- 1). Consider the size of your arm when selecting the size of the tattoo. A small, delicate tattoo will look insignificant on a large, muscular arm. Likewise, a large, heavy tattoo may be too overpowering on a very slim arm.
- 2). Measure the area of your arm that you want your tattoo to cover. You may want a full arm tattoo, a half arm tattoo, a small tattoo at the top of your arm or on the inside of your wrist, or a band around the top of your arm. The size of the tattoo and where it is going to be placed on your arm will determine what design will look good.
- 3). Draw some rough designs on paper, playing around with different images and shapes. Spend as long as you want on this part of the process. Refer to books of illustrations and tattoo websites for inspiration. Experiment with different sizes of tattoos.
- 4). Cut a few of your favorite designs out and place them on different parts of your arm to get an idea of what they will look like. Go back to the drawing stage if you are not happy with any of your designs. It is crucial to find one that you love.
- 5). Visit an online tattoo lettering tool such as Tattoo Font Maker if you want to incorporate text into your design. Some people tattoo the name of their spouse or child on their arms. Enter your text into the box and select from the drop-down list to see what it looks like in different fonts. Stick to a font that is easy to read; there is no point adding text if it is going to be illegible. Narrow your fonts down to a few that you like and print them off.
- 6). Ask friends and family for their opinions; feedback from others can be useful if you are having difficulty deciding between a few different designs.
- 7). Present your finished design to a tattoo artist so that they can give you their professional opinion. They may suggest a couple of minor tweaks to improve the design, which you should take on board. The tattoo artist will be able to advise you about the placement of the tattoo for the best effect. Feel free to consult with more than one professional so that you can benefit from multiple opinions in order to make the decision that is best for you.
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