Why a Size Guide You Can Hold Against Your Skin
A quote of “about four by six” means very little until you see it on the spot where the tattoo will go. Numbers on a screen are easy to misjudge, and most size charts are pictures of arms rather than real measurements. This guide draws each size at its true dimensions, so you can print the sheet, cut an outline out and hold it where the tattoo would sit, or check it against the screen once you have calibrated it.
How to Print the Tattoo Size Sheet at True Size
- Tick the sizes you want, or type in the size your artist quoted, and choose a rectangle or an oval.
- Print the page. In the print window, set the scale to 100% or Actual size, and turn off any “Fit to page” or “Shrink to fit” option. Only the sheet prints, not the rest of the page.
- Check the two black bars with a ruler. One is 10 centimeters and the other is 4 inches. If they measure right, every outline on the page is right too.
- Cut out the outline you are considering, tape it to the spot, and look at it in a mirror from a normal distance.
If the bars come out short, the printer shrank the page. Go back into the print settings and look for the scaling option again, because some printers apply their own on top of the browser’s.
Calibrating the Sizes on Your Screen
Screens do not agree on how big an inch is, so a size drawn in inches on one phone is a different size on the next. The calibration step fixes that with something everyone carries: a bank card. Payment cards and most driver’s licenses are made to the same international standard, ISO/IEC 7810, which fixes them at 85.60 by 53.98 millimeters. Hold the card over the outline, drag the slider until the edges match, and every size on the page redraws at its real size.
The calibration is saved in your browser on that device only, so it is still there next time. Nothing is sent anywhere. On a different phone or monitor, calibrate again.
Choosing a Size With Your Artist
The size of a tattoo is a design decision as much as a measurement, and it is your artist’s call as much as yours. Fine lines and small lettering need room to stay readable, and a detailed design shrunk too far loses the detail. Bring the printed outline to the consultation: it turns “a bit bigger” into a number you can both point at. If you are still deciding what to get, our guide to choosing a tattoo design covers the questions worth answering first, and our first tattoo walkthrough covers the appointment itself.
FAQ
How Big Is a 3 Inch Tattoo?
A 3 by 3 inch tattoo is 7.6 by 7.6 centimeters. Tick 3 x 3 in the tool to see it at true size, or print the sheet and hold the outline against the spot you have in mind.
How Do I Print Something at Actual Size?
Set the scale to 100% or Actual size in the print window and turn off Fit to page. Then measure the 10 centimeter bar on the printout; if it is exactly 10 centimeters, everything else on the page is true size.
Why Is the Outline on My Screen the Wrong Size?
Because the browser does not know how many pixels your screen packs into an inch. Use the calibration step with a bank card and the sizes will match reality on that device.
What Size Is a Credit Card?
85.60 by 53.98 millimeters, or about 3.37 by 2.13 inches. That is the ID-1 size set by ISO/IEC 7810, which is why a bank card works as a ruler for the calibration.
Does the Size Change the Price of a Tattoo?
Usually, because most artists price by time and a larger or more detailed piece takes longer. Ask your artist for a quote on the exact size you settle on, and bring the printed outline so you are both pricing the same thing.