InkCraftArm Tattoo Ideas for Women, Shoulder to Fingers
32 women's arm tattoos photographed on skin for InkCraftBy Uladzimir TumanauUpdated
On many women the arm is slimmer and often bare, framed by straps at the top and by rings and bracelets at the bottom. These arm tattoos for women are photographed part by part, shoulder to fingers, with how clothing, jewellery and time shape each one.
- dotwork · black and greyTry it on — Black and grey dotwork butterfly tattoo on a woman's forearm
- neo traditional · colourTry it on — Color neo traditional raven tattoo on a woman's bicep
- Japanese · colourTry it on — Color Japanese koi fish tattoo on a woman's shoulder
- illustrative · black and greyTry it on — Black and grey illustrative faces tattoo on a woman's wrist
- blackwork · black and whiteTry it on — Black and white blackwork koi fish tattoo on a woman's elbow
- blackwork · black and whiteTry it on — Black and white blackwork hummingbird tattoo on a woman's hand
- illustrative · colourTry it on — Color illustrative tattoo as a half sleeve on a woman
- fine line · black and whiteTry it on — Black and white fine line dragonfly tattoo as a full sleeve on a woman
- blackwork · black and whiteTry it on — Black and white blackwork tattoo on a woman's forearm
- geometric · black and whiteTry it on — Black and white geometric tattoo on a woman's bicep
- tribal · black and whiteTry it on — Black and white tribal anchor tattoo on a woman's shoulder
- illustrative · black and greyTry it on — Black and grey illustrative angel tattoo on a woman's wrist
- linework · black and whiteTry it on — Black and white linework angel tattoo on a woman's elbow
- linework · black and whiteTry it on — Black and white linework skull tattoo on a woman's hand
- traditional · colourTry it on — Color traditional angel tattoo as a half sleeve on a woman
- geometric · black and whiteTry it on — Black and white geometric tattoo as a full sleeve on a woman
- fine line · black and whiteTry it on — Black and white fine line bird tattoo on a woman's forearm
- linework · black and whiteTry it on — Black and white linework tattoo on a woman's bicep
- tribal · black and whiteTry it on — Black and white tribal tattoo on a woman's shoulder
- new school · colourTry it on — Color new school tattoo on a woman's wrist
- Japanese · colourTry it on — Color Japanese peony tattoo on a woman's elbow
- traditional · colourTry it on — Color traditional skull tattoo on a woman's hand
- dotwork · black and greyTry it on — Black and grey dotwork octopus tattoo as a half sleeve on a woman
- geometric · black and whiteTry it on — Black and white geometric sharks tattoo as a full sleeve on a woman
- fine line · black and whiteTry it on — Black and white fine line owl tattoo on a woman's forearm
- neo traditional · colourTry it on — Color neo traditional tattoo on a woman's bicep
- new school · colourTry it on — Color new school tattoo on a woman's shoulder
- blackwork · black and whiteTry it on — Black and white blackwork lily tattoo on a woman's wrist
- neo traditional · colourTry it on — Color neo traditional koi fish tattoo on a woman's elbow
- ornamental · black and greyTry it on — Black and grey ornamental ornament tattoo on a woman's hand
- new school · colourTry it on — Color new school lotus tattoo as a half sleeve on a woman
- illustrative · colourTry it on — Color illustrative hearts tattoo as a full sleeve on a woman
Every pair is one tattoo: the design as it was drawn, and a photograph of that same design on the body.
These 32 tattoos on women's arms, in numbers
- Body parts
- 8
- Black and grey
- 20
- Colour
- 12
- Most common style
- blackwork
Straps at the top, jewellery at the bottom
Two sets of lines frame a woman's arm. At the top are straps and necklines: bra and top straps across the shoulder, cap sleeves on the upper bicep, sleeveless cuts that show everything. At the bottom are jewellery lines: bracelets and watches on the wrist, rings on the fingers. A piece at either end works best when it is placed to be framed by those lines rather than cut by them.
The middle of the arm is framed by hems instead. T-shirt sleeves end around mid-bicep, three-quarter sleeves in the middle of the forearm, and elbow-length sleeves right on the joint. A single piece usually looks better sitting wholly between two of those lines than straddling one, which is a good reason to try a stencil on with the clothes you actually wear.
Which parts of the arm hold their shape
The upper arm, especially its soft underside, is where weight change and age show first, and designs there need bold edges and generous spacing to keep their shape. The forearm is steadier and holds its proportions for decades. The hands and fingers keep their shape best of all but wear their skin fastest, thinning and spotting with sun long before the rest.
On a slimmer arm every piece also takes up more of the circumference, so the arm fills sooner than it would on a larger frame. If more than one piece is likely, plan where each will sit before the first, and keep the joining areas, the elbow and inner arm, clear. Each part has its own page for women, from the shoulder to the fingers, and the arm page covers the order.
Common questions
- Which parts of a woman's arm can be covered for work?
- The shoulder and upper arm under any top or blouse with a sleeve; the forearm only under long sleeves worn down. The wrist can often be covered by a watch or bracelet if the piece is small. Hands and fingers cannot be covered by anything you would wear at work.
- How do I plan several small tattoos on one arm?
- Map them before the first one. Decide which will go on the outer surfaces, leave space between them, and keep the elbow and inner arm free in case you ever want to link them. Small pieces scattered at random fill a slim arm faster than people expect, and joining them later is harder.
- Is the upper arm or the lower arm better for fine line work?
- The inner forearm, usually. It changes little with weight or age, it faces you, and its skin is smooth and pale. The upper arm, especially the soft underside, moves more over the years, so fine work there benefits from slightly bolder lines and wider spacing.
- What arm tattoo designs suit each part of a woman's arm?
- Fine line and linework suit the wrist, fingers and inner forearm, where a butterfly or a dragonfly can stay small and open. Neo-traditional and illustrative work, a koi, a peony or an angel, belongs on the outer upper arm and shoulder, where there is room for bold outlines. Blackwork and geometric bands suit anywhere a piece should wrap. Keeping one line weight across the arm lets separate pieces sit together later.
See it on your own skin first
InkCraft places a design on a photo of you — scaled, wrapped and shaded to the spot you pick, so you can judge the size against your own body before it is permanent.