
Within some Hindu and Buddhist practices, monks create mandalas as a form of focus and meditation. A mandala is a geometric shape, usually a circle, with intricate patterns spiraling towards the center. Another popular kind of geometric tattoo is inspired by mandalas: geometric designs created by Hindus and Buddhists to represent the universe. These symbolic meanings enable tattoo artists to imbue a tattoo with layers of meaning, while creating a minimalist design. According to symbolic geometry, each shape represents something different: a cube represents the earth, an icosahedron (20 faces) represents water, and an octahedron (8 faces) represents air. Others incorporate more abstract geometric meanings. Geometric tattoos often draw on these elements for their designs, using nautilus shells or Leonardo da Vinci’s Vitruvian Man drawing, for example. Humans, too, have used these universal proportions in constructing ancient temples, Christian cathedrals, and all kinds of artwork. Nautilus shells grow into a perfect logarithmic spiral. Honeybees build their hives with hexagonal cells. You may remember from math class, for example, how geometry is present in nature.

Many tattoo artists are inspired by something called sacred geometry: the belief that shapes and patterns have deeper meanings that connect to characteristics of the universe. Geometric tattoos are popular not only for their aesthetics, but for their symbolic meaning. Often, these designs feature slim black lines or pointillism to add a modern, geometric flair to an otherwise traditional style. Other geometric tattoos start with a central feature that you might find in a traditional tattoo, such as a flower, animal, or person, and then use geometric shapes to augment the design. Especially when used for larger tattoos, such as a sleeve, these tattoos can beautifully complement the body’s movement and may even have an optical illusion effect. A pure geometric tattoo will consist solely of shapes and lines, usually intricately arranged.

The key feature of a geometric tattoo is that it uses a pattern of shapes, such as circles, triangles, and squares. The signature geometric tattoo is all black, but tattoo artists incorporate color and geometric elements together into varied designs.

They use geometric lines and patterns to create striking designs ranging from mind-bending to minimalist. Geometric tattoos are one of the most popular modern tattoo styles.
