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There are many trends in the tattooing world that have come and gone over the past few years but one of the most interesting concepts has to be that of sleeve tattoos for men. While most tattoos feature a central image as the main focal point of the design, this particular style of body art involves numerous different designs – although often following a similar theme – inked so that very little of the skin’s surface is left uncovered. These can either cover part, or the entire arm, like a shirt sleeve hence the aptly given name for this particular style of tattoo. If you do not want the entire arm inked, these can be done as half sleeves that run from on the upper part or lower part of the arm or all the way down from the shoulder to wrist if required. These full sleeve versions are better suited to those who don’t have work commitments that restrict them from displaying their tattoos in a professional environment as they can be difficult to conceal even through clothing due to the intensity of the designs and the vibrant colours used within them.

The half sleeve options can run from the shoulder to the elbow or from the elbow to the wrist so if discretion is more of an issue you may prefer sleeve tattoos for men on the upper arm which can be covered up more conveniently. These designs are made up of different signs, images and symbols that are of relevance to the individual so they are easy to customize to make them more unique and it would be rare to find two that are even remotely identical. Most guys who opt for these designs will select a theme and choose related images to suit. This could mean a faith themed design that incorporates religious imagery and symbolism such as the cross, rosary, sacred heart, praying hands, Madonna and Child, Christ and even angel images. Oriental designs are another favourite combining a variety of images in different shapes and sizes like dragons, koi fish, samurai, a geisha girl, Japanese Kanji, Chinese characters and even floral imagery like the lotus, carnation or cherry blossom. Names and numbers such as dates can also be incorporated into these designs which also makes the sleeve more personal to the individual but as these cover the majority of the skin surface eon this area there are no shortage of options for this style of tattoo.

Due to the amount of detail that goes into sleeve tattoos for men, there is a lot of work involved even for just a half sleeve so this will involve numerous sessions with your tattooist and these can be more expensive accordingly. However, if this appeals to you, I would suggest that it is imperative to find a good tattooist with previous experience in these designs and make sure he can show you examples of previous work. The planning and preparation for these elaborate designs may take at least a session in itself but as this is a very specialist area it is definitely worth paying more to ensure you get a really good job done.

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