Some of the most recurrent tattoos that I do at my studio in Valencia (Spain), which are also trending, are butterfly tattoos. Funnily enough, every one of them has been different from the other. Depending on the personality and preferences, each butterfly tattoo matches the person’s uniqueness. But before showing you the different kinds of butterfly tattoos, I first wanted to talk about their meaning.

What does it mean to get a butterfly tattoo?

Rosalía, a very well-known Spanish pop-flamenco singer, has written a song that goes like this: ‘una mariposa, yo me transformo (a butterfly, I transform myself)’. A butterfly has the intrinsic meaning of transformation, evolution, change… When you see a butterfly, you see something beautiful in that moment, but you have no idea what it has been through. Before becoming that beautiful butterfly, it was once a caterpillar. There are different moments in life: in some of them, we undergo changes and transformations, but they are not always for the best. Every change is important in our lives so we don’t get stuck in the same ‘caterpillar’ stage. If right now you’re going through something significant in your life, overcoming challenges, fighting, or achieving something you’ve aspired to, a butterfly can be a beautiful reminder of that stage in your life.

But there’s also no need for an excuse to get something tattooed. A butterfly is also aesthetically pleasing and can be truly beautiful to have inked on your skin.

Here are some of the different kinds of butterfly tattoos that I have been tattooing at my studio in Valencia to inspire you:

Micro-realist butterflies tattoos

These are essentially the most realistic butterflies. They have slight shadows and many details. Since I’m focused on fine line tattoos, I avoid overdoing these kinds of butterfly tattoos, keeping them minimal and simple.

They can be inked in different sizes, but to showcase as much detail as possible, they should be approximately 4-6 cm.

Minimalist butterfly tattoos

These are basically line-only tattoos. They have neither shadows nor filling. These are perfect for those who like simple, minimalist-style tattoos. They are understated. This type of butterflies can be done in small sizes. Depending on the butterfly, they can be approximately 2-4 cm.

Mini butterfly tattoos

If minimalist tattoos are still too big for you and you want to take your butterflies to the next level, you should consider mini butterflies. They are really tiny! But in return they have to be very simple. Considering their size they can’t have a lot of details. They are basically a silhouette. These kind of butterfly tattoos can be done in 1cm, or even 0,9cms.

Skull-like butterflies

If you’re into the butterfly shape but prefer something less delicate, it can be combined with another element, like a skull. As you can see in the image below, the shadows inside the butterfly’s wings form a skull. This kind of tattoo can include much more detail and can also be filled in. However, they need to be large—at least 7 cm. The more detail and shading you want, the larger the tattoo should be.

Big butterflies

As I mentioned before, the more details or shadows a tattoo design has, the bigger the tattoo needs to be so that all its greatness and beauty can be appreciated. If you want to cover a large area of your body, a big butterfly tattoo might be what you need, like the one I did in the center of a girl’s back. My suggestion is to make it at least 7–8 cm, so all the details can be perfectly seen.

Are you in the mood for a butterfly tattoo like the ones I just showed, or maybe something different?

If that’s the case and you’re looking for a tattoo artist in Valencia (Spain), you’ve found it! I love tattooing butterflies!

Here are some butterfly designs created by me at a reduced cost (starting price 70€) so you can proudly show off your new, beautiful butterfly tattoo.

If none of them match your taste feel free to send me a message by filling out my contact form or sending me an Instagram DM. Let me know your idea, and we can work on a custom tattoo design together.