floral designs are very womanly. This micro-color floral design is the perfect piece for anyone wanting something feminine and dainty. The colors are vibrant and pretty which is something you’d want if you’re aiming for a dainty feminine vibe.
IG: tilda_tattoo
Awesome Dotwork Mandala Tattoo Behind the Ear
I love dotwork tattoos, for some reason, they always give off a very feminine feel. Here we have a lovely mandala tattoo behind the ear which fits the shape of the back of the ear perfectly. Placement is everything and placing this design behind the ear was a genius idea.
IG: enola_tattoo
Pretty Blue Micro Flower Tattoo Behind the Ear
It’s clear that floral designs are a firm favorite for the back of the ear and that’s probably because you can shape a flower to follow the curve of the ear. I love the colors chosen for this floral tattoo, they suit the client’s skin tone really well.
IG: berivanis.tatts
Amazing Color Realistic Crayon Tattoo
If I’m being honest, this color realistic pencil crayon tattoo almost had me believing it was real. Kudos to the artist, color realism isn’t an easy style, but they absolutely nailed it. You almost feel like you could reach out and grab the pencil from behind his ear. What a cool design, it’s definitely unique, I wonder if he is a teacher or an artist, this seems like something either one would get inked.
IG: jooa_tattoo
Lovely Fineline Fairy Wings Behind the Ear
What a gorgeous concept for behind the ear. These fineline fairy wings are not only well-placed but are also beautifully done. The linework is crisp and clean and as simple as this design is, it looks absolutely amazing behind the ear. Great work by sun_t_tt, check out their Instagram for more like this.
IG: sun_t_tt
Pretty Dainty Star Tattoos Behind the Ear
Star tattoos are always the perfect choice if you want something more womanly. These star tattoos behind the ear are a great example, look at how dainty they are. I love how they’re not only placed behind the ear but also on the cartilage. Keep in mind that
Style: Simplistic/Fineline the ear is a difficult area, you’ll end up needing a lot of touch-ups to keep your tattoos looking fresh.
Cute Fineline Strawberry Tattoo Behind the Ear
How cute is this tiny strawberry? It’s almost unnoticeable which is a good fit for those looking to get a tattoo that isn’t obvious. I also like that it’s not placed directly behind the ear so you can still get a glimpse of it when she moves her hair aside.
IG: miawosgerau
Adorable Rainbow and Clouds Micro Tattoo Behind the Ear
Color tattoos aren’t for everyone but how could you not love this precious little rainbow and clouds? The colors are so bold but unfortunately, they won’t hold forever. You see, the cartilage is a tricky spot and keeping ink bright like this is a challenge. Luckily, the placement allows the design to be hidden if it begins to fade. Either way, both the placement and design are lovely and I suggest going for it if you really want to.
IG: pureum_tattoo
Sweet Micro Candle Tattoo Behind the Ear
For some reason, I don’t find this tattoo as appealing as the rest on the list. There’s something missing, I think if the artist had added some linework to the flame it would have looked a lot less messy. Nice touch adding different colors, its definitely unique, just not my cup of tea.
IG: pureum_tattoo
Gorgeous Tiny Dotwork Ear Tattoos
The fact that her ear tattoos match her hand tattoos is a true fashion statement. Dotwork is a very intricate style and can either look amazing or very random, luckily, the artist did a fantastic job and gave their client a stunning amalgamation of florals and dotwork that truly accentuates the ear.
IG: slowpokes__
Amazing Micro Realistic Camellia Tattoo Behind the Ear
Move aside roses, there’s a new symbol of love in town, the camellia. It’s said that in Chinese culture, the camellia symbolizes two lovers, the petals are the woman and the calyx is the man. If romance and adoration are what you strive for, then why not get these beautiful flowers that come in an array of reds and pinks?
IG: o.ri_tattoo
Awesome Crescent Moon and Sword Tattoo Behind the Ear
I adore the power behind this tattoo. The sword is a fierce weapon and if you’re a believer in the stars, the moon is said to hold some incredible power. Put the two together and you’ve got yourself one badass meaningful tattoo. The shape and composition of the design were definitely made for behind the ear, it fits so well.
IG: pr.tattoo
Dainty Pink Forget Me Not Flowers Behind the Ear
Forget me not’s or Scorpion grasses are beautiful little flowers that make for an even more beautiful tattoo. The light purple is so elegant and looks incredible against the client’s skin tone. This might be small, but the artist truly did a magnificent job.
Cute Floral Stamp Tattoo Behind the Ear
Who would have thought to add a stamp behind their ear? I’ve never seen anything like this before and while it may be tiny, it’s got a lot of personality and is very unique. The colors may end up being an issue in the future, they will more than likely fade significantly, however, don’t let that stop you, just aim for darker colors.
