Hello from a virgin canvas.

[HettyKet]

Hi, I'm Hetty - 36 years old, British but based in the Netherlands (Holland). I don't have any tattoos yet but I'm booked in for some work on my arm to cover / disguise / distract from some very old scarring in about a month from now. It's something I've wanted to do for years but now is the time, I feel. I'm pretty sure I've found a damned good artist, although I assume he'll be unknown on here.

So, yeah, anyway, there's quite a few questions I'd like to ask. So, if I get the OK from you guys I'll just jump straight in with that later in this thread.

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I'm looking to do something based on this sort of thing: Am after black and grey with strong outlining and good spacing, along the lines of this: as I think it ages really well http://mariyamileva.files.wordpress.com/2011/07/mim_4097_nm.jpg

Starting with a 3/4 sleeve to deal with the scaring and then adding as and when after. I really like the work of Basillius Besler, a 17th century German botanist. I think his work would translate really well but, some opinions would be great. Some random examples

Any thoughts on the feasibility of translating these illustrations into tattoo in the sort of style I'm after?

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Oh, failed with some of those images. Sorry!

aging

http://mariyamileva.files.wordpress.com/2011/07/mim_4097_nm.jpg

Some examples of Besler's work

http://www.audubonart.com/00_imagedisp_sc.asp?stockno=OKBE-101-300-13&file=IMAGES/CATALOG/OKBE/OKBE_101_01.jpg&price=%20$800&returnurl=/02_gall_OKBE1.asp

http://www.audubonart.com/00_imagedisp_sc.asp?stockno=BESD-0035-01-13&file=IMAGES/CATALOG/BESD/BESD_035_01.jpg&price=%20$3,800&returnurl=/02_gall_BESD1.asp

http://www.audubonart.com/00_imagedisp_sc.asp?stockno=OKBE-145-300-13&file=IMAGES/CATALOG/OKBE/OKBE_145_01.jpg&price=%20$600&returnurl=/02_gall_OKBE2.asp

[HettyKet]

Oh, failed with some of those images. Sorry!

aging

http://ubersuper.com/uploads/2013/04/tattoos-081.jpg

[HettyKet]

Probably should link to some work from to the artist I'm going to, while I'm at it Instagram . Oops. Any opinions on any of the above would be massively appreciated.

[MsCandyPants]

Hi! I'm only new to the forum myself. I'll catch ya about ;)

By the way, I love your avatar!

[HettyKet]

Hello to you too :) Sorry to say I somehow managed to send my first post into moderation when I added some photos / links to it, hoping it'll be back soon...

Any opinions on the artist's work at all?

(I love my avatar too, she's so very cute!)

[MsCandyPants]

I'm still relatively new to the tattoo thing myself. The artist's portfolio is rather impressive as far I can tell though :)

[Cork]

I'm no expert, but that tattoo artist looks pretty solid to me. What are you going to be getting?

[HettyKet]

I've no experience at all with this, I'm on a steep learning curve with little RL imput TBH. Am terrified of ending up with something crappy - I think it his work looks qualitative but, well, I don't have a clue when it comes down to it. Annoyingly I haven't met him and can't until my design and lining appointment. Any idea if that's odd?

So, yeah, nothing to do but over-think everything.

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Oh, hello Cork - x posted there.

I put a shed load of stuff in my first post that's stuck in moderation. They'll probably just vanish to mod again if I give it a second go...

Probably best described as a black and grey 3/4 sleeve (in the sense that an arm full of nicely placed flash is a sleeve, as opposed to a japanese sleeve), mainly based on some 17th century botanical drawings with some other stuff in there too.

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any critique of the chaps work (good or bad) really would be massively appreciated BTW.

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Probably best described as a black and grey 3/4 sleeve (in the sense that an arm full of nicely placed flash is a sleeve, as opposed to a japanese sleeve), mainly based on some 17th century botanical drawings with some other stuff in there too.

OK - trying again anyway. Am inspired by this sort of thing:

I like the way it ages:

Here is some random stuff by Bresler - I'm thinking his work will translate to proper lined and shaded tattoos really rather nicely but I can't be sure:

http://www.audubonart.com/00_imagedisp_sc.asp?stockno=BESD-0035-01-13&file=IMAGES/CATALOG/BESD/BESD_035_01.jpg&price=%20$3,800&returnurl=/02_gall_BESD1.asp Flowers at the bottom left and right

http://www.audubonart.com/00_imagedisp_sc.asp?stockno=OKBE-145-300-13&file=IMAGES/CATALOG/OKBE/OKBE_145_01.jpg&price=%20$600&returnurl=/02_gall_OKBE2.asp

http://www.audubonart.com/00_imagedisp_sc.asp?stockno=OKBE-101-300-13&file=IMAGES/CATALOG/OKBE/OKBE_101_01.jpg&price=%20$800&returnurl=/02_gall_OKBE1.asp peony 'cause it's such a known thing in tattooing so maybe easier to visulise translated. Possibly.

[Dan]

those first 3 pics are pretty cool old shots.

[deadsp0t]

I'm no expert but his work looks fairly solid, I like the bear and the tiger.

[HettyKet]

I'm no expert, but that tattoo artist looks pretty solid to me. What are you going to be getting?

I'm no expert but his work looks fairly solid, I like the bear and the tiger.

can someone maybe define 'solid' and what I should take from the qualifiers 'pretty' and 'fairly' in this context? Please? <british>

[chrisnoluck]

there was a really cool devil head i saw on there. looks like you are on the right track with doing your research and already having an idea of what you are going for. those old photos are great and if that's how you are planning to get tattooed then you are doing it right.

