# Tattoo Preview

> Free browser-based tattoo preview. Upload a photo of your skin, place any tattoo
> design or text, and adjust size, angle and opacity before you get inked. Runs
> entirely client-side: no signup, no watermark, photos never leave the device.

Optional paid feature: an AI render that repaints the mockup as realistic healed
ink, using Google Nano Banana (Gemini 2.5 Flash Image). Credits never expire.

## Key facts

- The overlay editor, downloads and every placement page are free, unlimited and need no account.
- 14 body part templates are calibrated in centimetres (wrist 20 cm, forearm 45 cm, full body 105 cm).
- Every placement has a male model and a female model. Measurements stay the same when the gender changes.
- 17 line-art motifs plus Chinese traditional motifs (lotus, koi, bamboo, plum, taiji, endless knot).
- Idea pages are organised along three axes: motif, style (minimalist, fine line, japanese, realism) and occasion (couples, memorial, family, wedding, travel).
- Style axis covers durability: solid black and bold single line outlast fine line and soft wash.
- Supports layered designs, script and Chinese text tattoos, cover-up preview and full-body layout planning.
- A preview is a planning aid, not a guarantee of healed appearance.

## Tools

- [tattoo simulator](https://tattoospreview.com/tattoo-simulator): A free tattoo simulator: upload a photo of your skin, place any design and simulate size, angle, opacity and ink fade before you get inked. No signup, no watermark, runs in your browser.
- [tattoo try on](https://tattoospreview.com/tattoo-try-on): Try a tattoo on your own photo before you get inked. Upload a photo, tap a design, adjust size and angle, download free. No signup, no watermark, photos stay on your device.
- [tattoo visualizer](https://tattoospreview.com/tattoo-visualizer): Visualize a tattoo design on your body with measured, true-to-scale templates for 14 placements. See size, angle and ink density, then download a PNG. Free, no signup.
- [tattoo on body](https://tattoospreview.com/tattoo-on-body): See how a tattoo looks on your body before you commit. Upload a full-length or close-up photo, place the design, and judge scale against your own frame. Free, private, no signup.
- [tattoo maker](https://tattoospreview.com/tattoo-maker): A tattoo maker that assembles your design and places it on your photo. Combine artwork, script text and multiple layers, adjust scale in centimetres and download a PNG. Free, no signup.
- [tattoo creator](https://tattoospreview.com/tattoo-creator): Create a custom tattoo: combine artwork, script text and layers into one composition, then preview it on your own photo at true scale. Free to design and download, no signup.
- [free tattoo generator](https://tattoospreview.com/free-tattoo-generator): A free tattoo generator with no signup and no watermark. Combine designs and script, place them on your photo at true scale, and download as PNG. Optional paid AI renders, free overlay editor.
- [ai tattoo generator](https://tattoospreview.com/ai-tattoo-generator): An AI tattoo generator that turns your placement mockup into a realistic photo of healed ink with skin texture and lighting. Made with Google Nano Banana. Overlay editor stays free.
- [tattoo preview](https://tattoospreview.com/tattoo-preview): Preview any tattoo on your own photo. 14 measured body part templates, script text, multiple layers, centimetre scale readouts and free PNG export. No signup, no watermark.

