Here are some of the current ideas for side tattoos for men. This is not an exhaustive list of all the possibilities but some of the top ones that many men like.
Tribal Side Tattoos - Of course there is the good ol' standby of tribal tattoo designs. These have been popular throughout the 1990's as have always been a big item for men. The strong bold shapes and lines along with the black color make for a strong statement that many men like in their tattoos. These work very well as a side tattoo and when done on the side they are definitely an update to the overdone and overused shoulder tribal design. Some other ways to update a tribal design and do something that will differentiate your tattoo a bit is to go with a specific style of tribal and not just the new age mismatch of ambiguous tribal designs. Instead pick a Hawaiian or Samoan or Maori tribal design and go with a traditional style.
Script Word And Written Tattoos - These are really all the rage right now and look to continue being very popular and in style. The great thing about word tattoos and sayings is it is very easy to convey a message with them no worry about trying to communicate through symbolism. Now you can just say it in words. Not only that the script and font can become a major part of the design themselves and make for a great looking tattoo.
Dragons - Dragons have always been very popular and they seem perfectly fitted for a side tattoo. Any area on the body that is not very thick works well for a dragon tattoo so the dragon can fly in and out of or on and off of a side and interweave between it. There are the more English and Western style dragons that we always think of when playing fantasy and adventure games but there are also the more traditional Japanese and Chinese style dragons that work well also.
Koi Fish - Koi fish are of course very popular in Japanese tattoo designs and the story and symbolism behind them make for a very powerful and symbolic side tattoo. Also the blend of blue water and gold yellows and oranges of the fish work very well together in a side tattoo. Also since the fish is curved up ward and sort of jumping out of the water a side tattoo is a great location for this design. The water can splash around the side and onto the stomach and back of the tattoo location as well as the fish bend and twist around the side. This makes for enough complexity in the design that it catches and holds the viewers attention and draws the eyeball into the design.
Above are just four of the more popular ideas and trends for side tattoos for men and design that they might like. There are of course many other design option s out there. It is important to carefully research and use resource materials to bring to your tattoo artist to easily explain the look and feel you are after and then turn over what you have your ideas and photos or resources to the tattoo artist and let them go to town. You will end up with a cooler tattoo then you ever imagined.
