Remington Tattoo · San Diego, CA

Body suit tattoos, designed in the round.

A body suit isn't a collection of tattoos — it's one composition, drawn for one body. Terry Ribera has been building large-scale custom work in San Diego since 2000: original designs that follow your anatomy, connect across every section, and hold their impact for decades.

Inquire to Book See the Process

Left One suit, one composition

Right Every angle considered

“Every piece is designed with a body suit in mind, regardless of whether it ever becomes one.”

Terry Ribera — Design Philosophy

Large-Scale Work

What makes a body suit different

Most tattoos are designed for a spot. A body suit is designed for a person. The back, chest, sleeves, and legs stop being separate projects and become sections of a single piece — with shared flow lines, a unified palette, and a silhouette that reads from across the room.

That changes how the work has to be planned. Compositions are mapped on full-body templates, front and back, before a single needle touches skin. Flow lines follow muscle and movement. Focal points land where the body naturally presents them. Negative space is placed deliberately, so the suit breathes instead of turning into noise. Whether the direction is Neo Japanese, biomechanical, or ornamental, the rules of large-scale design stay the same.

Body suit tattoo concept of a golden hannya mask over biomechanical forms, rendered on a full body figure by Terry Ribera San Diego — **Concept** Hannya over biomech, back view

Back piece tattoo concept of a green hannya mask with ornamental framework rendered on the body, designed by Terry Ribera San Diego — **Concept** Ornamental hannya back piece

Body suit tattoo concept with a swan, lotus flowers, and waves rendered on the body in full color, designed by Terry Ribera San Diego — **Concept** Swan & lotus suit direction

Back piece tattoo design of a jeweled crowned skull with a blue snake and maple leaves, rendered on the client's back by Terry Ribera San Diego — **Concept** Jeweled skull, mapped to the client

The Process

How a body suit gets built

Every large-scale project follows the same sequence — the one Terry has refined over 25 years and roughly 24,000 hours of tattooing. It's designed to remove guesswork before the first session and keep the whole suit coherent across years of work.

Consultation & concept

It starts with a real conversation. Drawing consultations run 2–3 hours with you in the room — Terry is adamant about developing the initial design with the client present, not behind a closed door. You bring clear ideas; he brings 25 years of knowing what will work on skin. Traveling clients can do this over Zoom or FaceTime.

Pencil drawing of an ornamental back tattoo design with wings and bio-organic detail, early concept development by Terry Ribera San Diego — **Fig. 01** Concept development in pencil

Measurements, tracings & flow

Terry takes measurements, photographs the area, and makes tracings of your actual body. From there, flow lines are mapped on front and back templates — the underlying current the whole composition will follow. Large-scale design only works when the canvas is real: your proportions, your posture, your existing tattoos if you have them.

Front view body template with flow lines mapped for a full body suit tattoo, planning stage by Terry Ribera San Diego — **Fig. 02a** Flow lines, front template

Back view body template with flow lines mapped for a full body suit tattoo, planning stage by Terry Ribera San Diego — **Fig. 02b** Flow lines, back template

Arm sleeve tattoo layout with wave motifs and flow lines mapped on an unwrapped arm template by Terry Ribera San Diego — **Fig. 02c** Sleeve layout study

Leg sleeve tattoo layout template with flow lines mapped across the thigh and calf by Terry Ribera San Diego — **Fig. 02d** Leg layout study

Designed in the round

The full composition is developed on front and back views before anything is finalized. Terry approaches the body the way a sculptor approaches form — a three-dimensional space considered from every angle. Does it flow? Does it enhance the natural musculature? Does it read well when you move? The design isn't done until the answer is yes from every side.

Full body suit tattoo drawing in blue pencil, front view, ornamental composition developed on a body template by Terry Ribera San Diego — **Fig. 03a** Suit drawing, front

Full body suit tattoo drawing in blue pencil, back view, showing the complete composition across the body by Terry Ribera San Diego — **Fig. 03b** Suit drawing, back

The black foundation

Longevity is the foundation of everything. Linework and shadows are established first — the black base that gives a tattoo structure — before color or lighter values are applied. Tattoos need black, space, and scale to hold up over decades. Ink choice, contrast, and composition are all weighed against how the suit will read in 10, 20, and 30 years, not just how it photographs on day one.

Black and grey hannya mask back piece tattoo design with cherry blossoms and waves by Terry Ribera San Diego — **Fig. 04a** Value structure, black & grey

Bio-organic back tattoo pencil drawing showing tonal structure and ornamental flow across the torso by Terry Ribera San Diego — **Fig. 04b** Tonal study in pencil

Sessions, section by section

A body suit is built over years of regular sessions — usually starting with a back piece or sleeve. Terry works efficiently: a full color sleeve or back piece typically takes him 18–21 hours, faster than most, but never rushed. Proper saturation and quality always come first. Your retainer secures all of your scheduled dates, so the project keeps moving.

Biomechanical body suit tattoo in progress showing completed front torso and green biomech sleeve, client at Remington Tattoo San Diego by Terry Ribera — **Fig. 05** Suit in progress, torso & sleeve

On Skin

Finished suits & sections, on real clients

Everything below is actual client work — full body suits, back pieces, torso fronts, and leg sleeves, each drawn from scratch for the person wearing it. These are ongoing projects and completed suits spanning Neo Japanese, biomechanical, bio-organic, and black & grey.

