20 Lovely Negative Space Tattoo Ideas for Men & Women in 2024
Negative space tattoos are on the rise and for good reason, they’re awesome! A lot of the time this style goes in hand with blackouts and sometimes even blackwork because they all have one thing in common, a lot of saturated black ink. Another reason this style is so cool is the fact that you can accomplish almost any design done.
But before you go and get your own Negative Space tattoo, let us help guide you in choosing the perfect piece of ink. Below we’ll show you the loveliest, most unusual, and most attractive Negative Space tattoo ideas for 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.
Precious Negative Space Pansy Calf Tattoo
Welcome to another list of awesome tattoos to inspire you! Today’s focus is Negative Space tattoos, and do we have some good ones for you.
First off, we have this lovely pansy tattoo on the calf, the flower of love. This particular flower works perfectly for a Negative Space piece. I like the saturation of black, it’s smooth and consistent, which is very important for this style of tattooing.
IG: _mariahwoodman_
Abstract Acorn and Leaf Negative Spacing Tattoo Over Triceps
I love how many different styles have all been brought together to create this cool abstract work of art. It’s amazing that even though the styles in this tattoo are vastly different, they work so well together, especially the dotwork and Negative Spacing. This tattoo is well-designed and placed in an area that flows with the overall obscure shape of the design.
IG: ianreynold
Interesting Negative Space Snake On Outer Forearm
At first glance, you don’t notice the hands acting as the patterns on the snake’s body, but when you take a closer look you get to appreciate how profoundly unique this very simple tattoo is. I like the placement, it suits the outer forearm and fills the gap nicely.
IG: _mariahwoodman_
Impressive Negative Space Traditional Japanese Wave Tattoo On Man’s Forearm
Here we have a magnificent take on a Japanese Traditional wave. I love that the artist took something and made it their own, it certainly paid off. If I’m being honest, this tattoo is so perfect it almost looks like it was stuck on. Absolutely phenomenal!
Style: Blackwork/Negative space/Traditional Japanese
IG: radtattoos
Lovely Micro Negative Space Monstera Triceps Tattoo
Plant tattoos are trending at the moment, mostly because exotic plants have become an exciting hobby shared by many. Even though this is a very simple, sweet tattoo, there is some depth to it. The artist created the depth by adding angles to the rectangle and I think that was such a great decision.
IG: _mariahwoodman_
Micro Negative Space Monstera Triceps Tattoo
Another Monstera tattoo, they seem to be a firm favorite in the plant community. I love the placement of this one, in most cases, it would be considered a random position but it works and doesn’t look in the slightest bit random. There’s one more thing to comment on, the solid blackwork, it’s incredibly well done, and without a single inconsistency.
IG: _mariahwoodman_
Artistic Abstract Negative Space Thigh Tattoo
Where are the fans of abstract art? Your time has come, with this amazing piece done by the talented Ian Reynold. There’s a lot of substance to it even though it’s difficult to determine if there;s any meaning behind it; I guess that’s the beauty of abstract art. While I like the placement, I feel this design would be more suited to the lower leg or even the arm, the way it’s positioned would make it a little more difficult to add more tattoos unless they follow a similarly abstract style and shape.
IG: ianreynold
Negative Space Floral Outer Forearm Tattoo
Flowers are a popular trend, especially in this style and here we have a lovely Negative Space piece that could work for both men and women. One thing to take note of is the position of many of these types of tattoos. They’re usually on the forearm, outer forearm, or triceps, and that’s because their composition works really well for this placement. The artist did a wonderful job saturating the black, nice work.
IG: _mariahwoodman_
Sweet Micro Negative Space Leaf Tattoo
You might be wondering how this is considered a micro tattoo, it’s not that tiny after all, right? In actual fact, it’s the minimalism and the fact that you can place this tattoo anywhere that makes it a true micro tattoo, not so much its size. The consistency in blackwork and the Negative Spacing are truly lovely, 10/10 for design, placement, and execution.
IG: milky.pdf
Feminine Negative Space Goddess Forearm Tattoo
I love how feminine this tattoo is, yet it’s also a piece that guys can get, a unisex tattoo if you will. The pepper shading is beautiful and silky and the linework is crisp, but it’s the tiny details that really give this piece its character. Great use of white highlights to give the jewels that needed shine while simultaneously drawing your eye to certain areas of the tattoo.
IG: _vividdreams
Amazing Negative Space Dotwork Tiger Portrait Tattoo On Guy’s Forearm
This forearm tiger tattoo is absolutely outstanding and the fact that it was all done using the dotwork technique is extremely impressive. The Negative Spaces add a unique touch to a common design, and that’s what makes this piece stand out. Perfect placement, although it does wrap around slightly it doesn’t distort the tattoo and that’s something to keep in mind when getting a forearm tattoo, if it’s a portrait, it shouldn’t wrap excessively or you lose important details.
