Family Portrait Tattoo: Seven Faces in Naive Style

Family portrait tattoo on the upper chest: seven small naive-style figures with sunglasses, a cap and daisies, fresh from the session

Seven people, one small tattoo. This week a client asked us to fit a whole family onto the upper chest, just below the collarbone: purple sunglasses, a cap, a ponytail, a hand resting on a cheek. Everyone in their usual pose, drawn in our little naive style.

Family portrait tattoos are some of the most personal pieces we make, and some of the trickiest. Here is how this one came together, from paper to skin, plus what we have learned about keeping many tiny faces readable. 🌷

From a family photo to a naive drawing

We never trace a photo. Instead we redraw each person by hand and keep only what makes them recognisable: a hairstyle, a pair of sunglasses, a collar, a cap. Faces become a few simple lines, so the family still reads as a family at a small size. Little daisies and coloured dots fill the gaps and keep it cheerful.

The printed family portrait design on a red table next to a wristwatch before the session

The printed design waited on the red table while we set up. Seeing it on paper first is part of the process: the client can check every face, point at anyone who needs bigger glasses or a different fringe, and we adjust before any stencil is made.

A calm session in the studio

The session happened in the bright morning light of our Chatuchak studio. The client rested on the bed while we worked one face at a time, with plenty of small breaks to stretch.

Wide view of Naive Flora Tattoo studio in Chatuchak, Bangkok, with the artist working at the tattoo bed in morning light

Why so careful? Detail in a small group portrait follows a few rules we always keep:

Give every face enough room. A tiny head with too many details blurs over the years.
Keep features simple: two eyes, a smile and one signature detail per person.
Put texture on clothes, not faces, so faces stay clean and bright.
Use colour as small dots and accents so the linework stays the star.
Choose a calm, flat area like the upper chest or outer arm, where skin moves less.

Placement: upper chest, close to the heart

We chose the upper chest for a reason. The skin there is fairly flat, so the group does not stretch when you move, and it sits close to the heart, which felt right for a family piece. Planning your own? Read our guide on choosing a tattoo placement.

Close-up of the artist tattooing the family portrait on the client's upper chest

Needle time is longer than a single figure because every face gets its own fine lines, but it was still one relaxed session. The stippled shirts took the most patience.

Fresh, a little pink, already full of character

Right after the session the skin was a little pink around the design, which is normal and settles within a few days. The purple sunglasses, the blue collars and the orange hair all came through clearly. For healing in Bangkok weather, see our guide to tattoo aftercare in Thailand heat.

The finished family portrait tattoo in soft window light, with shadows from the blinds across the chest

We love how the light through the blinds fell across it in this last shot: seven small people, soaking up the sun together.

Want your family, friends or pets as a tattoo?

We draw family, friend group and pet portraits in the same naive style, each one designed by hand for your placement. Prices start from ฿1,500 depending on size and detail, and portraits with many faces usually need a bigger piece. If pets are more your family, see the calico cat portrait we made this week.

Send your favourite photo and where you imagine the tattoo to Instagram @naive.flora.tattoo, and we will sketch it together. 🌷