Tattoo Johnny Tattoos & Tattoo Design Guide: How to Build the Perfect Armband Tattoo

How to Build the Perfect Armband Tattoo

Monday 30th of March 2009 02:57:49 PM [Add To This Article]

Armband tattoos have become extremely popular in the last decade. They are relatively discreet, since they generally are placed on the upper arm, and they can be extremely elaborate. Furthermore, they are perfect for both men and women, as they accentuate the muscle in the arm and can be designed to be extremely delicate and feminine or to convey an impression of strength and even dominance. However, one of the downsides of the armband tattooâ€™s jump in popularity is that many people have a hard time deciding what type of armband to get. This is because so many people have them that they fear they will not be able to create a unique look for their armband tattoo. Just as you do not want to wear the same dress to the prom, you certainly do not want to see someone sporting your armband tattoo. The best way to avoid this is to take some extra time to think about your armband tattoo and build an armband tattoo that is unique to you.

The first thing to think about is what type of design you want to use on your armband tattoo. Popular designs include tribal tattoo designs, Celtic knot tattoo designs, floral tattoo designs, animal tattoo designs and initial tattoo designs. Many people like to have a main design that shows on the front of their arm or the outside of their arm. Then, they use the armband tattoo to encircle the main tattoo design. Popular central themes are heart tattoos, shamrock tattoos, butterfly tattoos and patriotic tattoos. Then, to make the entire tattoo design more cohesive, you can choose an armband design to complement your central tattoo. Many people also use the initials of their loved ones or children to create a lacy circle tattoo around the arm. The encircling tattoo design might be leaves and flowers, leaping dolphins, tribal tattoo artwork or just scroll tattoo designs. Many people also like to make their central tattoo design in their armband tattoo colorful, but let the encircling part of the armband tattoo be in black and white or grayscale. This makes both images pop and gives the armband tattoo a unique combination look.

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Once you have selected your armband tattoo central design (if you decide to have one) and the encircling portion of the armband tattoo design, it is time to pick out any accents that you might want to use on your armband tattoo. Accents are not necessarily part of the tattoo design or the tattoo pattern, but they appear to work within the tattoo. They are particularly popular in conjunction with tribal tattoos, barbwire tattoos and Celtic knot tattoos because these fairly consistent designs can really benefit from additional artwork that appears to be working within the design. For example, roses are very popular in conjunction with all of these designs. The rose tattoos are not actually worked into the armband tattoo design itself as part of the pattern, but instead appear to be interwoven with the armband tattoo design. It almost appears as if someone â€œtuckedâ€ them into the design. Celtic knot tattoos often are interwoven with clover or thistles to further symbolize the tattoo ownerâ€™s heritage and history. This is a particularly striking way to do it because the plant tattoo imagery is reminiscent of the large stone Celtic crosses that are the hallmark of Celtic knotwork. These crosses are often portrayed as surrounded by green grass and purple clover or thistles, and using the green clover imagery or the purple thistle imagery is a good way to evoke feelings of the past and present coming together.

Another option for your armband tattoo is to make it very thick and very bold, then impose silhouettes of a meaningful shape over it as part of the design. To return to Celtic knots for this example as well, many people like the look of unique Celtic knotwork armband tattoos that underlie the outline of the red dragon that indicates Welch heritage. This is a beautiful and striking armband tattoo that really draws attention to oneâ€™s heritage and oneâ€™s strength.

Finally, once you have completed the design for your armband tattoo and you have compiled the necessary stencils that will help you and your tattoo artist design the perfect custom armband tattoo for you, it is time to decide exactly where on your arm you want your armband tattoo. Most people place them in the bicep area, which makes the muscle look more defined and also places the tattoo out of sight in a short sleeved work shirt. However, some people like their armband tattoos around their wrists or even just above or just below the elbow. The best way to decide this is to get a tattoo test drive tattoo that resembles your custom tattoo and try it out in a couple different places until you settle on one that is perfect for you.