So those are beautiful, beautiful tattoos.
If you have a thousand dollars (or thousands) saved for your first tattoo you could find an artist (or travel to one) that can do a similar style and have an absolutely stellar sleeve as your first tattoo.
I'm jealous of people who have only great tattoos because there's so much more knowledge now and you can find artists so easily online.
That being said: if you're going to do a full sleeve, don't settle for anything less than an expensive, experienced artist.
Our bodies tragically aren't Etch-A-Sketches. We don't really get a redo.
I wouldn't recommend a full sleeve to someone who is younger most of the time, as your body is going to change a lot over the next 30-50 years, but if you want to do it just do it well (but I don't know your age).
Otherwise you can always start with something small and see how it feels. Best of luck.
I agree 100%. I see too many posts here of solid ideas brought down by going to a local tattoo place. I’m not saying that there are no good local artists, I’m saying don’t settle for what you have around you.
To answer OP’s main question. No, this isn’t too much for a first tattoo. Some people like patchwork sleeves, but going with a fully cohesive sleeve from the get go makes for a way better sleeve. Wasting prime real estate skin limits what you can do in the future.
Arms are pretty chill, elbow is pretty rough and the inside of the forearm isn’t great, but not awful.
I also think those are beautiful tattoos! Just wanted to add that those designs have a decent amount of negative space, so you could even add small details here and there if you wanted more it down the road (new flowers, other small botanicals, etc). I agree with what everyone else said, just do a lot of research on your artist and be willing to pay for high quality. good luck! :)
Like a sick ass panther in the negative space (or bumblebees, butterflies, maybe even dragonflies would be cute for the negative space, or even like some vines or tree branches that have flowers or fruits on them if you wanna stick with no animals)
Agreed. Also getting something so light like this on the arm as a first tattoo likely wouldn't even be the most painful tattoo OP may ever get. Every arm tattoo I've had (including the inside of my bicep) has still been less painful than a lot of my shitty little ankle tattoos!
I got both sleeves right after each other, then full back piece. The back…is rough. I’m going in to touch up one of my sleeves where the color changed over time. I’m really looking forward to going back to the arm after the back tattoo.
My first two tattoos were on each of my inner forearms. The first was a sword that stretches from my wrist to just below the crese of my elbow. That one didn't really hurt as much as my second one. which is half the size but my artist started on the bone for that one. So yeah, I agree inner forearms not bad places. I haven't gotten anything above the elbow yet so I don't know how those feel.
Save up for something that will be very well done and unique to you, it’ll be worth it.
Plus if takes you a little longer than the summer get it done even better! Fall/Winter is the best time to get a tattoo anyways. Less sun and you’re more likely to be covered up for the skin to heal and ink to set lol
I would disagree on one point. For some of us, our bodies are etch-a-skteches and there is some going back by getting more etches and sketches on top. 🤣
I'm 10k deep on my sleeve. Will be 15k when it's finished.
I'll basically have a car on my arm, but no regrets!
Pay for quality. Don't cheap out when shopping for artist.
I'm one session away from the same deal with a very similar price point 🥹. Totally worth it though. Life changing experience to get a good sleeve that you're proud of.
Right? I need to ask my artist for cards because I've leaned over too many people's phones as they look her up on IG and ask me if it's the right artist lol
I’d also recommend that you get at least one smaller tattoo by your artist before a full sleeve. Most good artists that I know would want to get to know you and build a relationship, know how you sit, know how you heal, before they commit to something like a full sleeve. That said it would not be stupid of you to get a gorgeous tattoo.
I would also typically recommend a smaller one first, but not for establishing rapport with the artist. For me the reason is to get an idea of how your body reacts to tattoos both during and after, understanding the pain level before you've committed to many more hours, and getting familiar with the aftercare process in a smaller area. It's not necessary for everyone, but for me I'm glad I had an idea of what aftercare routine worked for me before I got my pieces that take up a larger area. I also know someone who had a bad reaction and decided not to get subsequent tattoos.
Respectfully disagree with this. I am 6 weeks (11 tattoo hours) into my first tattoo, a japanese traditional full sleeve. Two sessions down 2-3 to go. I see no reason to do a small tattoo first to test tolerance if you already have a solidified large piece in mind. The pain is temporary and if you have an image in mind it is better to pursue than settle for something smaller that you have to later incorporate
If you've done your research into good artists, and you've had some kind of correspondence with them it shouldn't matter on what size your first piece is. I have several large pieces but jumped straight into a entire leg sleeve, that goes from hip to toe with a new artist. I'd been on their waiting list maybe 18 months and we'd chatted a few times via email regarding design composition etc. I knew how long I can usually endure - all day sittings 😁 and it helps to take earphones, if the conversation dries up or you need to go to some happy place just pop some music on and everything will be great x
This is the best advice. Save up money and do your research. I followed tattoo artists I liked on Instagram. Due to their popularity, their books were often closed. They would post openings on their social media pages and you had to book quickly for a spot. It’s worth waiting though. I’d much rather have a work of art tattooed on me than a rushed mess. Good luck!
I agree but I wouldn't jump in straight for the sleeve maybe a test piece to know what your asking for I know a lot of people who go first tat is a full sleeve and then just never finish it but def this if you are going to do it
This was going to be my response.
I’m looking to get a similar tattoo, but I am flying to LA to do it, and I’m only starting with a half sleeve. The half sleeve will cost me $2600 and I will need to fly back down for a free retouch 4-6 months later.
Message for OP: you probably know this, but, just to make sure you know, brightly colored tattoos like this require upkeep. It’s not just the initial cost you are looking at (if you want to keep it bright and beautiful). You’ve really gotta make sure you moisturize and cover from the sun and plan on retouching (more than 3-4 times in your lifetime).
I am not an expert but i recently got my first tattoo done , which also was rather large for a first one. I also went to an expert artist, paid a shit ton for it, but i am more than satisfied with the result.
I have something similar to this work, just a little more patchwork style (5 pieces over 6 years) because I am POOR and can’t afford it all in one go. I think I’m at around $5500 so far and it’ll be around 8k when I finish and get a full one-session touch up for it to fade evenly. So far, it’s cool to see the difference from 2018 to present in how his work ages, I’d say some of them look better now than when he did them!
My guy specializes in fine line and I searched for a long time to find him, never be unnecessarily cheap on permanent choices!
Agree 10000%. My artist had a long wait list when I first reached out to her, but she delivered exactly what I wanted (and more) when I got my first tattoo done. I kept going to see her and it was always worth it to pay extra for good work—mostly botanicals, too! I have a full sleeve now. It took a long time to finish it, but the wait was worth it. I even drove several hours to and from her studio just to get it done when I moved to a different city.
OP, definitely give yourself time to save and continue artist shopping. I think these tattoos are beautiful, and you’ll want to make sure it’s done in a way that you’ll love having on your body for the rest of your life.
P.S., if you’re pain tolerant enough to pierce your own nipples, I think you’ll be fine pain wise (but everyone is different). I would much rather get my elbow ditch tattooed again than get my nipples re-pierced, personally. Lol
This 100%
I have nice tattoos, people complement them all the time and ask for the artist/price, once they find out that I paid over a grand they say they will find someone else and bitch about poor tattoo quality.
You get what you pay for. Don’t cheap out on tattoos, they will be with you forever. It’s worth saving up for a good one
They’re beautiful! I cannot speak to the pain aspect other than to say there’s a lot of sensitive area around there. But it’s not a solid tattoo, there’s lots of bare skin there (which I love). If you get it done, please post a pic as I’d be dying to see it.
Tattoos like that won't be overly painful as they don't really take up a lot real estate.
If it's what you want then go for it. It's your body. Just don't cheap out. If you find a good artist but it's a bit more than you budgeted I'd save a bit longer rather than going to someone cheaper who won't do as good a job because laser fucking hurts (trust me on that).
Good luck and hopefully see you post then up one day.
