Tattoo Size Chart: Common Tattoo Sizes in Cm and How Studios Quote Them

What Is a Tattoo Size Chart?

A tattoo size chart is a reference table that sorts tattoos into tiers by size, measured in centimetres on the longest side of the design. Each tier shows the kind of designs that fit it and how long a session usually takes. It is the first thing an artist checks when you send a reference and ask how much it will cost.

The chart also explains why two studios can quote the same drawing very differently. Size sets the starting point, while detail, placement and colour decide the rest. At Sutran Tattoo Studio, we work with five tiers, from Mini to Extra large. They are the same tiers listed on our hanoi tattoo price page, so this chart matches the quote you receive later.

Tattoo size chart in cm: the five size tiers we use

Every design is measured on its longest side once it is finished. We don’t measure the paper it was printed on, and we don’t measure the shortest edge. A script piece that is 3 cm tall and 12 cm long counts as 12 cm. The artist still has to work along its full length. Keep this rule in mind whenever you compare sizes or quotes. It is the most common reason a client’s estimate and a studio’s estimate don’t match.

Treat the session times as averages, not promises. A fine line tattoo in the small tier can take longer than a bold traditional piece in the medium tier. Thin, even lines need a slow and steady hand. Colour packing adds time at every size, and so does heavy shading. The chart gives you a realistic starting point for planning your day. That matters when you are fitting a tattoo into a short trip to Vietnam.

Small, medium or large tattoo: what each size looks like on the body

Numbers on a chart are hard to picture, especially on a phone screen. The easiest way to judge a size is to compare it with things you already carry every day. Here is how each tier translates to the real world and where on the body it usually sits.

• Mini (2 to 5 cm): somewhere between a coin and a matchbox. A mini tattoo fits comfortably on a finger, behind the ear, on the ankle or on the inside of the wrist.
• Small (5 to 10 cm): about the length of a lipstick or the width of a credit card. Most people choose this size for their first tattoo, and it sits well on the forearm, the collarbone or the upper arm.
• Medium (10 to 15 cm): roughly the height of a smartphone. A medium piece covers most of the inner forearm, the outer calf or the top of the shoulder.
• Large (15 to 25 cm): close to the length of an A5 notebook. Think of a design that runs from elbow to wrist, down the side of the thigh or across a shoulder blade.
• Extra large (25 cm and up): anything that wraps around a limb or spans a wide area. On an adult arm, a full sleeve covers roughly 45 to 60 cm of skin from shoulder to wrist.

Before you commit, try a simple test we often suggest at the studio. Print your reference at the size you have in mind, cut it out and tape it to the spot where you want the tattoo. Wear it for a full day, check it in the mirror and watch how it moves when you bend your arm or turn your head. Most people change the size or shift the placement a little after that. It is much better to find out on paper than on skin.

How a studio measures your design before quoting

Between the moment you send your message and the moment you receive a number, the artist runs through the same short checklist. None of it is guesswork. Each step adds or removes time from the session, and time is what a studio actually charges for. This is what happens behind the scenes at Sutran when a new request comes in.

1. The artist measures the longest side. That one number places the design in one of the five tiers.
2. They look at how much detail sits inside it. A 10 cm outline of a cat is a quick job. A 10 cm realistic cat with individual strands of fur and glossy eyes is a completely different piece of work.
3. They check the placement. The ribs, neck, hands and feet are slower to tattoo because the skin is thinner or moves more, so the artist has to go carefully.
4. They factor in colour. Black and grey can often be finished in fewer passes, while colour needs layering and extra time for the ink to go in evenly.
5. They estimate the hours and give you a range. The range narrows once you approve the final drawing and the stencil is on your skin.

This is why a question like “How much is a 10 cm tattoo?” has no single honest answer. Two designs of exactly the same size can sit at opposite ends of the same tier. A flat figure given without seeing the design is a guess. It often changes once you are in the chair.

Why the same tattoo size gets different quotes

Clients who compare quotes from three studios are often surprised to find that the most expensive one is two or even three times the cheapest. Size rarely explains that gap. In our experience, it almost always comes down to four factors that have little to do with the ruler.

The amount of detail

A minimal line drawing and a micro-realism portrait can both measure 6 cm. The first might take forty minutes, while the second can take three hours or more. Studios quote on the hours they expect to work, so the detail inside a design matters more than the space it covers. When you compare quotes, make sure you are comparing the same level of detail, not just the same size.

Placement on the body

The same 8 cm design will cost more on a finger than on a forearm. Finger skin fades quickly, needs a lighter hand and usually needs a touch-up planned from the start. The ribs and the inner bicep are slower for a different reason. The skin there is soft and stretches under the needle, so the artist has to hold it steady and work at a slower pace.

