i know i’m new here, and this topic may have been discussed in the past, just wanted some input. i’ve loved tattoos and the concept of skin as canvas for over 20years. i’m not a tattoo artist, but an artist nonetheless. about 10 years ago i started drawing tattoo concept drawings for friends, and before i knew it, i was getting referrals to draw for complete strangers. i don’t sell my work, i just suggest artists that i feel are good at the specific styles people have me draw. i never thought anything of it until a friend of a friend approached me and told me that they felt what i did was stealing the spotlight from the artists. i don’t think i’m the first person to draw my own work, and i was a little hurt that they basically accused me of being a little underhanded. just because i draw up the concept doesn’t mean the artist won’t or can’t put their own individual spin on it. am i really in the wrong for providing a concept drawing that clients can bring to their tattoo artist?
My son can play the violin very well but the only thing he can play without music in front of him is the “Star Wars” movie theme. He’s a violin player, not a musician.
Three of the first four tattoos I had done were taken from pictures and traced on. The work being done now is drawn on free hand. Personally I think that is the difference between a “tattooer” and a “tattoo artist”. (Lindsay did my red and blue West African Rainbow lizard. She does show creative ability and may work on me in the future)
Some would be offended, others would not. I’ve learned a hell of alot the monts I’ve followed this forum.
@yodaddynukka 120872 wrote:
I never understood why people needed to draw something and take to a tattoo ARTIST. The tattoo ARTIST should be the one drawing your tattoo. Research the artists style and portfolio and tell them the concept of your idea and have them draw it.
X2, and then some
@yodaddynukka 120872 wrote:
I never understood why people needed to draw something and take to a tattoo ARTIST. The tattoo ARTIST should be the one drawing your tattoo. Research the artists style and portfolio and tell them the concept of your idea and have them draw it.
I was a novice this past June. I went to a shop and said I wanted a lizard tattoo. We looked through images on the internet. We picked one and “poof” it was traced on my leg.
I didn’t know any better. Had I not stumbled onto this forum I would still be going there. People have major surgery without a second opinion. Why get a second opinion for a tattoo? A TATTOO IS SURGERY!
@yodaddynukka 120872 wrote:
I never understood why people needed to draw something and take to a tattoo ARTIST. The tattoo ARTIST should be the one drawing your tattoo. Research the artists style and portfolio and tell them the concept of your idea and have them draw it.
Here we go. My wife Andrea was done with tattoos. The last one was painful. (Her first tattoo was a Scottish Thistle on her right thigh).
Now she has seen the work that Anthony has done on me and she’s wanting a Celtic Dragon around the thistle.
She has come up with a basic design and color scheme.
When we see Anthony on Tuesday he’ll look at the design and his mind will take over. Supply the basic design, be it a drawing, a photo, or a verbal idea and a true artist will run with it.
I’ll post before’s and after’s.
@Sam-I-Am 120904 wrote:
Here we go. My wife Andrea was done with tattoos. The last one was painful. (Her first tattoo was a Scottish Thistle on her right thigh).
Now she has seen the work that Anthony has done on me and she’s wanting a Celtic Dragon around the thistle.
She has come up with a basic design and color scheme.
When we see Anthony on Tuesday he’ll look at the design and his mind will take over. Supply the basic design, be it a drawing, a photo, or a verbal idea and a true artist will run with it.I’ll post before’s and after’s.
This is my experience so far of the artists I had chosen. Were either verbal or a picture and they did the rest.
@yodaddynukka 120872 wrote:
I never understood why people needed to draw something and take to a tattoo ARTIST. The tattoo ARTIST should be the one drawing your tattoo. Research the artists style and portfolio and tell them the concept of your idea and have them draw it.
What does it matter who draws it, if the client is getting the design they want? Serious question, not being argumentative.
Do tattoo artists get offended when someone brings in a set design, and they didn’t draw it themselves? I’m sure artists do get their fair share of being able to create original designs for people, but get some quick flash work in between as well.
I would think the point would be to make the client happy, not to only tattoo designs that they personally drew up?
@peterpoose 120953 wrote:
This is my experience so far of the artists I had chosen. Were either verbal or a picture and they did the rest.
Exactly. Thats a lesson mostly learned the hard way.
Ive had refrence material i wanted tattooed exactly like the refrence. Theres nothing wrong with knowing what you want.
For my cthulhu i took two refrence pics with me and we talked about what we liked about each and he freehanded the outline.
Sometimes ill make an appt, go in an hour early to look thru books and figure out what im getting while hes setting up.
The spur of the moment tattoos always have to be lighthearted without much significance or meaning.
Jerry,
I have a warped sense of humor as you have probably guessed by now.
At my last session I suggested that at some point, at an insignificant location I have something stupid placed. Very small but there. A kitchen sink, a urinal, a dick? We haven’t decided yet. All I know is that I’ve had more fun this year since a long time. (I do owe a lot to the people in this forum)
(steak sauce for the “raw meat”)
Last time i went in empty handed i got my “cock hanging down to my knee” piece. Its in my album.
Im always asking people if they want me to drop my pants and show them my cock. Noone has taken me up on it yet.
Funny story. One time i witnessed another guy whip out his cock, only his was hanging below his knee. So i whipped mine out, but he wins cause it was hanging lower. He told me he liked the way my cock looked. True story.
“Rooster”
i like to design my own tattoos, that way i get exactly what i want and get the best placement, and the guy who does my ink doesn’t have an issue with it at all. i was just taken aback by the comment made to me(by someone who has no ink). the latest one i got was a coverup that i drew myself, and it took a long time to make it symmetrical and the exact size i wanted it without losing any detail and making sure that it covered my crap tattoo 100%. it came out beautiful and my tattoo artist paid me what i felt was a great compliment by saying it couldn’t have been drawn more perfect. i think, overall, the idea is to make the client 100% happy. i’ve had some tattoos where i gave the artist a reference, and their personal touch to the work didn’t quite appeal to me. unfortunately, one instance ended in a particularly unsatisfying tattoo when the artist chose to freehand some stuff i didn’t care for. i’ve had many tattoos from several different artist, but i found one guy who’s style matches my own and defintely knows what i like and what i don’t, so i’ll keep going to him until i’m done getting tattooed. everyone’s had some great input, and i thank you all for sharing
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