Thursday, August 19, 2010

Sleeve tattoos


Sleeve tattoos have become immensely popular among both male and female tattoo enthusiasts. The term 'sleeve tattoo' refers to a tattoo design that runs a significant length down the arm. The majority of sleeve tattoos cover either half of the arm or the whole arm. Half sleeve designs generally cover the skin between the elbow and upper arm, or between the elbow and wrist. Ultimately though, the area that a sleeve design covers is completely up to the individual.

In addition to being incredibly flexible in terms of size and positioning on the arm, sleeve tattoos can also be extended to other body areas. For example, some people ink incredibly striking designs that extend right up to the top of the shoulder, and then down the shoulder blade and back, or down the chest. While some people plan such large designs in advance, many people start with a smaller design, such as a half sleeve tattoos, and then keep adding to the original design over time.

Tribal and Celtic design styles tend to be the most popular options for sleeve tattoos. Both of these design styles tend to be composed of bold patterns and iconography, usually inked in black. Such designs tend to be fairly easy to extend, which explains why many people end up with such elaborate Tribal and Celtic tattoos, often incorporating a full sleeve design into a larger design.