Sleeves are big steps in any tattoo lover’s quest for full coverage, and full leg tattoos are just as important as those placed on the arms. Any number of concepts and designs can be utilized and leg sleeve tattoo ideas are as varied and diverse as the people that wear them.  

Some people choose a hodge-podge approach where a series of smaller tattoo ideas are tied together use of filler tattoos, or ink breaking up elements into thigh, hamstring, shin, and calf tattoo. This approach works particularly well for American traditional work. Other people use a more holistic strategy that uses the entire leg as a large canvas for a single tattoo.  

Whether black and gray, full color, or somewhere in between, an ambitious tattoo idea can make for some of the most exciting leg tattoos around. This gallery gives us a glimpse of what is possible with such a large canvas. 

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

1. Abstract Leg Tattoo Sleeve Ideas

Source: @eaglestatts via Instagram

Source: @rafal_jedrychowski_tattoo via Instagram

Source: @danielbornheim via Instagram

Characterized by bold lines and vibrant colors, American and neo-traditional tattoos can be effectively utilized to create excellent full leg sleeves. While it is not a hard fast rule—some of the pieces in this gallery demonstrate a holistic approach—many people choose this style and slowly add more pieces of flash to their legs to create a collage like effect. 

Once a number of interesting designs are applied—anchors, roses, daggers and skulls remain popular—tattoo artists often utilize filler tattoos to decrease blank space between the designs and tie the entire piece together.