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Need help with my first tattoo


nicole
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So for the past few years I've been wanting to get a tattoo but I have yet to do so because I keep changing my mind about what I want.  The general concept remains consistent but the design, size and location I've changed a bunch of times.  I think i've finally settled on the main design but am still unsure about the layout.

 

its-not-where-you-go-its-who-you-travel-

 

The tattoo with be based around this comic cell.  It will be in honour of my best buddy who past away a little over two years ago- a beagle mix named Joey.  I got him when I was 6 years old, and grew up with him and we were always inseparable and losing him was the first time I really ever had my heart broken.

 

At first I was simply going to get his paw print tattooed on my ribs, but being as this is my first (and maybe last) tattoo, and I'm honestly not a huge fan of B/W tattoos, I really wanted something with some colour and character to it, and i'd like it to be somewhere where I can actually see it...not to mention that i've had several people tell me that the ribs is a terrible place for a first tattoo.

 

then I found this picture on google and absolutely fell in love with it.  tumblr_ls7hxi4Obi1qzabkfo1_500.jpg

I love the location, the simplicity, the size, the colour and everything about it.  I even toyed with getting almost exactly that but would like something that actually literates the 'best pal' relationship a little better.  So i'd somehow like to incorporate the comic cell above into a design of similar layout to this tattoo.  And u'm unsure about the text.  I really really like the quote but i'm unsure about how i feel about image tattoos with text.  how would I incorporate that in?

and what are people opinions on tattoos on the inside of the arm?  especially on chicks?  i'd still like it to be somewhere where I could cover it if necessary.  and my concern is just having a big colourful square on my arm. I def don't want that.

anybody here good with tattoo layouts or photoshop or whatever and could give me some suggestions?

 

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Keep in mind, that you won't be getting the back ground of that cell. Once that's out of the way, you're left with, Very simply line drawing with 2 colours then shading.

Of you don't want it to look like a square, you can get a round border, say a very simple wreath.

I personally wouldn't bother with the writing. Especially of it's going in the inside of your arm(it fucking hurts!). You don't NEED the writing there. It's the picture that is the symbology, not the words.

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Keep in mind, that you won't be getting the back ground of that cell. Once that's out of the way, you're left with, Very simply line drawing with 2 colours then shading.

Of you don't want it to look like a square, you can get a round border, say a very simple wreath.

I personally wouldn't bother with the writing. Especially of it's going in the inside of your arm(it fucking hurts!). You don't NEED the writing there. It's the picture that is the symbology, not the words.

thanks.  this is actually very helpful.  i never considered fully dropping the background.  i think i'd still like the tree and house just to give it a little more of the look of the actual comic vs just a random little pic floating on my arm.  kind of like that other tattoo pic i posted. hmm.

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like i think there is a very fine line between having a HUGE colourful block on your arm which almost would be the start of a 1/4 sleeve, and then having it too simplified and just having a random shitty little picture floating on your body.  i want somewhere in between.  i don't want it massive, but i want it colourful and not looking out of place.  if that makes any sense.

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Ahhhhhh I thought you wanted it to be like the floating pic thing haha sorry!

But even still, it's really easy to fade off the colour. It doesn't need to be an abrupt line, which would look too 'strong' in my opinion.

A tattooist that's really good with traditional or 'old school' tattoos would do this an absolute treat

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I don't see how this would work as a tattoo because there isn't like a tiger or a scorpion or an eightball or yingyang or super cool barbwire Chinese symbol or flames or anything.

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I don't see how this would work as a tattoo because there isn't like a tiger or a scorpion or an eightball or yingyang or super cool barbwire Chinese symbol or flames or anything.

Tribal tatz or bust.

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(I used to be like you) Stop over thinking it. The trouble is when most get their first tattoo, it's all deep and shit. Just go for it, relax take a breath. Yolo. You don't have to be one and done, you can get more on very many other locations.

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White ink should be used for accents only. When that snoopy heals it will look like a diseased yellow.

I agree! My best advice is don't be a control freak when your tattoo artist says the same suggestions we give you here... I don't mean to come off as a snot, but I've been there before so I can totally relate to the control factor you might be wanting. 

 

With white, it's best as accents or to pop other colors not really as a solid fill in. If you look up "japanese wave tattoos" which one might think it implements a lot of white to for the foam in the waves you might be surprised to learn it's actually just negative space and left blank. Maybe some shading in there with light blue or baby blue mixed with a lot of white...

 

At any rate good luck!

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My best advice for this is really just to find a artist that does good cartoon tattoos and bring them the comic cell and tell them what you want to include from it. If the artist has been doing it for a while they will intrinsically know what the best composition or colouring would be.

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