...
Home Tattoos 101 Best Gear Tattoo Sleeve Ideas That Will Blow Your Mind!

101 Best Gear Tattoo Sleeve Ideas That Will Blow Your Mind!

by Jamie Wilson
Gear Tattoos

Looking for cool gear tattoo sleeve ideas to get inked with? Here are some eye-catching designs that could get you started!

Gear Tattoo Sleeve
@allantattooer via Instagram – Love this design? Try a Temporary Tattoo

Gear sleeve tattoo ideas are increasingly attracting fame and popularity owing to their intricacy of design and layers of meaning.

Often coming with a cautionary label for the weak-hearted, gear tattoos for men demand a strong spirit and willpower to display its true colours on the body. They are an excellent choice for guys who are headstrong, prefer sticking to a realistic schedule and discipline, guys who are good at problem-solving and real-life inspiration for order and harmony.

Judging by the mechanism of gears you must have figured out how they present different designs laced with symbolism. These trendy tattoos are not only time consuming but on the downside demand a lot of space to flourish well. For instance, if you get inked with a full sleeve or a half sleeve gear tattoo, there might not be room enough to fit a different ink. Even if you are into half sleeve tattoos, the gears on one half might not complement the design on the other half. But if you are willing to dedicate a complete limb to this amazing body art, gear sleeves are a great choice. Keep reading to find how you can style gears to your liking and etch your true self on your body!

Half Sleeve Tattoo Gear

Half Sleeve Tattoo Gear
@radiaztattoos via Instagram – Love this design? Try a Temporary Tattoo

Half sleeve gear tattoos in black and grey ink are a staple for men bent on getting tattooed with gear. Half sleeves allow enough room for creating a justifiable artwork and at the same time allow the wearer full liberty to work with other motifs. Here, the artist includes a gear system working together. Images of a gear system invariably point towards order and harmony. This tattoo perhaps also means that the wearer is an orderly being who also engages in efficient teamwork. You can also play around with the placement of these kinds of gear tattoos for men. Either cover a portion of your arm, here the side of the forearm, or go all in and create a captivating tattoo sleeve.

Gear Arm Sleeve Tattoo With Flowers

Gear Arm Sleeve Tattoo With Flowers
@evaperez.art via Instagram – Love this design? Try a Temporary Tattoo

The artist here reverses the popular notion of gear tattoos being reserved for guys only. Women who are intrigued by mechanical arenas are also well-suited for a full sleeve gear tattoo design. The inclusion of a wide range of flowers not only serve as an ornamenting tool but also adds a touch of femininity to the overall masculine tattoo motif. The placement of the flowers is definitely noteworthy where they sometimes take the position of gear, completing the design without any gaps. A pocket watch is a recurring object that you might encounter time and time again in gear sleeve tattoos. These clock tattoos represent the most-used gear system on one hand, and on the other hand hint at the many symbolisms attached with clocks. We would suggest women interested in these kinds of tattoos experiment with more such feminine tropes to include variation in design.

Biomechanical Gear Tattoo Sleeve

Biomechanical Gear Tattoo Sleeve
@cktattoo via Instagram – Love this design? Try a Temporary Tattoo

A bio-mechanical gear tattoo sleeve is another way to create captivating body art and deliver meaningful connotations at the same time. These tattoos are inspired by the bio-mechanical artform and pose to show the human body in terms of rigid mechanism. The sleeve tattoo design here attempts to bring about a similar notion with the show of gear, nuts, and screws forming the mechanical aspect of the being. The reddish ink is also instrumental in clearly underlining the symbolism related to the artwork and at the same time demarcating as is necessary.

Biomechanical Gear Tattoos Sleeve
@artbilly3 via Instagram – Love this design? Try a Temporary Tattoo

This metal gear sleeve tattoo on the leg shows another way to create a dark yet realistic portrayal of the trope. Structured entirely with black ink, this amazing gear tattoo heavily relies on bold outlines and shading, exhibiting an example of how you can utilise half sleeve gear head tattoo sketches omitting colour.

Abstract Gear Half Sleeve Tattoo Ideas

Abstract Gear Half Sleeve Tattoo Ideas
@isismuniztattoo via Instagram – Love this design? Try a Temporary Tattoo

Guys who do not wish to conform to a specific niche of gear tattoo designs can always opt for abstract patterns with different elements. This amazing half sleeve tattoo presents a combination of gear and clock tattoos. The deliberate inversion of the traditional clock with an hourglass is a better way of coupling the motifs. The tattoo artist heavily relies on dot work and bold outlining to present a grey-black neat interplay of ink.

Cool Sleeve Tattoo Ideas With Gear

Cool Sleeve Tattoo Ideas With Gear
@trevor_tattoos via Instagram – Love this design? Try a Temporary Tattoo

This mandala-inspired gear half sleeve tattoo is every bit enchanting as it looks. Guys who prefer geometric tattoos can easily utilise the gear motif in this intricate gear tattoo sleeve. But the element of charm is put forth with the hand of creation holding the sacred geometry. This impeccable half sleeve tattoo design uses gear in unexpected ways and the site allows the structure to take shape with ease.

Cool Sleeve Tattoos Ideas With Gear
@racheljfriel via Instagram – Love this design? Try a Temporary Tattoo

Bring your pocket watch fancy to a new level with this body art. This dreamy tattoo is amazing for it does not occupy the entirety of your arm yet is bound to steal glances from everyone around! The chain that connects the clock with the human figure is also a symbolic reminder of our tethered existence with time. These tattoos will thrive much better in black and grey ink, allowing focus on their meanings more than the visual aesthetics.

