Although name tattoos seem to rule the tattoo lettering world, many people who choose their own name for their tattoo don’t typically spell out it out entirely. Instead, they might prefer their three initials, or perhaps a family crest or shield with the name underneath, or maybe a symbol that is a synonym for their family name (say, a heart for the last name Hart). Or perhaps a single capital letter that stands for their first or last name will do the trick. Of course, a capital letter doesn’t have to be a plain tattoo.

No matter the lettering system that you choose (Arabic, Hebrew, kanji, runes, etc.) for your capital letter, there’s no reason–perhaps other than price–that should keep you from considering some elaboration in your tattoo design. The illuminated manuscripts of the Celts (such as the Book of Kells) are a fabulous example of the types of drawings that can be created with a capital letter as a basis.

Even if your design tastes don’t lean toward something Celtic, there are many ways that letters have been elaborated over the centuries. Calligraphy books are a fine place to start when looking for a capital letter tattoo design.

In this example, the orange, red, and yellow colors help our eyes to easily discern the capital letter “C” amidst the mostly light and dark blue ornamentation. In this capital letter tattoo design, there is not only a beautiful symmetry around the central vertical blue element, there is also a hint of something floral and even Victorian in the style of the finely detailed elaboration.