Looking for advice

[wolfcub696]

Hi, first of all I'm from Somerset, UK, married, two kids, 35yrs old, no tattoos (my wife has 4) but looking at getting my first.

Second, I understand that tattoo's are personal... I really do... but I've got an idea for a tattoo but I don't know many people with tattoos to talk to ... I've got scawny arm syndrome (11.5" bicep and 14" from shoulder to elbow) and am wondering, will my idea look odd, out of place, can the detail be picked out in something that would fit my arm, would this be too much in one go... whatever. Just looking for some advice and thoughts....

The design is attached (or at least so far as I can make from images found via google to represent my thoughts) - and so yes you guessed it, it has not been professionally designed! Each component part symbolises something to me, for example the landscape in the background is supposed to show a barren and dark mountain behind the knight with a lush green and light mountain to the front, the two cherubs are significant as are the white roses with one red rose...etc

In short I welcome your comments, advice, thoughts, critiques etc. It would be good to just chat through some ideas and questions.

[youthcrewalex]

that is ALOT of detail for one tattoo. are you looking to get a sleeve or just a hand size piece? because in my opinion if you want ALL those elements id look at getting a sleeved laid out in a different way to your picture or a much larger tattoo of a similar design elsewhere on your body. otherwise you're going to have a tattoo that dos'nt look as cool or good as it could be. My advice is to research tattooists in your area, look at portfolios and ask to see pictures of HEALED tattoos, once you're happy with an artist then begin talking with them about your ideas for a tattoo.

hope this helps and i don't sound like an arsehole

[CultExciter]

I second @youthcrewalex

Yes tattoos are personal, and I understand the urge to get everything and the kitchen sink on your first tattoo, but you'll be wanting more. Focus on strong imagery, and you can build on it from there. A fine tattoo artist will be able to help talk you through your ideas, especially if you are willing to take their advice.

[wolfcub696]

@ youthcrewalex Thanks for your reply... this is exactly the sort of opinion I'm looking for so no you're definitely not sounding like an arsehole... I was (am) worried about the amount of detail too...when first thinking about what I wanted to include there was a lot of different ideas and my wife suggested more than one tattoo but my initial thoughts were to make it into one coherent piece as all the elements link to each other... I was thinking it would have to be a (excuse the lack of terminology...) half sleeve??? as I don't think I'd want it anywhere else on my body but as I said I have scrawny arms so wouldn't want it to wrap around or look odd...

[tacitapproval]

First, Welcome!

Second, that's a lot to fit on an arm. With that much stuff involved you might need a whole back for it. That said, maybe distill your intended meaning(s) into a concise sentence (5 words or fewer) and then drop any component that doesn't directly speak to that theme.

Also talk to a good tattooer. Nothing better than someone who really knows what they're doing as far as advice. You're likely to get a better tattoo that better fits the space and still carries the intended meaning.

There are definitely folks here who can point you in the direction of someone who will do right by you...and your wee arms.

Cheers.

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@CultExciter and @youthcrewalex beat me to it. And said it better.

Best of luck, @wolfcub696 !

[wolfcub696]

@ cultexciter Also thanks... I did go into a local tattoo studio a while ago and started looking through their work... the guy came up and asked what I was looking for and started using a load of terminology and I just felt a right douche... Stupid I know but I really don't look like the kind of guy who should be in a tattoo studio... imagine a cross between Leonard and Sheldon from Big Bang Theory and you wouldn't be far wrong!

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@ tacitapproval thanks... you're reinforcing what I feared (but that's a good thing, I'd rather hash this out with people before I make too much of a fool of myself!)... it's a lot of detail for an arm. How do you go about asking a tattooist to draw up a design for you? Presumably there is a cost involved in designing it in the first place, how pissed will they be if they design it and you ask for bits to be changed?

[Graeme]

@ cultexciter Also thanks... I did go into a local tattoo studio a while ago and started looking through their work... the guy came up and asked what I was looking for and started using a load of terminology and I just felt a right douche... Stupid I know but I really don't look like the kind of guy who should be in a tattoo studio... imagine a cross between Leonard and Sheldon from Big Bang Theory and you wouldn't be far wrong!

