A sleeve tattoo is intense and can make a very bold statement! A sleeve can be themed and pieced together by several images and designs, or it can be one giant piece that stretches across your arm. Finding the right kind of sleeve tattoo for you can be hard, but this should make the journey a little shorter and easier! Well, except for the actual tattooing, that’s gonna be a longer and a little more painful journey!
Before we go any further, let’s talk about what exactly a sleeve tattoo can be. A sleeve is a piece that has one unified theme that covers a large area of the arm. There are full sleeves, half sleeves, and quarter sleeves. This isn’t to be mistaken for an arm covered in tattoos, though. Someone with arms covered in tattoos are usually just random pieces with no real theme. That’s the difference between a sleeve and a person with a ton of tattoos!
Society is changing and tattoos are being more widely accepted in everyday life and the workplace, however, there are still quite a few places that require tattoos to be covered. This is something you should keep in mind when getting a sleeve tattoo.
Tattoo by Anthony – Lodi Location
Full Sleeve
Tattoo by Jesse – Elk Grove Location
Tattoo by Jesse – Elk Grove Location
A full sleeve tattoo is as big as you can go!. They encompass your entire arm, and it’s very time consuming. A sleeve can easily take a total of 20 hours, sometimes more. The whole process is usually broken up into sessions of 4-5 hours depending on how much you can take in one sitting. But, as with anything that’s well done, it takes time to ensure that it’s done properly! Full sleeves are visually compelling, with enough space to have individual designs that meld into one cohesive piece. Keep in mind that with a full sleeve, you’ll be getting sensitive areas tattooed, like your elbow, inner elbow, and wrist, and those spots will be a little more painful than others.
Half Sleeve
Tattoo by Anthony – Lodi Location
Tattoo by Jesse – Elk Grove Location
This is a great option for someone who isn’t sure if they want to go with a full sleeve tattoo or not. A half sleeve goes to the elbow, and leaves the forearm bare, making it easier to cover. You can also add to it, if you decide to go ahead and make it into a full sleeve. While this option doesn’t cover your entire arm, it can still take a lot of planning and hours, up to 10 or more, and can be broken into several sessions.
Quarter Sleeve
Tattoo by Scott – Lodi Location
Tattoo by Anthony – Lodi Location
A quarter sleeve tattoo takes the least amount of time, and can sometimes even be done in one session. The quarter sleeve goes down to half of your upper arm, and can even cover some of your shoulder, back, or chest, depending on the design. This type of design is great for a big, one subject piece.
Each sleeve tattoo option has its benefits and drawbacks. Remember that getting a full piece like this requires time and money, so if you’re not confident that it’s right for you, you can go for a smaller piece like a quarter sleeve and add to it later! We offer free consultations, so if you’re thinking of getting a sleeve, come by and speak to one of our artists!
