50 Extraordinary 3D Tattoo Designs for Men – The Hottest Trends
3D tattoos are a treat for the mind. Unlike conventional tattoos these are cleverly designed by artists to have a 3-dimensional feel to them; either appearing to leap off the skin or in other cases, see beneath it. Optical illusions have been popular since they became mainstream in art and fashion during the early 90’s and today the trend extends into the world of tattoo art. Those looking for something edgier than a regular tattoo are choosing life-like 3D designs that appear as though they are jumping right off the skin. And who wouldn’t want a tattoo as exciting as one of these?
It’s all to do with using relative sizing, the right images, and shadow to create an inked design like this. Artists need plenty of practice and skill in order to master this style of tattoo art that is able to fool our minds into thinking it is real. From animals to insects to scary looking injuries 3D tattoo art is all the rage, and people just can’t get enough of these almost unbelievable tattoos. Thinking of getting one? Great! Today we’re looking at a few of the hottest trends for this style of tattoo to help you decide what’s best for you.
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Popular 3D Tattoo Designs Themes for Men
3D tattoos designs can take many different forms, from cartoon figures to dark scenes and portraits. Choosing a 3D design is a fantastic way to guarantee that you get a one of a kind tattoo. They work best in medium to large formats, however, small 3D tattoos can also be interesting. There are so many designs to choose from that you may feel overwhelmed; that’s why we’ve compiled this list of the most trendy design themes for 3D tattoos for men:
Animals
People get tattoos of animals for a number of reasons. Sometimes it’s simply because they love the way the creature looks and other times it’s because they identify with the creatures traits, like courage or determination. Each animal has meaning attached to it and this reflects in the types of animals that people choose. 3D animal tattoos, especially those done in color, can look especially striking. Some designs to consider under this theme are birds (such as the phoenix, doves, crows, and swallows), lions, tigers, dragons, and wolves. These designs usually have one feature of the animal empathized for example on an elephant the trunk could look like it’s extended.
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Insects and Reptiles
Insects (the creepier, the better!) and reptiles make excellent subjects for a 3D tattoo because they have the added effect of being a little scary. If someone sees a spider on your shoulder it’s definitely going to get a reaction! So yes, spiders are particularly good and so are scorpions, bees, flies, hornets, and even ants. Snakes, lizards, and geckos are also popular choices for this theme. These could be made to look like they are crawling on top of the skin, or, if you want something darker, crawling out from underneath it!
Portraits
Hyper-realistic 3D portrait style tattoos capture the facial details in extraordinary detail and are certainly a cut above regular portraits. You could choose this style to have the image of a loved one tattooed on your body, such as a child or parent. This also works well for tattoos of famous people. Military style 3D tattoos with pictures of warriors in the battle dress are also often requested by guys.
Illusion Patterns
Optical illusion patterned tattoos are inked with solid black lines and shapes to form a pattern that seems to bend and twist in an impossible way. These look good over the elbow, top of the arm, and on the back. For something, really out of this world you could even look at a full back piece such as this.
Gore
3D designs can make anything seem real so they are commonly used to create incredible gory types of tattoos. These creative designs often include images of bloody eyes and teeth, skulls, scary monsters, and even tattoos that look like deep scratches or other injuries. Others make it appears as though the skin is open and we can see the tissue underneath and include details like buttons, zips, and stitches.
Biomechanical
Also very sought after amongst men are the biomechanical three-dimensional tattoos. In these designs the tattoos allow us to see “beneath” the skin revealing futuristic robotic parts, metal, cogs, wheels, computer chips, sometimes even batteries. Biomechanical is a popular theme in 2D tattoos as well but the added realism in the 3D designs makes them quite unforgettable.
Lettering
Script tattoos can also have a three-dimensional twist. Artists are able to create amazing visual effects that give the lettering an imagined texture – such as rock or wood. Gothic style text, Roman numerals, and ambigrams (or “mirrored” words) all fall under this theme. These may accompany other 3D images or be used as a stand-alone tattoo.
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Other
There are many kinds of three-dimensional tattoo designs and thousands of subjects to choose from; you could even ask your artist to design you something completely unique. Other popular images that people often choose are compasses, anchors, cars, cartoon figures, musical instruments, and puzzle pieces .
If you are considering getting a 3D tattoo they first thing you need to do is find an artist who specializes in this style of tattooing because not all artists or studios do. Once you’ve found a reputable artist, ask to check out their portfolio to see what kind of work they have done before – this will help you determine if they are right for you. Go to them with your ideas and let them help you find a design perfect for you.
If you want a large tattoo, consider placements such as your back, stomach, chest, ribs, thighs, shoulders, or upper legs for your 3D design. If you’re thinking of a small to medium design then areas like the ankles, wrists, hands, neck, behind the ear, and even the fingers can work well. It all comes down to what you feel comfortable with. A 3D tattoo will get a lot of attention if it’s placed where everyone can see if so get ready to be admired and noticed wherever you take your tattoo!