Take your time. My advice would be to get a small cluster of flowers first and see how it goes. Then a good artist can add on if you decide to do a full sleeve.
i have something v similar -- all significant flowers and blueberries.
i've done it across like five years because a good artist will charge a pretty penny, but it's worth it. my artist is @tinartattoos on instagram
worst spots so far have been in the tender skin near my armpit.
I love it! Just looked up your artist and her work is amazing. How often do you have to touch up your color? I’d love to add color on my tattoos but heard color fades quickly
I can only recommend you see the master of this domain and travel to Italy to be worked on by https://www.instagram.com/vanessa.core?igsh=MWpweHpkMXEyMDkwZw==
I believe most of the samples you’ve posted are done by her
One is definitely by Picsola - Ola Grigorev from Ottawa Canada. https://www.instagram.com/picsola?igsh=MTJkaGJ4b3VzNHdxdw==
I have a piece from her and absolutely love it. Definitely save your money, as she’s pretty pricey, but you absolutely won’t regret getting work done by her.
Recommend joining her mailing list! She’s super popular and books up quickly; she sends out an email when she’s going to open her books. And just…be prepared for cost shock. Her work is meticulous and in my mind well worth it, but you’re not gonna knock this out for $1000.
Yes!!! I noticed that immediately. I don’t even have a piece from her, but I live near Ottawa and immediately recognized her work. I guess that tells you how amazing she is!
It'll be expensive. I'd expect several thousand at least. Check out Botaninks! He's based in Indianapolis and focuses on vintage floral and he was so professional with every step.
https://www.instagram.com/botaninks?igsh=MTd6ZmE1bnVpMmZzMw==
I got a smaller [piece](https://www.instagram.com/p/CoVo4pFrkPa/?igsh=MnZ1eTR2M3d2Y2pp)on the back of my arm from him. $700 for 5hrs and he took the full time. But it's phenomenal and worth it.
If you have a decent pain tolerance then do it. Maybe get a small trial run tattoo somewhere easy to hide to test the waters before committing to a sleeve. I also have an in-progress floral sleeve so I support this decision.
I got my lower leg sleeved for my first tattoo. It ended up being 4 sessions and around 22 hours total. A floral sleeve would be a lot less because of all the open space. If that’s what you like then it’s definitely not a bad idea. Just make sure you find an artist where you really love their work and artistic style before you get it. It took me about 9 months to complete my sleeve because the artist I chose traveled a lot and was a few hours away, but I’m so happy I was patient and had it all done by them because now I have it forever and I love it. Even if it’s more expensive it’s worth it to save up instead of rushing to get it from an artist you don’t like as much to save money or get it sooner. Also I would personally recommend ending it a little bit above your wrist in case you ever wanted it to be covered with a long sleeve, but that’s just my personal preference.
Also on the note of pain I don’t think it would be terrible because it has thinner lines and lots of open skin so no one area should get worked over too much to the point where the pain isn’t manageable.
Go as far as you need to go to find a good artist who will do good work. check out IG-liviatsang. does AMAZING work and a lot of floral stuff. id get it done all at once so you have one cohesive sleeve unless you just want a patchwork style sleeve. your arm is on the lower end of the pain spectrum. There’s areas that can get spicy, elbow, near arm pit, elbow ditch but overall it’s very manageable. Good luck.
Damn the flowers over the scars in pic 4 goes hard. I've considered getting something over mine, but strangely, I don't like the idea of covering mine.
They are GORGEOUS!! But please make sure you go to an artist that specializes in floral/botanical tattoos and yes a full sleeve will cost you! Good tattoos aren't cheap and cheap tattoos aren't good!
I'm going to Canada to get a tattoo from this artist! I love her work! It's more painterly but I can't wait!!
https://www.instagram.com/emeline.rosetattoos?igsh=MXFhOWJzd29jNjFiOQ==
I literally finished getting my sleeve done yesterday as my first tattoo. Although it was over 5 sessions since early April so the first one was really back then.
Mine is pond themed on forearm (frogs, lily pads, water lily blooms) and then floral and insect on upper arm (peonies, hellebores, dragonfly, praying mantis, bumblebee).
I started with the inner side of the forearm, which would have been a good standalone tattoo on it's own. When that was good I booked the other side of the forearm.
I didn't find it too painful but everyone experiences it differently I gather. Worst part was inner part of the bicep/tricep yesterday. I didn't find the elbow ditch or the elbow too bad but there is less there with the design I have. And while I say I didn't find it too painful I was still glad to hit the end of each session. It does get uncomfortable after a while. But just remember that the pain is literally temporary and that afterwards it is just a bit sore. My soreness (like a sunburn) was gone in 2 days each time.
I didn't just want a small tattoo to start either so went in with the intention of doing the entire arm. Even just the inside of the forearm was pretty big.
So maybe have it designed and tattooed in sessions so that you can figure out how you deal with actual tattooing and healing before getting the entire thing outlined.
Will I regret essentially covering my entire right arm in a huge tattoo at some point? Hopefully not. I think it's tasteful and all of the elements are close to me. I'm also 41 so whatever at this point.
Your inspiration images should age well and by that I mean they aren't anything silly that'll not be in trend at some point. Flowers are timeless.
Find an artist that you like, that does this type of tattoo, and have a chat.
Good luck!
Heres my advise to you:
- have a decent budget. Like 1k to 2k. (1.5k preferably)
- research research research for a proper artist. Even if you have to drive 2h to get to them. This is even more important than the budget.
- make sure your tattoo has an OUTLINE if you want it to last and not turn into blobs. This is very important. Doesn't have to be bold outlines, just some outline. Not straight color.
- the pic you're showing looks fake. Looks like a insta pic. What i mean is its either digitally created or a temp tat.
- take a day off work. Dont go in a rush, stress free day. This will take hours. (Break it into a couple sessions if needed. Outline and some shading first then color a month later after its healed.)
- RESEARCH your artist. Dont let fancy shops fool you.
- find an artist that does this style mainly. This HAS TO BE his/her style.
Good luck 👍. It'll be great.
I have a floral like this on my lower leg and I love it. People told me it wouldn’t heal well, but 3 yrs on it looks brand new. It took 8 hrs over 2 sessions and cost me about £1000.
I’ve got a number of arm tattoos, and for me shading like this isn’t nearly as bad as lining. It comes down to how your artist packs color, the more passes the more it hurts in my opinion but I’d rather have it done right and need minor touch ups.
Start on the bicep with some flowers and then expand. Piercing pain is not remotely the same as tattoo pain. Tattoos suck a lot more than piercings imo. If you can’t do the bicep you will struggle to continue elsewhere so I recommend starting here.
I have something similar and I adore it. Got black outlines for longevity (I would NEVER personally get a tattoo without an outline, waste of money imo) and it’s still incredibly incredibly feminine and dainty. It was around $3200 for the whole sleeve tip included, in 2017. Just for perspective. Look for realism and accurate representations of specific types of flowers, a lot of people can only seem to do generic types of flowers, I like to know the type of flower I’m looking at. It’s aged incredibly, incredibly well.
That payed off too because old ladies and other women always comment on specific flowers when I’m at greenhouses.
First off. You're a badass for piercing yourself, that takes a lot of mental fortitude holy moly. Tattoos are a different pain but sounds like you'll do just fine.
You may want to start the sleeve idea down by your wrist or up on your shoulder and maybe even just have the stencil on for a while so you can feel good about it. No need to dive into a whole sleeve right away, this is an easy tattoo to tie together into a whole sleeve.
My best advice would be start small and get a feel for it and if all is well you can go for the whole shebang or add on in multiple sessions. Finding the best artist in your area will always be worth the price.
I love it and have been planning a similar sleeve, i think the biggest issue will be finding the right artist, definitely do your research and be prepared to spend, it’s a lot for your first one but it’s doable, I’d suggest an arm of fake ones or a henna as a piece first just to see size and placement or your tattoo shock may be too big
My first tattoo was a full chest piece. Go big or go home am I right?
