If you’re a tattoo freak who wants to showcase the beauty of art and imagery on your body, you can correctly do that by getting a sleeve tattoo. Sleeve tattoos appear on your whole arm and are quite descriptive. There are different types of sleeve tattoos, and you can create your designs as well. The best part about sleeve tattoos is that it allows you to get creative; moreover, you can try on a big descriptive tattoo due to wide space. If you want people to notice your tattoos, sleeve tattoos are the best way to do that, and they are very eye-catching. To help you out, mentioned below are a few cool sleeve tattoo ideas that will blow your mind.
Tribal Tattoos
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Tribal design tattoos are the perfect sleeve tattoos that help you cover your whole skin with some amazing art. What better way to show pride for your heritage than getting it tatted on your body? Tribal tattoos come in different designs and detailing, and many tattoo artists use mostly black ink on your skin to create tribal designs. These designs are very eye-catching ad go well on both men and women. So choose an impressive tribal design that might grab your attention and get it tatted one your arm at once!
Meaning
The initial tattooing trend started with tribal tattoos, and many tribal groups would consider tribal tattoos as a sign of a boy’s maturity. Till today these tattoos are commonly worn, especially by those people who still believe in the maturity representation.
Half-Sleeve Quoted Tattoo
If you love reading books or a favorite saying or quote inspired you in some way, then you should get this half-sleeve quoted tattoo. This tattoo includes a quote tatted on your sleeve using black ink. You can choose the font style for the quote to be tatted. To make the tattoo a bit more presentable, you can get a few roses or flowers tatted all-round the quote to cover the half sleeve properly.
Meaning
Getting your favorite quote or saying tatted, will help you in times when you’re low or when you need some motivation. You never know, your quite tattoo may inspire someone else as well if they come across your tattoo. So get a bit inspirational and creative with this fabulous quote tattoo.
Dragon Armed
Explore the dragon inside you by getting this dragon sleeve tattoo. This tattoo includes a black inked Chinese dragon that flows on your sleeve halfway. The detailing in this tattoo is remarkable, and the minor artwork done on the dragon makes this tattoo unique as ever. There are many types of dragon tattoos you can choose from, and most of them include black ink. Bring out the Daenerys Targaryen in you, and get this fiery dragon sleeve tattoo.
Meaning
Dragon tattoos represent strength, good luck, power, and wisdom. If you want something to remind you of these important qualities, the best way to do that is by getting this fantastic tattoo.
Skull Sleeve Tattoo
Skull sleeve tattoos are quite a common sleeve tattoo design, worn commonly by men. This tattoo includes a black inked skull face that fits on your arm and black outlined roses with red ink inside. The roses appear below the skull or fill in the gaps of your whole arm. There are many different types of skull sleeve tattoos you can try out. Ask your tattoo artist to guide you on finding the perfect skull design.
Meaning
The skull and rose tattoo have great meaning as it symbolizes that every person has two sides to them. One is the good side, and one is the evil side. This tattoo basically portrays the dual nature of a person. If you love skulls, you wouldn’t want to miss out on this exotic tattoo.
Watercolor Sleeve Tattoo
If you’re looking for a tattoo that is unique and colorful, look no more as this watercolor feather sleeve tattoo is the perfect choice for you. This tattoo includes a watercolor inked feather with colors like blue, purple, and sea blue, that slowly fade into small crows coming out of the feather. This tattoo has perfect imagery, which is what makes it so unique and interesting. So get ready to get some color on your sleeve and rock this watercolor feather tattoo.
Meaning
This tattoo is symbolic as it represents freedom, truth, courage, and travel. If you’re searching for these important elements of life, you will definitely find it here with this mesmerizing tattoo.
Owl & Flowers Sleeve Tattoo
Get creative with this colorful owl and flowers sleeve tattoo, and achieve one of the coolest tattoo designs. This tattoo includes a colored ink owl upside down, with different types of colorful flowers surrounding it. Several colors appear in this tattoo like sea green, pink, yellow, red, green, and more. These colors help to pop up the tattoo.
Meaning
This tattoo is also of much significance as the owl signifies transition, wisdom, and knowledge. Many cultures see the Owl as the protector of death and help you to communicate with the one who is no more. The flower signifies good luck and beauty. Both the meanings combined, leave you with a very meaningful and symbolic tattoo.
The Clock is ticking!
This clock sleeve tattoo may come as a surprise to you, but clock tattoos are quite powerful and leave you with a fantastic tatted arm. This tattoo includes a black inked old school vintage clock with Roman numbers surrounded by roses and a small skull face. One eye of the skull features the clock. This tattoo is the king of details, and the tattoo artist has used different shading and contouring techniques to bring out the realism in this tattoo. The tattoo covers your whole arm from top to bottom.
