Tattoo placement chart

Every main placement compared

The pain scores are out of ten and come from the same data as our pain chart, so they line up with the sitting times there. Fading is about skin turnover and friction more than about ink quality, which is why the extremities sit at the bottom of that column no matter who does the tattoo.

Tattoo placement ideas for a first tattoo

Four placements make a first tattoo easy: the outer forearm, the outer upper arm, the calf and the outer thigh. All four have muscle between the needle and the bone, all four heal without much fuss, and all four disappear under normal clothes when you need them to. Sessions of three to six hours are realistic on any of them, which matters because a first tattoo usually takes longer than the estimate.

The question people skip is whether they want to see it. An inner forearm piece is yours, in view every time you reach for something. An outer upper arm piece is mostly for other people, since you only meet it in a mirror. Ribs, sternum, hands, fingers, feet and necks are harder in every direction: more pain, slower healing, more touch ups, more conversations at work. They work better as a second or third tattoo.

The spots that fade fastest and the ones that hurt most

Many shops will say up front that they do not guarantee hand and finger work, and some will not do it at all on someone without existing tattoos.

Pain follows bone and nerves. The sternum, ribs, spine, back of the knee, feet, hands and neck all sit at 7.5 or higher, because the bone is close to the surface with little between it and the needle. The outer upper arm, shoulder cap, outer forearm, outer thigh and calf sit between 3 and 4.5 for most people, which is why the long sessions get booked there.

Where ink leaves first

• Fingers and knuckles, where the skin is thin, renews quickly and gets washed and knocked all day. Expect touch ups every year or two.
• The backs of the hands, for the same reasons plus constant sun.
• The tops and sides of the feet, which shoes rub and socks abrade.
• The inner wrist, which collects sun, soap and the edge of a watch strap.
• The elbow ditch and the inner elbow, which stretch and crease every time the arm moves.

What clothes actually cover, and matching shape to the area

A t-shirt sleeve ends around mid bicep, so anything below that shows. A long sleeve shirt covers to the wrist bone and nothing past it, which is why hands, wrists and fingers are the real workplace question. A collar covers the base of the neck, and the sides show when you turn your head. A standard interview outfit covers everything except hands, wrists, neck and head. Policies differ by job and by country, so ask your employer instead of guessing from a dress code.

Shape matters as much as size. A long narrow design suits a forearm, a spine, a calf or the outside of a thigh. A round design suits a shoulder cap, the centre of the chest, a knee or an elbow. A design that tapers suits a forearm, which is about 10 cm bigger around at the elbow than at the wrist. Pick the placement in the generator and the design comes back proportioned for that area, with a stencil at the size you set.