Hi everyone. I have a question but not sure if I can find anyone qualified to answer. I’m in the process of getting a calf sleeve done, which is traditional Japanese in design (koi, flowers and waves). I live in Japan and its being done in Japan by a rather well known Japanese tattoo artist.

The question/concern I have is is how the top of the tattoo should be finished in a way that will look best. The bottom of my tattoo, which falls just above my ankle, are those big, bold black blocks which you find in all traditional J tats. However, the top of it and how it should be finished has weighed heavily on my mind lately. My guy only does big pieces and he hasn’t done a calf sleeve before. We both agree on the fact that the tattoo would look odd or off if it was finished with the same straightlined, black blocks as the bottom. Makes it look more like a picture or poster being put over my leg because of the straight lines at top and bottom.

We figured the best thing would be to let the top kind of flow up and down with the top outlining of waves and flowers. But his idea is to have the top back of my calf to have more open space (no shading or anything) and I’m really wondering how much open space is too much.

Really I’d like to know if anyone knows, from traditional J tat experience, what the options are for finished the top of a calf sleeve. Sure I’ve seen everything under the sun from American artists giving their interpretation to J style but not authentic. Any stuff I can find online are usually full body suits which goes up the whole leg and thigh or half suits which don’t touch the calf.

Just don’t know about the top…any ideas?