From basic circles to complex abstract designs, there are so many circle tattoo concepts for you to choose from and I have discovered the top ones for you!
I love it when my client comes in with a circle tattoo design because there are just so many opportunities to be creative here! Even with a simplistic design, tattooing a circle is no easy feat but it is certainly a fun challenge and I am always up for it!
In this post, you will find the many different circle tattoo ideas and discover some of the symbolism behind them too!
Here are the top circle tattoo concepts that you should be checking out for yourself:
If you are looking for a simple circle tattoo, then this is the tattoo design that you should consider for yourself. It is just a whole circle. This kind of circle tattoo can represent wholeness or perfection. Your circle tattoo design can also symbolize oneness.
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Now, you will notice that most of these tattoo designs consist of a black circle tattoo. The only real variation with this kind of circle tattoo design is the thickness of the outline. You can opt for very thin if you want a more subtle black circle or for something thicker if you would like your circle tattoo to stand out a little more.
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Of course, if you prefer a more colorful circle tattoo design, then you are free to get one! You can choose any color that you want - if you are having trouble making a decision then go ahead and get them all in a rainbow circle tattoo!
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Since you can vary the size and thickness of this tattoo design, you can get everything from a forearm circle tattoo to a hand circle tattoo.
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With this kind of circle tattoo design, the circle is colored in. This can be used to signify wholeness or a sense of solidity. Due to its design, this kind of circle tattoo can symbolize strength or perhaps stability.
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If you are looking to keep your circle tattoo simple, then you can just go with a traditional black circle. This can be a good option if you want to give the illusion of depth and endlessness with your black circle design.
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Red can also be a good option for this kind of circle tattoo as red can represent good luck and fortune in certain cultures. It can also be a symbol of strength or passion.
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In case you are looking for a slightly different tattoo, then you can get a black ink circle tattoo but also include a rainbow of colors within the circle. This can help to create a beautiful contrast between the black ink and the lighter, brighter colors.
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If perfection isn't your thing, then you may want to check out these circle tattoo designs instead. These are the circles that you may expect if you were asked to draw a freehand circle. It can be a bit wobbly or messy, you may also go over the original circle a few times but miss the mark.
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This kind of circle tattoo design can be associated with imperfection - and, as a result, can be a symbol of being human. Many times, being a person means getting things less than perfect or being slightly chaotic. However, this isn't a bad thing at all, it may simply be a fact of life.
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At the same time, this kind of circle tattoo can be indicative of your own personality. If you are someone who plays by their own rules and flaunts societal norms or rules, then this circle tattoo design can be a good representation for you.
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Such a circle tattoo can also be symbolic of art - it doesn't need to be perfect or follow a certain pattern for it to be considered beautiful or acceptable.
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As I mentioned, a regular circle tattoo design can be associated with wholeness or perfection. So, a broken circle tattoo can indicate the opposite. You can use this kind of circle tattoo design to signify your own imperfections or how you can sometimes feel broken.
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At the same time, as you will see with these tattoo design ideas, just because your circle tattoo may appear to be broken doesn't mean that it ceases to be a circle. You can be broken and still be considered a whole person.
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From these circle tattoo design ideas, you can see that there are a few different ways to make this kind of tattoo work. You can simply leave a small space between the two sections of the circle. Or, you can keep a portion of the circle slightly outside the main outline
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Once again, black ink tattoos are most common for these tattoos. That being said, you can definitely work with different colors to make this tattoo design truly yours.
If you are looking for something quite different with your circle tattoo, then you should consider an abstract design. This kind of tattoo design is a great option if you want a more elevated design or want a more artistic take on your circle.
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Depending on the size of your tattoo, you can go with either an upper arm circle tattoo or a forearm circle tattoo.
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Another circle tattoo idea that you may want to consider is a two-circle tattoo design. Two independent circles could be used to represent two people or two souls. Or, you can decide to get overlapping circles in your circle tattoo.
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So:
What does the overlapping circle tattoo mean?
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Well, this kind of circle tattoo design can show that even two different concepts or people can still have something in common with one another. Such a tattoo design can also depict the joining of two people or things.
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One of the cool things about this two-circle tattoo concept is that there are so many different ways to pull off this tattoo design. You can choose a typical black ink design if you want. In case you do want to spice things up, though, include some grey and black ink shading in the design.
Or, you can choose to use completely different colors if you want.
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In fact, you don't even have to make the circles perfect - they can be as squiggly or as uneven as you like. You can also use different tattooing techniques like dotwork to create a cool effect for your circles.
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Why stop with two when you can include multiple circles in your tattoo? Now, this isn't just about adding multiple circles to your tattoo - three circles can actually be rather meaningful.
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So:
What does the 3 circle tattoo mean?
Now, in some cases, you may simply want to place three circles, each one next to the other. Or, you can have the circles linked together in a pattern that is known as Borromean rings.
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The three individual circles in your circle tattoo design can simply represent any three things. The number three can be a rather symbolic and powerful number. It can represent heaven, earth, and hell or birth, life, and death.
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Three can also be important in Christianity and some people believe that it represents the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
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If you go with the Borromean rings for your circle tattoo, then this design is associated with strength in unity. Due to this, such a circle tattoo can be a great design to represent familial love or the bonds of friendship.
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Concentric circles are circles that share a similar center. So, it is essentially circles within a circle. This circle tattoo can be a great option if you want to represent that a group of people like your friends or family all share a common, theme, goal, etc.
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I also love what a stunning effect this kind of circle tattoo can create. And, as you can see from the concentric circle tattoo below, your circles don't have to be perfect. They can be a bit off-center or even broken as with this design. Due to this, you have plenty of opportunities to get creative.
