Placing a variety of tattoos

[donbcivil]

So, I started out with two small tattoos high on my shoulders and the word "timshel" on one forearm.

Then a larger motorcycle on the other forearm and the maple leaf higher on that arm.

So, my left arm doesn't have a lot on it but I was talking with the artist I go to about a larger science fiction scene. He suggested the upper arm but because I want to keep my first tattoo, that won't work well.

He also suggested my leg or back for the scifi tattoo and high on the back near the shoulder could be good and easily shown at scifi conventions. We both want to make the scifi one (Firefly ship + planet) REALLY cool...

This has me wondering about placement for the future: whether to keep the left arm for travel mementos and such.

How the heck do you plan for placement? Especially when you already have a few tattoos?

[Ducky15568]

For me, placement just happens as I go (what i think would look best, related or not). I have been filling my upper arm with things that aren't too related, but i think as long as its the same style of tattooing, placement shouldn't be a problem for you.

Just my two cents

[hollyjoybee]

i haven't really got anything helpful to say re placement.. i didn't know i was going to want to be tattooed as much as i am (and continue to be) when i started out. I think its always a really good idea to listen to your artists opinion on placement cos generally they know where a tattoo's going to work best.... i'm a bit of a fan of the 'jumbled' look anyway..

i know that doesn't solve your problem but i guess what i'm trying to say is placements something only you and your tattooer can decide. There's no right or wrong.. in my person opinion :)

[donbcivil]

i haven't really got anything helpful to say re placement.. i didn't know i was going to want to be tattooed as much as i am (and continue to be) when i started out. I think its always a really good idea to listen to your artists opinion on placement cos generally they know where a tattoo's going to work best.... i'm a bit of a fan of the 'jumbled' look anyway..

i know that doesn't solve your problem but i guess what i'm trying to say is placements something only you and your tattooer can decide. There's no right or wrong.. in my person opinion :)

Good call...I think you're right.

I'm wondering what it would be like having a back tattoo, one I couldn't see most of the time... :)

[tattooedgirl]

A back tattoo would look great. I know that you can not see them but think of how others will be impressed when you take your shirt off. I love back tattoos on men, that is one place that I love a tat on a guy. And I do agree that you need to listen to the artist as well, he or she will know where it will look the best.

[lving4today]

I just go with a spot at this point and then it opens up other random spots and the more I fill it up the more cohesive it becomes. I get stoked after a tattoo now cause I'm like oh shit, I could put "random tattoo" there

[thornton8000]

Ill personally be keeping like tattoos together on my arms and the rest of my body will be a mishmash of different ones hope this helps ya

[Hogrider]

Good call...I think you're right.

I'm wondering what it would be like having a back tattoo, one I couldn't see most of the time... :)

My handlheld mirror gets a lot of work. :-)

I'm working on a back piece, trust me, you'll look at it plenty!

[AverageJer]

my wife and I talk about this a lot and more and more I am finding that whatever plan or rule I come up with get's quickly broken as I think of new ideas for both content and placement. I do have some larger spaces (such as my whole left arm) that I am purposely saving in case I ever end up with a really good tattoo opportunity.

[Brady]

My handlheld mirror gets a lot of work. :-)

I'm working on a back piece, trust me, you'll look at it plenty!

Apologies for ear-wigging, but this gave me hope for a backpiece - due to training, I pay more attention to my back than my front but hadn't considered this when planning / dreaming up tattoo ideas. Nice one!

[zephyr]

I guess you could either go for a coverup? If not just choose pieces that go really well with what you have already.

[GrayCatLove]

Thinking spacially is something you tend to do or not do. I know bigger is always better for the kind of detail I like. Sometimes I compromise and change up placement a little, but having the same artist I trust do a lot of my work does wonders.

[Vwgirl]

New to this but I just got my second tattoo done Friday. I've been really antsy about it only because of its placement. What I got is 2 sparrows on my appendix and one of them is a hair off. My question is, is it common to have these birds a lil uneven? Or did I just screw myself with this tattoo?