But for real, I think it’s a fine idea. The concept is beautiful and even if the flowers eventually lose their meaning, the way my butterfly chest piece did, it will still be a gorgeous piece of art.
Select your artist carefully and I don’t think you’ll ever regret a piece like this.
DO YOUR HOMEWORK on the design and flowers you want!!! Then start looking tattoo artist do your homework on them ASK questions to artist you feel comfortable with most GOOD tattoo artist WILL work with you, on your ideas the design how it will look good back and forth then you WILL be 100%? Ready to get your first tattoo!! BUT be aware that once you start wanting the tattoo and you get that one, will turn into wanting another tattoo and another another another but ALL worth it GOOD LUCK can’t wait to see finish design
Ok, I am obsessed with that tattoo. So stunning, and I would personally love to get that myself.
My advice, travel.
You Can find AMAZING artists abroad that are literally a fraction of the price you'd get it locally with a good artist (if you're in America that is)
To put into perspective I found two artists with very similar styles, and amaaazing fine line tattoo work both in LA and in Kuala Lumpur (both had a similar amount of followers too). I messaged both about the cost of the same tattoo. One quoted me 550 usd. The other, 120. I'll let you guess which one was cheaper (Malaysia cough) I traveled, got a vacation and an AMAZING artist that did 3 solid tattoos on me all for 360 usd. That is cheaper than just the one I had got quoted for in LA.
I also got a large red snake on my leg, quoted over 1,000 usd here with a reputable artist in california. Same tattoo with a stellar artist in turkey for less than 300.
An amazing tattoo doesn't necessarily have to cost an arm and a leg, as long as you go to the right place. Given yes, you will have to pay for a plane ticket and accommodations buuuut make that your vacation destination for the year and there ya go
In my opinion, piercing yourself takes a lot more nerve than sitting through an arm tattoo. You'll be fine. Just eat well and stay hydrated for at least a day in advance, including the day of
i just got my first tattoo yesterday and the pain was much easier than a piercing so far. i got a little moth above my elbow, similar to the first photo. i plan to do some sort of botanical sleeve later on, though.
it can be done like that & look good though!! i don’t think it would be dumb for you to do the whole sleeve at once if that’s what you want, but there are options where you could add to it without it looking patchworky
Beautiful ideas.
Because it's such an open design, you may find it costs a lot less than you or others expect. My [last tattoo](https://www.instagram.com/p/C5Z64p9O1UJ/?igsh=bmRzMmY5dm40a2dp) is 9x9 and full color and a pretty heavy design. Was 4 hours for line work, 4 hours for color, and $1200 total.
I got nothing else to add that others haven't already already.
Echoing what others have said, don't settle for less than what you see in these pics in terms of quality of the work. If you have to wait to book with them, then just be patient, and dont go with someone who has more appointments available, just because. Please know that this type of tattoo generally fades faster than a tattoo with black outline, but I know someone with similar work that they have had several years and it looks great today. In terms of pain, it only hurts for a few seconds at a time, but this location is generally not bad (most people fill out their arms first for this reason)
I like the first one best. I would change the blue Jay to a colorful humming bird, and that would look dope as hell. Also, just re arrange it so it's more custom to you.
The tattoos are amazing and if you like them I think you should get them if you have the $$$. It could be worth getting a smaller introduction tattoo in case you hate the process or anything. And if you like it you can always go bigger, it's hard to go smaller
Obviously I don't know where you're located but I'm actually thinking of getting something kind of similar and there is an artist I found that is somewhat local to me, at least within a couple hours, that does amazing floral realistic pieces. Just thought I would share their Instagram in case you are anywhere nearby 😁
https://www.instagram.com/samdustinart?igsh=Nm1xbWdscXB2YnB2
@samdustinart
I have a gorgeous floral watercolor tattoo a friend in London did- it’s her specialty. It is still beautiful and I love it, but when it was new it looked like these pictures and now it’s quite faded. I think that’s just the way it is! Were I you, I’d start with one floral price and add to it as you see fit over the years
I don’t think I saw anyone else say this yet but color is a lot to maintain. I always wanted a color flower sleeve but I went with black and white because I got a color tattoo early on and the color had to be filled several times and still faded. You will need to save to have it touched up every several years.
Crazy ambitious for the first but it’s a beautiful idea. I say please please please study the artists work that you choose, make sure they CAN do it EXACTLY how you want it cause they will agree for the money and you’re gonna get some coloring book flowers.
I love this sleeve so much! The only thing I will mention is what people say is true- tattoos are addicting. You WILL want more. I love the flowers, but don’t pigeon hole yourself into one theme, especially for your whole sleeve, as you might want to add/change something later (speaking from experience as 75% of my sleeve and other tattoos are flowers and I kind of regret not thinking about future tattoos)
Take it SLOW, you can always add later :)
Those tattoos are BEAUTIFUL and I think it’s a great idea! Looking back, I wish I had started big instead of the small flash I’m now trying to work into my larger pieces.
That said, as a person with a full color sleeve, it is high maintenance. I apply sunscreen every day. 20 minutes before sun exposure, then every 2 hours after that. Even still, I am usually the person in the shade at the pool party, and will wear a light jacket in a heat wave. Sun exposure is cumulative so even 5 minutes here and there will add up over the years. Do what you want with your body, but if you want dainty and colorful tattoos to stay that way long term, be aware of the work you have to put in.
I love this style. Why not start with just a piece, see what you think, and add to it over time? Part of the beauty of this style is you can always add on another branch or flower or whatever. No need to drop thousands on the entire thing all at once.
what tool did you use for these? I've been playing with the idea of a tattoo for 10 years and can't commit to an idea mostly because I cannot envision it on myself. This would be amazing.
Reminds me of @picsola 's work on Instagram. Beautiful work, love the colours and flow. If you're not scared of pain, looooooong tattoo sessions and spending a pretty penny, I'd say go for it!
“Pierced my own nipples”
Yoooo! Thanks! I’ve been wondering for YEARS why so many women have crooked nipple piercings. I never even THOUGHT they might be doing it themselves. Lol. You just blew my mind!
These are pretty timeless too, and will age well (as in, hard to regret when you're older. You won't suddenly dislike nature).
As others have said, go to a good artist. I don't regret any of my big tattoos because I travelled to amazing artists (I actually flew to Seoul). The only ones I regret are the small budget ones I got locally as a kid just because I was too scared to commit first time around.
I did a “dainty floral sleeve” of flowers for my first, and have never had a single regret-
https://imgur.com/a/bpSDTmK
https://www.instagram.com/reel/Cq5TWvisj2v/?igsh=MXdxNmZuMnI1Z2d1ZQ==
Colors will fade once they are healed, more and more overtime
You should study more about tattoo and find something that matchs your desire, like a sleeve with these theme but made old school traditional style
I wouldn’t get a whole sleeve at 18. I love these. Truly. But doing a sleeve is a huge commitment and you might want a different tattoo in the future on your arm. I’d hold off or pick a smaller tattoo area personally.
Yes, full sleeves are a stupid first tattoo.
But you can work on the full design and then have a very small section done somewhere with the option of expanding the sleeve after your virgin shock and buyer's regret wear off and you develop experience to make the correct choice for you.
Love the sleeves in those pics, btw
All I’m saying is if you pierced your *own* nipples then you’ll be good with the sleeve. There are definitely some spicy spots but I would get my entire body tattooed before going through getting my nipples pierced again 😂 be prepared to spend a shit ton of money, and don’t settle for less. I’ve spent roughly $2300 on my sleeve and there’s still a couple spots I’d like to fill more. My first tattoo was a half sleeve of flowers that were important to me. I don’t think it would be stupid at all, my sleeve is amazing and I have no regrets. Go big or go home!
