Typical tattoo sizes by placement in cm and inches, how detail limits small tattoos, and how to check size on your own body before your consult.
Size is the decision people regret most. Detail needs space, and the same design looks different on a wrist and on a thigh. Use the ranges below as a starting point, then try it on a photo of your own body.
Size calculator
8.0 cm × 8.0 cm = 3.15 in × 3.15 in
Tip: hold a ruler against the placement in a mirror. If the width feels too wide there, it will look too wide as a tattoo.
Typical widths by placement
- Finger: 1–2 cm
- Behind the ear: 2–4 cm
- Inner wrist: 3–6 cm
- Ankle: 3–7 cm
- Collarbone: 6–12 cm
- Forearm: 6–14 cm
- Upper arm: 10–18 cm
- Calf: 10–18 cm
- Thigh: 12–25 cm
- Spine: 15–40 cm tall
- Back piece: 30 cm and up
Detail needs space
Lines spread slightly as a tattoo heals. As a rule of thumb, keep gaps between lines around 1 mm or more and lowercase letters at least about 5 mm tall. If a design has lots of detail, go bigger or simplify it.
Check it on your own body
Upload a photo of the placement, mark a known length (like a ruler or a credit card) to calibrate, and set the width in cm. The preview, the stencil and the PDF all use the same number.
Questions
What size should my first tattoo be?
Small to medium (4–10 cm) on the forearm or upper arm is a common choice. Try a few sizes on your photo.
Do artists charge by size?
Many charge by time or have a shop minimum. Size and detail both affect time — ask your artist.
Related
Try it on before it’s permanent
Preview a design on your own photo in real centimetres, then print the stencil at exactly that size.
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