If you are new to tattoos, a full sleeve tattoo can be a good choice for you. These arm sleeve tattoos open up plenty of possibilities – you can have them extend to the back of your hands, to your back, or even to your chest! However, you will want to choose your full sleeve tattoo design carefully, since tattoos at this location are more visible than those on other areas on your body.
Full Sleeve Tattoo Designs for Your Tattoo Needs
If you’re going to get a tattoo on your arms, you might as well get some cool sleeve tattoos, right? That’s what we think! So, if you are looking for some neat full sleeve tattoo designs, look no further. We have plenty of variants for you to get inspired by and choose from! Let’s take a look at some of the best full sleeve tattoo designs below, shall we?
1. Your Typical Full Sleeve Tattoo
Arm sleeve tattoos usually comprise of several different elements. This piece here seems to be a full scenery from the ground with fences to the sky filled with clouds and several other designs in the sky. What do you think about this one?
2. Full-Colored Japanese Style Arm Sleeve Tattoo
One glance and you can tell that this tattoo is inspired by the Japanese motifs and design styles. Your full sleeve tattoo can comprise of only a single theme to give it a more harmonious vibe.
3. One with Nature
In full sleeve tattoos black and grey are important colors. However, so are other brighter colors! This tattoo wouldn’t have been as dramatic if it didn’t have the bright orange flames in it.
4. Full-Color Arm Sleeve Tattoo
Cool sleeve tattoos do not need to be monochrome and violent. It can be as gentle and colorful as this floral and nature-themed full sleeve tattoo!
5. Full Sleeve Tattoo Black and Grey Only
There is an interesting geometric pattern here, definitely. What about the black and grey sleeve tattoo color? Do you think it is a good color for this geometric full sleeve tattoo design?
6. Cool Sleeve Tattoos Can be Colorful
We love how the vibrant colors on this tattoo piece turned out! The colors match well with the Japanese tattoo style and the floral patterns at the front.
7. Black and Grey Full Sleeve Tattoo
Want something not too striking? Just take out the colors and you’re halfway there! This arm sleeve tattoo covers the entire arm with depictions of creatures and some scripts. What words or phrases will you choose for your own sleeve tattoo?
8. Cool Dragon Sleeve Tattoo
Wow! This is surely one of the full arm sleeve tattoos that will instantly make you appear so much cooler. The clean finishing point of the tattoo is also very satisfying!
9. Black and Green Full Sleeve Tattoo
Whenever you mix black and green in a tattoo piece, it just gives the artwork an alien-like vibe. We can only blame sci-fi movies for this!
10. Simple but Cool Full Sleeve Tattoo Design
This arm sleeve tattoo depicts the Japanese Oni, or a Japanese monster, along with a dragon. When it comes to Japanese tattoo designs, these two motifs are among the popular choices.
11. Chest & Arm Sleeve Tattoo
Yes, you can have your sleeve tattoos extend to your chest area too! In the case for the picture above, the legs of the octopus also reaches to the chest area and the lower arm area.
12. A Subtle Gentleness
The theme in this sleeve tattoo seems to be of farewell and a short time on earth. The glow from the sunlight and clouds above almost seems holy as well.
13. All Your Favourite Celebrities
We like how this tattoo turned out. The full arm sleeve tattoo here depicts several beauties in a partying and casino lifestyle. Who would you choose to tattoo on your arm?
How to Pick the Tat Spot for Yourself
If you are wondering what the most convenient body part is to be inked, let me tell you that a sleeve tattoo is the best choice for tattoo virgins and experienced ink fans alike. Since this is a good canvas with even skin, the tattoo artists prefer to work with a person’s arms. Also such a tattoo is very easy to cover up in case you do not wish to show off the picture yet.
So why do I consider an arm as one of the best spots for the tattoo? Think about it
- Both small and large scale pictures will work on your arm.
14. Awesome Full Sleeve Tattoos in Black and Grey
This full sleeve tattoo is a mix of sketches and proper inking. It could be an unfinished piece, of course, but we would never know. What would you ink for black and grey full sleeve tattoos of your choice?
15. Guardian Angels
What a gorgeous way to show off your new full sleeve tattoo! This image shows you all the coolest angles of the tattoo, and the inking is done so beautifully that you can see all the details in the black and grey full sleeve tattoo.
16. Like a Scenery
Have you ever looked at a piece of full sleeve tattoo and regard it like a work of art? If you haven’t, you probably would after seeing this particular piece! While most of the tattoo is black and grey, the lock has a golden motif which is unique and beautiful.
17. Tigers & Bamboo Plants
The arm sleeve tattoo style here is similar to what you might see in a Japanese yakuza, especially the patterns outlining the entire center piece.
18. A Fearsome Dragon
This is a cool full sleeve tattoo piece that you can definitely consider to ink on yourself! Judging by the details in the dragon, this tattoo must have taken a lot of time to complete. However, the results are so worth it!
Cover up the entire sleeve or make a fine modest tattoo on your lower arm. Put a quote on the area underneath your elbow. Make the piece as personalized as you want it to be. The area is universal.