## Tattoo ideas: motifs, styles and occasions

- [dragon tattoo](https://tattoospreview.com/tattoo-ideas/dragon) (motif): A dragon tattoo is a long serpentine figure with a horned head, clawed limbs and usually a flowing mane, and it is the single most requested tattoo motif in the world. It comes from both Chinese and Japanese tradition, where it means power, fortune and control over water, and it needs a large placement because the coiling body is what makes it read as a dragon rather than a snake.
- [moon tattoo](https://tattoospreview.com/tattoo-ideas/moon) (motif): A moon tattoo is a small line-art motif built from a crescent, usually paired with a star, dots or the full set of moon phases. It reads as change and cycles rather than as an astronomical reference, and it is one of the most popular small tattoos because it works at wrist scale without becoming illegible.
- [heart tattoo](https://tattoospreview.com/tattoo-ideas/heart) (motif): A heart tattoo in line-art style is a single continuous outline with no shading, and it is the simplest motif that still carries strong emotional meaning. Rendered as a thin closed curve it reads as a symbol; rendered thicker or paired with a name it becomes a commitment piece.
- [wave tattoo](https://tattoospreview.com/tattoo-ideas/wave) (motif): A wave tattoo in line-art style is a single curling breaker drawn with one continuous stroke, and it is the most reusable motif in tattooing because it works as a standalone piece, as a background fill for a larger composition, and as a repeating pattern that can wrap a limb.
- [mountain tattoo](https://tattoospreview.com/tattoo-ideas/mountain) (motif): A mountain tattoo in line art is a jagged range drawn as a single silhouette with a snow line or sun behind it. It is a landscape motif rather than a symbol, which means it carries meaning through the specific range it depicts rather than through an agreed code.
- [sun tattoo](https://tattoospreview.com/tattoo-ideas/sun) (motif): A sun tattoo in line art is a circle with radiating lines, and it is one of the oldest motifs in tattooing, appearing in both Polynesian and Japanese traditions as well as modern minimal line work. Its meaning shifts sharply depending on whether the rays are straight, wavy or flame-like.
- [arrow tattoo](https://tattoospreview.com/tattoo-ideas/arrow) (motif): An arrow tattoo in line art is a shaft with a pointed head and fletching at the back, usually drawn horizontally with three short lines behind the point. It reads as direction and forward motion, and the number of arrowheads is the main variable: one arrow points a single way, three fletching lines read as a past or a family.
- [infinity tattoo](https://tattoospreview.com/tattoo-ideas/infinity) (motif): An infinity tattoo is a figure-eight drawn as a single continuous line with no beginning or end. It is a symbol rather than a picture, so its meaning is carried by context: infinity beside a name is usually eternity of a relationship, while infinity alone often signals a personal value.
- [star tattoo](https://tattoospreview.com/tattoo-ideas/star) (motif): A star tattoo in line art is a five-pointed outline, and it is one of the simplest motifs that works at finger scale. The number of points is not fixed: five points is the most common general form, while nautical stars and six-pointed stars carry their own specific traditions.
- [taiji tattoo](https://tattoospreview.com/tattoo-ideas/taiji) (motif): A taiji or yin-yang tattoo is the taijitu, a circle divided into two interlocking comma-shaped halves, each containing a dot of the opposite colour. It comes from Chinese philosophical and religious tradition and is usually understood as the relationship between complementary opposites rather than as a simple good-versus-evil symbol.
- [lotus tattoo](https://tattoospreview.com/tattoo-ideas/lotus) (motif): A lotus tattoo is a flower drawn with layered pointed petals rising from a water line, and in Chinese and Buddhist tradition it represents purity and enlightenment because the flower grows out of mud and stays unstained. The number of petals is the main stylistic variable, commonly eight or sixteen.
- [koi tattoo](https://tattoospreview.com/tattoo-ideas/koi) (motif): A koi tattoo is a carp drawn with flowing fins and scales, and it comes from Japanese and Chinese tradition where koi represent perseverance, courage and good fortune. Single koi read as a statement about overcoming difficulty; paired koi traditionally represent a couple or two children.
- [bamboo tattoo](https://tattoospreview.com/tattoo-ideas/bamboo) (motif): A bamboo tattoo shows segmented stalks with leaves, and in Chinese tradition it is one of the Four Gentlemen, representing resilience, humility and an upright character. Because the stalk is mostly straight lines with regular breaks, it suits long vertical placements better than curved body areas.
- [plum blossom tattoo](https://tattoospreview.com/tattoo-ideas/plum) (motif): A plum blossom tattoo shows five rounded petals on a bare branch, traditionally with a small bud or an open flower at the tip. It represents resilience and renewal, because plum is one of the few plants that flowers in winter, and it is one of the Four Gentlemen in Chinese tradition.
- [xiangyun tattoo](https://tattoospreview.com/tattoo-ideas/xiangyun) (motif): Xiangyun, or an auspicious cloud, is the stylized spiralling cloud form used throughout Chinese art, usually drawn as nested curves with a hooked tail. It marks the borders of heaven and is used as both a border and a standalone motif, often behind a main subject to separate it from the background.
- [meander tattoo](https://tattoospreview.com/tattoo-ideas/meander) (motif): A meander, also called a Greek key, is a continuous line folded into a repeating right-angled spiral. It is a border motif rather than a picture: its role is to frame a main subject or to fill a narrow strip of skin with structure that reads as pattern rather than noise.
