Artists can suffer from questions like “Bro, what’s the price for a sleeve?” or “Well, I think I want to get a full sleeve.” Let me share with you some tips on how to plan strategically a tattoo sleeve. You will be able to better appreciate the time and money that it takes to complete. It can be difficult to understand if you sit down and think about it. Let’s face it, most people don’t even know what they are looking for.
Full Sleeve or Half Sleeve?
Two things are obvious
- Half sleeves can be worn from shoulder to elbow or elbow to wrist.
- A half-sleeve will be cheaper than a whole-sleeve.
You should consider your budget, both in terms of time and money. Also, what you can afford to do. Because yes, employers and family will still judge you based on your tattoos.
Cohesive Sleeves
When you have a single concept, the whole piece looks like one tattoo. You will need to plan and design a lot, and it won’t be done in one day. It is a much better option than the other, which is an eclectic sleeve.
Eclectic Sleeves
The sleeve designs are made up of many elements that just fit where they belong. Negative space will still remain even if each piece is carefully selected and designed for the different parts of your arm. Negative space is the area of your arm that has no tattoos. This space can be filled with a design or left blank. This is a matter of personal preference. These sleeves are very cool and make it look like you have more tattoos.
Choose Your Artist
The majority of people are unaware that each artist has their strengths and weaknesses. Some artists will specialize in Japanese tattoos, while others may prefer realism new school, or traditional. Find an artist who is good at the style you prefer. You’ve probably watched too many episodes of Ink Master to think that everyone is a tattoo artist. But this is not true.
Bottom Line!
This point cannot be stressed enough. Do not walk into a shop to ask for the price of a sleeve. I’ll slap you and remove the tattoo. It’s best to decide where to begin, putting violence aside. You can start at the shoulder area and work down. Do you want to go full sleeve, or do you want to leave space in case you decide to add more? Will this be a single tattoo or a collection of different ones? What is the budget? All of these are important factors to consider before you start planning a tattoo.
This post was written by J Michael Taylor. J Michael Taylor is an artist and owner of Black Amethyst Tattoo Gallery. Looking for Tattoo shops in St Petersburg Florida? Black Amethyst has you covered! They provide an art-first approach to custom tattooing in a gallery setting.
