It’s one of the first shapes you learn as a child. Who doesn’t have fond memories of cutting hearts from construction paper or doodling them onto the corners of a personal note?
With just a few simple curves, a heart design can instantly communicate its meaning.
The heart shape first came into use in the Middle Ages as a metaphor for love and romance. Since then, it’s become a ubiquitous symbol of affection and passion, and it’s a versatile design that can be easily modified and personalized.
Linked hearts can symbolize the love shared by two people. A heart with wings can symbolize freedom of the heart and a spirit that cannot be tamed.
Open-ended heart designs might communicate the openness of your love and willingness to open your heart to others.
The heart can be incorporated into other symbols and designs to show your passion for those ideas as well: music notes, animal designs, religious symbols and anything else your heart desires.
Hearts with initials are a classic tattoo design for couples, but you can build on many variations of that theme.
Since the heart design is so simple, it can be made very small. The inside of a wrist, the point of a hip, just below the clavicle or even tucked behind an ear are all perfect places to hide a heart or two. Hearts also make popular chest tattoos, representing the real beating heart beneath.
Small, simple heart tattoo designs can pack a lot of meaning into a tiny space. If you’re looking for a sweet and discreet tattoo design, a small heart or hearts may be exactly what you need.