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The Enso tattoo is sometimes referred to as the Zen circle tattoo as well. This is because it is a symbol of Zen Buddhism. Some people consider it to be a representation of the world as well as spirit, without beginning or end.
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The Zen circle tattoo can also represent enlightenment. Not only does it represent enlightenment, but some people also believe that the Zen circle tattoo can also represent transformation. Because it can seem like this design is simultaneously empty as well as full at the same time.
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While the Zen circle tattoo is technically a representation of a calligraphy symbol, there are a few different ways to create this tattoo design for yourself.
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For instance, as you will see with these designs, there can be a variation in how you can make the brushstrokes look. They can be a bit neater or they can be a bit messier on the outer edges.
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Also, if you want, you can choose to have a more bulbous section on one end of the circle or you can choose to keep the lines a similar width from one end to the other.
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The other thing to consider is that these tattoo designs can be of any size. They can even work as a really small circle tattoo design so you can place it anywhere that you want!
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Now, I know what you're thinking - circles are technically a geometrical shape - so what on earth could a geometric circle tattoo look like?
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Well, it is just a matter of combining lines and other shapes to create a more contemporary circle tattoo design. It can have a more regular pattern or can be something a bit more abstract.
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Or, if you want to kick your circle tattoo up to the next level, why not try something like the golden ratio and add a mathematical and universal element to your tattoo? Here is an excellent example of how to pull off this kind of circle tattoo:
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I have to say that this is one of my favorite circle tattoo designs on this list! So, in this case, you use other shapes and components to create a circle.
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It is such a great option if you want something quite different. It is also a nice way to experiment with all the different ways that you can create a circle.
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If you want a slightly more subtle circle tattoo, then I suggest using dots and dotwork to create your circle. In case you don't mind something a bit more complex, then you can use elongated triangles to construct your circle tattoo.
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Want to go all out with your circle tattoo? Then go ahead and use circles to create your circle - it is such a cool and interesting effect!
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If you want a circle tattoo that can seem a bit more dynamic, then I would consider this design for you. As the name suggests, it involves swirls within the outline of the circle.
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One of the things that I really like about this tattoo is that you can create a few different concepts here. For instance, if you want to stick to just black ink, you can create a minimalistic yet abstract effect.
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In case you prefer a tattoo with a bit more liveliness or brightness to it, then you can go ahead and add some color to the swirls. For something cohesive and still contrasting, choose different shades but either in warm, cool, or neutral tones.
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This is another really cool circle tattoo concept to consider, especially if you are looking for something a bit unusual. Here, you draw any kind of landscape that you like within the circle.
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One of the nice things about this kind of tattoo is that it can actually be a rather meaningful tattoo. This is because you can include a landscape that is special to you. This may be your favorite vacation spot or the skyline of the city that you grew up in.
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Of course, if you want, you can simply get any landscape that you like or that you feel is aesthetically pleasing.
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If you would like something even more unique, then you can consider including the solar system, although it doesn't precisely fall under the category of a landscape. However, as you can see with this tattoo, you can certainly make the solar system appear as though it is a landscape.
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In case you don't want to do an entire landscape, then you can consider something a bit more focused as with this Tree of Life tattoo.
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The Ouroboros symbol depicts a snake or a dragon eating its own tail - therefore, it forms the shape of a circle. This can be a really powerful symbol as it depicts the connection between all things, including the materialistic and the spiritual.
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It also consists of the idea that nothing is truly ever gone but instead, it is a perpetual transformation from life to death and then continuing this cycle forever.
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This is yet another super creative tattoo that you can get. Here, you can use one or more words and arrange them so that they form a circle.
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These words can relate to the symbolism or elements that are associated with a circle. Or, you can choose any words or phrases that you choose!
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A circle is a universal symbol and it is, perhaps due to this, that a circle tattoo can mean quite a lot of things. In some cases, a circle and circle tattoo can represent wholeness and original perfection.
In other instances, a circle and a circle tattoo can be associated with eternity - this is because a perfectly drawn circle can appear to have no beginning and no end.
Interestingly enough, due to this, the circle shape and a circle tattoo can be associated with betrothal, marriage, and the concept of everlasting love. This could be one of the reasons that rings are chosen to signify betrothal or engagement as well as marriage between two individuals.
A circle and a circle tattoo can also be a symbol of equality and democracy. If you recall, King Arthur's table was round because it meant that no one man could claim precedence over the other.
A circle and a circle tattoo can also be a representation of the wheel. As a result, your circle tattoo can represent moving forward, progress, or a never-ending journey toward a lofty goal.
In some cases, a circle and a circle tattoo can also have religious symbolism. This is because some of the halos found behind Christ, Mary, and saints in paintings are drawn in a circular fashion.
Well, the placement of your circle tattoo design can depend on a number of things. First of all, you do have to think about the size of the tattoo.
In case you want something really small, the tattoo can be placed practically anywhere - behind your ear, on your finger, etc. If you want something a bit more sizable, though, then an arm tattoo or back tattoo may be in order.
Then you also have to think about how visible you want your circle tattoo to be. If you want a less visible tattoo, then you need to place it in an area that is easily hidden by clothes.
Of course, if you do want a more creative tattoo placement, you can consider a palm tattoo. You can even split the tattoo between two or more fingers if you want!
Well there you have it - the top circle tattoo designs for you to choose from! It doesn't matter what kind of design you were considering, you can find examples for all concepts right here. So, go ahead and choose the one that suits your personal sense of style best of all!