The artist’s experience

An artist with ten years of healed work in their portfolio charges more per hour than a junior artist. What you are really paying for is how the tattoo looks after it heals and how it holds up over the next decade. Clean lines, smooth shading and a design that still reads clearly in 2036 come from experience. That is where most of the price difference comes from.

What the quote includes

Some studios include the consultation, the custom drawing, the stencil and one follow-up touch-up in their quote. Others charge separately for the drawing or leave the touch-up out entirely. Before you decide that one studio is cheaper, ask exactly what the number covers. A low quote that leaves out the design and the touch-up can end up costing more than a higher one that includes both.

Tattoo size guide: how to choose the right size for your design

Bigger is not always better, and smaller is not always cheaper in the long run. A design squeezed into too little space often needs rework later, and that costs more than doing it at the right size the first time. These are the rules our artists share with clients during the consultation.

• Give text enough room. Letters shorter than about 1 cm tend to blur as the skin ages. A short quote reads far better at 8 to 12 cm than at 5 cm, especially in a script font. Our lettering tattoo guide covers fonts and spacing in more detail.
• Give detail enough space. If your reference includes faces, feathers or intricate patterns, it needs at least the medium tier. Shrinking a detailed design means taking detail out, not squeezing it in.
• Keep fine line work small or medium. Very thin lines spread across a large area can look faint once healed, while bold styles hold up well at large sizes.
• Think about the body part. A 15 cm design looks large on a wrist and modest on a back, so the placement decides how big the tattoo actually looks.
• Leave room for future pieces. Many clients come back for a second or third tattoo. A design placed with future work in mind ages better than one that boxes in the whole limb.

Sun exposure is one more reason to give fine detail enough room from the start. The American Academy of Dermatology notes that ultraviolet light can fade some tattoo inks. Thin lines have less ink to lose before they start to look patchy. In a country as sunny as Vietnam, a slightly larger design with clear spacing will keep its shape for longer.

How you look after the tattoo in the first few weeks matters just as much as the size you choose. Heat, sweat and strong sun all affect how cleanly the lines settle. Our guide to tattoo aftercare in Vietnam’s climate explains how to protect a fresh piece while it heals. It also covers what to do if you are still travelling.

What to send us for an accurate quote

The more you tell us in your first message, the faster you will get a tight, reliable range. A vague request usually leads to a few rounds of back-and-forth before the artist can give you any number at all. To save time on both sides, include these five things when you get in touch.

1. Your reference image, or a clear description of the idea if you don’t have a picture yet.
2. The placement, meaning where on the body you want the tattoo.
3. The size in centimetres on the longest side. If you are unsure, tell us something like “about the size of my palm” and we will convert it for you.
4. Black and grey or colour, because colour changes the time estimate.
5. Your travel dates if you are visiting Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City, so we can plan the sessions around your trip.

Once we have those details, we place your design in the right tier and reply with a range and a time estimate. To see how each tier is priced, and what shapes the average tattoo price at our studios, read our full Hanoi pricing guide. The same size tiers apply at both our Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City locations, so the range you receive stays consistent wherever you book.

Get your tattoo size checked at Sutran Tattoo Studio

Sutran Tattoo Studio opened in Hanoi’s Old Quarter in 2012 and now also has a tattoo studio in Ho Chi Minh City, in District 1. Across the two studios, our artists have finished more than 13,000 pieces. Every quote starts with the same conversation about size, placement and detail, and nothing is final until you have seen the drawing on your skin.

Not sure where your idea sits on the tattoo size chart? Send a photo and the placement to +84 703 28 0000 for Hanoi or +84 789 55 7559 for Ho Chi Minh City. An artist will reply within the day with a size recommendation, a price range and a time estimate. You don’t have to commit to anything until you are happy with the design.

Frequently asked questions about tattoo sizes

How do you measure a tattoo size?

Measure the longest side of the finished design in centimetres. A long, thin script piece is measured by its length rather than its height. Studios use that number to place the design in a size tier, then adjust the estimate for detail, placement and colour.

What is a good size for a first tattoo?

Most first tattoos fall into the small tier, between 5 and 10 cm. That size holds clean detail and can be finished in one sitting of two to three hours. It fits easily into a busy week or a short trip.

Can a detailed design be made very small?

Only by removing some of the detail. Lines that sit too close together spread slightly as the skin ages, and over time the design can turn into a dark patch. Your artist will tell you the smallest size at which your design will still heal and age well.

Does size decide the price on its own?

No. Size sets the tier, but detail, placement, colour and the artist’s hourly rate decide where in that tier your quote lands. That is why two tattoos of the same size can be priced very differently.

How big is a full sleeve in cm?

On an adult arm, a full sleeve runs roughly 45 to 60 cm from shoulder to wrist and wraps all the way around the arm. It belongs to the extra large tier and is usually completed over several sessions, often spread across a few weeks.