- It is easy for an artist to work with that area so you can pull through a big arm piece without having to contort yourself.
19. Words & Inscriptions
Not sure if you’ll always like that image in your tattoo? How about inking a quote or a phrase that will always be meaningful to you? This can be your favourite band, the name of your loved one or anything else that holds a special meaning to you.
20. Dramatic Full Sleeve Tattoo
If you want your full sleeve tattoo to look more dramatic, why not add some visual effects like what you would typically see in a comic book? The possibilities are endless, and it is only up to your imagination to decide how creative you want your tattoos to be!
21. Hellboy Arm Sleeve Tattoo
Have you guys seen the latest Hellboy movie? We are excited! Clearly, this fanboy right here is going to be watching the new movie during its premier. What about you?
22. Words All Around
There’s so many words in this full sleeve tattoo! In fact, the entire tattoo here is actually only words. We see the places ‘Alaska’ and ‘Colorado’ being featured here, perhaps being some of this person’s favourite or more memorable places.
All designs will work as the skin on your arm is even and allows for more refined tattoos such as photo realism, etc.
23. Go for Everything You Like
Some of the cool sleeve tattoos feature a random assortment of everything. Some have a specific theme that they stick to, but they still go for random patterns here and there. This one is definitely more Britain-oriented, but what do you think?
24. A Colorful Assortment
Ladies and women typically prefer brightly-colored tattoo pieces. This also applies to full sleeve tattoos, but there are also other variants. After all, everyone is unique and have their own preferences.
25. Almost Neon
This arm sleeve tattoo’s colors are so bright that it is almost neon, especially around the flame parts underneath the skull. Would you prefer your tattoo to be super bright or super grim?
26. Full Arm Sleeve Tattoos on Both Arms
This is one gorgeous lady with her awesome tattoos right here. Why ink only one arm when you have two? This lady here braved the public perception and is very daring for her tattoo choices!
27. Black and Grey Full Sleeve Tattoos
We see a healthy variety of themes and motifs in this tattoo piece. There is a big ship, a shark, some roses and even a skull! I wonder what the entire tattoo mean to the wearer. What do you reckon this tattoo piece means?
- You will be able to decide how private you want the tattoo to be.
28. More Alien Themes
It seems like aliens are a popular theme among men, for the most part. This sleeve tattoo design here features what looks like an alien holding a human skull. We would love to know the story behind this!
29. The Hour That You Arrived
Moms looking to commemorate the birth of their baby can have a tattoo design like this one. We are just guessing, but this tattoo piece could be depicting the baby on their hour of birth inked right behind their portrait.
30. A Full Sleeve Tattoo Shaded Just Right
There is no stark contrast in this entire tattoo piece. The colors seems to have been airbrushed so smoothly that it looks more like a wearable sleeve than a tattoo! This is how full sleeve tattoos’ black and grey color should be utilized!
If you wear a long sleeved shirt, the tat will be completely covered, put on a sleeveless vest to show it off. Or you can play peek-a-boo and only show off a part of the picture.
Sleeve Tattoos and Pain
Another important thing to remember is that your arm skin has fewer nerve endings so the process will not be as painful. Although the amount of discomfort varies from person to person, it depends on the size of the sketch and the amount of skin that needs to be inked.
If you are scared of pain, opt for a simpler and smaller design. A more restrained and understated tattoo can also look very cool and unique. So girls and boys getting their first tattoo should consider their arms as the perfect area for their first ink as it is a pretty much fail safe choice and less painful experience.
Popular Symbols and Meanings
Of course it is always better if you have an idea and a sketch of your own that you can discuss with the artist.
Let us give you some basic advice about the meanings and popular themes for you to think about.
The most popular sleeve tattoos are tribal. Let me tell you more about the tribal ink and its symbolism
Yes the modern word tattoo derived from the Polynesian language where tribal tats were inspired by nature. For example, shark teeth meant protection and shells symbolized wealth, etc.
Haida is an Indian tribe living in the Northwest America.
Favorite Male and Female Pictures
Women love sleeve tattoos just as much as men do. Some of the popular themes include flowers, quotes, lettering, pin up, portrayals or photo realistic tattoos. The lighter the skin is the more vivid your color tats will be. Typical male arm tats include tribal, animals, landscapes, portrayals, lettering, trash polka, etc.
We do consider that female tattoos deserve more attention and are just as various in styles as mens’ tattoos so we will be covering this topic in our later articles. Girl tattoos are underrepresented online.
Look After Your Tattoo Properly
Now that you have turned your tattoo idea into a unique work of art, it is time to look after the skin properly. The best advice is to follow your artist’s guidelines.
Celebs That Have Sleeve Tattoos
People like Adam Levine, David Beckham, Lil Wayne, Ozzy Osbourne, Dave Navarro, Dwayne Johnson, Dennis Rodman and many others love to show off their sleeve tattoos. Also, check out Kat Von D flowers tat or Cher Lloyd with her butterfly that for the cool inspiration ideas.
Sketches of Full Sleeve Tattoos
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