[Hogrider]

New to this but I just got my second tattoo done Friday. I've been really antsy about it only because of its placement. What I got is 2 sparrows on my appendix and one of them is a hair off. My question is, is it common to have these birds a lil uneven? Or did I just screw myself with this tattoo?

Hard to tell without pics.

[Vwgirl]

Hard to tell without pics.

I am not sure if my picture is on here. I attached it to a file. Let me know if you see it

[Vwgirl]

But is it crazy noticeable? I want to go back in and possibly have the left sparrows tail feather even with the one on the right. I know the heads don't match up perfectly either but it's better than anything.

[Graeme]

But is it crazy noticeable? I want to go back in and possibly have the left sparrows tail feather even with the one on the right. I know the heads don't match up perfectly either but it's better than anything.

It depends on how often you're planning on walking around and going about your daily business not wearing pants.

[DJDeepFried]

It looks pretty good to me. Think you're obsessing a bit (as many of us do). Hard to tell if you're lying perfectly straight or the camera angle is dead center -- and even then the human body is not perfectly symmetrical without the use of Photoshop.

[cltattooing]

Don't worry about it, they look fine. Nobody is going to stare at those tattoos and nitpick, I can pretty much guarantee that the only person who will know is you. DJDeepFried pretty much nailed it.

[MrToby]

In answer to the original question I have never, to this point, really planned out the placement of my tattoos. I've decided what I wanted to get, researched and talked to artists about the piece and picked the most appropriate spot. So I don't think it is necessary to plan the whole thing, or even particularly far ahead. Some other people have given some really good advice on here already and it really does just come down to what you and the artist you're working with think will work best.

[Hogrider]

It looks pretty good to me. Think you're obsessing a bit (as many of us do). Hard to tell if you're lying perfectly straight or the camera angle is dead center -- and even then the human body is not perfectly symmetrical without the use of Photoshop.

I agree. I would enjoy my tattoos. When you are walking around showing enough skin to see the tattoos, no one is staring to see if they are even!

[Old Rose Tattoo]

Good call...I think you're right.

I'm wondering what it would be like having a back tattoo, one I couldn't see most of the time... :)

I have my back tattooed and I always forget its there lol. I never see it so I forget. as far as placement, just go with what your artist says. If you dont have a good idea where you want it then itll look good. As far as me, I have all the ones I want planned and where they are going so when I think of something new I want I have to rework my ideas on where things are going.

[Tiger Rag]

My first tattoo I ended up getting smaller than I really should have (on my outer bicep). It doesn't look shrimpy, but I definitely have some fears it won't look quite right when I get some more surrounding it. Any suggestions layout wise on dealing with a tattoo that's a little small? It's definitely not one I'd cover up.

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[iowagirl]

I belong to a jewelry forum, and it's not uncommon for members to draw things to scale and cut them out, tape them wherever the jewelry will be worn to get an idea how things will look, get some perspective. (I've done it myself) Has anyone gotten that obsessive w/tattoo placement? I ask b/c I mentioned tattoos above my knees to my husband and he thinks it would look funny unless they were large pieces. So now I want to print out some heads and tape them to my legs. Does this mark me as insane?

[graybones]

I belong to a jewelry forum, and it's not uncommon for members to draw things to scale and cut them out, tape them wherever the jewelry will be worn to get an idea how things will look, get some perspective. (I've done it myself) Has anyone gotten that obsessive w/tattoo placement? I ask b/c I mentioned tattoos above my knees to my husband and he thinks it would look funny unless they were large pieces. So now I want to print out some heads and tape them to my legs. Does this mark me as insane?

If you're crazy, I am too. A few times I've sketched tattoo ideas on myself with eyeliner pencils and eye shadow. Before I booked my half sleeve I sketched one on myself when I was drunk and bored, made me decide to do it cause I liked how it looked. I'm not a tattoo artist so what I sketch will be different from the final result but it's a fun way to "test drive" the idea and channel my excitement.