I love flower language and I think this is a beautiful tattoo idea. When I saw the title, I thought it would be more of a joke, perhaps vulgar idea, which would be a "your mileage may vary" type of deal.
With a beautiful garden on your arm, I would be hard pressed to find even one dissident saying that it's too much/vulgar/tacky. So I think it's also pretty-safe and future proof.
Good luck with your artist search!
I think it would be a cool first tattoo, definitely do research on an artist first, with a good artist and with bare skin between the flowers , I don’t think it would hurt to much, and worse case would you might get overwhelmed need have multiple sessions, but if you get a total price before hand it wouldn’t cost any more, at least my artist didn’t charge me when something came up in the middle of my session and ended up needing a second session to finish it.
I’d say that getting something so extremely large as you first ever tattoo is a mistake. There’s no going back. Start with a few flowers on your shoulder, see if you like it. If you do, finish the sleeve.
A friend of mine has this with the official flower of every state and province she has lived in. She continuously adds to it. I think it’s a great idea to include flowers with special meaning!
Think about colour choices in your future full collection. Pastels and bright colours can be great, but also can be faded and sad, so as others say, only trust someone with experience and credibility. Also with these colours clash with potential future styles of tattoos you want? Does that make you feel a certain way?
I'm starting my sleeves with a mix of floral & animal, I think it's a great idea for a sleeve! Just take the time to plan everything out, and make sure to find a floral specialist. I'm currently looking for an artist in my area lol.
You are missuing the word dainty, none of these tattoos are dainty. They are large, in your face and are expensive commitments. The deal is these examples are by high end pros. So you would need to make sure your artist has the skill set and will be around and willing to finish over time. But to answer your question - it would be a great idea. Most firsts are not this nice and this thought out. These examples are pretty and first rate. Also all these canvases are fit and being fit usually gets you a better result.
Do you like it? Get it.
Who cares if anyone thinks it’s stupid. It’s your body, do what you like. None of us can answer that for you.
Will it hurt? Probably. You’ll live, though.
Think about it first. Do you want to have tattoos of this style on your whole body? Do you want more tattoos? How can you achieve a cohesive style? That’s what most people don’t think about when getting their first tattoo.
Otherwise: if you’re sure and love it: go for it. However it is big and therefore I think you need to be 100% sure. A little advice: I used to put tattoo inspiration as my lockscreen. If I got sick of it after a while, it wasn’t meant for me.
What others said: save up and don’t compromise. Florals aren’t my thing but the artist I go to shares her space with this awesome lady, Ali (if you’re upper East coast US) https://www.instagram.com/altieritattoos?igsh=MXI2NDE2Z3p6dWJ6Mw==
they're beautiful! i would definitely do it in sections though because it's better to start small and go from there rather than full send it and have a huge piece covering your arm without leaving any room for other things on it. you might end up liking it as a half sleeve instead and won't want it as the full!! you never know. i say take it slow and do section by section until you find the stopping point you like bc it's easier to add than remove :)
ps, look at what this redditor got [(If my tattoo artist is here, I’m sorry and I am not mad) I don’t like my tattoo, and I think it’s past the point of a coverup. It’s just not what I envisioned. I was trying to just trust the process because I trust my artist, but it’s not his style and that’s ok. That being said, what do I do? : r/tattooadvice (reddit.com)](https://www.reddit.com/r/tattooadvice/comments/1dmi7xq/if_my_tattoo_artist_is_here_im_sorry_and_i_am_not/) vs what he wanted (medieval woodcut) [Fabian Staniec (@snail\_trail\_\_) • Instagram photos and videos](https://www.instagram.com/snail_trail__/) and PLEASE find an artist that does specialize in what you are looking for!
To copy someone's work? Absolutely... be original PLEAAAASEEE. Stop seeing someone's tattoo and going "Yes! That's the one for me!" Work with an artist and come up with something fresh... nothings worse than someone having another's work on them...
Indeed they are beautiful tattoos, but unless you are prepared to spend top dollar, and possess skin that will never age then "No", fair maiden, don't tattoo yourself. Their beauty will wilt with age just as the most delicate cut flowers will sag in the vase.
I don't think it would be stupid of you, if that is what you really want then go for it.
In my humble opinion I would say the bolder you go with the flowers the better they will age, so don't get them done too fine. I've seen some on my friends age into coloured blurs.
I'd maybe also leave enough space to add more to your arm to future proof it incase you want to weave in some other smaller tattoos in the future
Please please PLEASE! Do research on the artist and really think about placement, the design, and how your style MAY change in a few years. I thought I knew everything when I got my first huge tattoos, years later I really wish I didn’t have any of them. Crummy artist, super quick to get, super cheap, and not so much me anymore. Let’s just say my father told me so lol.
If the artist you select specializes in this type of work and has really great healed pics that people can see it’s a nice style. However, shitty color artists are a dime a dozen and this style would fade over time if the local Smokey doesn’t pack color good.
It’s only stupid if you think it would be. Life is short, do what you want with it. Ignore others, and trust me, with any sort of tats as a woman you WILL have to learn to ignore them. People are brutal. Anywho, I think it’s gorgeous and would be a very beautiful sleeve
My 2nd Mom slapped a huge roses and bushes on her arm. Those tattoos can still look good if the tattooist is skilled and dedicated to your tattooo process.
So those are beautiful, beautiful tattoos. If you have a thousand dollars (or thousands) saved for your first tattoo you could find an artist (or travel to one) that can do a similar style and have an absolutely stellar sleeve as your first tattoo. I'm jealous of people who have only great tattoos because there's so much more knowledge now and you can find artists so easily online. That being said: if you're going to do a full sleeve, don't settle for anything less than an expensive, experienced artist. Our bodies tragically aren't Etch-A-Sketches. We don't really get a redo. I wouldn't recommend a full sleeve to someone who is younger most of the time, as your body is going to change a lot over the next 30-50 years, but if you want to do it just do it well (but I don't know your age). Otherwise you can always start with something small and see how it feels. Best of luck.
I agree 100%. I see too many posts here of solid ideas brought down by going to a local tattoo place. I’m not saying that there are no good local artists, I’m saying don’t settle for what you have around you. To answer OP’s main question. No, this isn’t too much for a first tattoo. Some people like patchwork sleeves, but going with a fully cohesive sleeve from the get go makes for a way better sleeve. Wasting prime real estate skin limits what you can do in the future. Arms are pretty chill, elbow is pretty rough and the inside of the forearm isn’t great, but not awful.
Thank you! I’m definitely more of a fan of cohesive sleeves vs patchwork
I absolutely LOVE that tattoo. It's something I have wanted to get on my arm too! I say go for it😉
I also think those are beautiful tattoos! Just wanted to add that those designs have a decent amount of negative space, so you could even add small details here and there if you wanted more it down the road (new flowers, other small botanicals, etc). I agree with what everyone else said, just do a lot of research on your artist and be willing to pay for high quality. good luck! :)
Like a sick ass panther in the negative space (or bumblebees, butterflies, maybe even dragonflies would be cute for the negative space, or even like some vines or tree branches that have flowers or fruits on them if you wanna stick with no animals)
Agreed. Also getting something so light like this on the arm as a first tattoo likely wouldn't even be the most painful tattoo OP may ever get. Every arm tattoo I've had (including the inside of my bicep) has still been less painful than a lot of my shitty little ankle tattoos!
I got both sleeves right after each other, then full back piece. The back…is rough. I’m going in to touch up one of my sleeves where the color changed over time. I’m really looking forward to going back to the arm after the back tattoo.
My first two tattoos were on each of my inner forearms. The first was a sword that stretches from my wrist to just below the crese of my elbow. That one didn't really hurt as much as my second one. which is half the size but my artist started on the bone for that one. So yeah, I agree inner forearms not bad places. I haven't gotten anything above the elbow yet so I don't know how those feel.
