Small black fine line tattoo of a rose hanging from a thin stem with leaves, sitting on the inner upper arm.

Rose sprig on upper arm

Fine line · Upper arm · Black and grey · Photo

A small rose hangs at the end of a long thin stem, with several leaves branching off along its length. The linework is fine and precise, with stippled dotwork shading on the petals and leaves to give them depth. The design is in black ink only and sits centrally on the upper arm against plain skin, with a dark background behind.

Find an artist for this

Take it to an artist as a reference. A good artist will make it yours rather than copy someone else's tattoo.

A story inspired by this tattoo · fiction

Dear Hester,

Keep reading

The rose by the coal shed finally gave up its last bloom on Tuesday, a single pale thing that had no business opening in October. I cut it with the kitchen scissors, stripped the lower leaves so the stem stayed long and bare, and hung it upside down from the drying line over the scullery sink, the way Mum always did. It has been hanging there three days now, and the head has gone small and tight as a fist, which is exactly what you want.

You will think I am avoiding the reunion letter. I am. The invitation has been propped against the teapot since August, and every morning I move it so I can reach the sugar, and every morning I read the line about the old gymnasium and the headmistress who once confiscated your compass. Nobody has written to say who is coming. Perhaps that is the point.

Mr Carrow would have been there, I suppose, with his tie at half mast, asking us all what we had done with our lives as though it were a sum that must come out even. I keep thinking of him when the leaves curl. Their edges have gone the colour of stewed tea and their veins stand out like the lines on an old map.

I will send you a petal when it is properly dry, pressed between two sheets of greaseproof paper. You can decide whether to bring it on Saturday. I shall be at the back by the urn, pretending to read the programme.

Love, Nell

More like this

Black and grey mountain range tattoo in a geometric style on the back of a wrist, with soft shading fading toward the hand.
Mountain peaks on the wrist
Black and grey dotwork tattoo of a howling wolf with geometric leaves on the inner forearm.
Howling wolf and geometric leaves on a forearm
Black fine line single-line tattoo of a rose on the upper arm, set against a vintage botanical plate background.
Single line rose on upper arm
Black and grey dotwork tattoo of a hand holding a flowering branch on a forearm, with partial lettering beside it.
Hand holding a blossom branch on a forearm
Fine line tattoo of two overlapping faces in profile on the outer thigh, drawn in black ink with loose, looping continuous lines.
Single-line profile faces on a thigh
Blue-ink tattoo of a crested bird perched on a branch beside floral scrollwork, placed on a woman's shoulder and upper arm.
Blue bird and floral scroll on a shoulder
Black and grey fine line arrow tattoo on the inner upper arm, with an ornate hamsa hand motif filled with swirling patterns along its shaft.
Arrow with hamsa hand on upper arm
Small fine line tattoo of a fox in profile on the upper chest, just below the collarbone, in black ink.
Small fine line fox on the upper chest
Small black fine-line tattoo of a botanical sprig with branching foliage on the inner forearm, beside a rolled grey linen sleeve.
Fine line sprig on inner forearm
Small fine line black butterfly tattoo with swirling dotted trails on the outer ankle of a light-skinned leg.
Butterfly with swirls on an ankle
Fine line tattoo of two outlined hands cupping a small solid black heart between them, on the side of a person's ribs.
Two outlined hands around a black heart on ribs
Fine line black ink tattoo of a curling vine with a ladybird, a small flower and a tendril on the outer ankle.
Ladybird and vine on an ankle

From the plentytattoo archive, uploaded by a user. Is this your work? Ask for credit or removal.