32 Phenomenal Behind the Ear Tattoos for Men in 2024
Gents, this one is for you. We’ve got another fantastic list of tattoo inspiration that is sure to tickle your fancy. Whether you’ve been wanting a tattoo behind the ear forever or only recently decided, you’ve come to the right place. We’ve got many different styles and unique placements to show you.
But before you go and get your tattoo behind the ear, let us help guide you in choosing the perfect piece of ink. Below we’ll show you the most sexy, badass, and breathtaking behind the ear tattoos in 2024. You’ll surely be inspired with the perfect idea of which tattoo style to get, as well as the size, and exact placement.
With that said, let’s begin.
The Best Behind the Ear Tattoos for Men - An Awesome Blackwork Lightening Bolts Behind the Ear
Welcome to another list of tattoos to inspire you. This one is for the gents and we’re sure you’re going to love it.
First up, this insanely cool lightning tattoo. The way it follows the shape of his neck definitely adds to how great this tattoo is. I like the simplicity of the design, truly a fantastic job done by the artist.
IG: Lucy.moana
Wonderful Black and Gray Salvador Dalí Portrait Tattoo Behind the Ear
What’s better than beautiful artwork? A portrait of a brilliant artist of course. This is such a well done tattoo of the famous Salvador Dalí. The shape of the design fits the back of the ear perfectly. Great choice of portrait too, this is one of the many famous pictures of the artist.
IG: toscano_tattoo
Outstanding Blackwork Wolf Head Tattoo
Blackwork is such an interesting style because there’s so much you can do with it, surprisingly. I think the negative space barbed wire was a badass addition to this already awesome tattoo, I love the way the wolf is snarling almost like it’s protecting its wearer.
IG: bobavhett
Simple Kanji Script Tattoo Behind the Ear
I’m not sure what this says but what I am sure of is Kanji makes for a dope tattoo. It’s wise to be careful when tattooing other languages on your body, always make sure you’re certain about what it says, you wouldn’t want to go around offending other cultures. Regardless, I really like this design.
IG: maruvallespir
Black and Gray Dotwork Gradient Tattoo Behind the Ear
There’s nothing like a simple tattoo that stands out in a subtle way. I like that the artist used a dotwork technique for this design, it creates a soft design that is fitting if you don’t want a tattoo that is too obvious. Nice.
IG: poesie_muette
Brutal Blackwork Script Tattoo
You wouldn’t know that this tattoo says “Remordimiento” but that’s what happens when using this style of script. Credit to the artist for packing the black so smoothly. I can’t even begin to imagine how sore this must have been but it was definitely worth it because damn, look at how cool it looks!
IG: skiller.odio
Impressive Black and Gray Scorpion Tattoo Behind the Ear
Scorpions are becoming an ever popular design and I’m not sure why, they’re creepy but I guess that’s what the people want. My personal biases aside, the shape of this tattoo is a perfect fit for the back of the ear. I also like that the artist used dotwork shading, it creates a smooth tattoo that will age gracefully.
IG: delphinmusquet
Blackwork Snake and Dagger Tattoo Behind the Ear
Snakes and daggers will always be a winner in my books, you just can’t go wrong with this design. This one in particular has almost a sinister feel to it. It might be because of the white ink in the snake’s eye, it’s incredibly ghostly. Kudos to the artist for the smooth shading and impeccable linework, this isn’t an easy spot to tattoo.
IG: yongha_blk
Incredible Blackwork Snake Tattoo
If you’ve always wanted a snake tattoo, here’s an inspiration for a badass Blackwork Neo Traditional piece that truly catches your eye. The line work is clean and the black ink has been packed beautifully, there’s nothing better than an artist who knows what they are doing, they honestly knocked this one out of the park.
IG: yesitattoos
Ghostly Blackwork Hand Tattoo at the Back of the Ear for Men
I’m just going to say it, this tattoo is phenomenal. I know it’s quite simple but the shading and solid black ink are insanely smooth and consistent and I really like the added touch of abstract. It complements the ghostly appearance of the hand.
IG: bogdan_ink
Kickass Double Head-Shot Skeleton Knight Behind the Ear Tattoo for Men
How amazing are the colors in this American Traditional tattoo on the neck? That’s the one thing about this style that I’ve always appreciated, the colors are bright, the linework is bold and it stands out nicely. I’m not telling you to go and get something similar, but you should definitely go and get something similar.
IG: corycartwright
Outstanding Dagger in Skull Neo Traditional Behind the Ear Tattoo
This brightly colored Neo Traditional tattoo on the back of the ear and neck is truly something to behold. The linework is crisp and the colors are popping. One way to grab all the attention, get yourself an awesome skull and dagger tattoo on the neck.
IG: mattcurzon
Stunning Japanese-Inspired Diamond Behind the Ear Tattoo
I love it when artists take inspiration from other cultures, this diamond shaped Japanese-styled tattoo behind the ear is exceptionally well done. The artist put a lot of effort into giving their client artwork that will be enjoyed for many years to come. Absolutely gorgeous!
IG: e.nal.tattoo
Simple Sad Blackwork Daisy Tattoo Behind the Ear
Who says men can’t enjoy floral tattoos? I mean, yes it’s a sad daisy, but isn’t it really cute? The linework is smooth and consistent and the placement is absolute perfection, the shape of the design flows with the curve of the client’s head and that’s definitely something you want as it complements the tattoo nicely.
IG: ivanslay
Brutal Blackwork Lettering Tattoo On the Side of the Head
This brutal style of script tattoo is becoming more and more popular, especially among metalheads and can you blame them? It’s absolutely awesome! This design reads ‘Memento Mori’, obviously it’s difficult to see but it makes it even more special for the wearer because he knows exactly what it means.
