Stencils for arms and legs: compensating the curve
A design printed flat and wrapped around an arm looks narrower towards the sides from the front. With the circumference (or both circumferences, if the area tapers) the tool stretches the stencil just enough and shows you how it will look from the front.
or drop it here · PNG, JPG, WebP or SVG
Everything runs in your browser: the design never leaves your device.
How to use it
- 1Upload the design and enter the width you want it to have seen from the front.
- 2In Body, measure the circumference with a tape where the tattoo will go (top and bottom for a forearm or calf).
- 3Check the front view on the limb and download the unrolled stencil.
Tips
- Measure on the skin and at the exact spot: two centimetres higher the circumference already changes.
- If the design wraps far around the limb (more than about 60° each side), the sides stretch a lot and only look right from the front.
- The unrolled stencil comes out wider than the design: that’s correct, don’t shrink it.
Frequently asked questions
Which width do I enter: the paper’s or the visible one?
The one you want to see from the front. The tool works out the width of the unrolled stencil.
What if the arm is narrower than the design?
From the front you never see more than the limb’s diameter; if it doesn’t fit, the tool reduces the design just enough and tells you.
Does it handle tapered areas?
Yes: turn on “Tapered area” and give the circumference at both ends; the cone is unrolled exactly.
Related guides
Arm and leg stencilsWhy a design wrapped around an arm looks narrower from the front, how to measure the circumference and how to pre-warp the stencil (tapered areas such as the forearm included).Read the guide →Full toolEvery step in one: design, clean-up, style, adjustments, effects, body and print.Open the tool →