Coolest Tattoo Filler Ideas That Will Perfect Your Sleeve
These tattoo filler ideas will be the cherry on top of your sleeve.
As a tattoo lover, I have experienced the stress that comes with trying to figure out how to make your sleeve feel finished. You get to a spot where you think you are done and yet, something is missing. When this happened to me, I scoured the internet looking for a solution, and I actually found one.
May I present to you: tattoo filler ideas! Tattoo fillers are exactly what they sound like.
They are little designs that you place in the blank spaces in between your larger tattoos to fill the space. There are so many different filler tattoo designs that you can work with, and I’m going to show you some of the best ones.
Whether you love flowers and fauna or skulls and daggers, I know there is a perfect filler design for you. But before we get into the ideas, I think we should cover the important questions you may be asking yourself.
How Much Will Tattoo Fillers Cost?
Great question! Depending on what kind of tattoo fillers you get, you can expect to spend anywhere from $50-$200 or more. The simplest ones, like dots, cost less because they are tiny and easy to do. The more complex your filler is, the more cash leaves your pocket.
But we all know tattoos are spendy, and at this point in your body art career, the price of tattoo filler is probably a relief compared to some of your spendier tattoos.
The best way to get an exact amount is by talking with your tattoo artist about what you want and how much it will be. They are the keepers of knowledge when it comes to price because they know how long it will take them to complete, and most tattoo artists charge an hourly rate. So time is money!
Will Tattoo Fillers Hurt?
Yes, but I don’t think I need to tell you that. The good news is they are likely to hurt much less than your other tattoos since they are so much smaller. Size alone is a big factor when it comes to figuring out how badly a tattoo is going to hurt.
If you are getting tattooed on spots that have more nerve endings (like your bonier areas), then chances are you are going to experience more pain. Numbing cream helps if you are worried about it, but I have a feeling you’ve got this covered.
Tattoo Filler Ideas
Alright, let’s get this party started! Below you are going to find a good mixture of different ways you can fill the blank spaces between your tattoos. If you like the look of a black sleeve tattoo but are not ready to commit to the full thing yet, adding in some filler can be a fun way to go.
You can choose any color of ink you like, but I think my favorites are black and red inks! But it’s really about your own personal preference. Take a look below to see if you find something you like.
1. Star Filler Design – I think this idea is super cute. If you are looking for something simple but colorful, then use stars like these!
2. Smoke Filler Idea – You can easily use smoke to make your sleeve feel like a cohesive piece. Just look at this example.
3. Tattoo Filler Made with Shading – By adding some shading, you are going to bring depth and clarity to your already existing tattoos.
4. Unique Studio Ghibli Filler – If you are a Ghibli fan, then this idea should make you swoon! It’s full of soot sprites and little colorful stars.
5. Floral Filler Designs – I am a big floral person when it comes to tattoos, so this one made me excited. It’s full of flowers and cute fillers.
6. Mandala Filler Idea – This adorable mandala tattoo filler is a great way to add a tattoo that makes your other ones feel like they work well together.
7. Dots and Stars – Sometimes, all you really need is dots and stars to make your tattoo feel like a finished product!
8. Old-School Filler Ideas – If you like more of an old-school filler design, then I think this is the idea for you. Take a look and see if you like it.
9. Lined Filler – And here I have a very interesting one. They used horizontal lines to make this piece come together beautifully.
Unique Filler Designs
Next up, I wanted to show you some unique filler designs. I love seeing these tattoos because you really get a feel of the tattoo artists talent that was put into the entire sleeve. Everything from the main pieces to the filler! These ideas speak for themselves.
13. Traditional Filler Designs
Gap Filler Tattoo Ideas
Some people go as far as to just use shading as filler, while others just use different smaller tattoos. The list below will show you some epic ideas that will make you wish you had booked your tattoo appointment like yesterday. Take a look!
19. Leaves As Filler – If you want to go with more of a nature-based tattoo filler, have you considered using little leaves yet?
20. Line Work Idea – You can use simple lines to your advantage easily. Just look at this example to see what I mean.
21. Full of Mini Tattoos – If you are more interested in a patchwork style of tattoo filler then I think this is a great photo for inspiration.
22. Garden Half Sleeve – This example is a little plain, but I thought you could use this and weave it around your tattoos that are already there.
