Design

Design Your Own 2-Week Tattoo: Step by Step From Idea to Skin

Q: How does the customizer work?

Quick info 👆 Select the quantity you want first. 👀 The more tattoos you order, the lower the price per tattoo. 🎨 On your selected design canvas, you’re free to decide: • How large or small your tattoo should be • Whether you want 1 or 2 tattoo designs (perfect for couple tattoos 💑) • Whether you want 1 or 2 text elements ✍️ • Or any combination of designs and text together 👉 Design it your way — exactly how you want it. 1️⃣ Add & adjust your design 🖼️ Choose an image • Select an image • A popup opens for editing • For later changes, use the “Recustomize image” button • To add a second tattoo, click “Show Upload Tattoo 2” ✍️ Custom text • Type your text into the text field • Choose a font of your choice • Click on the button “Text Reposition” • For later changes, use the “Text Reposition” button again. • To add a second text, click “Show Text 2” 2️⃣ Review & order Does everything look good? • ☑️ Check the box to confirm your design • 📦 Click “Add To Cart”

Q: What types of designs work best?

Design requirements Please make sure your artwork meets the following requirements: • Black & white designs only • Clean, sharp, and clearly visible lines • Light or white background recommended ⚙️ Technical specifications • Minimum line width: 0.5 mm • Supported file types: PNG, JPG, JPEG • No gradients, shadows, or colored areas 🔒 Usage rights • You have permission to use the artwork

Q: My design is in color — what will the tattoo look like?

All tattoos are produced in black only. Colors are automatically converted to black, and the background becomes transparent.

Heidi By Heidi Updated October 14, 2026 4 min read

Custom tattoo design sketch next to the finished tattoo on an arm

In short

With the Tattup customizer you turn your own artwork, text or a sharp photo into a 2-week tattoo: choose a size and quantity, upload a black and white PNG or JPG, add up to 2 designs and 2 texts per tattoo and order. Every design is checked by hand, printed for you and develops dark blue to black on your skin.

Your own sketch, your partner's handwriting, a date that matters or the design you have had in your head for years – a custom 2-week tattoo turns it into ink on your skin for one to two weeks. Here is how it works, what your file needs and how to make your design look as good as possible.

How does designing your own 2-week tattoo work?

Pick a size. Each size is a fixed design canvas. You decide how big your design is within that canvas.
Choose the quantity. Custom tattoos are produced in a detailed process, so you order several copies of your design. The more you order, the lower the price per tattoo.
Upload your design. Select an image, adjust it in the editor, and add a second design with "Show Upload Tattoo 2" if you like.
Add text. Type your text, choose a font and position it. A second text is possible via "Show Text 2".
Check and order. Confirm your design with the checkbox and add it to the cart.

Start right away in the customizer.

Which sizes are available?

From tiny finger tattoos to full sleeves: these are the design canvases you can choose from.

XS — 3 × 4 cm
S — 5 × 9 cm
M — 7 × 13 cm
L — 10 × 18 cm
XL — 13 × 22 cm
Huge — 20 × 30 cm (half sleeve or back piece)
Extra Huge — 20 × 60 cm (full sleeve)

Tip: leave a small margin between your design and the edge of the canvas. Designs that touch or cross the border may be cut off.

What does your design file need?

Requirement	Why
Black and white only	Every Tattup develops in dark blue to black. Colors are converted to black automatically.
Clean, sharp lines	Blurry edges blur on the skin, too.
Lines at least 0.5 mm wide	Thinner lines may not transfer completely.
PNG, JPG or JPEG	Other formats cannot be uploaded.
Light or white background	We remove the background so only the motif remains.
No gradients or shadows	Soft shading cannot be printed as a clean tattoo.
Your rights to the artwork	You need permission to use the design.

Examples of good and bad designs for a custom tattoo: clean black line art versus colorful photos and fine gradients — Do: clear black line art. Don’t: color photos, fine gradients and complex patterns.

Can you upload a photo instead of a drawing?

Sometimes. A photo needs to be sharp, high in contrast and have clearly visible lines. We review every photo upload individually and contact you if something needs to change. If you want to turn a photo of an existing tattoo into a clean design, the AI tattoo generator can extract the motif for you.

Two designs and two texts on one tattoo

On one design canvas you can place up to 2 tattoo designs and up to 2 text elements. That opens up a lot:

Matching tattoos for couples – two halves of one design or two initials.
A design with a name or date next to it.
Shared tattoos for friends, teams or a bachelorette party.

Which fonts work best on skin is in our guide to tattoo fonts.

Do you need to mirror your design?

No. Upload your design exactly as it should look on your skin. We take care of the rest.

What happens after you order?

Every custom order is checked by hand. If your design is not suitable for production, we contact you by email before anything is made. Custom tattoos are printed for you in batches, so delivery takes longer than for ready-made designs – plan around four weeks. For a wedding or festival, order early.

Plan aheadOrdering for an event? Count the production time plus 1–2 days on the skin, because the color needs 24–48 hours to fully develop.

Matching tattoos

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Frequently asked questions

How does the customizer work?

Quick info

👆 Select the quantity you want first.

👀 The more tattoos you order, the lower the price per tattoo.

🎨 On your selected design canvas, you’re free to decide:

• How large or small your tattoo should be

• Whether you want 1 or 2 tattoo designs (perfect for couple tattoos 💑)

• Whether you want 1 or 2 text elements ✍️

• Or any combination of designs and text together

👉 Design it your way — exactly how you want it.

1️⃣ Add & adjust your design

🖼️ Choose an image

• Select an image

• A popup opens for editing

• For later changes, use the “Recustomize image” button

• To add a second tattoo, click “Show Upload Tattoo 2”

✍️ Custom text

• Type your text into the text field

• Choose a font of your choice

• Click on the button “Text Reposition”

• For later changes, use the “Text Reposition” button again.

• To add a second text, click “Show Text 2”

2️⃣ Review & order

Does everything look good?

• ☑️ Check the box to confirm your design

• 📦 Click “Add To Cart”

What types of designs work best?

Design requirements

Please make sure your artwork meets the following requirements:

• Black & white designs only

• Clean, sharp, and clearly visible lines

• Light or white background recommended

⚙️ Technical specifications

• Minimum line width: 0.5 mm

• Supported file types: PNG, JPG, JPEG

• No gradients, shadows, or colored areas

🔒 Usage rights

• You have permission to use the artwork

Can I upload a photo instead of artwork?

In some cases, yes.

Photos must be sharp, high-contrast, and have clearly visible lines.

We review photo uploads individually and will reach out if adjustments are needed.

My design is in color — what will the tattoo look like?

All tattoos are produced in black only.

Colors are automatically converted to black, and the background becomes transparent.

Why can’t I order just one custom tattoo?

Custom tattoos go through a detailed production process. Creating single pieces wouldn’t be cost-efficient.

Most customers use multiple copies — for different placements, gifts, events, or to keep a few for later.

Why does delivery take a few weeks?

Custom tattoos are produced exclusively for you.

To keep prices fair, we manufacture personalized tattoos in larger batches rather than individually. This results in a slightly longer delivery time compared to ready-made tattoos.

All answers in the Help Center

Heidi Tattup Team

Heidi is part of the team behind Tattup, the 2-week tattoo brand from Switzerland. We write about what we know from thousands of orders and our own tests – no hype, just facts.