Sleeves by By Eli Ferguson
Tattooing for more than a decade, Eli Ferguson is a dedicated tattooer committed to making classic Japanese style tattoos. Raised on the Sunshine Coast, tattooing has taken Eli around Australia and Japan to learn from the best and hone his craft.
Book A Consultation to Design Your Japanese Sleeve
◦ Private Tattoo Studio
◦ Sunshine Coast Hinterland
◦ Licenced and Professional
◦ 12+ Years Experience, Trained By Irezumi Master In Tokyo
◦ Fully custom design process
◦ Personal, pressure-free experience
Sleeves by By Edward Neo
Edward Neo sets his focus on creating large scale, impactful and long lasting pieces that speak beyond aesthetics for his clients. Being of Chinese descent, the oriental culture is deeply rooted in his upbringing.
Sleeve Tattoo FAQs
What is a Japanese sleeve tattoo?
A Japanese sleeve tattoo is a large-scale tattoo that covers the arm, typically from shoulder to wrist (full sleeve) or half/three-quarter variations. Traditional Japanese sleeves (irezumi) are designed as one cohesive composition, often featuring elements like dragons, koi fish, samurai and flowing background patterns.
How long does a Japanese sleeve tattoo take?
A Japanese sleeve tattoo is completed over multiple sessions and can take anywhere from 25 to 80+ hours depending on the level of detail, size and complexity. Larger, highly detailed sleeves may take several months to complete.
Book a consultation and we can discuss your ideas and give you an estimate.
How much does a sleeve tattoo cost?
The cost of a sleeve tattoo depends on the size, design complexity and time required.
Japanese sleeves are priced per session or hourly. We recommend booking a consultation to receive an estimate based on your design.
What designs work best for Japanese sleeve tattoos?
When you come in for your consult, we have Japanese books with subject matter than you can review to help you choose or refine your subject matter.
Common designs include dragons, koi fish, tigers, samurai, snakes, oni and mythological figures.
These are combined with traditional background elements such as waves, wind bars, peonies and cherry blossoms to create a balanced, flowing composition.
Can a sleeve tattoo connect to a backpiece?
Yes. Japanese sleeve tattoos are often designed to connect into a backpiece or bodysuit. If you plan to extend your tattoo in the future, it’s best to consider this during the consultation and design stage.
Do I need a consultation before starting a sleeve tattoo?
Yes. A consultation allows us to plan your sleeve properly, including design, placement, flow and long-term direction. This is especially important for traditional Japanese tattooing.
How do I start a sleeve tattoo?
The first step is to book a consultation.
From there, your artist will design a custom sleeve based on your ideas, body shape and traditional Japanese tattooing principles.
Our Studio
Where is Wabori House Tattoo?
We are located on private property on the Sunshine Coast. 15 minutes from Buderim.
How do I make a booking?
To make an appointment, and / or book a consultation with one of our tattoo artists, please fill in our booking form.
All appointments require a non-refundable $200 deposit to secure the booking. If you cancel or reschedule within 48 hours of your appointment, this deposit is forfeited.
If you reschedule your appointment with more notice than 48 hours, the deposit is valid for 12 months since the date of payment, and will be deducted from your last sitting.
Why do I need a consultation for larger work?
A consultation allows you to discuss your tattoo design requirements, location and any questions you have.
Large-scale Japanese tattoos (such as sleeves, backpieces and bodysuits) require dedication, patience and budgeting.
This style of tattooing speaks strongly of one’s personal discipline, perseverance and pride.
We like to make sure if we are making this commitment to complete this work together, that we’re the right fit for each other.
Book A Consultation to get started.
How do I look after my tattoo while it's healing?
Our tattoo artists will discuss tattoo after care with you in person.
As with any break to the skin, it’s important to keep the ‘wound’ clean to promote healing.
We will provide you with comprehensive aftercare instructions on the day of your appointment.
What should I do on the day of my tattoo?
There are several things you can do to make your tattoo experience more enjoyable and to promote healing.
- Make sure you have had something to eat and drink about an hour before your tattoo.
- Wear clothes that will be both comfortable and practical. You know where you are likely to get your tattoo, so make sure you dress so that you can expose this general area while at the same time maintaining your dignity. We also have privacy screens if you'd like to use them.
- You may like to bring headphones, or other distractions, as you will generally be sitting for long hours.
- Please pack lunch if you have a full day booked. Being in the Sunshine Coast Hinterland there are no shops within walking distance.
I don't live on the Sunshine Coast, what is the best way to organise an appointment?
We offer phone consultations to help with the tattoo process.
Complete our Booking Form.and we will get back to you as soon as possible.
Our Process
Book A Consultation
Large-scale Japanese tattoos (such as sleeves, backpieces and bodysuits) require dedication, patience and budgeting. We like to make sure if we are making this commitment to complete this work together, that we’re the right fit for each other. At your consult, we will discuss your tattoo design requirements, location and any questions you have.
Book dates & Pay deposit
When you are ready to proceed — we will offer you dates for 4 tattoo sessions (full day is 5 hours). We usually leave 2 to 4 weeks between appointments to allow the skin to heal.
A $200 deposit is required to secure these dates, and that amount is subtracted from your final tattoo session.
Start your Sleeve Tattoo
Please arrive on time for your session. As the studio is located on private property, no earlier than 10 minutes is appreciated.
Payment for each session is required on the day of the appointment and can be made by cash or bank transfer.
Japanese Style Tattoo Artists
Eli and Edward aim to work with a community on the Sunshine Coast who can appreciate and wear large scale classic Japanese tattoos or ‘horimono’. We take a culturally respectful approach to Japanese tattooing.
Eli Ferguson
Raised on the Sunshine Coast, tattooing has taken Eli around Australia and Japan to learn from the best and hone his craft.
Edward Neo
Edward is a Singaporean tattooer who has been tattooing on the Sunshine Coast for over 6 years. He sets his focus on creating large scale, impactful, and long lasting pieces that speak beyond aesthetics for his clients.
Book a Consultation
Please fill in the form for all consult requests and bookings.
All consults are free of charge.
Tattoo appointments require a $200 deposit to secure the booking.
Located on the Sunshine Coast.