IG: pagwa_tattoo
Pretty Flower and Falling Leaves Tattoo
It’s amazing how realistic this micro tattoo is, and it’s in color. This artist is extremely impressive, creating color realistic designs in such a small space shows the pure talent they harbor. Truly outstanding work and such a lovely tattoo for behind the ear.
IG: ch.tattoo.ahn
Fineline Crescent Moon and Stars Tattoo Behind the Ear
I enjoy the contrast in this moon tattoo behind the ear. The dotwork shading adds depth to a tattoo that could have been extremely flat. It was a good idea to add fine lines to this piece because they complement the boldness of the dark shading.
IG: tattooist_greem
Simplistic Blackwork Snake Tattoo Behind the Ear
A slithery snake anyone? Isn’t this a really cool design? I’ve seen similar on people’s fingers but never behind the ear and in all honesty, it looks really good. The black ink is packed perfectly and the skin has not been overworked. The artist deserves credit for how neat this tattoo came out.
IG: hawol_tattoo
Amazing Red Chinese Knot Tattoo Behind the Ear
The Chinese knot symbolizes many different things and is mostly done with red string, which is associated with good luck. I adore how realistic the design is and the fact that it looks like an earring hanging from her ear. This was a smart design choice and an even smarter placement. Give tattooist_sion some love on Instagram if you want more like this.
IG: tattooist_sion
Elegant Feather Tattoo Behind the Ear
Sometimes people enjoy things to be slightly more on the elegant side and this micro feather tattoo is exactly that. I think the addition of the realistic bubbles was a lovely idea, they finish the tattoo off perfectly.
IG: tattooist_greem
Pretty Ornamental Star Tattoo Behind the Ear
Ornamental tattoos are stunning and look so good behind the ear. The soft lines are so straight you’d think the artist used a ruler while tattooing. Well done to orma_tattoo they really did a fantastic job, everything is perfectly symmetrical and oh-so neat!
IG: orma_tattoo
Stunning Purple Flowers and Stars Tattoo Behind the Ear
It’s difficult to see what this tattoo is at first glance, but when you take a closer look, you begin to see that there are not only pretty purple flowers but also a zodiac constellation. I assume the flowers and constellation are somewhat connected.
IG: tattooist_greem
Micro Minimalistic Girl Sitting Tattoo Behind the Ear
I wonder if this tattoo is based on a real picture. It’s become quite popular for people to simplify images into single-lined tattoos. Whichever way this design came about, the concept is really cool and I think it’s a lovely way to honor someone close to you.
IG: tivas
Precious Tiny Dove Tattoo Behind the Ear
The line work in this tiny dove tattoo is absolutely phenomenal. Believe it or not, tiny tattoos are actually the most tricky because there’s no room for error, if you mess the design up you’ll need to cover it, so it’s extremely impressive that the artist got this tattoo to look as crisp as it does. Truly awesome work!
IG: gami_ttt
Lovely Color Realistic Chinese Knot Tattoo
Can you believe this tattoo was done with a 1 Round Liner? That’s some impressive stuff, considering how difficult it can be to work with much smaller needles. The details and choice of colors are absolutely stunning, I can’t get enough of how soft this Chinese knot tattoo is. Amazing!
IG: ceriniya_
Gorgeous Micro Color Realistic Cheery Blossom Tattoo Behind the Ear
The cherry blossom is the national flower of Japan and is said to symbolize life, death, and renewal. I think those are beautiful meanings to have etched on your skin forever. The way the blossoms follow the shape of the curve of the ear is stunning, almost like it was made for the area. This tattoo is a solid 10/10!
IG: yeobaeg_tattoo
Tiny Fineline Butterfly Tattoo Behind the Ear
I’ve been waiting for the butterfly tattoo, especially since it’s still a firm favorite among men and women alike. The soft shading is so dainty and gives off an extremely elegant feel. Which is nice if you’re looking to keep things feminine. Another worthy mention is the placement, it’s not directly behind the ear so, you catch a glimpse of it easily and that’s nice for those of you who want something a little more noticeable.
IG: handitrip
Simplistic Chinese Script Tattoo Behind the Ear
We’ve reached the end of the list and the final tattoo is something simple, Chinese script. Usually trying to fit English words on this spot can be a little trickier, however, the way Chinese is written, it’s easier to tattoo onto this spot, and quite frankly, it looks cool. If you’re not Chinese and you get something similar, please make sure the script says what you want it to, you’ll be surprised at how many people think the word is correct, only to find out years later that it says something completely different.
We hope you found what you were looking for, and if not, remember, we have plenty more where that came from. Until next time folks, happy tattooing!
IG: lto_ink
