Best Advice for Tattoo Placement

Whether you’re thinking of getting a tattoo for the first time or are adding to your current collection, it’s important to think about placement. The design and size of a tattoo are vital for how it looks, but each of these are affected by the placement of the tattoo, so you really need to consider placement to ensure your new tattoo looks perfect.

Choose the wrong placement for a tattoo and it could lose some of its meaning, or even end up looking completely different from what you intended. So, to avoid any unpleasant surprises be sure to check out advice below for choosing the best tattoo placement:

Detailed Tattoos Work Best with Large Areas

Tattoo placement is important when it comes to detailed pieces. The more detailed the piece, the bigger the area of the body should be, with arms, back, chest, and legs working well for those larger, more elaborate designs.

Trying to put a large piece on a smaller area is never a good idea. A lack of space reduces how much detail is possible, often taking away from the final design. So, if you want a big piece done make sure to choose a suitably size part of the body.

Small Tattoos are Often Lost on Large Areas

Small tattoos offer a great look but only with the correct placement. For instance, a small but intricate design will lose a lot of impact if placed on a large area of the body, as it makes it difficult to stand out.

Fingers are a great location for smaller tattoos, as is most of the arm, behind the ears, with the wrist being an especially good placement for minimalist designs.  Behind the ears and around the ankle is also a fine choice, the latter being a popular placement for feminine tattoos.

How Visible Do You Want it?

Tattoo placement greatly impacts its visibility. So, if you want to proudly display your ink and draw all eyes to it, then a prominent placement is recommended. Wrists, arms, and portions of the upper body such as the neck, collarbone or sternum make tattoos highly visible with most outfits.

Those seeking a subtler look with their tattoo have lots of options too. The hips and much of the back are ideal for less visible tattoos, as is much of the upper thigh, although that depends on what you wear. The back of the neck is also less visible, providing you have longer hair.

Body Contours Affect the Design

The placement of the tattoo can also impact the final design depending on the curves of the body. For example, if you get a portrait tattoo but its on the upper arm, your natural contours could affect how the final design looks.

Similarly, wrist tattoos often become unsightly over time due to the natural contours on the skin of your wrist. Because of this, its always recommended that wrist tattoos are placed away from these creases to avoid the design losing some of its aesthetics.

Some Placements are More Painful Than Others

People getting ink for the first time are often nervous about the pain. This makes sense as it can be a rather painful process, with certain parts of the body hurting a lot more than others.

For example, tattoo placement around bones are often very discomforting, with the spine, collarbone, elbow, knees, and ribs being regarded as some of the most painful spots. The throat and face are understandably painful too, as is much of the leg.

Additionally, the size and detail will influence how much these areas hurt. For instance, a large detailed piece on the upper thigh will hurt much more than a smaller piece at the upper shoulder.

References

https://www.liveabout.com/how-to-decide-tattoo-placement-3189496

https://www.tattoo.com/blog/beauty-pain-how-choose-your-tattoo-placement/

https://inkbox.com/blog/post/best-tattoo-placement