Tattoo Placement

Once you've found the perfect idea, you have to decide where you would like to place it! Placement is very important because you want your tattoo to sit well with your body and show off your personality.

Aesthetic

Tattoos draw attention so take this opportunity to show off your features or enhance areas you feel less confident about. Make sure you are happy with the direction of the tattoo if it is towards or away from you and what that means to you.

Size

Larger pieces with a lot of detail look best when placed on larger areas of the body such as arms, thighs, or back. For small and simple designs such as symbols, places like the inner wrist or behind the ears are great.

Shape

Consider the shape of the design as well and find parts that flow similarly such as the unique shape of the ankle area. A long vertical tattoo would look great on the spine or behind the calf.

Personal Importance

Some tattoos can be personal reminders and you might want to place them directed to yourself.

Placing them on certain areas such as the chest can mean the matter is closer to your heart.

Visibility

There's still a stigma around tattoos and some workplaces may not deem it appropriate to have tattoos that show. Consider your career goals and what is acceptable in the industry.

Some people don’t want to see their tattoos often, consider places like the back or thighs. Maybe you are the opposite and need to appreciate your self-expression - arms, neck even face are great for that!

Pain

When getting tattooed, the needles will pierce the top layer of the skin. It is inevitable that you will feel some sort of pain or itch. But pain tolerance is different from person to person. A lot of other factors also affect how you feel pain such as gender, age, weight and experience. There is no scientific evidence on which parts hurt more or less but the pain levels do vary depending on the body part. The least painful places to get tattooed are those with the most fat, fewer nerve endings, and thickest skin. The most painful places to get tattooed are those with the least fat, most nerve endings, and thinnest skin. Bony areas will usually hurt more in comparison to other parts of the body.

If you're really nervous, maybe start with a smaller piece on a less painful area. There are also numbing creams available to help with the pain. Let your artist know if you are going to be using them.

Here’s a chart that gives you an idea of the pain levels.

Maintenance

If you want a full-colour tattoo, you might want to place it somewhere that is not exposed to the sun as much, as this will fade out your tattoo quicker.

Some areas are prone to fade faster, such as hands and feet, because of the texture of the skin and how often they are used. Skin regenerates faster at these locations and you may need more touch-ups to keep them looking fresh.

Planning

Want more tattoos? Plan out your overall look and leave room to add on to. Sometimes people take a more balanced or symmetrical approach and even things out on either side of the body.

If you're in a bind, ask your tattoo artist for their advice; they have a good sense and experience of where the art will best suit your frame!