Sunflowers are known to be among the most beautiful flowers in the world, and almost all of them originate in North and Central America. Their trademark, colloquial name comes from the flowers' ability to physically tilt themselves toward the sun for maximum photosynthesis. Today, sunflowers have grown to be synonymous with feelings of cheerfulness, homeliness, and the whole "rustic" aesthetic. Surely, people think of sunflowers when heading to the local farmers market, rural flea market, or quaint, small town main street. Traditionally, sunflowers have symbolized concepts such as longevity and hardiness, but are also known to be particularly happy flowers. Surely, everyone reading knows someone in their life who they can personify as a sunflower.
Or, perhaps folks reading this tend to personify themselves as sunflowers, strong and shining examples of pride, confidence, and vitality. So, what better way to express those feelings than through a gorgeous flower tattoo? Naturally, we've collected some of our favorite examples of sunflower tattoos that should inspire anyone looking to express their sunny and strong disposition in ink. We've found everything from noir-inspired floral tattoos to sunflowers bursting with color and personality. We've even tracked down sunflower ideas featuring dragons, crystals, and nods to LGBTQ pride. So, read on to find 20 pieces of perfect inspiration for a work of ink featuring one of the world's most beautiful and hearty flowers, the sunflower.
Textbook Sunflowers
This is an excellent depiction of exactly what most would be looking for when thinking of a "sunflower tattoo." It's easy to imagine this gorgeous ink by CamLock Tattoos in Toronto, Canada, to be found inside a botanist's textbook. This is tough to beat for those seeking a black and white line art tattoo.
Michelangelo's Sunflower
This is an amazing riff on the famous painting by Michelangelo, The Creation of Adam, with one handing reaching for a sunflower held by another. We're not terribly clear on the true meaning behind this ink, but it's undoubtedly an expert piece by Etch Studio in Auckland, New Zealand.
The Illustrated Sunflower
We adore this simple yet detailed piece depicting a sunflower, almost as if it were ripped from a children's book illustration. From the line work to the painterly coloration, this is a simply brilliant small piece of ink by Dutch artist Mich Mulder.
Expert Sunflower Cover-up
This piece was apparently a cover-up of an older tattoo, and we certainly can't tell whatever is underneath this gorgeous piece. From the wispy color to the line art, we adore this incredible work by Luis of Redemption Ink that's resulted in a gorgeous depiction of a sunflower.
Dragon & Sunflower
Our inner nerds couldn't resist a tattoo that blends together two of our dearest loves: sunflowers and tiny dragons. This faerie-looking, little dragon fits perfectly with the expertly depicted sunflower inked by Lauren Kelly of The Kingdom Tattoo in Massachusetts.
A Prideful Sunflower
This piece combines two things we're rather passionate about: pride and gorgeous tattoos. We love this incredibly colorful piece by Janice Komar in Katy, Texas, designed to honor LGBTQ pride by making the sunflower's many petals into the pride flag's rainbow shades.
Crystals & Sunflowers
We're seriously digging this piece by Branden Martin of Aces High Tattoo in Jupiter, Florida, for its fusion of colorful crystals and a gorgeous sunflower. The way in which the shine of the crystals is depicted, as well as the texture of the sunflower, is just expert in its execution.
A Sunflower Both Literal & Abstract
This is an excellent, unusual take on the classic sunflower tattoo by tattoo artist Isa BlackMin. Our best interpretation of it is that above the line is a more traditional depiction of a sunflower, while below the line appears to be a deconstruction of the whole concept — what a brilliant idea.
A Sunflower With a Meaning
We're loving this piece by an artist only known as Tatuador Anderson that goes almost entirely figurative (and unusual) with its depiction here. We're left to interpret this piece as a statement on mental health, with the mind being a figurative plant needing to be constantly tended to and maintained.
Modern Meets Classic
This piece by an artist known only as Kris of Mike's Tattoo & Piercing blends both modern and classic elements so well. The triangle canvas is a new trope in contemporary tattoos, while the line and dot art within the sunflower itself is just expertly crafted.
Mandala Sunflower
We're simply mesmerized by this piece inked by Reuben Garcia of Wealthy Street Tattoo in Grand Rapids, Michigan, blending the Hindu/Buddhist mandala symbol with a gorgeous sunflower. The resulting pattern here is simply alluring, and we love the flat coloring with beautiful shading.
Cosmic Sunflower
This piece by an artist only known as Jeanine of Lady Luck Tattoo in Portland, Oregon, brings on a cosmic nature to the traditional sunflower tattoo. What an incredibly detailed piece of ink, made only better by the realistic and wispy coloring behind that that appears like it's a supernova.
Black & White Beauty
It's easy to adore this beauty by an Amsterdam-based artist named Galya Gisca for its mixing of modern and classic inspirations. The level of detail in the line and dot art and the motion in this piece make it appear as if it could be one of many sunflowers in a field depicted in a noir animated film.
Sunflower Noir
OK, so we might have a thing for black-and-white sunflower tattoos, but this one we just could not pass up. The dot and line work in this ink by The Good Fella's Tattoo Parlour in Italy is simply fantastic. This is another piece that just screams vintage, and we shouldn't have to explain why it's beautiful.
Old-School Cute Sunflower
We have a soft spot for old school, sailor- or biker-style tattoo work applied to more innocuous topics and concepts, and this is a perfect example. Inked by Isaiah Chantorn of Seattle, this piece its incredibly charming and features expert shading and line work throughout.
Musical Sunflower
This is an interesting concept for a sunflower tattoo, making the flower's stem appear like a music note toward its bottom. With that, it combines love of things both musical and floral, and the wispy line work imparts a serious sense of realism on the piece. Kudos to Philadelphia artist Robert Kraiza for this lovely piece.
'Sunflower' Taken Literally
This piece by Megan Song takes the word "sunflower" literally, incorporating a traditional, personified sun and moon into the center of the sunflower. The result is both a quite surreal and grounded piece simultaneously, and we can't help but appreciate that complexity.
Sunflower Lullaby
Anyone who has sung "You Are My Sunshine" to a child will likely be jabbed right in the feels by this piece of ink courtesy of artist Pamela Noguera. The stem of the flower clearly reads out to be the first line of the song, so this could easily be a commemorative tattoo for a special someone — most likely a child.
Spiritual Sunflower
We've already featured one mandala sunflower tattoo, but they're apparently popular — and for good reason. The two shapes play off each other brilliantly, making for some mesmerizing patterns. The expert-level line and dot art truly help sell the design by Linden Street Tattoo in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania.
Hyper-Realistic Sunflowers
This is an excellently inked piece by a Miami artist known as Ronny Ink. With artwork this realistic, we feel as if these flowers could just blow away at any moment, thanks to Ronny's expert line and shading work, not to mention his coloring. Also, note how it wraps around the customer's middle toe — just gorgeous!
