Certain areas of the body act as the perfect canvas for unusual tattoos. A tattoo on the palm of the hand, the bottom of the foot or the inside of the bottom lip all qualify as clever, regardless of the design. Tattoo a letter on each finger of one hand to spell out a word, or get tattoos on both forearms that match up and create a larger design when placed side by side. An ink mustache on the index finger is a humorous tattoo when the finger is held up below the nose. If you shave your head occasionally, get a tattoo on your scalp. When your hair grows in, you'll be the only one who knows it's there until you shave again.
If you made the mistake of getting inked with the name of your true love right before your beloved ran off with your best buddy, have the offending mark reworked. Cover-up tattoos typically camouflage an older tattoo by literally covering it up, but a clever cover-up leaves the original tattoo visible and expands on the subject. If you're stuck with a past lover's name on your skin, get a tattoo that resembles a rubber-stamping of the word "void" on top of it. There's no reason to be bitter when you can make fun of the situation with your body art.
Computer programmers and gadget gurus might use symbols or code to create tech-friendly tattoos. The clean lines of these types of tattoos have a modern appearance, and because most of the population won't recognize their significance, they act as secret passwords so like-minded individuals can hone in on you in a crowd. Take care not to choose something so obscure that nobody gets your inside joke.
Truly strange tattoos make heads turn when you're out in public, and one type of tat that accomplishes this goal is the trompe l'oeil tattoo. Bullet holes in your chest or peeled back "skin" on your arm might frighten people at first, but the realistic detail of the ink work will leave them marveling once the shock has subsided. Skeletal tattoos aren't as gruesome but have a similar effect on others when you're out and about.