Floral tattoos in Knoxville

Florals are the biggest part of Julie’s portfolio. She does single stems, small clusters, vines that wrap a wrist or forearm, and black-and-grey sleeves built from many flowers.

Flowers Julie has tattooed

• Roses
• Lilies
• Peonies
• Chrysanthemums
• Orchids
• Magnolias
• Cherry blossoms
• Irises
• Gladiolus
• Wildflowers
• Ferns and leafy vines
• Bouquets and vases

Birth flowers

Every month has its own flowers, and Julie has birth month flash for all twelve. The birth flower tattoos page covers each month’s flowers, meanings and ways to combine them in a family bouquet.

Flower by flower

• Roses: the most requested flower. A rose has long stood for secrecy as well as love; “sub rosa” means “under the rose,” or in confidence. A tight bud reads well small; an open rose needs room for its layers.
• Chrysanthemums: dozens of thin, layered petals make them one of the best flowers for black and grey shading. Julie has paired one with a chain mace.
• Carnations: the ruffled edges give texture without heavy shading. Anna Jarvis, who founded Mother’s Day, wore a white carnation, her mother’s favorite flower, which makes it a good tattoo for a mom.
• Daisies: simple petals around a dotted center, made for fine line and small pieces.
• Lily of the valley: a curved stem with a row of tiny bells, best at two inches or more so the bells don’t blur together.
• Irises: Tennessee’s state cultivated flower. Julie’s irises are on the Tennessee tattoos page.
• Sunflowers: young sunflowers follow the sun across the sky, facing east at dawn. They pair naturally with a sun.
• Red spider lilies: in Japan they’re called higanbana, the flower of the autumn equinox holiday, and they’re linked to farewells. The long, curling petals suit a darker floral.

Fine line or black and grey?

Fine line florals use thin lines and little shading, so they look delicate. They suit small pieces and places like the wrist, collarbone and ribs. More on fine line

Black and grey florals use soft shading for depth. They hold up well at larger sizes and work for half sleeves, full sleeves and back pieces.

Flowers with other subjects

Florals pair well with daggers and maces, snakes, moths and butterflies, hummingbirds, skulls, and names or dates in script.

Popular placements

Forearm, upper arm and shoulder, hip and thigh, ribs, and vines around the wrist or ankle.