Skin-Ripping Gear Tattoo Sleeve Ideas

Skin-Ripping Gear Tattoo Sleeve Ideas
@tatuajesdereyes via Instagram – Love this design? Try a Temporary Tattoo

Tattoo designs for men would often showcase the skin-ripping images for they really do bring the tattoo design back to life. This gear tattoo plays the same trick exhibiting the mechanisms going on underneath the outward appearance. Here the design travels down from the shoulder to the upper arm, but you can always apply this mechanical inspiration as a forearm tattoo, or on the side of your leg, and with a combination of different elements for holistic sleeve tattoo ideas.

Gear Sleeve Tattoo With Colours

Gear Sleeve Tattoo With Colours
@floundertattoo via Instagram – Love this design? Try a Temporary Tattoo

It is true that artists use black and grey ink to compose most gear sleeve tattoo ideas but a pop of colour every once in a while is never a bad idea! This piece of art shows exactly how to enliven the gear sleeve tattoo designs for men. The yellow ink of the clock hands on an overall dark shoulder to sleeve design makes the artwork steal attention. The lack of space in these kinds of clock tattoos might come up a little congested for some but guys who already have experience of half sleeve tattoo ideas would know how efficient these are. Try more such clock tattoos with gear to input variety in men sleeve tattoos.

Gear Sleeve Tattoo Designs For Men With Skulls

Gear Sleeve Tattoo Designs For Men With Skulls
@zaccapp_19 via Instagram – Love this design? Try a Temporary Tattoo

Guys who are looking for different elements to incorporate in their sleeve tattoo designs can definitely bank on a skull to make their sleeve tattoos even more lethal. This half sleeve tattoo uses a skull to bring in a shade of light in an overall black and grey background. The gear system stands as a mark of life and order, while the skull on the other hand stands as an emblem of passion here. The fact that the skull is also ornamented with mechanical tools reveals that the wearer is perhaps from such a background and is proud to show their passion off using a skull. This skull is an unconventional symbol of good luck and positivity, exhibiting that the wearer will carry their love for gear for the rest of their life.

Meaningful Gear Sleeve Tattoos On Forearm

Meaningful Gear Sleeve Tattoos On Forearm
@misterchunktattoos via Instagram – Love this design? Try a Temporary Tattoo

Besides clock tattoos, sleeve tattoo designs for men can contain the image of an eye in line with the gear system. A subtle addition yet absolutely perfect for guys who are more concerned with the meaning of their gear tattoo designs. The focal point of this half sleeve tattoo design remains the pupil and it allows the clock hands to circle around. The human eye could also be seen as a gear that functions methodically, keeping a balance between our perception and reality. The dominating use of black ink in this sleeve tattoo keeps the visuals simple and neat.

Gear Sleeve Tattoo With Bald Eagle

Gear Sleeve Tattoo With Bald Eagle
@orion1647 via Instagram – Love this design? Try a Temporary Tattoo

Eagles are the epitome of wisdom, experience, and are known to be safeguarding order. So why not include these animals in men sleeve tattoos? The eagle here acts as the face of the mechanism going on around the world. Relying on black and glistening shades, this menacing tattoo design is apt for guys resonating with the animal. Guys who are thorough decision-makers, and have built a strong resilience towards life and all that it comes with an absolutely go for this ink as a sleeve tattoo.

Although gear sleeve tattoo ideas are dominated by guys, women can easily get themselves tattooed on their arms. You can either get yourself a full sleeve tattoo or a half sleeve based on your preferences but we assure you that they will be no less complementing to your persona. Now that you are prepared with the symbolic meanings and associations of a gear tattoo, hurry to a pro tattoo artist at your earliest! But for those of you still clueless where to start, here are some more cool sleeve tattoo ideas to help you get inked:

  1. Shoulder to forearm sleeve tattoo
  2. Metal gear solid tattoo sleeve
  3. Gear tattoo sleeve with a zipper revealing gear mechanism

Feature image from Pinterest

How long does a gear tattoo sleeve take to complete?

The amount of time it takes to complete a gear tattoo sleeve will vary depending on the size and complexity of your design as well as the skill level of your artist. Generally, gear tattoos can take anywhere from two to five or more sessions to complete. Each session could last up to several hours at a time, so make sure you are prepared for a potentially lengthy tattoo process. Your artist should be able to give you a more specific estimate on how long your sleeve will take upon completing your consultation and discussing the design details. If you are prepared for multiple sessions, gear tattoo sleeves can make for a truly beautiful body art piece!

How much does a gear tattoo sleeve cost?

The cost of a gear tattoo sleeve will depend on the size and complexity of your design as well as the skill level of your artist. Generally, larger and more complex pieces can cost upwards of several hundred dollars while smaller designs may be closer to one hundred dollars or less. Be sure to discuss pricing with your artist beforehand so that you know what to expect when the time comes to pay for your tattoo. Remember to factor in any additional costs like touch-ups or aftercare products that you may need throughout the process.

What is the best way to cover my gear tattoo sleeve?

The best way to cover your gear tattoo sleeve will depend on the size, detail, and placement of your design. Some sleeves can be easily covered with clothing while others may require a special covering such as a jacket or scarf. If you need to cover the tattoo for work or any other reasons, make sure that you have the appropriate clothing items available to you when you need them. You can also look into using specially designed tattoo covers such as those made by Tattoo Armor which are specifically designed for covering tattoos.

You may also like