Tattoos For Men - A Guide to Choosing a Design and Body Area

When planning tattoos for men, the two most important decisions to make are choosing a design style, and choosing a location on the body to ink it. Some men prefer to start by choosing a design, and then think about the location later, while other men decide where they want a tattoo, and then search for suitable designs. Neither way is better than the other, and most men consider both the design and the body area simultaneously during the planning process.

There are a huge variety of design styles that make fantastic tattoos for men, and there really is something for everyone. Some of the most popular tattoos for men include Celtic, cross, dolphin, eagle, fish, heart, scorpion, star, tiger, tribal, and zodiac design styles. There are a wide variety of ink colours available, meaning that you can get your chosen design inked in whatever colours you want. It is important to remember however that some of the more traditional designs, such as Celtic and tribal designs, look best inked in black, so if you want a very colourful tattoo these designs are probably not for you.

Tattoo enthusiasts see the whole body as a canvas, and pretty much any area of skin can accommodate some kind of tattoo. That said, the most popular tattoo body areas for men are the arms, back, chest, legs, neck, and shoulders. When deciding on a body area to ink, its vitally important to think about how easy it will be to cover up, and expose. Many men have to think about the practicalities of their working lives, as many employers have no tattoo policies. Other men prefer to get tattoos in very conspicuous places. It all depends on your individual situation.

Your choices of where to ink your chosen design may also be limited by the size of the design. Large designs need large areas of skin, such as is provided by the back, chest, arms and legs. Smaller designs are not so restricted, and can be inked pretty much anywhere. Some areas of the body are too small to accommodate anything but the smallest tattoo designs, such as the wrist and ankle.

Whatever combination of tattoo design and body area you choose, please take your time to do so. I find it astonishing just how many people ink tattoos on the spare of the moment without really thinking about it. Needless to say these men often regret their decisions later on. Do not make the same mistake, think long and hard about what you want before committing to anything. Tattoos are permanent and the design that you ink will be with you forever.

Good places to find tattoo designs include the internet, collections held by tattoo artists and tattoo shops, as well as tattoo design books. I recommend that you browse through as many designs as possible to get some ideas and ensure that you get a really good feel for what is available. I also recommend that you talk to a reputable tattoo artist about your ideas, and show them some of your favourite designs. Any good artist will be able to give you expert advice and guidance to ensure that you get a tattoo that you really love.