Getting ink onto your body? Whether you’re a first-timer or you want to add a small and simple tattoo to your growing collection, a smiley face tattoo might be right for you. Smiley face tattoos come with a deeper meaning, too, although they’re typically seen as fillers or fun tattoos to get with your BFFs.
What do smiley face tattoos mean? While they might be pretty straightforward in design (depending on your personal preferences), they’re known to carry a myriad of meanings. You likely use the smiley face on the regular, anyway, whether you’re texting, doodling on your notebook, or drawing a temporary tattoo.
You probably see them as symbols of happiness, peace, and prosperity, and you value them because they remind you of who you are and what you value. Smiley face tattoos can represent all emotions, the highs and lows of life, and the importance of seeing good in everyone and everything.
Now, if you’re on the hunt for ink-spiration, it’s your lucky day. We’ve rounded up a few of our favorite small and simple smiley face tattoos to help you out.
1. A small and simple smiley face tattoo
You don’t even need to outline the face to get the point across! You can opt for a simple and sleek smiley face tattoo consisting of two eyes and a smile and light up your day every time you see your reflection.
2. A smiley face tattoo on the inside of the arm
What about a smiley face tattoo on the inside of the arm? What’s great about smiley face tattoos is the fact that they’re super small and you can place them wherever you want. A tattoo on the inside of the arm might be a great option for people who want to be able to conceal and reveal their tattoos.
3. A smiley flame tattoo
Who said you had to opt for a basic smiley face tattoo? Rather than going with the usual outline, you can showcase your creativity with a smiley flame tattoo. Flame tattoos represent passion, progress, and change, and they’re a great way to celebrate diferent stages of your life.
4. A smiley face tattoo on the back of the arm
A smiley face tattoo on the back of your arm can remind you of how lucky you are. Whenever you catch a glimpse of your tattoo, you’ll be reminded of the importance of smiling through life’s hardships.
5. A smiley face tattoo on the wrist
Argh, wrist tattoos are some of the cutest, coolest tattoos ever. What’s great about wrist tattoos is that you can’t necessarily hide them – you have to be able to commit to them, celebrate them, and show them off no matter what. A wrist tattoo of a smiley face sounds like a great idea!
6. A single-needle smiley face tattoo
A single-needle tattoo is a variation of a fine-line tattoo. It’s, essentially, the finest of fine-line tattooing, and it’s perfect for people who want delicate and dainty tattoos rather than statement ones. Rather than using multiple needles when tattooing, the tattoo artist uses a single needle to create a super thin tattoo.
7. A delicate smiley face tattoo
Whether you opt for a single-needle tattoo or something a little thicker, you can’t go wrong with a smiley face on your thumb, finger, palm, or hand. While these tattoos are highly visible, they’re also elegant and effortless and they’re likely to yield a myriad of positive comments and questions.
8. A melting smiley face tattoo
Who said you couldn’t get creative with your smiley face tattoos? While the smiley face design is straightforward, you can play with different styles, shapes, and symbols to make the design fit your aesthetic and/or personal style. A melting smiley face tattoo sounds like a great deal!
9. A combination of a smiley face and a sad face
Smiley face tattoos can represent all emotions, and that’s one of the reasons why they’re popular among first-timers and seasoned tattoo-getters. A combination of a smiley face and a sad face can be your way of commemorating your life and all the ups and downs you’ve experienced.
10. Matching smiley face finger tattoos
Although they’re oftentimes deemed cheesy or cringe, matching tattoos are some of the sweetest ways you can showcase your affection toward a friend, a family member, or a romantic partner. Get matching smiley face tattoos on your fingers as a reminder of how happy you make each other.
11. Matching smiley face wrist tattoos
What about matching wrist tattoos? While you can play with the placement of your matching tattoos, we suggest you opt for a body part that’s visible – wrist tattoos are perfect because they’re small and simple, and they’re always in your line of vision.
12. A smiley sunshine tattoo
Who wouldn’t want a smiley sunshine tattoo? Whether you decide to get a sunshine tattoo because you like the design or because you want it to represent how happy you are or how grateful you are for every sunny day you get to experience, that’s up to you.
13. A smiley face sticker sleeve tattoo
Sticker sleeves are gaining more and more popularity as we speak, and we’re more than happy to suggest you add a smiley face tattoo to your sticker collection. Sticker sleeves are perfect for first-timers, too, because they’re a great way to collect tiny tattoos over a period of time – whatever you’re comfy with.
14. A red ink smiley face tattoo
Red ink tattoos are rad for a reason. If black tattoos aren’t your thing, you might want to experiment with different colors. It’s a great way for you to play with colors you wouldn’t normally opt for and come up with a design that represents you and your personality.
15. A glitchy smiley face sunglasses tattoo
We told you that smiley face tattoos didn’t need to be boring! When choosing the right smiley face design, work with your tattoo artist to come up with something you’ve never seen before. Glitchy smiley face sunglasses sound like something straight out of a Wes Anderson film!
16. A dainty smiley face tattoo
Delicate and dainty tattoos are taking the world by storm and we’re obsessed. Depending on your personal style, you might not want to embellish your body with big, bold statement tattoos that take too much time and effort. If that’s the case, delicate and dainty tattoos are the right way to go.
17. A smiley face toe tattoo
If you’ve ever heard of Margot Robbie, you’ve probably heard of her famous toe tattoos that came to life on the set of Suicide Squad. With the rise of her popularity thanks to the Barbie movie, you might be interested in getting a matching toe tattoo with none other than Margot Robbie.
18. A smiley face palm tattoo
A smiley face palm tattoo, anyone? Palm tattoos are quite controversial among tattoo enthusiasts because they’re rumored to fade away pretty quickly, but that doesn’t make them any less popular. After all, you might want to get a temporary tattoo, anyway.
19. A tattoo of a smiley skull parade on the hip
If you’re willing to work with your tattoo artist, you can come up with the coolest twists on the OG smiley face tattoo. And if skulls are your thing, you might want to consider getting a smiley skull parade on your hip.
20. A glitchy smiley face tattoo
And we’re bringing you another glitchy tattoo! A glitchy smiley face tattoo might not be everyone’s cup of tea, but it’s an interesting option to consider. If you’re on the hunt for something a little different, you might want to consider getting a glitchy smiley face tattoo.
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