Of all the art mediums that Star Wars has influenced since its release in 1977, one of the most iconic has been tattooing. While Star Wars has incredibly dramatic visuals, the iconography can still be easily recognized with only a minimalist outline, which is great for tattoo enthusiasts who aren’t looking to break the bank on a full-arm, colored tattoo.
While large tattoos are breathtaking, some of the most striking tattoos can be the smaller ones, or those with a toned-down color palate that still rep your appreciation for the series. Of them, these are our favorite picks for the 10 best Star Wars tattoos that won’t cost an arm and a leg.
Small Floral BB-8 Tattoo
This tattoo would be perfect for anyone looking to sport a little love for their favorite spherical Astromech. There’s a little touch of color, but nothing that’s going to run up the bill too much. Plus, you could mess around with the placement of the flowers or change up what type they are.
Outline Boba Fett Helmet Tattoo
The helmets in Star Wars are equally as recognizable as the characters’ faces if not more so. As such, what better simple tattoo could there be than a helmet? These tattoos will be clear to look at, won’t require painful shading, and shouldn’t cost too much, and there are countless ways you can customize one to make it your own.
Star Wars Opening Crawl Text Tattoo
Small text tattoos are a great way to show your love without emptying your wallet, and the most recognizable text in all of Star Wars is the line that starts off every film. This tattoo would fit well on any area of the body, but no matter where it is, it’ll surely make any Star Wars fan hear an orchestra.
Variety of Star Wars Ship Tattoos
These minimalist outline tattoos could fit perfectly in a preexisting sleeve or stand on their own as a simple symbol of hope (or maybe something a little darker). Not to mention, they could go together or fly solo. Either way would look clean, and can leave you with an excellent show of your appreciation for the series.
R2-D2 Projecting Princess Leia Tattoo
This would make a great tattoo to match with a friend or loved one. It lends itself perfectly to a simple two-tone color palette, like black and white or blue and gray. Plus, it stands out as one of the more unique ways to show your love for the series compared to more traditional — and more expensive — alternatives.
Star Wars Death Star Silhouette Tattoo
If an outline doesn’t feel like enough detail but a colored tattoo would be too much, a silhouette tattoo like this one might be perfect. The ships and Star Wars landmarks are clear to make out without having to go into intricate detail and fully color the piece.
Grogu Catching Butterflies Tattoo
Any tattoo with Grogu is going to be a winner, and this one is a great size that has nice details without becoming too much to look at. Dotwork and linework tattoos lend themselves nicely to small subjects in small spots on the body, and what better small subject than The Child himself?
Floral Lightsaber Hilt Tattoo
A lightsaber or even just the hilt is the perfect tattoo to fit on an arm or a leg, either as its own statement or fitting nicely in a sleeve. These are great because you can choose your own lightsaber design, and you can easily get away with a simple black and white palate. You could substitute the flowers for vines, thorns or whatever else fits your style too, making it even more customizable and easy to personalize.
Matching Star Wars Couples Tattoos
These tattoos serve as a great template for inspiration when it comes to matching with that special rebel. You could opt to get only the symbols or only the text, but either way would clearly demonstrate your connection through the force.
Tatooine Binary Sunset Tattoo
This tattoo captures so much emotion in such a small piece, without having to go crazy in detail. There are plenty of variations that could be made on this too, whether it be through the colors, size, or layout. Regardless, the Force Theme immediately comes to mind just from seeing the two suns on the horizon, making this one of the best simple tattoos a Star Wars fan can get.
Did our list have a tattoo idea that spoke to you? Let us know in the comments section below. While you’re there, check out some of our related articles, which include content like our list of the 10 Star Wars gift ideas for that special Jedi in your life.