Three sessions and nine hours: It’s the average amount of time to complete a man’s half sleeve tattoo. In comparison, a full sleeve can take upwards of 15 to 30 hours to finish. Make no mistake. A half sleeve can look just as good as a full tattoo sleeve if not better.

Some men argue that this type of body art looks unfinished, but the truth of the matter is they can look like masterpieces. Even if you’re not quite ready to go all-in and lay ink down from your shoulder to your wrist, there’s nothing to worry about.

Understand that a half sleeve can be quite handy in terms of concealment. If you’re not in a creative workplace environment, you might run into unwanted artwork stigma when co-workers, clients, and even your boss glance down at your forearms.

Now, if you’re wondering what makes the half sleeve different, I’ll tell you: Instead of taking up the entire arm, half sleeves stop at the elbow or just slightly below it. Let’s take a closer look at the different types of sleeve tattoos you can choose from before we get into our amazing tattoo design ideas.

See more about – The Top 135 Best Tattoo Ideas for Men

Types of Sleeve Tattoos

• Quarter. This tattoo covers the area from the top of your shoulder midway to your elbow
• Half. This tattoo extends from the top of your shoulder to your elbow
• Full sleeve. This tattoo will reach further. It goes from the top shoulder area all the way down to your wrist

Along with these three more common sleeve tattoos for men, you can also find the Hikae. This is a Japanese tattoo. These amazing sleeve tattoos cover the chest area and then extend to the elbow or the wrist.

See more about – The Ultimate List of Top 137+ Best Sleeve Tattoo Ideas

Planning a Sleeve Tattoo

One of the more difficult parts of the tattoo process is the planning phase before getting the tattoo inked. You have to decide on the theme of the tattoo, the design, and the type. A sleeve tattoo is one of the more elaborate art forms and involves much more detail. If you’re not quite ready to commit, you can test out a temporary tattoo first.