23. Filler Made of Different Flowers – I love that this person chose to use more than one kind of flower for their filler. It’s beautiful.
24. Shadow Night Sky Filler – If you really don’t know what to do, you can always just create a small night sky space like this idea.
25. Green Garden Filler – What did I tell you? I am kind of obsessed with greenery when it comes to tattoos.
26. Arm Band Ideas – Arm bands can help to create uniformity in your sleeve.
27. Sun Filler Idea – You can never go wrong with a cute little sun idea to help you fill in those blank spaces.
Sickest Gap Filler Tattoos
28. Silly little gap filler
There’s nothing funnier than a self-aware gap filler that knows it’s nothing more than a gap filler. This little guy by @jankydoodlez cracks me up!
29. Skull and bones
The details on these tiny bones, skull, and eye make this small filler tattoo deeply impressive.
30. Disco bear
Okay, this one is truly genius – a disco ball bear?! Are you kidding me?! And look at those fine lines and shading details! Pretty sick for a filler tattoo.
Pro tip: You can get a disco ball tattoo in whatever size/shape best fits the gap that needs filling. A round, heart, or moon-shaped disco ball would look rad, too.
Awesome Tattoo Fillers
31. Lightning bolts
Lightning bolts make great filler tats because, as you can see, your artist can branch them out to fill as much space as you need.
32. Candle flame
A wax candle with a wicked flame is perfect if you have a long, skinny space on your sleeve you want to cover.
33. Pizza slice
If you have an awkward triangular section you need to fill, I can’t think of anything better to ink there than a slice of pizza. After all, who doesn’t love pizza?
34. Precious pearl
This little pearl is so precious, and it’s the perfect tiny filler tat. I’m obsessed with all the rainbow colors in such a small space.
Tattoo Gap Filler Ideas
35. Peaceful planet
This happy little planet makes the perfect colorful gap filler when you have a round space that needs covering.
36. Tiny cactus
A cactus is great for filling sleeves because you can make them any size and adjust the arms to fit awkward spaces.
37. Christmas lights
A string of Christmas lights can trail anywhere you want along your arm, and it can be as long or short as you need to fill gaps.
38. Lit match
A matchstick tat is a clever way to fill any small, thin spots on your sleeve.
Pro tip: Use a colorful flame to brighten up this tattoo, or leave the match unlit to fill a smaller area.
39. Spiderwebs
Spiderwebs are a clever way to connect two tattoos that have too much space in between, like the black flowers in this design.
40. “Fruit” bat
Okay, I am seriously impressed by the creativity of this lime wedge “fruit” bat. Look at how the little green wings perfectly fit into the gaps!
Tattoo Sleeve Gap Fillers
41. Mushrooms
Little mushies like these are so good for filling tattoo sleeve gaps. You can mix up the sizes and add as many as you need to fit your space.
42. Campfire
Plenty of people get flame tattoos, but detailed logs turn this filler tat into a campfire and make the design more unique.
43. Calendar date
Commemorate a special day or number that’s important to you with a calendar date gap filler tattoo.
The Best Tattoo Filler Ideas
44. Ranch
One of your favorite foods – like this cute little bottle of Ranch dressing – makes a great gap filler tattoo. I would put this right next to the pizza slice filler tat, LOL!
45. Skull tooth
I love this awesome skull tooth ink by artist @casta.tattoo! Even a small filler tattoo can be a creative, unique design.
46. UFO
This tiny sleeve gap filler is out of this world. You could even add an alien to take up more space, if needed.
47. Hobbit door
The detail work on this hobbit door filler tattoo is breathtaking. You could use this design if you’re a Lord of the Rings fan, or choose any door that is meaningful to you – like the door of your childhood home or first apartment.
Tattoo fillers can be like the cherry on top of your sleeve, finishing it to perfection.
I wish I had known about these sooner because I used to stress myself out trying to find different ways to finish up my tattoo sleeve in a way that was clean and cool.
If you love these ideas but would rather fill your sleeve with mini tattoos instead, don’t worry. I also have a list that is filled with the cutest small tattoo ideas that you will ever see. I am just such a dork when it comes to tattoo ideas; I can never get enough!
So check these out to continue the fun. Don’t worry; once your sleeve is done, you get to move on to the next arm, so the tattooing does not have to end! But you get to look at your work and realize that you have just finished one of your body art pieces. That is pretty cool!
