Stand Out in a Crowded Market
Build sleeves that don’t just look good - they get noticed, shared, and requested. This course helps you develop a signature approach that sets your work apart.
The Art of Placement: Sleeve Edition With Austin Maples
Designing a sleeve that flows with the body, reads clearly, and makes a lasting impression doesn’t happen by accident — it takes planning, structure, and a trained eye. It’s one of the most challenging aspects of tattooing, and one of the least talked about.
In The Art of Placement: Sleeve Edition, world-renowned tattooer Austin Maples shares his full approach to building sleeves that are as thoughtful as they are bold. You’ll learn how he maps out the arm, balances anchor points with filler, and uses flow, scale, and negative space to create designs that move naturally across the body.
This isn’t about copying someone else’s style — it’s about understanding the underlying structure that makes a sleeve feel right. Whether you’re planning your first sleeve or looking to refine how you approach large-scale work, this course gives you the tools to design sleeves with clarity, intention, and confidence — from start to finish. Austin's hands-on guidance ensures you’ll leave with the skills and confidence you need to create full sleeves that clients and peers will admire.
In This Course You'll Learn How to:
Master the Planning Process
Understand how to approach sleeves from a high-level perspective - not just as a collection of tattoos, but as a cohesive, flowing narrative.
Learn Flow, Rhythm & Balance
Break down how to use negative space, anchor points, and contrast to guide the eye and move confidently around the arm.
Gain Repeatable Tools & Strategies
Walk away with a structured way of thinking about sleeve design that you can apply to every project, every client, every time.
Design with Intent, Not Guesswork
Learn how to approach sleeves with a clear strategy instead of just “filling space”, resulting in more confident, impactful tattoos.
Hear Austin’s Real Process, Unfiltered
Get direct insight into how Austin thinks, plans, and executes his selves - no fluff, no gatekeeping, just what actually works in the studio.
Designing Great Tattoos Is Hard. Designing A Great Sleeve Is Even Harder.
The history of traditional tattooing was rooted in the idea of getting a “souvenir” — one tattoo at a time. But in today’s tattoo market, most clients are searching for a professional they can stick with to bring their long-term vision to life.
They want to fill their arms, legs, torsos — and they want it to look cohesive, not chaotic. Over the last 15 years, most of Austin's clients have returned to him repeatedly for over a decade. As that body of work grew, a challenge emerged: placements from earlier tattoos sometimes made future pieces harder to design and execute.
When he turned to the traditional tattoo world for guidance, most references were focused on strong standalone pieces — not full sleeves or large-scale planning. That’s when Austin started studying Japanese tattooing and Chicano fine-line work to understand what successful bodysuit planning actually looked like.
From there, he reverse-engineered a methodical, mathematical process that works for traditional tattoos — allowing them to be both bold and beautifully structured.
What you’ll receive in this course is completely unique — it comes straight from Austin Maples’ lived experience, and it’s not currently taught anywhere else. It’s not derived from the history of traditional tattooing but adds something new to its lexicon, bringing fresh education, thought process, and inspiration to the traditional tattoo space.
ALSO INCLUDED
Meet Your Instructor
Austin Maples is an internationally respected tattooer known for his bold, traditional-meets-modern designs and iconic sleeve work. With a client list that spans collectors, artists, and celebrities alike, Austin’s tattoos are instantly recognizable for their clarity, movement, and timeless appeal.
In this course, he shares the same thought process and planning strategy he uses every day in the studio — making his sleeve-building process accessible to tattooers of all experience levels.
Austin Maples
Austin Maples is one of the most widely recognized names in modern tattooing. Known for his bold, stylized approach that fuses traditional tattoo foundations with fresh, unexpected design sensibilities, his work has influenced a generation of artists and collectors alike. With a visual language rooted in clean composition, timeless motifs, and thoughtful placement, Austin has built a body of work that’s not just admired — it’s studied, referenced, and requested by clients from around the world.
The majority of his first decade of professional tattooing was spent behind Idle Hand Tattoo's doors in San Francisco, where he trained alongside some of the most respected artists in the industry. Surrounded by a culture of craftsmanship, discipline, and reverence for tattoo history, he developed a strong technical foundation and a deep appreciation for the tradition he was stepping into. It was in these early years that Austin’s style began to take shape — one that honors classic tattoo structure while embracing a bolder, more graphic aesthetic.
