The reference photo and this stencil are AI-generated examples made for this library — not a client photo, and not InkLine output.
Free printable stencil · Symbols
Compass tattoo stencil
This compass tattoo stencil is an antique pocket compass seen from above with its lid swung open: the empty lid, the hinge, a case with a double bezel, a dial ringed with fine tick marks, a sixteen-point compass rose around a center pivot, and the bow ring at the bottom. The drawing is clean and geometric, and its tall, narrow shape suits the inner forearm, calf or ribs.
Print it at true size
Type the width you want on skin and print. In the print dialog choose 100 % or “Actual size” — “Fit to page” rescales it.
Bigger than one sheet? Split it across pages with the free stencil tiler
Free to print and tattoo, for yourself or your clients. Can I use these stencils?
What to trace, what to simplify
The circles carry this design: the bezel rings of the case and the lid, and the inner ring of the dial. Transfer them exactly and check that they are round, because a circle that drifts into an oval reads as a mistake at once. The four long points of the rose come next — each is split down the middle by a line that divides a light half from a dark one. The dial has no N, E, S or W letters. The tick marks are the finest detail: below about 16 cm (6 in) tall they sit closer than 1.5 mm, so keep every second or fourth one.
Size and placement
The open compass is tall and narrow, about two and a half times as tall as it is wide. At 16–22 cm (6–9 in) tall it runs along the inner forearm, the calf or the side of the ribs, with room for every point of the rose. For a round design, crop at the hinge and tattoo the case alone at 7–10 cm (3–4 in) across on the chest or the back of the hand, with the ticks thinned.
From print to skin
Print
Thermal stencil paper through a stencil printer, or plain paper you trace onto hectograph paper by hand.
Prep the skin
Clean, shave and dry the area, then apply a thin, even coat of stencil transfer solution.
Transfer
Press the stencil flat, hold it for a few seconds, and peel it off in one move. Let it dry before you start.
Frequently asked questions
Why is there no needle on the compass stencil?
The rose is drawn, but the needle from the reference photo is not traced as a separate shape — in the photo it lies over the rose from lower left to upper right. Add it freehand if you want it: a slim diamond through the pivot, with one half packed solid so it stands out from the points beneath.
How do I keep the compass circles round on a curved arm?
Apply the stencil with the arm in the position it rests in most, and look at the circles from straight above before the first line — a ring that looks round with the wrist twisted can turn oval once the arm relaxes. If the transfer has warped, redraw the case ring with a circle template rather than following it.
