why, when building muscle, does it seem like a body part with tattoos is smaller or less defined?

Question

I have a sleeve on my left arm and have always just known “Tattoos= looks smaller and less defined” and I’ve never really questioned it until now.

In: Biology

Answer 1

Optical illusion. Your eyes follow the contours of the tat rather than those beneath it. Tattoos are a distraction from the underlying structure.

This can be exaggerated by the contents of the tattoo, also. Vertical lines increase the illusion somewhat while horizontal ones slightly alleviate it.