Lady Heads

[HettyKet]

Not to sound dumb but, do you just find pics of heads you like and have the artist draw something up for you, or do you look someplace for flash? Now that I find out the one I fell head over heals in love with is a painting from someone I'll never be able to get to, I'm not sure where to go/look.

THere's no reason why you can't take the Lina Stigsson drawing as one of your references, it's just asking for an outright copy that wouldn't be on. She looks 20's inspired to me so a quick google of flappers and you should find more than enough additional reference material.

[Graeme]

Oops didn't see the Tom of Finland reference above.

[HettyKet]

Had a few relevant looking 20's girls hanging about in my reference piles, here:

Argentine film actress Mona Maris (“The Pride of the Pampas”), photographed by E. O. Hoppé in 1929

Anna May Wong c1920

Jetta Goudal

Katerine Burke

[el twe]

That Katerine Burke photo is just begging to be turned into a tattoo!

[iowagirl]

those are beautiful!

[HettyKet]

I really love lady heads but I must admit I'm still dubious about having a straight up, classic lady head done. I think, for me, the issue is that I worry it could come across as a sort of idealized image of self and seem vain, or something. I can't really even express my reservations clearly when it comes to it. A pin-up I really couldn't hack though. Not to criticize those women who have the ovaries to to wear a classic lady head or other straight up image of idealized femininity - I'm not generalizing at all, my reservations are purely based on my own insecurities!

Am strongly considering nice big a lady-rose (I think they're called) bush instead. One with a good number faces and busts. This kind of idea but then with a lot more girls some empty roses and more variation in the type of lady head:

(By George Burchett on Edith Burchett)

[DevilMan]

To me the best lady heads (and the occasional mans head) are made by Guen Douglas:

[HettyKet]

I like her men ever such a lot but her ladies ladies are often too stylized for my taste.

[graybones]

@HettyKet Brad Stevens does my favorite ladies-in-flowers tattoos. Hope to get one some day. Maybe not exactly what you're looking for but similar?

http://instagram.com/p/iKb1hJxhoh

[HettyKet]

...Brad Stevens...

Oh yes, those are the closest I've seen yet to what I had imagined, thank you! Really, really lovey roses too.

No chance of me getting over to the states though <sob> Get one for me while you're at it?

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This has to be my favourite of his, I think. Prefer a more traditional coloring / stem, but still. Thanks again.

[Synesthesia]

I've flip flopped on getting a classic lady head, a bearded lady head, or just a man head with an epic beard (what can I say, I love beards). I love the soft vintage look of Tom of Finland's men, but would obviously prefer something less homoerotic. :o

I'll probably end up going the safer route and getting something along these lines, I really love this Chris Conn lady:

(Sorry the pic is kind of huge, but I think it's worth it :D)

[graybones]

@HettyKet Ah sucks that you aren't close enough! I'll dedicate mine to you. That one you posted is killer. Love how he gives each lady their own personality.

@Synesthesia Get all three. Problem solved.

[iowagirl]

@iowagirl I think the reason no one gets "man-heads" is because women are more pleasing to the eye! (kidding ....kind of)

I'd have to actually agree w/you there! Not that men aren't nice to look at of course..I think JD would rather I had a lady head than say...Johnny Depp's head tattooed on my body. I like to look at women I guess!

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THere's no reason why you can't take the Lina Stigsson drawing as one of your references, it's just asking for an outright copy that wouldn't be on. She looks 20's inspired to me so a quick google of flappers and you should find more than enough additional reference material.

Oh yeah, totally I wouldn't ask for an outright copy of it-I'd planned on changing things on it to begin w/ so it wouldn't have been an exact copy anyway, but now I don't know how proper that is, even with changes, since it's not just a drawing off a tattoo shop wall. I wish I could remember what I googled to find her in the first place.

[Synesthesia]

@Synesthesia Get all three. Problem solved.

Getting more tattoos somehow manages to be both the cause and solution of all our problems. But yeah, I can totally see that Conn lady I posted on me someday, I'll have to brainstorm more about the other ideas and see what sticks.

[Breakme]

I just looked up Tom of Finland and WOW! Was not expecting to see that! haha!

[Tiger Rag]

I know these were mentioned a few posts back, but I've been wondering: Any idea where the lady head with a heart headband image came from? I feel like there's gotta be a cool story behind that one that I'm missing out on. Does it mean anything in particular?

[iowagirl]

So I am thinking to do a lady above my knee, similar to the pretty one I found earlier, and was browsing sparrows today. The thought being to do one on the other leg to balance things out. I found lady head-bird during my scrollings. OMG her FACE! So then I googled the artist and found a ton of gorgeousness.

[deadsp0t]

So I am thinking to do a lady above my knee' date=' similar to the pretty one I found earlier, and was browsing sparrows today. The thought being to do one on the other leg to balance things out. I found lady head-bird during my scrollings. OMG her FACE! So then I googled the artist and found a ton of gorgeousness.[/quote']

Digging the one with the book, cool idea.

[cltattooing]

Noble, Valerie Vargas and Xam are killing it with the "lady heads".

Does it make me a total asshole for saying that I think they all look the same, or rather, like Chris Conn's girls?

[scubaron]

Someone else posted work by Anderson Luna. Here are a few more. My wife is not the jealous type, but I don't think she would like it if I got a tattoo of a woman. Never the less, Anderson's work is very impressive.

[cltattooing]

Opinions are like assholes, everyone has one... Hahaha.

I see what you are saying though, but I like 'em.

Let's not forget Bob Wicks.

Ain't that the truth :)

I like them too, it's a really beautiful style. And also, when all is said and done, I'm sure they'll be considered iconic from future tattoo history's perspective. And Bob Wicks does great lady heads, they're just so simple and beautiful and everything that a girl head tattoo needs to be.

[Stax138]

Claudia De Sabe is really killing the girl head game as well

[guitguy]

I believe at least Valerie Vargas admits to being heavily influenced by Chris Conn. How bad could that be ? ;)

[Graeme]

I believe at least Valerie Vargas admits to being heavily influenced by Chris Conn. How bad could that be ? ;)

And whatever her influences, there's so much life in her lady heads...hell, in all her tattoos...that she's really made them her own.

[Delicious]

Well, I see for the most part that there's alot of lady heads now, even by lesser known tattooers, that have the same look as Conn ladies, which of course influenced Vargas and Xam ladies...

I think it's just a shift in aesthetic. There's something very captivating about the eyes on these ladies, and their popularity seems to be spreading. Hell, I even have a lady head who looks somewhat in the same vein. In all, just seems to be a shift towards what I think will become the new standard for lady head tattoos, though the real traditional looking ones will probably continue to be popular.