Neo Japanese full back piece tattoo of a samurai helmet and red mask with waves, peonies, and cherry blossoms, body suit by Terry Ribera San Diego — **Client** Samurai back piece & sleeves

Bio-organic body suit tattoo, back view, with a large green skull spanning the full back and jungle foliage down both legs, by Terry Ribera San Diego — **Client** Bio-organic skull suit, back

Neo Japanese body suit tattoo, back view, with an armored warrior figure, lilies, and waves across the full back and sleeves, by Terry Ribera San Diego — **Client** Armored warrior, full back

Biomechanical front torso tattoo in full color with layered mechanical and organic forms in purple and teal, by Terry Ribera San Diego — **Client** Biomech front torso

Biomechanical full back piece tattoo in color with symmetrical teal and silver forms and red accents, part of a body suit by Terry Ribera San Diego — **Client** Biomech full back

Front torso and neck tattoo in full color with skeleton pirates, a red octopus, and waves, large-scale custom work by Terry Ribera San Diego — **Client** Pirate front, chest to waist

Biomechanical rib and side tattoo in color wrapping from chest to hip as part of a body suit, by Terry Ribera San Diego — **Client** Biomech ribs, wrapped

Biomechanical side torso tattoo in teal and silver flowing continuously from arm to waist, body suit section by Terry Ribera San Diego — **Client** Side torso, arm to waist

Black and grey full back piece tattoo of a tiger descending the back with ornamental and floral elements, by Terry Ribera San Diego — **Client** Tiger back piece, black & grey

Neo Japanese snake tattoo in gold and orange wrapping the hip and thigh with peonies and cherry blossoms, by Terry Ribera San Diego — **Client** Snake over hip & thigh

Full leg sleeve tattoo shown in three views with a green dragon, koi, and purple peony in full color, by Terry Ribera San Diego — **Client** Dragon leg sleeve, three views

Neo Japanese leg sleeve tattoo with a warrior figure and golden phoenix in full color, by Terry Ribera San Diego — **Client** Warrior & phoenix leg

From the Drawing Table

Sleeves designed as sections

Sleeves and leg pieces are designed the same way the suits are — as unwrapped compositions with their own flow, ready to connect to whatever comes next. A sleeve that starts as a standalone piece can grow into a suit without ever looking like an afterthought.

Sleeve tattoo design with a peacock, leopard, and peonies in full color by Terry Ribera, custom tattoo designs San Diego — **Design** Peacock & leopard sleeve

Neo Japanese sleeve tattoo design with a koi dragon, koi, waves, and cherry blossoms in full color by Terry Ribera San Diego — **Design** Koi dragon sleeve

Sleeve tattoo design with a dragon, tiger, and fu dog in full color, unwrapped sleeve composition by Terry Ribera San Diego — **Design** Dragon & tiger sleeve

Body suit tattoo drawing in blue and red pencil with a swan, waves, and lotus flowers developed on a back view template by Terry Ribera San Diego — **Drawing** Swan suit, pencil stage

Finished color concept of the swan body suit design with teal mandala, red lotus flowers, and waves by Terry Ribera San Diego — **Render** Same suit, developed in color

Questions

Body suit tattoo FAQ

How long does a body suit tattoo take?

A full body suit is measured in years, not sessions. It's built section by section — typically starting with a back piece or sleeve — with regular appointments over time. For reference, a full color sleeve or back piece typically takes Terry 18–21 hours, which is faster than most artists. The overall pace depends on your schedule, budget, and how your skin heals between sessions.

How much does a body suit tattoo cost?

Terry's hourly rate is $250, and clients are only billed for time on skin. A $500 non-refundable retainer secures your scheduled dates and comes off the total cost of the work. Because a suit is completed in stages over years, the investment is spread out across the life of the project. Full pricing details are on the booking page.

Do I have to commit to a full body suit from the start?

No. Every piece Terry designs is composed with a body suit in mind, whether or not it ever becomes one. A single back piece or sleeve is designed to stand alone — and to connect naturally if you decide to expand later. Most body suits grow this way, one major section at a time.

Can you work around or cover my existing tattoos?

Yes. Roughly 30% of Terry's client work involves covering or reworking existing tattoos, and he's been doing cover-ups for over 20 years. Existing work is factored into the composition from the first sketch, so the finished suit reads as one continuous design.

What happens at the first appointment?

All large-scale work begins with a drawing appointment. Terry takes measurements, photographs the area, and makes tracings of your body, then develops the initial design with you in the room during a 2–3 hour consultation. Traveling clients can do this over Zoom or FaceTime. The final design is completed before your first tattoo session.

How far out are you booked?

The waitlist is currently close to one year. Large-scale clients are scheduled as ongoing projects with recurring dates, so once a suit or major section is underway, your appointments are secured in advance.

Start the Conversation

Ready to build something at scale?

Take time with the portfolio first and make sure the work speaks to you. If it does, reach out — every body suit starts with a single conversation at Remington Tattoo in North Park, San Diego.

Book a Consultation Read the FAQ