For men, there are many different kinds of tattoo design ideas which are not at all similar in design to tattoos that women prefer. Men focus more on things that are manly in nature. The choice actually depends on the preference of the male who wants to have a tattoo. It can be anything that inspires the man. There are some tattoos that are more preferred by males than females (for example chains, dragons or snakes, cryptic words or images and much more). If a man is into a sport or likes guns, the probability that he is likely to have related things tattooed is high. For a person who is into Heavy Metal and Goth the tattoo design is most likely to be in these lines as well. Many men also like to have symbols or words tattooed on their body.
These days these are a popular choice, especially symbols and words that they feel have a great meaning in their lives. Usually they are connected to ones culture and heritage. Some people like to have entire paragraphs inked unto their bodies. Shorter versions of these are words of love for their loved ones or phrases of inspiration. Some men who are more aware of the implications of having a tattoo may prefer smaller tattoos which are not visible or conspicuous when they are at work or with other people. Another popular tattoo design is a cross (with many men and also with some women). This can be small enough to be hidden or as large as one wants. It can be designed in such way that it can look either plain or intricate.
The design for a tattoo depends on the preferences of the person who wants to have the tattoo and what he/she tells the tattoo artist to do. It might be an event in his/her life which has inspired him/her to have a tattoo done which is described to the tattoo artist. The actual design can be a commemoration of the said event.
Before you actually have your tattoo design inked you need to consider the idea before acting on it.
You have to keep in mind the fact that you might have problems with work (for instance there are certain establishments that prefer to have their employees free of any tattoos and other forms of body art). Another thing that can also be limited is travelling to some foreign countries due to restrictions that these countries have regarding people with tattoos. If you have a tattoo design idea and you would like to follow through with it, it may be best to try it out small and in an inconspicuous parts of the body initially.