| The popularity of getting "inked" or tattooed is | | | | sees a full sleeve tattoo on a muscular arm |
| having a resurgence worldwide. Young and old | | | | versus a print. The artistic effect of a colored |
| people have found tattoos as a means of | | | | cobra or dragon coiled around an arm is lost if it is |
| self-expression aside from its decorative effects | | | | only seen as a print out or a photograph. |
| on the body. Technology advancements in | | | | In the past couple of years, a new fashion or |
| pigments and equipment have allowed the | | | | novelty item has been introduced in the market |
| creation of high quality monochrome and | | | | called a tattoo sleeve or tattoo arm warmer. This |
| multi-colored tattoos with a high level of graphical | | | | is made of a thin stocking like stretchable material |
| detail. | | | | that is then printed with tattoo art. When worn |
| Tattoos as a form of body art has been elevated | | | | on the arms, these sleeves blend well with the |
| into a contemporary art form starting from the | | | | contours of the arm. The design looks very |
| 90's. Exhibitions featuring photographs or printed | | | | authentic since it is skin tight and the stretching of |
| designs of the tattoos called "tattoo flash" | | | | the fabric brings out the three dimensional effect |
| became pervasive. In some visual art exhibitions, | | | | of the subjects in the tattoo sleeve design. The |
| people with tattoos are actually lined up to | | | | raging wolf or the fearful skull in the tattoo sleeve |
| showcase the works of the artist. Tattoo Flash is | | | | design stands out when the biceps flex or when |
| now the prevailing portable media used in tattoo | | | | the arm is fully stretched. |
| art. A lot of this is found on now the internet and | | | | The wearable tattoo sleeve has been used by |
| can be downloaded and printed. This can then be | | | | some tattoo artists to mass produce their designs |
| shown to the artist as a pattern for one's desired | | | | and make it a pop culture commodity. Many kids |
| tattoo. | | | | and adults want the "inked" look but would not |
| With the difficulty of having a portable media like | | | | want to go through the pain of getting inked. The |
| a canvass. Tattoo art exhibits get limited to | | | | wearable tattoo sleeve is the answer. This makes |
| displaying photographs of subjects and the use of | | | | it as a fashion accessory that can be worn and |
| flash prints. There is of course losses in the three | | | | matched with one's get up. And last but not least, |
| dimensional attribute of the art work. Tattoo | | | | the wearable tattoo sleeve provides a new media |
| artists also make use of the contours of the | | | | to exhibit tattoo art, at least for the full arm |
| body and the curves of the muscle as a design | | | | length designs. |
| element. This can easily be appreciated when one | | | | |