Today, Austin runs his own studio in Los Angeles, Enjoy Tattoos, where he continues to push the boundaries of what modern traditional tattooing can look like. His sleeves — often marked by rhythmic composition, thoughtful storytelling, and powerful use of negative space — have become a signature element of his work, earning him international recognition and a loyal global client base.
Through this course, Austin offers something he’s never publicly shared before: a full breakdown of his process when designing and executing sleeves. By opening the door to his own methods and mindset, he’s giving tattooers at every stage of their career the opportunity to learn how to build sleeves with flow, structure, and confidence — just like the ones that built his reputation.
The Art of Placement: Sleeve Edition by Austin Maples
In The Art of Placement: Sleeve Edition, world-renowned tattooer Austin Maples shares his full approach to building sleeves that are as thoughtful as they are bold. You’ll learn how he maps out the arm, balances anchor points with filler, and uses flow, scale, and negative space to create designs that move naturally across the body.
This isn’t about copying someone else’s style — it’s about understanding the underlying structure that makes a sleeve feel right. Whether you’re planning your first sleeve or looking to refine how you approach large-scale work, this course gives you the tools to design sleeves with clarity, intention, and confidence — from start to finish.
Austin's hands-on guidance ensures you’ll leave with the skills and confidence you need to create full sleeves that clients and peers will admire.
Regular price
$250.00 USD
Sale price
$250.00 USD
Regular price
Unit price
First Section
- Intoduction(0:57)
Panel Layout
- Panel Layout(6:13)
Designs
- Primary Designs(5:25)
- Secondary Designs(5:25)
Webs
- Elbow Web(7:08)
- Shoulder Web(3:28)
Filler
- Filler Designs(4:44)
- Drawn-On Filler(3:56)
- Micro Filler Part 1(3:11)
- Micro Filler Part 2(4:56)
Final Results
- The Final Product (4:06)
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What People Are Saying
FAQ
How do I access my course after purchase?
Once you purchase, register for an account on our website using the same email you used to purchase your course. Once you're registered, you can access your courses anytime on the "My Courses" page located in the "Courses" page on our main navigation after logging in.
Who is this course for?
This course is for tattoo artists at any stage in their career who want to improve how they approach planning and designing sleeves. Whether you're a beginner unsure where to start, or an experienced tattooer looking to refine your composition and flow, Austin's process will give you valuable tools you can apply right away.
Do I need to tattoo in a specific style to benefit from this course?
Not at all. While Austin is known for his bold, stylized approach rooted in traditional tattooing, the placement principles he teaches — like flow, contrast, balance, and spacing — apply to every tattoo style. This course focuses on the structure and logic behind sleeve composition, not a specific aesthetic.
Is the course available for immediate access?
Yes, as soon as you enroll, you’ll get immediate access to all course materials, including the video lessons, downloadable resources, and any bonus content.
Will this course show me how to draw like Austin?
This isn’t a “how to draw like me” course — it’s a behind-the-scenes breakdown of how Austin thinks and plans sleeves. You’ll gain insights into his decision-making process, how he maps the body, how he builds rhythm and structure, and how you can apply those same ideas to your own work in your own style.
What makes this course differnt from other tattoo courses online?
Most courses show you how to draw — few show you how to think. This course goes beyond visual references and teaches you how to approach sleeves with structure, strategy, and intention. You’ll walk away with a repeatable framework for sleeve composition that applies to your own style and evolves with your career.
I've been tattooing for a while - is this still worth it?
Definitely. Many experienced artists have praised this course for helping them rethink and refine their process, fill gaps in their education, and increase their confidence when taking on large-scale work. Austin shares advanced techniques and decision-making strategies that even seasoned tattooers rarely get to learn firsthand.
Will this help me increase my pricing or bookings?
While the course isn’t about sales tactics, many artists report that having a stronger, more structured sleeve process has helped them increase their value, improve consultations, and gain trust from high-end clients— all of which can lead to higher rates and better projects.
Can I get a refund if I’m not satisfied with the course?
We offer a satisfaction guarantee. If you’re not happy with the course within the first 14 days of enrollment, contact us, and we will issue a full refund.
What if I'm not sure if it's the right course for me?
We get it — investing in your growth is a big step. That’s why we offer transparent previews, detailed course descriptions, and support for any questions you have. We’re confident you’ll find value here — and if you’re still unsure, reach out to our team and we’ll help you make the call.