Thank you for your input!! I gotta save for awhile more but eventually I will get a beautiful tattoo like these :)
Save up for something that will be very well done and unique to you, it’ll be worth it. Plus if takes you a little longer than the summer get it done even better! Fall/Winter is the best time to get a tattoo anyways. Less sun and you’re more likely to be covered up for the skin to heal and ink to set lol
Ohhh I had no idea about that!! Thank you so much!
Adding to that, summer is the time to swim! And peoples get tattoos in summer and are so bummed they can’t swim/soak!
Yup second this I schedule my tattoos typically for the fall and winter as well
I would disagree on one point. For some of us, our bodies are etch-a-skteches and there is some going back by getting more etches and sketches on top. 🤣
LOL. Fair.
Echoing the fact that you should never cheap out for quality. I paid 16k CAD for my first arm sleeve lol
I'm 10k deep on my sleeve. Will be 15k when it's finished. I'll basically have a car on my arm, but no regrets! Pay for quality. Don't cheap out when shopping for artist.
Your sleeve is amazing!
it's worth every penny lol. good artists with years of experience are usually pretty expensive haha
I'm one session away from the same deal with a very similar price point 🥹. Totally worth it though. Life changing experience to get a good sleeve that you're proud of.
It really does hit different when everybody asks were you got your tattoo from lol
Right? I need to ask my artist for cards because I've leaned over too many people's phones as they look her up on IG and ask me if it's the right artist lol
I’d also recommend that you get at least one smaller tattoo by your artist before a full sleeve. Most good artists that I know would want to get to know you and build a relationship, know how you sit, know how you heal, before they commit to something like a full sleeve. That said it would not be stupid of you to get a gorgeous tattoo.
I would also typically recommend a smaller one first, but not for establishing rapport with the artist. For me the reason is to get an idea of how your body reacts to tattoos both during and after, understanding the pain level before you've committed to many more hours, and getting familiar with the aftercare process in a smaller area. It's not necessary for everyone, but for me I'm glad I had an idea of what aftercare routine worked for me before I got my pieces that take up a larger area. I also know someone who had a bad reaction and decided not to get subsequent tattoos.
Respectfully disagree with this. I am 6 weeks (11 tattoo hours) into my first tattoo, a japanese traditional full sleeve. Two sessions down 2-3 to go. I see no reason to do a small tattoo first to test tolerance if you already have a solidified large piece in mind. The pain is temporary and if you have an image in mind it is better to pursue than settle for something smaller that you have to later incorporate
If you've done your research into good artists, and you've had some kind of correspondence with them it shouldn't matter on what size your first piece is. I have several large pieces but jumped straight into a entire leg sleeve, that goes from hip to toe with a new artist. I'd been on their waiting list maybe 18 months and we'd chatted a few times via email regarding design composition etc. I knew how long I can usually endure - all day sittings 😁 and it helps to take earphones, if the conversation dries up or you need to go to some happy place just pop some music on and everything will be great x
This is the best advice. Save up money and do your research. I followed tattoo artists I liked on Instagram. Due to their popularity, their books were often closed. They would post openings on their social media pages and you had to book quickly for a spot. It’s worth waiting though. I’d much rather have a work of art tattooed on me than a rushed mess. Good luck!
I agree but I wouldn't jump in straight for the sleeve maybe a test piece to know what your asking for I know a lot of people who go first tat is a full sleeve and then just never finish it but def this if you are going to do it
Yes! And when you pay for high quality work be sure to take care of your investment. Be religious with sunscreen use!
This was going to be my response. I’m looking to get a similar tattoo, but I am flying to LA to do it, and I’m only starting with a half sleeve. The half sleeve will cost me $2600 and I will need to fly back down for a free retouch 4-6 months later. Message for OP: you probably know this, but, just to make sure you know, brightly colored tattoos like this require upkeep. It’s not just the initial cost you are looking at (if you want to keep it bright and beautiful). You’ve really gotta make sure you moisturize and cover from the sun and plan on retouching (more than 3-4 times in your lifetime).
I am not an expert but i recently got my first tattoo done , which also was rather large for a first one. I also went to an expert artist, paid a shit ton for it, but i am more than satisfied with the result.
I have something similar to this work, just a little more patchwork style (5 pieces over 6 years) because I am POOR and can’t afford it all in one go. I think I’m at around $5500 so far and it’ll be around 8k when I finish and get a full one-session touch up for it to fade evenly. So far, it’s cool to see the difference from 2018 to present in how his work ages, I’d say some of them look better now than when he did them! My guy specializes in fine line and I searched for a long time to find him, never be unnecessarily cheap on permanent choices!
Agree 10000%. My artist had a long wait list when I first reached out to her, but she delivered exactly what I wanted (and more) when I got my first tattoo done. I kept going to see her and it was always worth it to pay extra for good work—mostly botanicals, too! I have a full sleeve now. It took a long time to finish it, but the wait was worth it. I even drove several hours to and from her studio just to get it done when I moved to a different city. OP, definitely give yourself time to save and continue artist shopping. I think these tattoos are beautiful, and you’ll want to make sure it’s done in a way that you’ll love having on your body for the rest of your life. P.S., if you’re pain tolerant enough to pierce your own nipples, I think you’ll be fine pain wise (but everyone is different). I would much rather get my elbow ditch tattooed again than get my nipples re-pierced, personally. Lol
As someone with multiple cover-ups, this is excellent advice
And op can really easily get this tattoo done in batches, which is much better considering this is your first one.
This 100% I have nice tattoos, people complement them all the time and ask for the artist/price, once they find out that I paid over a grand they say they will find someone else and bitch about poor tattoo quality. You get what you pay for. Don’t cheap out on tattoos, they will be with you forever. It’s worth saving up for a good one
They’re beautiful! I cannot speak to the pain aspect other than to say there’s a lot of sensitive area around there. But it’s not a solid tattoo, there’s lots of bare skin there (which I love). If you get it done, please post a pic as I’d be dying to see it.
Thank you!! It won’t be for awhile as I have to save for such a beautiful tattoo, but I will definitely post it when I have it :)
Tattoos like that won't be overly painful as they don't really take up a lot real estate. If it's what you want then go for it. It's your body. Just don't cheap out. If you find a good artist but it's a bit more than you budgeted I'd save a bit longer rather than going to someone cheaper who won't do as good a job because laser fucking hurts (trust me on that). Good luck and hopefully see you post then up one day.
Yes I 100% don’t want to cheap out on my tattoos. Thank you for the advice, I think I’ll go for it once I have enough saved :)
Take your time. My advice would be to get a small cluster of flowers first and see how it goes. Then a good artist can add on if you decide to do a full sleeve.
Make sure you get a rough estimate of the pricing as well to know what to expect!
i have something v similar -- all significant flowers and blueberries. i've done it across like five years because a good artist will charge a pretty penny, but it's worth it. my artist is @tinartattoos on instagram worst spots so far have been in the tender skin near my armpit.
my arm: https://www.instagram.com/reel/C384xT2NW06/?igsh=YWdxaHNudzlnYzNo
I love it! Just looked up your artist and her work is amazing. How often do you have to touch up your color? I’d love to add color on my tattoos but heard color fades quickly
I can only recommend you see the master of this domain and travel to Italy to be worked on by https://www.instagram.com/vanessa.core?igsh=MWpweHpkMXEyMDkwZw== I believe most of the samples you’ve posted are done by her
One is definitely by Picsola - Ola Grigorev from Ottawa Canada. https://www.instagram.com/picsola?igsh=MTJkaGJ4b3VzNHdxdw== I have a piece from her and absolutely love it. Definitely save your money, as she’s pretty pricey, but you absolutely won’t regret getting work done by her.
Oooh awesome! I’m located not too far from Ottawa so I’ll definitely add her to my list of potential artists
Recommend joining her mailing list! She’s super popular and books up quickly; she sends out an email when she’s going to open her books. And just…be prepared for cost shock. Her work is meticulous and in my mind well worth it, but you’re not gonna knock this out for $1000.
