Top 101 Best Ear Tattoo Ideas - [2021 Inspiration Guide] (2023)

An ear tattoo is uncannily urbane for male body art aficionados. These stalwart designs can elevate your physical presentation to seriously unexpected heights.

For those who haven’t heard, inner, outer and behind the ear tattoos are the newest hit for savvy men.

These highly civilized designs are procuring a profound revelation for everyone who enjoys a little ink here and there.

The execution of an ear tattoo is crucial. These illustrations can be approached from a variety of angles, and all of them deliver different impacts. While many designs actually are placed on the upper neck, real ear tattoos take advantage of the lobe itself. Some variations take the form of mock earrings, while other crafty insignias incorporate a gauging that is already present.

Some ear tattoos wind around the outer ridges, but the finest incarnations utilize the interior. Music notes are an intelligent way to show off the muscle’s listening capacities, but any logo can be adapted for this region. If you are running out of room for tattoos, then the ear might be your next vanguard.

When it comes down to it, ear tattoos are taking over the realm of masculine body art. If you don’t believe it yet, then you’ve come to the right place to have your mind changed!

1. Small/Tiny Ear Tattoos

Not everyone is completely ready to take the giant plunge when it comes to ear tattoos. Ears are a small part on the body, but they are incredibly sensitive. Arguably, any size tattoo getting done on the ear is the show of a true champion. But as we’ve seen, the size of the tattoo does not necessarily correlate with the size of the statement.

As we see in this section, there is some testament to the skill of the artist being able to fit such a tiny image on such a tiny space. Some images look like minuscule brass knuckles on the inside of the top earlobe, musical notes that trial from the upper lobe to the lower lobe, thick black lines of the frame of the ear, and even a simply lined cross.

2. Tattoos Behind The Ear

Getting a tattoo behind the ear is slightly more discreet than getting something done on the inside of the ear. The only way an average ear tattoo can be hidden is if you have longer hair, or are wearing a hat.

Some people prefer the natural method, which involves an image or word that is meaningful and secret of their own. Nevertheless, the pain is still going to be present, and having one independently of other tattoos will make the piece stand out once revealed.

There are some clever pieces utilising the novel placement, like bat wings, geometric shapes that are indicative of a mandala, another geometric piece that applies simple line work, a negative-spaced lightning bolt, and abstract pieces that seem to take on a more personal meaning.

3. Tattoos Outside the Ear/On the Skull

For some people, the only way to go is to go big or to simply not go at all. The ear offers an interesting outline for pieces that are looking for a curve rather than a flat, one-dimensional presentation. These people are also clearly okay with the concept of prolonged pain. The skull is one of the most painful places to get tattooed because, well, that’s where your brain is being held.

The pieces we observe are the mainly geometric style with an abstract flair, applying the use of a multitude of shapes that spread out evenly and beautifully like a mandala. Others go all out with a specific image, like the one outline what appears to be a heavily shaded eagle that moves from the sides of the skull to the back of the neck. Another appears Tribal with pure black ink spreading down the neck to the shoulder, beginning with the geometric line just behind the ear.

4. Linework Tattoos on Ear

Linework can be tricky, despite the seeming simplicity of the look. Some individuals in this section use line work that spreads from inside the ear to the side of the head, while others isolate the piece to the ear independently. Many of the pieces take advantage of the natural shape of the ear and move the lines along with it, using deep black shading or a dotted style that may signify something tribal.

Linework, no matter what part of the body it is on, needs to be precise. The skin on the ear is fleshy, sensitive, and incredibly bendable. Even if you are getting line work done, it is arguably even more important to get an artist with precise skills because lines will stand out more due to their minimalist nature. If they are crooked, blotchy, and all-around unattractive, others are going to be more likely to notice.

5. Tattoos Outside the Ear (On Either Side)

Some people get tattoos just outside the ear, which could be on the cheek, the jaw, or beginning of the side neck. Once again, the shape of the ear is utilized on the back of the neck, the piece somewhat more subtle and hidden, while pieces closer to the face tend to be more noticeable. Many opt for simple work; straight simple lines just before the beginning of sideburns, while others go full out with bold sword-like images running up the cheek to the lobe.

The styles in this section vary, as do the sizes of the pieces. We see tribal styles with deep black lines, American Traditional with its bold popping shades, and even pieces on individuals who have the courage to endure a tattoo gun ringing through them as ink is pressed just near their cartilage.

6. Detailed Inside Ear Tattoos

These individuals are looking to for something that is unique and will sure to be the subject of conversation for every person who lays eyes on them. As long as your artist is willing and able, essentially, any image, style or look is able to go just inside the ear or outlining the earlobe. Not all looks are going to appear as you imagine though—not every concept can be squished into an inch of canvas space.

That is why, if your artist is knowledgeable, most detailed ear tattooed will utilize the shape of the ear and coordinate it with the image desired. In this section, we see multiple skull pieces—intensely detailed but huddled within the corner of the lobe or the spine image moving down the ears curve. These pieces are an incredible example of talented and innovative artists.

7. Tattoos that Begin on Ear and Spread to Neck/Skull

More conceptual pieces and artists move to use the shape of the ear and the blank space of the skull and/or neck to further showcase their skill. These pieces spread over the lobes and sides of the ear onto the cheeks, skull, and neck. One particular piece looks like a mesh of many styles and images that seem to forgo the presence of the ear altogether.

A colourful, American Traditional style bird sits on the side of the skull, while flowers, while lines move the ear into the background, almost as if there isn’t any ear at all. This piece doesn’t want you to know there is an ear at all. Other pieces will make use of the ear and its position as a raised part of the body, making it important to the overall presentation.