IG: _winkt
Incredible Negative Space Floral Arm Sleeve Tattoos
Here we have a mix of negative Spacing, mandalas, flowers, and a blackout, all coming together to create these beautiful half-sleeve tattoos. The dotwork in the flowers is exceptionally neat and contrasts beautifully with the solid blackwork. There’s plenty of depth to this piece as well, especially because of how the artist placed the flowers and mandalas under and over each other.
A Fineline Deer Skull and Flowers Negative Space Forearm Tattoo
If you ever find yourself in Los Angeles and want something as crispy and clean as this gorgeous piece, then Rai is your girl. She specializes in these Fineline illustrative tattoos and for good reason, she knows what she’s doing! The floral designs are amazing and the contrast between them and the blackwork comes together to give us this badass design, what more can I say? Outstanding work!
IG: raitattoos
Gorgeous Feminine Nature-Inspired Negative Space Full Sleeve Tattoo
Blackouts and Negative Spacing always come together in such a beautiful and elegant way. As harsh as a blackout can be, there are ways to make it extremely feminine, and that’s exactly what this artist did by incorporating lovely elements of nature. As you can see the top area has faded a bit, which is common for the style, and touch-ups are required.
IG: mrspoltrona
A Full Arm Sleeve Negative Space Floral Tattoo
The artist packed the black solidly and consistently which is already a sign that this tattoo is a good one! I like the gaps between the flowers and how smoothly they flow. One thing that’s a bit confusing is the random shading in the one flower, it breaks away from the overall design simply because it’s the only one that’s been heavily saturated. Other than that, this is a gorgeous feminine sleeve, and the client is one badass female for enduring the pain of a blackout.
IG: dentaldamage
Handpoked Micro Minimalistic Flower Triceps Tattoo
More adorable micro tattoos! Both of these tiny pieces are worth commenting on, especially since one is a cutout of the other. The most impressive aspect of these two tattoos is the fact that they were handpoked and yet are so saturated it looks like they were done with a machine. Their positioning is perfect because it’s a visible area so you can always look down and appreciate them whenever you want.
IG: blue.child
Moon and Flower Negative Space Dotwork Triceps Tattoo
Okay, the design is lovely, and well thought out, however, the artist didn’t do so well on the execution. There’s something almost juvenile about this piece, but I will give credit to their ability to pepper shade and pack black. The placement is nice, and works for the triceps, especially since the composition of the tattoo is so unusual. Good effort on the artist’s behalf.
Negative Space Nature Landscape Wrap-Around Tattoo Over Man’s Triceps
Is this not the most precious landscape tattoo you’ve seen? I love that the artist created so much detail without needing to use lines or color, which showcases their true artistic abilities. The way it’s been placed is perfect for the design, the main focal point is visible and the lesser details wrap around the arm. Another cool aspect is that it can be added on to.
IG: mitattoostudios
Neat Micro Negative Space Floral Crescent Moon Forearm Tattoo
This is one neat tattoo, and I mean that in both ways, it’s super clean and really nice to look at. It’s a simple piece, yet elegant and sweet, and could work for men and women alike. Once again, the forearm wins the best placement award.
IG: lariendragon
Creatures of the Forest Negative Space Full Sleeve Tattoo
What a stunning sleeve, I’m not too sure what’s happening on the bottom half of it but the furry creatures and blackout at the top have me feeling all kinds of ways. The dotwork shading is so gentle and soft, creating a lovely fur texture that contrasts with the blackout. I can’t wait for it to be finished, it’s going to look even better.
IG: solemn_rose
Candle Burning From Both Ends Negative Space Tattoo On Woman’s Arm
If you tend to be one of those individuals that work yourself to the bone, then this candle burning at both ends is the tattoo for you. The symbolic meaning behind this design is doing too many exhausting tasks at once and not giving yourself time to relax and realign.
The composition of this piece is quite unusual, especially since the wick on the bottom isn’t the same as at the top. Unique tattoos are always a winner.
IG: maul.isk
Negative Space Botanical Tattoo Wrapping Around Woman’s Outer Forearm
We’ve reached the end of the list and our final tattoo is this gorgeous fern. It’s placed in a unique spot but works in favor of the overall design which is composed in a wispy and natural way. Great packing skills and an even cooler choice of plant.
IG: tatemarthatattoo
We hope you found what you were looking for and had as much fun looking at these tattoos as we had writing about them. Until next time, happy inking!
