If you are looking for a great armband tattoo design then you really can't go wrong with a tribal armband tattoo design. These make great tattoos as the tribal looks seems to lend itself naturally to the shape of an armband tattoo. These are fun to get. Easy to hide at work if needed and often look very bold and make strong statements. This article will assist you in choosing what style you might want to get for your tribal armband tattoo.

Different Tribal Armband Styles

Hawaiian Tribal Armband Tattoos

The Hawaiian from very early on in their culture participated in the art of tattooing a persons body. Thus they have been doing tribal designs for centuries. Many of the designs have been documented and are used frequently in today's tribal designs. The designs often feature a lot of bands that wrap around the arm intermixed with arches and other patterns that go between the bands. These can be enhanced with animals and particularly animals that come from the ocean for example turtle or dolphins. For the most part these designs are usually abstract and full of geometric and arching shapes.

Maori Designs

Just like the Hawaiians the Maori people have a long history of tattooing their bodies. The warriors in the Maori tribe would tattoo much of their body including their face as they believed it made them look fierce and this would strike fear into their enemies so they could win in battle. Their tattoo has become legendary and a deep part of their history and culture also. Many of the designs have been preserved and are still being tattooed in major tattoo shops to this day. If you are thinking about a tribal armband tattoo then you might want to look at some of the Maori designs out there. They also feature bold line work and an extensive use of shapes and patterns for a great looking tattoo.

Free Hand Modern Tribal

Many people today also like getting a more freehand tribal band. These tribal designs are more of a modern design and typically feature lines that curve around and in and out of each other creating a unique and original design. These often do not have any meaning in particular and are not based in any cultural design like the two styles above. Nonetheless they are primarily done with black inks.

Placement

An armband tattoo always goes on the arm by nature. When the design is done on the wrist it is often referred to as a bracelet or cuff design. Armband tattoos therefore are most often placed on the upper arm typically where your bicep muscle is the largest. Thus it extenuates the muscle in your arm. However they can also be placed on the forearm as an alternative but they are then much more visible so this needs to be considered beforehand.

Cost

It really depends on the artist and the intricacy and style of design that you want. Typically the abstract designs or modern tribal armband are the cheapest and easiest to get done. As almost any tattoo artist can do these designs. However, Maori and Hawaiian tribal designs are more specific and have to follow traditional rules for the design to have the look and feel of that culture. Therefore this is not a design that just any tattoo artist can do and it is often better to seek a tattoo artist who specializes in these designs. Although, most tattoo artist can research and imitate these traditional designs with a little bit of time. A tribal arm band tattoo include the design and tattooing would typically cost between $100 and $200 dollars depending on the tattoo artist, and the intricacy of the design. Expect to pay in the upper regions or even more for a traditional design.

Pain Level

The pain level on the outside of the arm is typically very low and thus a good place to get a tattoo. However be prepared that the inner arm while it has a good deal of fat and muscle and it is not too close to the bone to be painful it is still a sensitive area and therefore it might hurt more.