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Milly Tattoo

Hand Tattoo Advice

Hand tattoos are highly visible and exposed to daily wear. I plan the design around clear shapes, spacing and how you use your hands.

Black and grey flowers, buds and leaves running diagonally across the back of the hand and onto the wrist

Floral

Floral Hand and Wrist Tattoo

Old hand tattoo before the dogwood blossom cover-up
Before
Fresh Dogwood Blossom Hand Tattoo with black and grey flowers, buds and leaves across the hand.
After

Cover-up

Dogwood Blossom Hand Tattoo

Hand tattoo visibility and daily wear

Hand tattoos are visible almost all the time. Washing, weather, work, tools, gloves, sun and constant movement also need consideration.

I usually keep hand work bold, with clear black shapes and enough space between details. Tattoos here can fade or soften, and tiny details or pale shading may lose definition.

Visibility and lifestyle

Before choosing this area, I want to know whether the placement fits your job, daily routine and future plans.

The pain chart helps with the physical side. The portfolio helps with line weight. If the idea still makes sense, send photos and references so I can judge the exact hand area.

What works better on hands

Bold symbols, ornamental marks, blackwork and short lettering can suit the back of the hand. I keep detail particularly simple near the knuckles. I tattoo the back of the hand, not fingers or palms. For an eligible small correction to my own healed hand work, a touch-up costs €50 to €100 and takes 30 minutes to 2 hours. I need clear healed photos first; the Touch-Up page explains what the service covers.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will you tattoo hands as a first tattoo?

It depends on the person and the design. I'll be direct if I think another placement is a better first move.