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Choices

Design and placement

A design that works on paper isn’t yet a good tattoo. Skin is round, moves and changes, and the spot partly decides how the design will look in ten years. These are the points that make the difference.

Size is not a detail

Over the years, ink spreads a little in the skin. Lines get slightly thicker and small gaps fill in. A portrait the size of a coin therefore loses its face, while the same design at hand size stays beautiful. So don’t only ask whether something fits, but also how it will look in ten years. A good tattoo artist can guide you in this, and that isn’t an attempt to sell you a bigger piece.

The shape of your body

A tattoo follows muscles, bones and direction. A design that flows with the arm looks more natural than the same image stuck straight onto the arm. That’s why a stencil is often applied while you stand and placed several times. So stand for a moment in your normal posture, relax your arm, and look in the mirror. Feel free to have the stencil moved if something isn’t right.

Spot and wear

Hands, fingers and feet wear faster, because the skin there works a lot. Skin that gets a lot of sun also fades sooner. Bellies and thighs can change with weight changes and pregnancy. That’s no reason not to do it, but it is something to choose consciously. Also think about what your work allows, and what you want to show in a summer with short sleeves.

Style and what it needs

  • Fine lines need calm skin and a steady hand, and benefit from a size in which they can breathe.
  • Dotwork builds up shading from dots. It often ages beautifully, because by nature it doesn’t need hard edges.
  • Black & grey works with diluted ink and contrast. Leave enough light, because it’s the empty skin that makes the image.
  • Realism needs size. Faces need room to stay recognisable.
  • Blackwork stays easy to read from a distance, but is heavier to tattoo and to heal.
  • Colour needs more care against the sun, and is different for every skin tone.

How to ask a good question

Say what it should mean or express, not only what you want to see. Send three to five references and say for each what appeals to you: the line, the shading, the composition. Say which spot you have in mind and how big, and send a photo of that spot if needed. Also send what you definitely don’t want.

Copying

Don’t ask for an exact copy of someone else’s work. That isn’t fair to the person who made it, and it never fits your body exactly. References are meant as a direction. Let the tattoo artist make something that belongs only to you. See also our way of working.

Expanding later

Thinking of a sleeve or a larger piece? Say so now, even if you start with one motif. Choosing a spot that leaves room saves a lot later. Sleeves turn out best when they are designed as a whole, or at least with the plan to make them connect. In the portfolio you can see how different parts can work together on one arm.

The final check

At the studio, look at the stencil. Is the spelling right, also with names and dates? Check it twice. Ask what is intended with lines that aren’t on it yet. Then the session starts with confidence.

Frequently asked

How small can a tattoo be?

That depends on the detail. Small gaps fill in over the years, so ask how the design will hold up in ten years.

Can I bring my own design?

Yes, as a reference or as a basis. It’s usually adapted to the shape of your body.

Can I have the stencil moved?

Always. That’s exactly what it’s for.

Sources

General information, not medical or legal advice. Aftercare advice from the studio comes first.