Meaning
This tattoo is a reminder to use your time wisely. The skull face illustrates that you don’t have much time left in this world. Whenever you feel like you’re not making good use of your time, this tattoo will wake you up from the fantasy you’re living in and bring you back to reality.
Tribal Arrow Tattoo
This tribal arrow tattoo is a half-sleeve tattoo that appears on the lower half section of your hand. This tattoo includes a black inked tribal arrow, with lots of greys, inked detailing, and feathers on the top. The tattoo artist has left gaps between the arrow to create slashes with a little bit of red-inked detailing to make it look fierce. There are many types of arrows you can get tatted on your arms, such as 3D arrows and geometric arrows. If you want something sacred and meaningful tatted on your arm, you should get this brilliant tattoo.
Meaning
This tattoo is not only appealing, but it holds a lot of meaning. This single-pointed arrow gives you a feeling of protection and portrays that no harm can come to you. It may also motivate you to keep heading in the right direction.
Mother Nature
If you’re looking for a way to portray your love for God’s creation and the Mother Nature, look no more as this Mother Nature tattoo is the best form of expression to do so. This tattoo includes a black inked image of the beautiful natural objects like plants, butterflies, and birds. You can add in as many botanical illustrations you want to make this artwork come to life.
Meaning
This tattoo helps you to appreciate Mother Nature. It symbolizes many things like spirituality, freedom, and self-direction. If you want to feel closer to the earth and make others realize how important it is to take care of the environment, then you should get this excellent sleeve tattoo right away!
Total Blackout
If you’re looking for a unique and over the top sleeve tattoo, this extravagant total blackout sleeve tattoo is just right for you. If you’re not interested in getting different designs, you can just go all out black and get your whole hand tatted with black. The tattoo artist has used dark shades of black ink for a realistic image. So get ready to make heads turn with this dramatic sleeve tattoo.
Meaning
This tattoo is mostly for people who want to showcase to remove something entirely from their life or stand out in the crowd. Many people also get this to hide something on their hands, especially if they are insecure about it.
The Raven &the Wolf
Are you in search of something dramatic and illustrative? Well, search no more as this raven and wolf sleeve tattoo will help you achieve just the right amount of drama. This tattoo includes a black and white inked wolf’s face with a black inked raven passing by. The background of the tattoo depicts the scene of a forest with pine trees and crows flying over. This tattoo could not get any more dramatic and real. The terrific detailing and shading bring this breathtaking tattoo to life.
Meaning
This tattoo doesn’t just have excellent imagery, but it holds a profound meaning. The wolf represents protection and wisdom, while the raven symbolizes positive and negative vibes. Ravens mostly represent the keeper of secrets. If you’re holding some deep secrets in your soul, you can think of yourself as the raven, and see the wolf as the protector, as it protects your deepest darkest secrets.
Flower Power
Flower tattoos are one of the best feminine sleeve tattoos to adorn your arms. They have a cool and mesmerizing appeal to them. This tattoo features various black-inked flower designs tatted all over your hand. You can always add in colored ink to make the flowers pop. One of the best flower designs is the tribal flowers, as they help you achieve more of a designed look. Even though these designs are feminine, many men also get flower sleeve tattoos to showcase their love and affection to their other half.
Meanings
Flower tattoos hold a lot of meaning and affiliate with many religious backgrounds. Nowadays, for many people, a flower tattoo represents love and good luck. So if you’re hoping for some good fortune in your life, this tattoo may help you find that.
Lion & Rose Sleeve Tattoo
This lion and rose tattoo is another incredible sleeve tattoo that holds a lot of meaning and imagery. This tattoo includes a black and white inked lion’s face with two roses below the lion. For a dramatic touch, the tattoo artist uses a black shading technique to give some depth to the tattoo. The tattoo covers your whole arm.
Meanings
The lion and rose hold a strong meaning. This tattoo represents every person’s desire and passion and how prepared they are to come over any fear showcasing their growth as a new, changed, and healthier person. If you feel like your personality can relate to the symbolism of this tattoo, then you should get it and slay it on your hand.
The Vikings
If you want to get something historic and fierce tatted on your sleeve, you should definitely go for this Viking sleeve tattoo. This tattoo includes a black inked scene of the Vikings during the war, with Germanic designs and different mythological characters. This tattoo covers almost your whole arm and makes it look completely exotic. So get ready to give out some major historic vibes by trying out this fantastic sleeve tattoo.
Meanings
This tattoo symbolizes strength and protection. If you want to portray yourself as an individual who’s ready to face any hardship that comes their way, then this is the perfect tattoo for you. Many people get this tattoo also to showcase their love for the famous TV show The Vikings.
