I think Los Angeles tattoos are a good idea if you want to highlight your love for the city. Like just a few days ago, I had a client come for a small LA tattoo on his neck. He said he was getting it because he missed home, and wanted something to always remember it by.
But when it comes to LA tattoos, there really are a lot of ways that you can go about them. From LA laker tattoos to designs focusing on Hollywood, the choices are endless. So, let's explore a couple of different Los Angeles tattoo designs, and take a look at their meanings.
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Here are all the best Los Angeles tattoos.
To start off this list, I thought of keeping it simple. You can get the word 'Los Angeles' tattooed on your body. It would be an easy way to honor the city without being too flashy. But of course, if you want to spice it up, you can add a fancy font. I would say one of the coolest options that you can go for is the LA Times font - you'll simultaneously be paying tribute to one of the most iconic LA-based publications of all time, as well as the city.
This goes without saying, but you can either get 'LA' or 'Los Angeles' tattooed. It's completely up to you which to choose.
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In a similar vein to the above tattoo, you can also get the words 'city of angels' tattooed. The phrase goes back to the 18th century when LA was called the town of 'Our Lady of the Queen of the Angels' in Spanish I've noticed that a lot of clients that get this tattoo add angel wings next to it to make it look more dramatic.
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Los Angeles has an iconic skyline, with several buildings that you just can't miss like the Oviatt building and Wilshire Grand. You can get an LA skyline tattoo to touch on how much of a powerhouse the city is. You can also throw in some of the iconic palm trees that you see around Los Angeles to make it clear that you're getting a tattoo about the city.
If you are getting a more realistic skyline, you need to be mindful of the artist you work with. Not all tattoo artists can nail the realistic tattoo style - it takes a lot of artistry and nuance to get it right.
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The Los Angeles Dodgers is an iconic American baseball team and arguably one of the best in recent years. If you love baseball or are just a big fan of the team, you can get their logo tattooed.
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Venice Beach is an iconic beach neighborhood in Los Angeles. I'd say of all the beaches in California, it's by far my favorite. I just really like how bohemian everything feels in it. If you are a fan of the beach like me, you can make it the star of your tattoo. I've especially had a few clients use it as inspiration for their tattoos because they used to visit it all the time when they were kids.
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Hollywood is where dreams are made of - it's full of glitz, and glam and is the home of the world's biggest stars. But what's also nice is that it's located in Los Angeles. If you have a dream of becoming a big star yourself, a Hollywood tattoo might be the way to go. In terms of how to go about this tattoo design, I feel like the most iconic would be to just get the big 'Hollywood' sign that is outside of the neighborhood.
Another popular option would be to do the Hollywood sign and have a few celebrities make an appearance, but this might work better for a bigger tattoo like a sleeve.
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If you want to keep it simple, you can do one of the tattoos I touched on already but only do an outline design. So, it would only be the tattoo's outline with no coloring or shading inside. No surprise, the tattoo would be pretty discreet because it doesn't stand out that much.
But if you want to make the piece a tad more inconspicuous, you can make it smaller in size. I've noticed that a lot of the smaller LA-inspired tattoos that I've done have been on the ankles and wrists, so maybe you can go this route too.
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If the meaning behind your Los Angeles tattoo means a lot to you, you can get it tattooed on your chest. It would be near your heart at all times, which may be added symbolism that you'd like. Just keep in mind that chest tattoos can hurt. This shouldn't come as a surprise considering there is so much thin skin here. I'd suggest that you keep this in mind if you don't have the best pain tolerance or are just new to tattooing.
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You can get an arm Los Angeles tattoo if you want something eye-catching, especially if you get a forearm tattoo. But you can also take your arm tattoo up a notch and get it as a part of a full sleeve. A full sleeve is a tattoo that stretches all the way from the top to the bottom of your arm. So, you'll be able to get something elaborate done here.
If you are looking for some inspiration for a full-sleeve Los Angeles tattoo, you can do a Hollywood tattoo with a couple of your favorite celebrities in there.
But I get it if you are not a fan of a full-sleeve design. After all, it can be a lot of work, plus quite a bit expensive. You can go to the halfway point and get a half sleeve. If you guessed that it's a sleeve that only goes halfway up your arm, you are right.
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You can get a hand Los Angeles tattoo if you want something even more attention-grabbing than a regular arm tattoo. However, the hand isn't the largest space to work with. If you want to get a tattoo here, you'll have to go for a smaller design. I've noticed that a lot of clients end up going simple and just getting the word 'LA' on their fingers.
To take your hand tattoo to the next level, you can get it on the palm side of your hand. But if you are thinking of getting your palm tattooed, remember that it can be tricky to take care of when you first get it. Like you can't get it wet, or even expose it to the sun.
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If you want an incredibly detailed Los Angeles tattoo, you can get it done on your back. The back is the largest body part to tattoo, so you'll have enough and more space to work with.
But keep in mind that back tattoos can hurt a lot. There are a lot of nerve endings here. As a matter of fact, I had a client a few weeks ago almost faint on me while I was doing a back coverup for her. If it's any consolation, I would say that back tattoos are really discreet. No one would be able to see your LA tattoo with a shirt on, which might be what you want to hear if you work in a corporate environment.
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Last but not least, you can do a neck Los Angeles tattoo if you want a placement that is very exciting. It's up to you to decide whether to decide to go for a small or big design. But keep in mind that neck tattoos are really attention-grabbing. If you are going for a bigger design, you might find it hard to blend in with crowds.
Like I said in my introduction, I did this LA tattoo on a client's neck a few days ago. He was traveling the world and had been away for a long time, so he wanted something to remind him of home. He chose the neck of all places because he knew it was the best place to make a tattoo stand out.
I know what you might be wondering now - do neck tattoos hurt? The answer is yes, and they can actually hurt quite a lot. There are just a lot of nerve endings here.
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You can get a Los Angeles tattoo as a tribute tattoo for your love for LA, or just as a way to shine a light on your roots. There are a bunch of ways that you can go about the tattoo too. Like you can do a Los Angeles skyline as a testament to its beauty, or a tattoo of the LA Dodgers if you are a big fan of the team.
And of course, Los Angeles is home to Hollywood which is where stars are born. You can get a Hollywood-inspired piece to showcase your want to become a star yourself.
There are many different ways you can go about Los Angeles tattoos, with each of them being pretty interesting designs. All in all, this ultimate guide ran through over 30 awesome options for you. Hopefully, you found them useful, and will be discussing at least one of them with your tattoo artist!
