Arm Tattoos
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Plenty of people try out a first tattoo on the forearm, and for good reason: you see it all day, a sleeve covers it in seconds, and the long, flat surface suits designs that run lengthwise. Our arm tattoos go further than that, from the wrist bone up to the bicep and the back of the upper arm. If you already know the spot, each zone has its own page: forearm tattoos for long, vertical designs, upper arm tattoos for medium pieces around the bicep, and wrist tattoos for tiny marks and slim bands.
Inner arm, outer arm, or all the way around
The inner forearm is the private side, ideal for script, a short quote or a fine line botanical stem that you read the right way up. The outer forearm faces the world and takes bolder blackwork: dragons, compass roses, ornamental daggers, animal heads drawn in sketch style. Armbands circle the arm instead, while mandalas and geometric lotus pieces fill the flat area above the elbow or the outside of the upper arm.
Measure the spot before you choose a size. A design made for the inner wrist looks lost on the outer upper arm, and a long vertical piece needs a straight stretch of skin to stay readable. Our guide on trying a tattoo before you get it goes deeper into size and placement.
How long they stay on the arm
The forearm is one of the zones where a temporary tattoo holds best, since it gets washed and rubbed far less than hands or feet: count on up to 2 weeks, and see how long temporary tattoos last for what speeds up fading. Right after application the design looks pale, almost see-through; it turns blue-black over the next 24 to 48 hours.
Want the design to carry on over the shoulder? Browse shoulder tattoos. Closer to the fingers, there are hand tattoos. And if none of our arm tattoos matches the idea in your head, send us your own artwork as a custom tattoo (minimum 3 copies).