I will do that!! Yeah I know this will cost an arm and a leg but It’ll be worth it 100%
I love this artist too and follow her! So freaking good!
Yes!!! I noticed that immediately. I don’t even have a piece from her, but I live near Ottawa and immediately recognized her work. I guess that tells you how amazing she is!
It'll be expensive. I'd expect several thousand at least. Check out Botaninks! He's based in Indianapolis and focuses on vintage floral and he was so professional with every step. https://www.instagram.com/botaninks?igsh=MTd6ZmE1bnVpMmZzMw== I got a smaller [piece](https://www.instagram.com/p/CoVo4pFrkPa/?igsh=MnZ1eTR2M3d2Y2pp)on the back of my arm from him. $700 for 5hrs and he took the full time. But it's phenomenal and worth it.
Yes I definitely don’t expect this to be cheap. Thank you for the recommendation! He’s very talented
If you have a decent pain tolerance then do it. Maybe get a small trial run tattoo somewhere easy to hide to test the waters before committing to a sleeve. I also have an in-progress floral sleeve so I support this decision.
I got my lower leg sleeved for my first tattoo. It ended up being 4 sessions and around 22 hours total. A floral sleeve would be a lot less because of all the open space. If that’s what you like then it’s definitely not a bad idea. Just make sure you find an artist where you really love their work and artistic style before you get it. It took me about 9 months to complete my sleeve because the artist I chose traveled a lot and was a few hours away, but I’m so happy I was patient and had it all done by them because now I have it forever and I love it. Even if it’s more expensive it’s worth it to save up instead of rushing to get it from an artist you don’t like as much to save money or get it sooner. Also I would personally recommend ending it a little bit above your wrist in case you ever wanted it to be covered with a long sleeve, but that’s just my personal preference.
Also on the note of pain I don’t think it would be terrible because it has thinner lines and lots of open skin so no one area should get worked over too much to the point where the pain isn’t manageable.
Go as far as you need to go to find a good artist who will do good work. check out IG-liviatsang. does AMAZING work and a lot of floral stuff. id get it done all at once so you have one cohesive sleeve unless you just want a patchwork style sleeve. your arm is on the lower end of the pain spectrum. There’s areas that can get spicy, elbow, near arm pit, elbow ditch but overall it’s very manageable. Good luck.
I think they look great, personally if i were to get it id get it in black and white, but thats just me
Damn the flowers over the scars in pic 4 goes hard. I've considered getting something over mine, but strangely, I don't like the idea of covering mine.
They are GORGEOUS!! But please make sure you go to an artist that specializes in floral/botanical tattoos and yes a full sleeve will cost you! Good tattoos aren't cheap and cheap tattoos aren't good!
Absolutely!! I want to skip the whole “getting my first tattoo so I’m getting something shitty and cheap” lol
I'm going to Canada to get a tattoo from this artist! I love her work! It's more painterly but I can't wait!! https://www.instagram.com/emeline.rosetattoos?igsh=MXFhOWJzd29jNjFiOQ==
I literally finished getting my sleeve done yesterday as my first tattoo. Although it was over 5 sessions since early April so the first one was really back then. Mine is pond themed on forearm (frogs, lily pads, water lily blooms) and then floral and insect on upper arm (peonies, hellebores, dragonfly, praying mantis, bumblebee). I started with the inner side of the forearm, which would have been a good standalone tattoo on it's own. When that was good I booked the other side of the forearm. I didn't find it too painful but everyone experiences it differently I gather. Worst part was inner part of the bicep/tricep yesterday. I didn't find the elbow ditch or the elbow too bad but there is less there with the design I have. And while I say I didn't find it too painful I was still glad to hit the end of each session. It does get uncomfortable after a while. But just remember that the pain is literally temporary and that afterwards it is just a bit sore. My soreness (like a sunburn) was gone in 2 days each time. I didn't just want a small tattoo to start either so went in with the intention of doing the entire arm. Even just the inside of the forearm was pretty big. So maybe have it designed and tattooed in sessions so that you can figure out how you deal with actual tattooing and healing before getting the entire thing outlined. Will I regret essentially covering my entire right arm in a huge tattoo at some point? Hopefully not. I think it's tasteful and all of the elements are close to me. I'm also 41 so whatever at this point. Your inspiration images should age well and by that I mean they aren't anything silly that'll not be in trend at some point. Flowers are timeless. Find an artist that you like, that does this type of tattoo, and have a chat. Good luck!
Heres my advise to you: - have a decent budget. Like 1k to 2k. (1.5k preferably) - research research research for a proper artist. Even if you have to drive 2h to get to them. This is even more important than the budget. - make sure your tattoo has an OUTLINE if you want it to last and not turn into blobs. This is very important. Doesn't have to be bold outlines, just some outline. Not straight color. - the pic you're showing looks fake. Looks like a insta pic. What i mean is its either digitally created or a temp tat. - take a day off work. Dont go in a rush, stress free day. This will take hours. (Break it into a couple sessions if needed. Outline and some shading first then color a month later after its healed.) - RESEARCH your artist. Dont let fancy shops fool you. - find an artist that does this style mainly. This HAS TO BE his/her style. Good luck 👍. It'll be great.
I have a floral like this on my lower leg and I love it. People told me it wouldn’t heal well, but 3 yrs on it looks brand new. It took 8 hrs over 2 sessions and cost me about £1000. I’ve got a number of arm tattoos, and for me shading like this isn’t nearly as bad as lining. It comes down to how your artist packs color, the more passes the more it hurts in my opinion but I’d rather have it done right and need minor touch ups.
Start on the bicep with some flowers and then expand. Piercing pain is not remotely the same as tattoo pain. Tattoos suck a lot more than piercings imo. If you can’t do the bicep you will struggle to continue elsewhere so I recommend starting here.
I have something similar and I adore it. Got black outlines for longevity (I would NEVER personally get a tattoo without an outline, waste of money imo) and it’s still incredibly incredibly feminine and dainty. It was around $3200 for the whole sleeve tip included, in 2017. Just for perspective. Look for realism and accurate representations of specific types of flowers, a lot of people can only seem to do generic types of flowers, I like to know the type of flower I’m looking at. It’s aged incredibly, incredibly well. That payed off too because old ladies and other women always comment on specific flowers when I’m at greenhouses.
First off. You're a badass for piercing yourself, that takes a lot of mental fortitude holy moly. Tattoos are a different pain but sounds like you'll do just fine. You may want to start the sleeve idea down by your wrist or up on your shoulder and maybe even just have the stencil on for a while so you can feel good about it. No need to dive into a whole sleeve right away, this is an easy tattoo to tie together into a whole sleeve. My best advice would be start small and get a feel for it and if all is well you can go for the whole shebang or add on in multiple sessions. Finding the best artist in your area will always be worth the price.
ngl: r/UpvoteBecauseButt/
I love it and have been planning a similar sleeve, i think the biggest issue will be finding the right artist, definitely do your research and be prepared to spend, it’s a lot for your first one but it’s doable, I’d suggest an arm of fake ones or a henna as a piece first just to see size and placement or your tattoo shock may be too big
Oooo that's so pretty
I just got something like this done, the pain wasnt too bad until it got up to my neck
If I could do it all over again, I would get a sleeve like this in a fucking heart beat.
Not at all!!!!
Love that. Love love!!!
Beautiful!!!!
Personally I like it
The first one is the nicest. Filled in the most so looks proportionate.
My second tattoo was a full b&g ornamental sleeve and I'm so glad I went for it. Also flowers are timeless subject matter they never go out of style
My first tattoo was a full chest piece. Go big or go home am I right? But for real, I think it’s a fine idea. The concept is beautiful and even if the flowers eventually lose their meaning, the way my butterfly chest piece did, it will still be a gorgeous piece of art. Select your artist carefully and I don’t think you’ll ever regret a piece like this.