Portrait Sleeve Tattoo
As we grow, we cross paths with different people. However, very few people genuinely touch you, even if you don’t meet them often. And the best way to showcase your admiration for them in an artistic way is by getting their portrait tatted on your sleeve. This portrait could be of a loved one, family member, or a celebrity. Many celebrities like Jeffree Star, Justin Bieber, and Miley Cyrus have inspirational idols tatted on their body. Portrait tattoos mostly include black ink, with flowers and hearts around to enhance the image. Your sleeve is the perfect place for portrait tattoos; in this way, you get ample space to get the perfect portrait tatted.
Meaning
Well, it is not the tattoo that holds significance but the person whose image you get tatted on your sleeve. The portrait will show your love, admiration, and connection with the person.
Mechanic Man
If you’re in the mood to get real technical with your sleeve tattoo and achieve a 3D effect, then you should try out this mechanical sleeve tattoo. This tattoo includes a black and grey inked mechanism of a clock. The tiny mechanical details in this tattoo are what make it so unique and interesting; it shows the internal components of a clock. So are you ready to flaunt this unique arm tattoo? If yes, hurry to get this impressive mechanic man as your next body tag.
Meaning
This tattoo represents the internal structure of a machine. But it actually represents the hardworking nature of the humans. It showcases how you function like a machine when it comes to getting something important done. If you love machines and work in the mechanics’ field, then you should try out this tattoo.
Music Lovers
You can get something related to music tatted on your sleeve, especially if you have a deep connection with music. Your tattoo could consist of a favorite instrument with some black inked music notes, or you could get a DJ turntable with headphones tatted. These tattoos would look best in black ink while covering your whole arm.
Meaning
This tattoo is perfect for you if you have a passion for music, or if music has helped you get through difficult and sad moments in life as it usually does. So get this musical sleeve tattoo and enlighten the rhythmic tone on your sleeve.
Silhouette Family Sleeve Tattoo
If you want to show your love and appreciation to any of your family members artistically, you should try out this silhouette family sleeve tattoo. This tattoo includes a black inked silhouette of two people holding hands and walking down the road. If you’ve lost a family member, you can get their birth or death date tatted on top of the silhouette with a black inked heart near it.
Meaning
This tattoo portrays that family always sticks together no matter what. You can also choose to get their name tatted to extend the tattoo. So get this beautiful tattoo, and showcase your love for that one special person in your family.
Celtic Warrior Sleeve Tattoo
If you’re in love with the ideology behind the Celts, you should try out this Celtic Warrior sleeve tattoo. This tattoo includes black and grey inked traditional intertwined pattern with a man holding a bow and arrow ready to aim his shot. This tattoo is truly beautiful, especially with the Celtic design that covers your whole sleeve.
Meaning
This Celtic tattoo represents strength, manhood, heroism, status, and durability. Men commonly wear these tattoos as it helps them to identify themselves as the warriors in their family who can help in any challenging times and darkness. Get this meaningful and powerful tattoo on your sleeve now, and throw out some major manly good vibes.
FAQ’s
How much time does it take to get a sleeve?
The time taken in getting a sleeve tattoo depends on a few things. Firstly, it depends on the tattoo artists’ experience in sleeve tattoos, and secondly, it depends on the types and design of the sleeve tattoo you’re getting. If you’re getting a half-sleeve tattoo, it will take less time to complete compared to a full sleeve tattoo. Some designs involve a lot of detailing and preciseness as well. The maximum time each session lasts is three to six hours. No matter how long the session may take, the end results are truly worth it.
How does the tattooing process for sleeve tattoos go?
The sleeve tattooing process is more or less the same as other tattoos. Once you’ve chosen the design you want, the tattoo artist will outline the design on your sleeve in the first session. And in the second session, he/she will start drawing in the details and might carry out shading. The last session involves adding the colors and the finishing touches. Altogether you will have to go for two or three sessions that could last for about a month depending on your tattoo artist.
What should I avoid after I get a sleeve tattoo?
Once you’ve gotten your sleeve tattoo, you have to take proper care of it as it’s in a very vulnerable area where there is constant movement. Firstly, you will have to try to limit the movement of your hand for the first week or so. Avoid activities such as swimming and taking long baths, as the frequent exposure to water and the moisture of water heat will damage your tattoo. Don’t wear long sleeve shirts or denim jackets as this could lead to the growth of bacteria on your hand. Wear loose and cotton material clothing. Lastly, limit your exposure to the sun, as sun rays lead to uneven healing and scaring.
Final Words
With the help of these interesting sleeve tattoos mentioned above, you can now cover your hand artistically by trying out some of these amazing, eye-catching designs. So don’t waste any more time thinking, and get ready to slay a stylish look with that fine sleeve tattoo design.