- [endless knot tattoo](https://tattoospreview.com/tattoo-ideas/knot) (motif): The Chinese endless knot, or panchang, is a woven line that interlocks with itself and never has a visible beginning or end. It is a Buddhist emblem of interdependence, and structurally it is one of the few motifs that stays legible at finger scale because it fills a square with continuous line.
- [ink wash mountain tattoo](https://tattoospreview.com/tattoo-ideas/ink-mountain) (motif): An ink-wash mountain tattoo borrows the shanshui composition of Chinese landscape painting, where a few peaks are suggested with soft edges and a large amount of empty space does most of the work. The design is defined by what it leaves out, which is why it suits a tall narrow placement far better than a small square one.
- [Minimalist tattoo](https://tattoospreview.com/tattoo-ideas/minimalist) (style): Minimalist tattoo ideas in line art, single-line and small formats. See what size to get, where it reads best, and preview it on your own photo free.
- [Fine line tattoo](https://tattoospreview.com/tattoo-ideas/fine-line) (style): What fine line tattoos are, why they need more space and more touch-ups than other styles, and how to plan one so it still reads in five years.
- [Small tattoo](https://tattoospreview.com/tattoo-ideas/small) (style): Small tattoo ideas that survive healing: which motifs read at 2 to 4 cm, the minimum line width, and which placements fade fastest.
- [Black and grey tattoo](https://tattoospreview.com/tattoo-ideas/black-and-grey) (style): How black and grey tattoo shading works, why grey washes fade first, and how to plan a piece that keeps its contrast after healing.
- [Japanese tattoo](https://tattoospreview.com/tattoo-ideas/japanese) (style): The conventions behind Japanese tattoos: bold outlines, wind bar background fills, rising or setting sun direction, and why these designs need large placements.
- [Traditional tattoo](https://tattoospreview.com/tattoo-ideas/traditional) (style): What makes a traditional or neo-traditional tattoo durable: heavy outlines, a limited palette, and shading that supports rather than replaces the line.
- [Botanical tattoo](https://tattoospreview.com/tattoo-ideas/botanical) (style): How to plan a botanical tattoo: which flowers hold their shape, stem-and-leaf structure, and why line weight matters more than petal detail.
- [Lettering tattoo](https://tattoospreview.com/tattoo-ideas/lettering) (style): How to choose a lettering tattoo font that stays readable after ten years, how line weight changes by body part, and which fonts blur fastest.
- [Watercolour tattoo](https://tattoospreview.com/tattoo-ideas/watercolour) (style): What makes a watercolour tattoo look like paint, why soft gradients fade faster than line work, and how to plan one that survives healing.
- [Celtic tattoo](https://tattoospreview.com/tattoo-ideas/celtic) (style): Celtic knot tattoos explained: why interlace patterns stay crisp for decades, how many strands to use, and where to place them.
- [Colour realism tattoo](https://tattoospreview.com/tattoo-ideas/realism) (style): How colour realism portraits are tattooed, which colours fade first, and how to plan a full-colour piece that still works when it softens.
- [Blackwork tattoo](https://tattoospreview.com/tattoo-ideas/blackwork) (style): What blackwork tattoos are, why solid black is the most durable ink, and how large a solid area is safe to tattoo.
- [Trash polka tattoo](https://tattoospreview.com/tattoo-ideas/trash-polka) (style): What a trash polka tattoo is, why it mixes realism with blackwork, which elements get distorted, and the sizes the style actually works at.
- [Couple tattoo](https://tattoospreview.com/tattoo-ideas/couple) (occasion): Couple tattoo ideas that stay matched and look good on two different bodies: shared motifs, complementary designs, mirrored placement and sizes that suit each person.
- [Memorial tattoo](https://tattoospreview.com/tattoo-ideas/memorial) (occasion): Memorial tattoo ideas: portrait, name, date and symbol layouts, where to place them, how to tell an artist what you want, and what ages well.
- [Mom tattoo](https://tattoospreview.com/tattoo-ideas/mom) (occasion): Mom tattoo ideas: handwriting, birth dates, coordinates and small word designs, plus how to personalise one so it is not a stock phrase.
- [Family tattoo](https://tattoospreview.com/tattoo-ideas/family) (occasion): How to build a family tattoo set: one motif per member, matched line weight, coordinated sizes, and layouts that hold together when each person is a different height.
- [Sibling tattoo](https://tattoospreview.com/tattoo-ideas/siblings) (occasion): Sibling tattoo ideas that read as a pair: shared birth-line motifs, coordinates, matching numerals and layouts that suit different sizes.
- [Wedding tattoo](https://tattoospreview.com/tattoo-ideas/wedding) (occasion): Wedding tattoo ideas: matching dates, ring-finger bands and meaningful word designs, plus how to choose a size that suits a small and hard-to-heal area.
- [Best friend tattoo](https://tattoospreview.com/tattoo-ideas/best-friend) (occasion): Best friend tattoo ideas: coordinates, matching numerals, private symbols and line work that stays crisp on both people over time.
- [Travel tattoo](https://tattoospreview.com/tattoo-ideas/travel) (occasion): How to turn a trip into a tattoo that reads years later: coordinates, outline maps, local motifs and why silhouettes beat detailed landscapes.
- [Matching tattoo](https://tattoospreview.com/tattoo-ideas/matching) (occasion): How matching tattoos work as a set: shared motifs, matched line weight, coordinated sizes and the rules that keep a group looking related rather than copied.