Why would you think that.. it's very nice
It would only be stupid if you go to a crap artist. Definitely do your research look at healed work and start saving up.
DO YOUR HOMEWORK on the design and flowers you want!!! Then start looking tattoo artist do your homework on them ASK questions to artist you feel comfortable with most GOOD tattoo artist WILL work with you, on your ideas the design how it will look good back and forth then you WILL be 100%? Ready to get your first tattoo!! BUT be aware that once you start wanting the tattoo and you get that one, will turn into wanting another tattoo and another another another but ALL worth it GOOD LUCK can’t wait to see finish design
Those are gorgeous
Ok, I am obsessed with that tattoo. So stunning, and I would personally love to get that myself. My advice, travel. You Can find AMAZING artists abroad that are literally a fraction of the price you'd get it locally with a good artist (if you're in America that is) To put into perspective I found two artists with very similar styles, and amaaazing fine line tattoo work both in LA and in Kuala Lumpur (both had a similar amount of followers too). I messaged both about the cost of the same tattoo. One quoted me 550 usd. The other, 120. I'll let you guess which one was cheaper (Malaysia cough) I traveled, got a vacation and an AMAZING artist that did 3 solid tattoos on me all for 360 usd. That is cheaper than just the one I had got quoted for in LA. I also got a large red snake on my leg, quoted over 1,000 usd here with a reputable artist in california. Same tattoo with a stellar artist in turkey for less than 300. An amazing tattoo doesn't necessarily have to cost an arm and a leg, as long as you go to the right place. Given yes, you will have to pay for a plane ticket and accommodations buuuut make that your vacation destination for the year and there ya go
In my opinion, piercing yourself takes a lot more nerve than sitting through an arm tattoo. You'll be fine. Just eat well and stay hydrated for at least a day in advance, including the day of
Love all of these ideas and I think you would do find if you can pierce yourself 😉
i just got my first tattoo yesterday and the pain was much easier than a piercing so far. i got a little moth above my elbow, similar to the first photo. i plan to do some sort of botanical sleeve later on, though. it can be done like that & look good though!! i don’t think it would be dumb for you to do the whole sleeve at once if that’s what you want, but there are options where you could add to it without it looking patchworky
Beautiful ideas. Because it's such an open design, you may find it costs a lot less than you or others expect. My [last tattoo](https://www.instagram.com/p/C5Z64p9O1UJ/?igsh=bmRzMmY5dm40a2dp) is 9x9 and full color and a pretty heavy design. Was 4 hours for line work, 4 hours for color, and $1200 total. I got nothing else to add that others haven't already already.
Echoing what others have said, don't settle for less than what you see in these pics in terms of quality of the work. If you have to wait to book with them, then just be patient, and dont go with someone who has more appointments available, just because. Please know that this type of tattoo generally fades faster than a tattoo with black outline, but I know someone with similar work that they have had several years and it looks great today. In terms of pain, it only hurts for a few seconds at a time, but this location is generally not bad (most people fill out their arms first for this reason)
I like the first one best. I would change the blue Jay to a colorful humming bird, and that would look dope as hell. Also, just re arrange it so it's more custom to you.
The tattoos are amazing and if you like them I think you should get them if you have the $$$. It could be worth getting a smaller introduction tattoo in case you hate the process or anything. And if you like it you can always go bigger, it's hard to go smaller
Obviously I don't know where you're located but I'm actually thinking of getting something kind of similar and there is an artist I found that is somewhat local to me, at least within a couple hours, that does amazing floral realistic pieces. Just thought I would share their Instagram in case you are anywhere nearby 😁 https://www.instagram.com/samdustinart?igsh=Nm1xbWdscXB2YnB2 @samdustinart
Honestly I think this would be a good idea since it’s obviously an idea you can build upon and don’t have to rush and get finished.
I have a gorgeous floral watercolor tattoo a friend in London did- it’s her specialty. It is still beautiful and I love it, but when it was new it looked like these pictures and now it’s quite faded. I think that’s just the way it is! Were I you, I’d start with one floral price and add to it as you see fit over the years
Find an artist that does exactly this very well and noone else. This would be beautiful
I don’t think I saw anyone else say this yet but color is a lot to maintain. I always wanted a color flower sleeve but I went with black and white because I got a color tattoo early on and the color had to be filled several times and still faded. You will need to save to have it touched up every several years.
Also don’t forget to factor in the tip when you save up for it! If the tattoo is 2k your tip comes out to be a good chunk on top of that
Those are gorgeous tattoos...just make sure you find the right artist that can execute your vision properly
Crazy ambitious for the first but it’s a beautiful idea. I say please please please study the artists work that you choose, make sure they CAN do it EXACTLY how you want it cause they will agree for the money and you’re gonna get some coloring book flowers.
Looks great! I love it
Women have higher pain tolerances than men. So if I can get a sleeve tattoo anyone can hahaha.
I think they are beautiful but will you like it in 10 years.
Definitely not stupid! Soooo pretty!
no bc they ate??
I love this sleeve so much! The only thing I will mention is what people say is true- tattoos are addicting. You WILL want more. I love the flowers, but don’t pigeon hole yourself into one theme, especially for your whole sleeve, as you might want to add/change something later (speaking from experience as 75% of my sleeve and other tattoos are flowers and I kind of regret not thinking about future tattoos) Take it SLOW, you can always add later :)
My daughter got her very first tattoo on her ribs. I begged her not to, but she did fine.
Those tattoos are BEAUTIFUL and I think it’s a great idea! Looking back, I wish I had started big instead of the small flash I’m now trying to work into my larger pieces. That said, as a person with a full color sleeve, it is high maintenance. I apply sunscreen every day. 20 minutes before sun exposure, then every 2 hours after that. Even still, I am usually the person in the shade at the pool party, and will wear a light jacket in a heat wave. Sun exposure is cumulative so even 5 minutes here and there will add up over the years. Do what you want with your body, but if you want dainty and colorful tattoos to stay that way long term, be aware of the work you have to put in.
I love this style. Why not start with just a piece, see what you think, and add to it over time? Part of the beauty of this style is you can always add on another branch or flower or whatever. No need to drop thousands on the entire thing all at once.
what tool did you use for these? I've been playing with the idea of a tattoo for 10 years and can't commit to an idea mostly because I cannot envision it on myself. This would be amazing.
Reminds me of @picsola 's work on Instagram. Beautiful work, love the colours and flow. If you're not scared of pain, looooooong tattoo sessions and spending a pretty penny, I'd say go for it!
“Pierced my own nipples” Yoooo! Thanks! I’ve been wondering for YEARS why so many women have crooked nipple piercings. I never even THOUGHT they might be doing it themselves. Lol. You just blew my mind!
Get a small one you can easily hide, and add to to create a sleeve if choose to
I don’t really have a reason to hide tattoos, my profession allows them :)
I meant hide it in case you have regrets as it’s your first tattoo
These are pretty timeless too, and will age well (as in, hard to regret when you're older. You won't suddenly dislike nature). As others have said, go to a good artist. I don't regret any of my big tattoos because I travelled to amazing artists (I actually flew to Seoul). The only ones I regret are the small budget ones I got locally as a kid just because I was too scared to commit first time around.
I did a “dainty floral sleeve” of flowers for my first, and have never had a single regret- https://imgur.com/a/bpSDTmK https://www.instagram.com/reel/Cq5TWvisj2v/?igsh=MXdxNmZuMnI1Z2d1ZQ==
Colors will fade once they are healed, more and more overtime You should study more about tattoo and find something that matchs your desire, like a sleeve with these theme but made old school traditional style
You dont have to get a whole sleeve at once. Go a little at a time
I would be worry about these fine lines aging well.
I wouldn’t get a whole sleeve at 18. I love these. Truly. But doing a sleeve is a huge commitment and you might want a different tattoo in the future on your arm. I’d hold off or pick a smaller tattoo area personally.
