Outer Forearm Tattoo Ideas

Outer forearm tattoos are a premier location for body art ideas and execution.

The outer forearms are often reserved for the best, brightest, and most symbolically significant designs tattoo collectors look to get inked.

They also offer easy opportunities to showcase or cover up the tattoo art as the opportunity arises.

The following collection of outer forearm tattoos features a variety of timeless design ideas, from patriotic American flag tattoos to contemporary arrow concepts and geometric designs.

1. American Flag Tattoo Ideas

2. Tattoos featuring Arrows

3. Butterfly Tattoo Ideas

4. Cross Themed Tattoos

5. Dragon Tattoo Art

6. Floral Tattoo Designs

7. Quote Tattoos

9. Rose Tattoo Ideas

10. Script Tattoo Designs

FAQs

How much does an outer forearm tattoo cost?

There are many factors that go into that final price tag for an outer forearm tattoo, including:

• Time taken to execute the work
• Tattoo artist’s level of experience and demand
• Your relationship with the artist (or lack thereof)
• Artist per hour or per piece pricing
• Size of the tattoo
• Style of the tattoo
• Use of colors and ink quality
• Placement
• Tipping

Be smart and sensible in your preparation. If you want a cheap tattoo, it’s often a surefire way to get a bad one.

I’ve done it, and while I don’t regret doing it cheaply, I could have worked smarter to find the right tattoo artist for the job, even when they were spur of the moment decisions.

Try not to choose your tattoo artist based solely on their pricing – get an understanding of their skill level, the price structure, your style and designs ideas, and your level of comfort before deciding.

See more than one artist if you need to when doing your research.

How long does an outer forearm tattoo take?

The time taken for an outer forearm tattoo depends on several factors including the tattoo artist, the size, detail and the side of the forearm, plus any issues with pain tolerance for the wearer.

For a basic estimate, a full single side forearm tattoo can take anywhere from 2-6 hours when etched in black and gray or minimal color.

Single needle tattoo designs and Japanese traditional color tattoos are usually more complex so will take longer and be more expensive, while large size lettering or black ink pieces may take a much shorter time to complete, as they may utilize negative space or other cost saving elements.

What does negative space refer to for tattoo art?

Negative space refers to a piece where the majority of the linework and inking is done in order to bring out the empty space to reveal an image, like a stencil or silhouette.

This technique is popular for being cost-effective in its comparatively minimal use of ink, as well as its stylistic versatility.

Negative space also allows time to be saved when the work is being framed on the skin, which can also save your money without sacrificing the piece’s quality.

Tattoos incorporating negative space are great for shaping and framing a range of technical applications or for linking up separately etched tattoos.