Lovely Fineline Cherubs Tattoo On the Side of the Face
Men can get cute tattoos too and what’s cuter than a cherub? Four cherubs. I adore the fine-line style. It suits the design beautifully as it creates a softness that complements the cherubs as they are known to be cute and gentle creatures that can bring a smile to even the most grumpy people.
IG: delphinmusquet
Simple Dotwork Snake Tattoo Behind the Ear
Keeping things simple is definitely the way to go. Especially if you’re not looking to draw too much attention to yourself. This tiny dotwork snake is great if you want a neck/behind the ear tattoo but aren’t set on something big just yet. If you wanted to cover this up with something much bigger at a later stage you could and easily. I really like simple tattoos for this very reason.
Gorgeous Blackwork Textile Motive Tattoo Behind the Ear
If you’ve ever seen those carpets with the various patterns on it, then you’ll know where the artist got their inspiration from. I like the simplicity of this tattoo and how it fits perfectly in the space behind the ear. Also, credit to the artist for getting the linework so bold and crisp, the neck isn’t an easy area to tattoo but the artist killed it.
IG: eleonora.cercato
Smooth Dotwork Mandala Tattoo Behind the Ear
It’s quite obvious that this client likes Mandala’s. The placement of the one behind his ear is amazing, it follows the shape of the ear and fits snuggly, if you had to look at him from the front you’d see it peeking out which is great for those not looking to draw too much attention to themselves. Great work by a great artist! Go give their Instagram some love.
Beautiful Blackwork Owl Tattoo On the Neck
At first glance, I didn’t realize this was an owl because of the angle, which could be a bit of a problem as it would have been better if the artist had added a beak to help the viewer understand what they’re looking at. Either way, the concept is awesome and it looks great on the neck, especially because it looks like it’s protecting the wearer.
IG: yongha_blk
Outstanding Handpoked Blackwork Tattoo
There’s something almost sci-fi about this hand poked blackwork tattoo. The gradient the artist created with the dotwork technique used in hand poking creates a texture that reminds me of something you’d see in Star Wars and I absolutely love it. I don’t know if that’s what the client was going for, but damn this is awesome.
IG: gogo_centuryink
Badass Old School Skull and Stairway Neck Tattoo
I’ll say it again, neck and behind the ear tattoos are extremely cool, especially when the design flows with the shape of the neck and skull. The colors the artist used are fantastic, they pop against the bold linework and catch your eye almost immediately. Really incredible work, go check out jonnybearhands on Instagram for more like this.
IG: jonnybearhands
Out of this World Abstract Negative Space Head Tattoo
Behind the ear? More like half of his face, wow is this not one of the coolest tattoos you’ve ever laid eyes on? I adore how clean the negative spacing is and how the design not only covers his head and neck but also extends onto his face. This must have been killer painful but boy was it worth it. I might be slightly jealous.
Gorgeous Ornamental Dotwork Tattoos Behind the Ear
This very feminine design looks incredible on a man, the rugged look of a full beard next to the soft touch of the ornamental dotwork designs creates an image of a man with a gentle side, he’s not afraid to let people see this stunning tattoo that both men and women can rock.
IG: kaylee.tattoos
Norigae and Water Lily Tattoo Behind the Ear
If you’re unfamiliar with a norigae, it is a traditional Korean accessory that symbolizes good fortune. I think it’s a brilliant idea to have it etched on your body for life, hopefully, it brings its wearer all the luck in the world!
IG: tattooist_sion
Dainty Script Tattoo Behind the Ear
Dainty script is not only for the ladies. In fact, this Fineline text behind this man’s ear gives him a softer look, like you could approach him and he’d probably be nice to you.
IG: loko_lines
Fineline Realistic Zeus Tattoo
Okay, this is probably one of the coolest concepts I’ve seen in a long time. The flow of the design looks amazing on the side of the head and the soft realistic shading is beyond incredible. This is truly a masterpiece worthy of being displayed in a museum!
IG: q_tattoos
Tiny Fine Line Rose Tattoo Behind the Ear for Men
Roses are extremely popular and will probably stay popular for the rest of the time. The use of the Fine Line style was an excellent choice for this micro tattoo, it complements the softness of the rose stunningly.
IG: soph.tattooing
Fantastic Blackwork Dragon Tattoo for Men Behind the Ear
I don’t know where to begin, this tattoo is breathtaking. The way it follows the shape of the side of the face and extends upward onto the face and downward onto the neck is phenomenal. 10/10 recommend this as inspo if you want to be known as a badass.
IG: blackworkarchive
Black and Gray Ghost Ship Tattoo
I’ve seen ship tattoos on many parts of the body but never on the head. This uniquely placed design is not only haunting but beautiful simultaneously. Check out tessa.von on Insta for more creepy artwork like this.
IG: tessa.von
Contemporary Black and Gray Orchid Tattoo
If there’s one thing I can’t get enough of, it’s a tattoo that is so smooth it looks like it was printed onto the skin. Much like this stunning piece. The placement is on point and the Dotwork shading is so smooth I almost thought the artist used a regular mag. What I’m getting at is, that this tattoo is outstanding, highly recommend it as inspiration.
IG: emtattooo
Beautiful Neo Traditional Floral and Tiger Tattoo
This final tattoo was worth the wait, look at those gorgeous colors and sharp line work! It’s definitely a piece that screams “look at me” and to be honest I could look at it all day. Love the placement, love the style and most of all, I love how incredibly talented the artist is. I bet the client is all too excited to show off his new ink.
We’ve reached the end of the list and hope you found what you were looking for. If not, remember there’s plenty more where that came from. Until next time, happy inking!
IG: drewshallis
