How it works
Got the design and not the place? Press the button for one of 40 placements, from the inner forearm to the shoulder blade, each with a line on how much it shows and what size of design sits well there.
Read the full guide
Where should I get my first tattoo?
Our pick for a first one is a place you can cover or show as you choose, with room for a hand-sized design: the outer upper arm, the outer forearm, the calf or the outer thigh. Hidden by long clothes, in the first list, draws places like these.
Two things that decide a placement
How much it shows: a hand, a finger or the neck is on show in any outfit, so the tool files them under Hard to hide. The space: a wrist holds a word and a full back holds a scene.
- Tape a paper cutout of your design to the place the button picked and check it in a mirror before you book.
Questions and answers
What is the best place to get a tattoo?
There is no single best place. Start with who should see it. For you, the inner forearm faces you when you look down. For other people, the back of the arm or the calf. For nobody unless you choose, the shoulder blade or the thigh.
Which tattoo placements fade the most?
Sunlight is one cause: Wikipedia's Tattoo article says tattoo artists often recommend sun protection to keep a tattoo from fading. A hand, a neck or a forearm is uncovered most days; a back or a thigh rarely is.
What is the difference between a half sleeve and a full sleeve?
A full sleeve covers the arm from the shoulder to the wrist. A half sleeve covers part of it, usually shoulder to elbow. A quarter sleeve stops midway down the upper arm, where a short shirt sleeve can cover it.
Can a tattoo artist refuse a placement?
Yes. Wikipedia's article on tattoo law in the United States notes that tattooers may set their own limits, including where on the body they are willing to work. Ask the studio about the place you picked before you book.
Where should I go to get a tattoo?
This page picks the place on your body, not the studio. The United States has no federal tattoo law: every state and the District of Columbia sets its own rules, with a minimum age of 18 unless, in most states, a parent or guardian consents.