Straight answers to the things that stop people booking a tattoo — from the first idea to a healed tattoo. Each guide points you at real, credited work in the catalogue, and health guides quote dermatologists who specialise in tattoos.
Start with visibility, not the design
Usually covered Sometimes visible Almost always visible Upper arm, shoulder, back, chest, stomach, ribs, thigh Forearm, calf, ankle, collarbone, behind the ear Hands, fingers, neck, face See every…
Large — up to about 30 cm Detailed compositions across a forearm, calf or thigh.
It works best at medium to large sizes — the upper arm, calf, thigh and back give the characters room — and less well tiny, where the detail…
What fine line tattoos are, what they suit, how they age over 5-10 years and how to pick an artist who does them well - with real examples.
A rough ordering, from the most forgiving spots to the ones people talk about most: Easiest: outer thigh, glutes, outer upper arm, calf — thick muscle and fat…
Nine stages from a vague idea to a healed tattoo. Every guide ends with a link to the next step, so you can read them in order — or jump straight to where you are.
The worries people mention most — and where the honest answer is.
11 guides
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1 guide
Health guides quote dermatologists who specialise in tattoos word for word. New to the words? See the tattoo glossary. How guides are written and corrected: editorial policy.