Celebrities are constantly acting as ambassadors of new trends and liberating movements. And in recent years more and more celebs have been using art as a forum of expression. Body art, that is. From runway models to the most glamorous Hollywood starlets, these beauties have been decorating themselves with tattoos. And the designs they’re choosing are anything but ordinary!
The tattoo trend is on fire and doesn’t seem to be coming to a halt any time soon. And why would it? Tattoos are the epitome of body language – they enable you to permanently etch your life’s stories into a vivid image, reveal your true personality, and expose the quiet emotions that can lay encapsulated in our daily life.
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From small, colorful and quirky to intricate, deep and intense, these celebs are revealing their personalities one piece at a time. Get ready for the most un-basic art in Hollywood! Who knows, maybe their artwork will inspire your next (or first) masterpiece:
1Miley Cyrus
Miley is giving us the ultimate foodspiration with the latest ink she got over July 4th weekend. Miley found a way to ensure her beloved little avi would last a lifetime through the skillful touch of friend and tattoo artist, Lauren Winzer.
2Cara Delevingne
The bold tattoo has been appearing everywhere thanks to Tag Heuer’s #Dontcrackunderpressure campaign. In an interview with Life and Times, celebrity tattoo artist, Keith “Bang Bang” McCurdy, revealed that Cara Delevingne was originally going to have “Lion” written across it until he swayed her with a much fiercer idea. Good call, Bang Bang.
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3Kendall Jenner
When it comes to friendship, “it’s the little things that matter” as tattoo artist, Jon Boy, so accurately titled his instagram pic with Kendall Jenner, showing off their new matching ink!
4Behati Prinsloo
The recently hitched Victoria’s Secret model and her super sexy hubby, Adam Levine, revealed matching tattoos on their ring fingers. The couple thought outside the box with the trending wedding tattoos by getting three dots inked across their fingers. Behati explains that they represent being one with the earth.
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5Kelly Osbourne
In tribute to the late Joan Rivers, Kelly Osbourne had an adorable bumble bee drawn in white ink on her right shoulder. She posted the image partnered with this beautiful quote: “If you looked at aerodynamics, at science, the bumble bee should not be able to fly. Physically, it was just not anatomically equipped to soar. Yet it did, defying gravity, defying logic. The bee was a creature that defied and beat the odds, a miracle.”
6Ariana Grande
Earlier this year, the singer revealed her 4th tattoo, a small crescent moon delicately resting slightly beneath her ear. Though it’s not the most unique tattoo in the world, the singer got the tattoo with dancer BFF, Brian Nicholson, who has the same tat on his neck.
7Lena Dunham
The talented mind behind the popular HBO show, “Girls,” also got tatted up with her bestie. The inspiration for the tat was spurred by Edie, a character from the movie Grey Gardens, who describes herself as “a staunch character”. She explained in an interview with O Magazine that “It’s a reminder to hold my ground like a tough old lady.”
8Anja Rubik
This Victoria’s Secret model and Polish Beauty pays tribute to her former pet with a beautiful outline of a rat (sounds like an oxymoron, but seriously, they’re actually sorta adorable) displayed on her left forearm. Can you say true love?
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9Miley Cyrus
Miley also had art done as an ode to her dear little puffer fish. Celeb tattoo artist Dr. Woo masterfully used Cyrus’ upper inner arm to craft a perfect replica of the puffer using the image Miley’s posted on her Instagram. Hashtag Bonded.For.Life!
10Erin Wasson
With her slender arms acting as a playful sketchpad, the fashion model and actress gives off the ultimate cool girl vibe. In an interview with Into The Gloss, Erin explained that she’s been getting tattoos since she was 17 and believes that “if you feel it, you should just do it.” Umm, where’s the nearest tattoo studio?
11Lady Gaga
The Queen of originality has a devilish image emblazoned on her back that will make all her little monsters rally in celebration. The hand, posed in the “Little Monster” sign, was beautifully drawn by Eric Gonzalez and is a tribute to her fans. The Mother Monster posted the image on her Instagram with the caption: #Monster4Life.
12Chanel Iman
The young model has a drawing of a clothes hanger paired with her name delicately placed at the nape of her neck. She explained candidly that it represents her industry. “You put clothes on a hanger, and you put clothes on a model. So it represents being a model.”
13Chiara Ferragni
The gorgeous Italian fashion designer, model, and founder of the popular blog, The Blonde Salad, has several beautiful tats adorning her hot bod, but we’re absolutely obsessed with the selfie-taking Mickey Mouse posing on her forearm!
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14Ellie Goulding
The intricately crafted lotus was etched into Ellie’s side last year by one of the most sought after tattoo artists in LA, Dr. Woo. She proudly showed off the art on her Instagram with the caption: Say not “I have found the truth” but rather “I have found a truth”.
15Ruby Rose
Ruby Rose felt a strong backlash from fans when she replicated Graffiti artist, Jean-Michel Basquiat’s, crown on her bust in 2013. The negative comments on its appearance inspired Ruby to add Basquiat’s portrait to her sleeve. Way to stay true to yourself, girl!
16Rita Ora
At first glance you’d never realize that this beautifully sketched ballerina spurred from heart break. When she and Calvin Harris split, Rita sashayed her way through it by doing what any tat addict would do after a break up – new ink. Or two. In a makeshift studio (aka hotel room), Bang Bang free-handed the piece along with a feather on her hand.
17Katy Perry
In celebration of her epic conquest of the Superbowl Half Time Show, Katy Perry “thought it would be appropriate to draw blood tonight.” The statement was paired with a pic of Katy awaiting her next piece of ink. The singer is now sporting the roman numerals for SuperBowl 49 on the inside of her finger on her right hand.
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18Jourdan Dunn
The British fashion model is displaying some new ink, and it is absolutely breath-taking. She collaborated with artist Cally-Jo to create an elaborately designed Hamsa hand. They paired the design with the inspiring words, “Fear is not an option”. Anyone who has a negative mindset toward tattoos hasn’t been exposed to Dunn’s positive vibes.
19Alice Dellal
The Brazilian-British model has quite a few non-conventional tattoos adorning her mocha skin, including a skull and ribcage on the inside of her arm. In an interview with I-D magazine, the young beauty explained that due to her asthma, her lungs and ribcage are constantly on her mind (and now, her arm).
20Zoe Kravitz
Between the placements and the small, yet intricate designs canvassing Kravitz’s slender arms, you’d think that they were masterfully crafted to act as the perfect accessories for her eccentric boho-chic style. But by intent or not, she’s rockin’ them brilliantly!
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