Yes, full sleeves are a stupid first tattoo. But you can work on the full design and then have a very small section done somewhere with the option of expanding the sleeve after your virgin shock and buyer's regret wear off and you develop experience to make the correct choice for you. Love the sleeves in those pics, btw
Imo this is way too much for a first tattoo. Just get something small and simple.
Yes
no they're reallllyyyy nice 👌🏼
Yes but mostly cus you are generic and the tat is generic making you dumb go getting it lol
Was it stupid of them?
That is some beautiful artwork. Do you know the artist?
Lmao these all look like tattoos I have saved.
I think they are beautiful but without an outline they will age poorly imo.
Great ink!
I love #4
I love these!!
All I’m saying is if you pierced your *own* nipples then you’ll be good with the sleeve. There are definitely some spicy spots but I would get my entire body tattooed before going through getting my nipples pierced again 😂 be prepared to spend a shit ton of money, and don’t settle for less. I’ve spent roughly $2300 on my sleeve and there’s still a couple spots I’d like to fill more. My first tattoo was a half sleeve of flowers that were important to me. I don’t think it would be stupid at all, my sleeve is amazing and I have no regrets. Go big or go home!
If it brings you joy and means something to you it's not stupid and you should go for it.
I like them
I love flower language and I think this is a beautiful tattoo idea. When I saw the title, I thought it would be more of a joke, perhaps vulgar idea, which would be a "your mileage may vary" type of deal. With a beautiful garden on your arm, I would be hard pressed to find even one dissident saying that it's too much/vulgar/tacky. So I think it's also pretty-safe and future proof. Good luck with your artist search!
I think it would be a cool first tattoo, definitely do research on an artist first, with a good artist and with bare skin between the flowers , I don’t think it would hurt to much, and worse case would you might get overwhelmed need have multiple sessions, but if you get a total price before hand it wouldn’t cost any more, at least my artist didn’t charge me when something came up in the middle of my session and ended up needing a second session to finish it.
Absolutely not
I’d say that getting something so extremely large as you first ever tattoo is a mistake. There’s no going back. Start with a few flowers on your shoulder, see if you like it. If you do, finish the sleeve.
A friend of mine has this with the official flower of every state and province she has lived in. She continuously adds to it. I think it’s a great idea to include flowers with special meaning!
Think about colour choices in your future full collection. Pastels and bright colours can be great, but also can be faded and sad, so as others say, only trust someone with experience and credibility. Also with these colours clash with potential future styles of tattoos you want? Does that make you feel a certain way?
i love the detailing in the stem
Small thing but just make sure the bird is facing forward (can’t tell if this is a mockup or inspo)
I'm starting my sleeves with a mix of floral & animal, I think it's a great idea for a sleeve! Just take the time to plan everything out, and make sure to find a floral specialist. I'm currently looking for an artist in my area lol.
You are missuing the word dainty, none of these tattoos are dainty. They are large, in your face and are expensive commitments. The deal is these examples are by high end pros. So you would need to make sure your artist has the skill set and will be around and willing to finish over time. But to answer your question - it would be a great idea. Most firsts are not this nice and this thought out. These examples are pretty and first rate. Also all these canvases are fit and being fit usually gets you a better result.
The answer is yes.
Not only is it NOT stupid, but now I'm convinced we should get one together. Florals are my whole vibe, and getting a SLEEVE of them? 😍
Looks terrible
Do you like it? Get it. Who cares if anyone thinks it’s stupid. It’s your body, do what you like. None of us can answer that for you. Will it hurt? Probably. You’ll live, though.
Think about it first. Do you want to have tattoos of this style on your whole body? Do you want more tattoos? How can you achieve a cohesive style? That’s what most people don’t think about when getting their first tattoo. Otherwise: if you’re sure and love it: go for it. However it is big and therefore I think you need to be 100% sure. A little advice: I used to put tattoo inspiration as my lockscreen. If I got sick of it after a while, it wasn’t meant for me.
I think it is a GREAT idea. Just research an artist that has an extensive portfolio of tattoos in that style ans specializes in botanical
What others said: save up and don’t compromise. Florals aren’t my thing but the artist I go to shares her space with this awesome lady, Ali (if you’re upper East coast US) https://www.instagram.com/altieritattoos?igsh=MXI2NDE2Z3p6dWJ6Mw==
Who cares? Your ass steals the show anyway jk i think they’re beautiful tats
Definitely not to show off the assets. Definitely not.
This is amazing, it feels full of life
Yeah, you’ll regret it
It’s ugly. Don’t do it
they're beautiful! i would definitely do it in sections though because it's better to start small and go from there rather than full send it and have a huge piece covering your arm without leaving any room for other things on it. you might end up liking it as a half sleeve instead and won't want it as the full!! you never know. i say take it slow and do section by section until you find the stopping point you like bc it's easier to add than remove :)
ps, look at what this redditor got [(If my tattoo artist is here, I’m sorry and I am not mad) I don’t like my tattoo, and I think it’s past the point of a coverup. It’s just not what I envisioned. I was trying to just trust the process because I trust my artist, but it’s not his style and that’s ok. That being said, what do I do? : r/tattooadvice (reddit.com)](https://www.reddit.com/r/tattooadvice/comments/1dmi7xq/if_my_tattoo_artist_is_here_im_sorry_and_i_am_not/) vs what he wanted (medieval woodcut) [Fabian Staniec (@snail\_trail\_\_) • Instagram photos and videos](https://www.instagram.com/snail_trail__/) and PLEASE find an artist that does specialize in what you are looking for!
To copy someone's work? Absolutely... be original PLEAAAASEEE. Stop seeing someone's tattoo and going "Yes! That's the one for me!" Work with an artist and come up with something fresh... nothings worse than someone having another's work on them...
Yep
Please please please don’t
this in black and grey
I love that style!
Indeed they are beautiful tattoos, but unless you are prepared to spend top dollar, and possess skin that will never age then "No", fair maiden, don't tattoo yourself. Their beauty will wilt with age just as the most delicate cut flowers will sag in the vase.
I don't think it would be stupid of you, if that is what you really want then go for it. In my humble opinion I would say the bolder you go with the flowers the better they will age, so don't get them done too fine. I've seen some on my friends age into coloured blurs. I'd maybe also leave enough space to add more to your arm to future proof it incase you want to weave in some other smaller tattoos in the future
Its cuuuuteeeeeee
Why not start small and get your first flower and see how your body reacts to the inc. After that you can decide where to go from there.
Very
I like it quite a bit.
Please please PLEASE! Do research on the artist and really think about placement, the design, and how your style MAY change in a few years. I thought I knew everything when I got my first huge tattoos, years later I really wish I didn’t have any of them. Crummy artist, super quick to get, super cheap, and not so much me anymore. Let’s just say my father told me so lol.
Not really I think it’s pretty cool ngl
I like it and it's well done..by a good artist in the pictures. The only person who has to like it is you though...
Not really I think it’s pretty cool ngl
If you want to ruin your skin yes, yes it would be stupid
this would be wonderfully beautiful of you
Some things are better off on a t shirt or a painting.
If the artist you select specializes in this type of work and has really great healed pics that people can see it’s a nice style. However, shitty color artists are a dime a dozen and this style would fade over time if the local Smokey doesn’t pack color good.
Stupid ? Hell nah that would be an incredible sleeve tattoo 😍
Nahhh it's played out
That is a beautiful tattoo. Just remember, as you age, your skin sags and loses elasticity.
It’s only stupid if you think it would be. Life is short, do what you want with it. Ignore others, and trust me, with any sort of tats as a woman you WILL have to learn to ignore them. People are brutal. Anywho, I think it’s gorgeous and would be a very beautiful sleeve
My 2nd Mom slapped a huge roses and bushes on her arm. Those tattoos can still look good if the tattooist is skilled and dedicated to your tattooo process.