Shoulder tattoo

The deltoid works every time the arm moves, so the design is built around the shape of the muscle: the centre of the composition sits on the fullest part, and the edges follow the natural lines of the shoulder. That way the tattoo stays cohesive as the arm rises and falls.

The skin on the outer deltoid is dense and the surface is easy to work on, so both fine details and solid fills come out well here.

• Realism — portraits, animals, flowers and characters that follow the roundness of the shoulder.
• Mandalas and ornaments — symmetrical compositions that emphasise the shape of the deltoid.
• Shoulder cap — a dense composition from the collarbone to the middle of the deltoid that works on its own and as the start of a sleeve.
• Japanese — dragons, peonies and waves that flow onto the arm and chest.
• Small symbols — for anyone who wants a delicate piece that a T-shirt sleeve covers.

The deltoid strikes a good balance between visibility and privacy: the tattoo shows in a tank top, while a T-shirt sleeve partly covers it. It is also easy to build on — a deltoid piece can continue onto the upper arm, chest or shoulder blade or grow into a full sleeve. And the rounded shape of the muscle makes even a small tattoo look dimensional and expressive.

1. 1Consultation — we discuss the idea, the style and whether the piece will stand alone or start a sleeve.
2. 2Design — the artist creates a design to fit the shape of your deltoid and the lines of your shoulder.
3. 3Transfer to the skin — on the day of the session the stencil is placed on the skin and moved until it sits straight, and only then does the work begin.

A small deltoid piece is usually done in one short session, and a medium-sized one in one session. A shoulder cap or the start of a sleeve with dense detail may need several sessions with breaks so the skin can recover.