Over the weekend, we heard that Dolly Parton has a bunch of watercolor tattoos that sound way cooler than the average celebrity tattoo. According to Roseanne Barr, Dolly’s tattoos don’t have any ”black or blue lines, all like, pastel gorgeous bows all over everything,” and that sounds fantastic. As a person who possesses a fair amount of tattoos and loves to admire body modification, I was incredibly intrigued to see what hers look like. Alas, there are no photos that show them all as of yet, but that doesn’t mean we cannot collectively ogle other tattoos without outlines!
We combed through Pinterest to find the prettiest, most fascinating tattoos without outlines that are inspired by watercolors, and, oh my goodness, they’re so impressive. If you are not a fan of tattoos because you think they do not look elegant, delicate, or light-handed enough, these will blow your mind and potentially make you reconsider getting one.
Note: Whenever the artist’s name was listed where I found the tattoo, I added it to the slide, but if you see your work here, let me know and I will credit you!
Owl
I’m a big fan of owl tattoos, so I was thrilled to see such a stunning one. The more you look at it, the more incredible it gets.
Artist: Nate Kraus at Splash of Color in East Lansing, MI
The Marauder’s Map!
I’m sure Harry Potter fans will fall in love with this tattoo that features the “I solemnly swear I am up to no good” quote from the Marauder’s Map.
Poppy
This poppy tattoo is so beautiful and light-handed, it’s surreal.
Catwoman (But Better)
Seriously, how cool is this?
Woman with Tattoos
This is surreal and fantastical. It’s so lovely that the woman in the tattoo has tattoos herself, and even those tiny ones are better than most tattoos.
Artist: Holly Thomas
Wildflowers
These are so stunning and vivid in color, in shape, and in concept. The top of a person’s shins is also a placement I never would have thought of for floral tattoos, to be honest.
Woman in the Rain
I don’t think I’ve ever seen a tattoo quite like this. It’s breathtaking.
Feather
Simple, but so delicate and in such a lovely spot.
Hummingbird
How gorgeous is this hummingbird? The text reads, “She faced the storm and though the wind blew her down she spread her wings,” making this both inspirational and stunning.
Artist: Melissa Valiquette at Sin City Montreal
Tree & Birds
I’ve seen a lot of tattoos that feature silhouettes of birds or butterflies flying away, but this is probably the most unique background I’ve seen out of any of them.
Abstract Flower
I cannot handle how great this is. Just like a real watercolor painting, it is both delicate and striking. And the vividness of those colors? Whoa, boy.
Hummingbird
Another fantastic hummingbird, but this one’s a bit simpler.
Ship Tattoo
It feels like this ship is about to pop off this person’s body.
Dripping Portrait
It’s almost like her face is melting off the wearer’s body in the best possible way.
Quote Over Color
Words over bright colored “paint” = such a cool spin on the text tattoo.
Red & Blue Heart
This abstract heart utilizes strong primary colors in a unique way.
Bird On A Branch
Something about the number of colors here makes this extra cool.
Flower
This is another one with really interesting placement.
Bull Terrier
HOW WEIRD/CUTE IS THIS? There are thousands of great pet tattoos out there, but this is so odd and that’s what makes it ridiculously cool.
Butterflies & a Portrait
An extra cool, extra small portrait tattoo.
Vintage Side Portrait
I love that this is so delicate, but still realistic in a vintage ad type of way.
Dog!
Another excellent dog tattoo.
Portrait
This. Is. So cool.
Artist: Ivana Belakova
Fox
It’s delicate and small, but so perfect.
Audrey Hepburn
I think this is supposed to be Audrey Hepburn, but regardless, it’s lovely.
Hourglass
I love how deep and intense this one is.
Hourglass
I love how deep and intense this one is.