## Guides

- [Where to put your first tattoo](https://tattoospreview.com/guides/first-tattoo-placement): Eight placements ranked for visibility, pain and forgiveness, plus the three spots most first tattoos regret.
- [How to pick a name tattoo font](https://tattoospreview.com/guides/name-tattoo-fonts): Why script and fine serif fonts fade fastest, and the four rules that keep a name readable for a decade.
- [How to plan a sleeve that fits the arm](https://tattoospreview.com/guides/arm-sleeve-preview): Outer arm, elbow and inner-bend anatomy, plus how tall a sleeve design needs to be to fill 55 to 70 cm.
- [Matching tattoos that still look good years later](https://tattoospreview.com/guides/couple-tattoo-matching): Four rules for pair tattoos: shared motif, complementary weight, matched scale, and mirrored placement.
- [Making a stencil your artist can actually use](https://tattoospreview.com/guides/stencil-maker): Ratios, mirrored text, print settings, and what makes a reference legible to an artist.
- [How long each tattoo placement takes to heal](https://tattoospreview.com/guides/how-long-do-tattoos-take-to-heal): Two weeks for a small wrist piece, six for a full back piece, and what changes those numbers.
- [How big should your tattoo be?](https://tattoospreview.com/guides/tattoo-size-and-placement): Centimetre ranges for 14 placements, and how to turn a vague idea into a size you can give an artist.
- [Small tattoos that still read clearly after healing](https://tattoospreview.com/guides/small-tattoo-ideas): How to design for 2 to 5 cm: thick strokes, one idea, and motifs that survive the shrink.
- [Planning a cover-up instead of removing it](https://tattoospreview.com/guides/cover-up-planning): Why dark, dense cover-ups beat big light ones, and the three cases where removal wins.
- [What a tattoo actually costs](https://tattoospreview.com/guides/tattoo-cost-explained): Hourly versus flat pricing, why size drives cost, and the four warning signs of a too-cheap quote.

## Placement pages

- [Wrist](https://tattoospreview.com/tattoo-preview/wrist): Typical size 2–6 cm (about 1–2.5 in). Pain level: Moderate (inner wrist is thinner and more sensitive).
- [Forearm](https://tattoospreview.com/tattoo-preview/forearm): Typical size 5–20 cm (2–8 in). Pain level: Low to moderate.
- [Finger](https://tattoospreview.com/tattoo-preview/finger): Typical size 0.5–2 cm. Pain level: Moderate to high (bony, many nerve endings).
- [Neck](https://tattoospreview.com/tattoo-preview/neck): Typical size 3–10 cm (nape or side). Pain level: Moderate to high.
- [Behind the ear](https://tattoospreview.com/tattoo-preview/behind-ear): Typical size 1–4 cm. Pain level: Moderate (bony).
- [Ribs](https://tattoospreview.com/tattoo-preview/ribs): Typical size 10–30 cm. Pain level: High (thin skin over bone).
- [Ankle](https://tattoospreview.com/tattoo-preview/ankle): Typical size 3–8 cm. Pain level: Moderate to high (bony).
- [Shoulder & upper back](https://tattoospreview.com/tattoo-preview/shoulder): Typical size 8–25 cm. Pain level: Low to moderate (spine and shoulder blade hurt more).
- [Full back piece](https://tattoospreview.com/tattoo-preview/full-back): Typical size 35–60 cm (neck to waist). Pain level: Moderate overall, high over the spine and lower ribs.
- [Full sleeve](https://tattoospreview.com/tattoo-preview/sleeve): Typical size Shoulder to wrist, about 55–70 cm. Pain level: Low on the outer arm, high in the inner elbow and armpit.
- [Chest piece](https://tattoospreview.com/tattoo-preview/chest): Typical size 20–40 cm across. Pain level: Moderate to high over the sternum and collarbones.
- [Thigh & leg](https://tattoospreview.com/tattoo-preview/leg): Typical size 15–45 cm on the thigh. Pain level: Low on the outer thigh, high behind the knee and on the shin.
- [Full body (back)](https://tattoospreview.com/tattoo-preview/full-body-back): Typical size Any size, see the whole layout. Pain level: Depends on each area.
- [Full body (front)](https://tattoospreview.com/tattoo-preview/full-body-front): Typical size Any size, see the whole layout. Pain level: Depends on each area.

## Comparison

- [Honest comparison with AI tattoo generators](https://tattoospreview.com/compare): includes the categories where AI generators are better than this tool.

## Optional

- [Pricing](https://tattoospreview.com/pricing)
- [Full text version of this map](https://tattoospreview.com/llms-full.txt)