Arm Tattoo Ideas

Popular Arm Tattoo Styles

There are a number of popular arm tattoo styles. Some of those include:

Animals – Everything from the majestic lion to the tiny butterfly can be popular design choices.

Biomechanical -”Adding” mechanical devices and interior workings to an arm via an arm tattoo is a way to explore the intersection of man and machine. Plus it looks cool.

Geometric – Strong line work and bold colors combine to make geometric designs pop.

Best Arm Tattoo Placements

An arm tattoo can be placed in a number of locations. What should guide its placement is the size and meaning of the chosen tattoo. With that decided you can look to place your tattoo:

• Elbow – There is not a lot of space on and around an elbow for an elaborate arm tattoo design but a tattoo that takes a minimalist approach could work well here.
• Forearm – The forearm is a popular place for an individual design or an entire “scene.”
• Inner arm – An arm tattoo that goes along the inner arm is generally something more personal in nature. This includes a favorite quote or inspiring design.
• Outer arm – Because the outer arm can be easily seen from multiple angles, it’s a great location for a statement tattoo.
• Wrist – The wrist makes for an interesting placement for an arm tattoo. Its narrow spacing is the perfect place for something like a beautiful, curvy quote that goes around the entire wrist.

Men’s Arm Tattoos Ideas

One of the most popular arm tattoos that men like to get is the arm sleeve. While these have their roots in tribal history most sleeves today have a modern spin. While the sleeve is popular there are other fun arm tattoo designs popular with men including:

• Futuristic – A recent trend with men getting arm tattoos is to give them a futuristic feel. This can be done by adding simulated control panels and 3D buttons that look as if they might have been taken off of a robot.
• Mechanical -Adding gears, pulleys, pistons and other mechanical apparatus are a popular arm tattoo style for men. It’s a way to illustrate power, work and strength.
• Skull – While “standard” skulls are always popular, a trend is to make the arm tattoo skull slightly more elaborate. This means adding things like flames, roses, daggers and even devil figures.

Women’s Arm Tattoos Ideas

Many women choose to make their arm tattoo a creative output of their personality. They will utilize softer color schemes and light, delicate design work to help their design to shine. 

Some popular arm tattoo designs among women include:

• Butterflies – A grouping of butterflies, particularly when designed in 3D, can be a beautiful addition to a women’s outer arm.
• Floral patterns – While singular flowers are popular tattoos for many parts of the body, the trend for an arm tattoo is larger groupings of flowers, generally as they are growing.
• Perched/flying birds – A popular arm tattoo celebrates the beauty of birds by showing them in flight or perished on a free branch.

Arm Tattoo Meanings

Many cultures place important significance on an arm tattoo. In those cultures, certain designs have particular meaning regarding the history of a people and the wearers place in it. 

In addition to making a cultural connection, an arm tattoo can hold a number of different meanings including:

• Protection

• Remembrance

• Strength

Part of the meaning of an arm tattoo comes from its placement. For example, a tattoo placed on the bicep has often been seen as a symbol of rebellion.