InkCraftCollarbone Tattoo Ideas for Men and Shirt Collars
20 men's collarbone tattoos photographed on skin for InkCraftBy Uladzimir TumanauUpdated
On a man with broad shoulders the collarbone is a long bar from the base of the throat out to the shoulder, often with a deep hollow above it. These collarbone tattoos for men sit beside their flat designs, so you can see how far along the bone each one runs.
- fine line · black and whiteTry it on — Black and white fine line raven moon tattoo on a man's collarbone
- traditional · colourTry it on — Color traditional angel tattoo on a man's collarbone
- Japanese · colourTry it on — Color Japanese tattoo on a man's collarbone
- neo traditional · colourTry it on — Color neo traditional skull tattoo on a man's collarbone
- geometric · black and whiteTry it on — Black and white geometric phoenix tattoo on a man's collarbone
- watercolor · colourTry it on — Color watercolor tattoo on a man's collarbone
- dotwork · black and greyTry it on — Black and grey dotwork koi fish tattoo on a man's collarbone
- fine line · black and whiteTry it on — Black and white fine line bird tattoo on a man's collarbone
- illustrative · black and greyTry it on — Black and grey illustrative shark tattoo on a man's collarbone
- fine line · black and whiteTry it on — Black and white fine line tattoo on a man's collarbone
- illustrative · colourTry it on — Color illustrative tattoo on a man's collarbone
- tribal · black and whiteTry it on — Black and white tribal eye tattoo on a man's collarbone
- illustrative · black and greyTry it on — Black and grey illustrative flower tattoo on a man's collarbone
- dotwork · black and greyTry it on — Black and grey dotwork tattoo on a man's collarbone
- biomechanical · black and greyTry it on — Black and grey biomechanical tattoo on a man's collarbone
- tribal · black and whiteTry it on — Black and white tribal tattoo on a man's collarbone
- fine line · black and whiteTry it on — Black and white fine line tattoo on a man's collarbone
- dotwork · black and greyTry it on — Black and grey dotwork tattoo on a man's collarbone
- blackwork · black and whiteTry it on — Black and white blackwork mouth tattoo on a man's collarbone
- watercolor · colourTry it on — Color watercolor dragon tattoo on a man's collarbone
Every pair is one tattoo: the design as it was drawn, and a photograph of that same design on the body.
These 20 tattoos on men's collarbones, in numbers
- Body parts
- 1
- Black and grey
- 14
- Colour
- 6
- Most common style
- fine-line
A longer bone, a deeper hollow
Wide shoulders mean a long collarbone, and on a lean or trained man the bone stands out sharply, with the trapezius rising behind it and a deep hollow above. That hollow is what to design around. Script and long thin designs laid along the bone read cleanly; anything tall has to climb out of the hollow, which on a muscular neck and shoulder is steep enough to warp it.
Many men use the collarbone as the top edge of a chest piece rather than as a placement on its own: a banner, a line of text or a border that the chest composition hangs from. Planned that way, it links the chest to the shoulder and to a sleeve later. Standing alone, a collarbone piece on a broad frame usually needs to run most of the bone's length to hold its place.
Collars and chest hair at the inner end
Shirt collars decide who sees it. A buttoned collar hides it all and an open collar shows the inner end near the throat. Crew-neck T-shirts and jumpers cover most of the bone, a wide or scoop neck uncovers much of it, and a vest shows its full length. Set the piece with the shirts you wear to work in mind.
Chest hair on some men reaches up towards the collarbone, usually at the inner end. It is shaved for the session, and regrowth there covers fine lettering first, so keep script large and firm at that end or start the piece a little further out. For the thin skin over the bone and why sessions here are short, see the collarbone page.
Common questions
- Will a collarbone tattoo show above a shirt collar?
- Only with the collar open. A buttoned shirt covers the whole bone, while one or two undone buttons show the inner end near the throat. A piece that runs out towards the shoulder stays covered by the shirt even with the collar open, so the outer end is the more private one.
- What collarbone tattoo ideas suit broad shoulders?
- Long, horizontal designs that use the length of the bone: a line of lettering, a chain, a branch, a pair of swallows or wings spreading from the centre across both collarbones. A small symbol at one end can look lost on a wide frame unless it belongs to a larger chest or shoulder plan.
- Should a man get a collarbone tattoo on one side or both?
- One side makes an accent that leads the eye towards the shoulder and is easier to extend into a sleeve. Both sides make a frame across the top of the chest and suit mirrored or continuous designs, reading clearly from the front on a broad chest. Decide before the first side is done.
- Which styles suit a collarbone tattoo on a man?
- Fine line and dotwork suit script and small symbols along the clavicle, provided the inner end stays clear of chest hair. Tribal work follows the curve of the bone in bold black that reads from across a room. Illustrative subjects, a bird, a koi or a phoenix set on the flatter skin just below the bone, can carry colour without climbing into the hollow above it.
See it on your own skin first
InkCraft places a design on a photo of you — scaled, wrapped and shaded to the spot you pick, so you can judge the size against your own body before it is permanent.