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@ tacitapproval thanks... you're reinforcing what I feared (but that's a good thing, I'd rather hash this out with people before I make too much of a fool of myself!)... it's a lot of detail for an arm. How do you go about asking a tattooist to draw up a design for you? Presumably there is a cost involved in designing it in the first place, how pissed will they be if they design it and you ask for bits to be changed?

There's some great advice here, to which I'll add that you should be treated respectfully and courteously by a tattoo artist and that if one is making you feel like a douche or that you don't belong there, then you should be looking for somebody else to do the tattoo.

[Joe Shit]

I think if you drop the archway,and just focus on the knight,cherubs,roses,and some background,it may work.Another thing to consider is do you want it in black & grey,realistic color,or traditional.

Dan,Jolene,& Jules@ Forever & Ever Tattoo Home Page

PHYSICALGRAFFITI.CO.UK

Chris Jones for realistic,David Swambo neo traditional.

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http://www.noregretsstudios.co.uk/

Meehow,Phatt,Jen,& Lauren

[wolfcub696]

@ Joe Shit, yeah I wasn't sure about colour... I think I am leaning more to black and grey now that I've changed the image into greyscale.

[DJDeepFried]

@ cultexciter Also thanks... I did go into a local tattoo studio a while ago and started looking through their work... the guy came up and asked what I was looking for and started using a load of terminology and I just felt a right douche... Stupid I know but I really don't look like the kind of guy who should be in a tattoo studio... imagine a cross between Leonard and Sheldon from Big Bang Theory and you wouldn't be far wrong!

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@ tacitapproval thanks... you're reinforcing what I feared (but that's a good thing, I'd rather hash this out with people before I make too much of a fool of myself!)... it's a lot of detail for an arm. How do you go about asking a tattooist to draw up a design for you? Presumably there is a cost involved in designing it in the first place, how pissed will they be if they design it and you ask for bits to be changed?

In answer to your question, here's how it works:

a) Find a tattoo artist you like. You may have to wait. Do not let this deter you. Don't go bargain shopping. Use the time to save your money. I cannon emphasize this last point enough.

b) Go in for a consultation. This is where you show him/her your ideas, schedule your tattoo session(s), and probably put down a deposit (often equal to one hour of work).

c) He she will draw it up for you. This part is "free" -- meaning most tattoo artists charge by the hour starting when needle hits flesh, but sometimes by the piece. It is not rude to ask an artist his/her rates. It is rude to haggle.

d) On the day of your appointment (but sometimes before), he/she will show you the design he/she drew up. If you selected well, chances are you will be delighted. You can ask for a few tweaks -- placement, size, etc., but the rule of thumb is that your artist knows best. When everybody's happy, he/she makes the stencil, puts it on your body, and starts inkin'. Hope this helps.

Update: Oh, yeah -- I forgot. e) Tip well.

Basically, the answer to any other question you could possibly have is embedded somewhere in the wisdom of this board. Look around -- and welcome.

[wolfcub696]

@ DJDeepFried, many thanks you've answered all my questions, I suppose I just need to go googling to begin with to find an artist I like :-)

[iowagirl]

I saw a link when I was dinking around on here..but I don't recall which area it was in. Anyway, it was a link to maybe a blog post? About imagery and meanings. The example was of Diana, an oak tree, a deer, a moon and...a dove I think. It was shown in two different ways, one showing the Huntress, the deer and tree etc all top to bottom and the other was like the deer laying down, Diana behind it, and a partial tree to the side. It showed how just b/c you want 20 different things in one image/tattoo b/c they all have great meaning to you, there is a way it can be done w/out needing to have a super large space.

I would definitely check around at other shops too, if that guy you talked to was like that.

[darkest light tattoo]

Graeme, well said if your looking to do something that detailed you need a detail oriented artist to do it shop around and look at portfolios the arm may not be the best spot for that tattoo unless you are open to doing some artistic changes to the potential tattoo art.

[wolfcub696]

@iowagirl and @darkest light tattoo Thanks, since posting on here I've had the thought myself that my initial ideas were too ambitious and too large so I'm thinking now to break the 20 images into groups for different tattoos at different times. I think the first will be just the name (changed slightly - I bet that's got some of you confused) with the roses in a wreath underneath and I'm thinking of getting this on my chest (top right).