Have you wondered what a full sleeve or half sleeve tattoo is? Maybe you have heard about them or even want one but you are not sure exactly what they are, how to go about getting one, nor ow much they are going to cost. Well, get ready to learn all of the above and a lot more. Full sleeve, half sleeve and even quarter sleeve tattoos are very hot and in right now. They have become a very popular spot for tattoos in both men and women. There are many women today that sport full sleeve tattoos and love them greatly!
Well, you are probably wondering by now what is a sleeve tattoo anyway? It is basically any tattoo design that is done on a persons arm and it typically covers up completely the area. There are different types of sleeve tattoos for example a full sleeve tattoo, half sleeve tattoo and even a quarter sleeve tattoo. The difference between them is the overall length. Typically a full sleeve will cover the entire arm from the should down to the wrist. From there a half sleeve is from the elbow or upper lower arm and goes up to the shoulder. Then there is a quarter sleeve tattoo which primarily is done around the shoulder.
The Two Paths Of A Sleeve Tattoo There are really many different ways to go about getting a sleeve tattoo. However, most of the ways fall into two common categories or steps for getting the work done. The first way is through individual tattoos and the second way is through one complete project. Which one you choose to have done will really be up to you and what you like. Also you will have to take into consideration any existing tattoos you already have in the area.
Connecting Tattoos: One way to end up with a sleeve tattoo is to take already existing tattoos that are on the arm and somehow find a unifying theme to connect them together. For example one might have a horseshoe tattoo for good luck on their bicep and want to connect this and extend the design down their arm. So they might decide on some flames and a pair of lucky dice to go with the horseshoe.
The Complete Project Method: The complete project method is pretty much what the title says. This is done when a person decides before getting any other tattoos that they want a full arm or a full sleeve tattoo design. They want to get the whole thing done in one shot. They will typically then decide on the design that they want done and work with a tattoo artist to get a custom tattoo design drawn for them. The tattoo will take several sessions at the tattoo shop to get the whole thing done but the design was done as one piece. This lends itself to large designs and typically bigger art work as opposed to a lot of small tattoos connected together like int he other way.
Tattoo Inspiration, Designs and Ideas: Choosing the perfect design for your sleeve tattoo can be a long and sometimes painful or frustrating process. It can be had to find a pre-made flash design that is exactly what you are looking for. It is therefore often better for people that want to get a sleeve tattoo to work with a competent tattoo artist and get a custom design done. Take your time with this process and don't try to rush it or be in a hurry to get the work finished. Once it is done you will have the design for the rest of your life and you want it to be something you are proud of and satisfied with. Therefore take your time and look at existing ideas, designs and photos. From every source you look at try and find the things you like and the things you don't like. This should help clarify the elements you want in the design. Then you can work with a professional and competent tattoo artist to come up with a custom full sleeve tattoo design.
What Is Hot: One place to get started with finding a design is to think about what you have seen and what is popular in sleeve tattoo designs already. Below are some guidelines of more popular themes for sleeve tattoos. However, these are just meant to spark an interest and should not just be used because they are popular. You want your body art to express something about you so just use the ideas as inspiration.
Sleeve Tattoo Ideas: Flames - One popular design theme that you can find on a good number of full sleeve tattoos are flames. These typically start down at the wrist and the flames burn upwards towards the shoulder. This look great and can easily be incorporated with other designs or tattoos.
Sleeve Tattoo Designs: Tribal - Tribal sleeve designs are another great tattoo design that can commonly be done as a sleeve. Tribal tattoos are typically made up of large bold lines done in black and they look great from a distances and really stand out. Therefore they make great sleeve tattoos designs. Don't feel you have to go with the standard tribal designs either as there are many different native cultures that used tattooing. You can go with something really unique like a Maori tribal design.
Tattoo Sleeve Ideas: Celtic - Another way to go and one that is very popular is to integrated a Celtic tattoo design into the sleeve. Just think about Anthony Kiedis from the Red Hot Chilli Peppers. He has a pair of wonderful Celtic forearm tattoos that could easily be extended into a full sleeve. There are step patterns, spirals, human and animal along with the classic knot work designs. These again make use of bold black lines of ink which can be intricate and bold at the same time.
Floral Patterns - Floral patterns also make great sleeve tattoo designs. The vines, buds, and flowers can easily be intertwined up and throughout the arm. These are great for women and also very popular among men.
The Time and Cost Factor: You should consider carefully the costs and time commitment involved in getting a full or even half sleeve tattoo. They can be rather costly and time consuming and so you want to plan ahead and ensure that you can complete the project before you get started designing it. Typically it can take 25 hours of time to complete just the tattoo part of the work and this number can go up drastically depending on the design and the shop. As far as cost it can be hard to project again it depends on the shop. the experience of the tattoo artist and the amount of work they currently have. Of course when they are super busy they are good but you will have to pay more. Very rough guidelines in terms of price would be anywhere from $1,000 to $2,000 dollars.
Once you know the amount of time, cost and commitment it will take on your part and you still really want to get a full sleeve tattoo then go for it. Spend some time planning the design carefully before getting started and make sure you choose a tattoo artist that you can communicate with and someone you feel listens to you.
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