[deadsp0t]

can someone maybe define 'solid' and what I should take from the qualifiers 'pretty' and 'fairly' in this context? Please? <british>

Straight lines, smooth shading, solid(full) color.

Symmetry in things that should be symmetrical.

Again I'm no expert and I'm sure our resident artists and experienced collectors can add/edit this list, but that's solid for me, a firm grasp of the basics.

[HettyKet]

Thank you both! I'm so excited - it's going to be a long month.

Hopefully my first post will be back from the mods soon, it's absence makes my thread quite odd :rolleyes: Sorry 'bout that.

Do the Basillus Bresler drawings look like they might translate OK to tattoo? I found some later botanical prints (18th century) that's kind of like the barest bones of how I imagine it might be done.

These: Jacquin Botanical Prints 1763

Particularly this" Jacquin Botanical Prints 1764

As well as Besler, Giovanni Baptista Ferrari Ferrari Citrus Prints 1646 and Johannes Zorn Johannes Zorn, Icones Plantarum Medicinalium 1779 really appeal to me.

Am I on a path to madness and, well, would it probably look crappy?

Edited August 18, 2013 by HettyKet
missed a word!

[David Flores]

I would let this guy tattoo me, I think he will do a nice job on your tattoos, based upon his instagram photos.

[HettyKet]

Oh wow, really? That's fantastic to hear - I've been worrying if it was just my untrained eye liking his stuff IYSWIM. A good few of his things that I like best aren't on instagram, just the studio blog and it doesn't link properly. Here | Eat The Rich if anyone CBA.

[David Flores]

Oh wow, really? That's fantastic to hear - I've been worrying if it was just my untrained eye liking his stuff IYSWIM. A good few of his things that I like best aren't on instagram, just the studio blog and it doesn't link properly. Here | Eat The Rich if anyone CBA.

Not every tattoo someone does you are going to like and they probably don't always get ta tattoo things exactly what they want at times. I think there is enough examples to tell me he knows a few tricks and can pull off a solid tattoo in most styles I imagine. You know what you want, you have clear examples that look tattooable and would lend themselves to the styles of some of his stronger tattoos.

[hogg]

Your first posts are now approved. Welcome to LST!

The guy's legs (color photo) you posted are by Stuart Cripwell. I've been tattooed by Stuart a few times, and I know for a fact that his client achieved that look by giving Stuart a lot of (if not total) control. Just a heads up. The best results are usually achieved when you put your trust in a solid artist.

Speaking of, if you're anywhere near Amsterdam, I highly recommend checking out Salon Serpent. tattoo Kim Anh Nguyen has a style that you might really like, and the other tattooers at that shop are great, too. Good luck!

[HettyKet]

That really is very, very reassuring, thank you!

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x post again there. Sorry.

Thanks a lot for the post approval hogg. I'll certainly check out Kim Anh Nguyen - nowhere is far from anywhere in this country really!

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Oh, sorry, yes. I do want the artist to have a good deal of control, it seems like the only way. My partner is a graphic designer and although it's not really the same as such, I've witness many a good design reduced to a horror by an over involved client.

Trust is hard though.

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Blimey, I should go to bed. Keep forgetting 1/2 of what I mean to post :rolleyes:

So, yes:

I'm thinking black and grey as a whole but I keep coming back to the idea of adding a little colour to one or two peices. Maybe along the lines of this http://images.kew.org/image/epidendrum_vitellinum_654374.jpg , except of course drawn from a suitable plant, as a tattoo (and with the sections that are pale grey in the illustration just normal black and grey).

Is that some girly, gimmicky, odd thing do we think? I fear I might have picked it up from Pinterest you see. Not sure.

and, also,

What's the optimum minimum size for a tattoo in terms of longevity? Not that I want a load of tiny blobs, just think the occasion small one might be handy here and there.

Thank you, and goodnight :o

[hogg]

As for size, that's a question for your artist. I am not an artist, but I've been told by a few (and have overheard many more) say, "I can do that--but we gotta make it bigger." That allows for more detail, and in some cases, the tattoo will hold up better as a result.

That plant you posted..not really my style, nor does it seem to be in the style of the traditional tattoos you seem to favor. Some of those Oppenheimer prints you linked to could work as tattoos, but really, all the tattooed ladies you posted have tattoos that look like tattoos. That's part of why they work so well, and a big reason for why they age so well. If you really wanna achieve that look, I again urge you to talk to an artist and to consider tattoo designs as opposed to prints by non-tattooers.

Again: I'm not an artist, which is part of why I keep nudging you to talk to one. I hope that helps.

[MsCandyPants]

Wow! They're all so pretty! They do look timeless as well as being able to age well. Most important thing would be sun protection of course. Where I live it is really warm and you see 20 and 30 year olds getting around with really sun aged, saggy skin and awfully distorted and faded tatts.

[HettyKet]

Oh, I'll be talking to an artist as soon as possible. Absolutely. 17 october at 12:00 to be precise! Thing is, they insisted on booking a 4 hour hour slot for drawing and lining. That worries me TBH and I did say I wasn't sure if I'd be happy going with lining the same day as meeting the artist for the first time. But, well, apparently that's how it's done. I've paid my deposit and if it it just turns into a damned expensive consult, so be it. We shall see.

I do very much want traditional flavored tattoos, but little of the 20th / 21st century flash appeals to me. I adore seeing it on other people but I don't think it's what I want for myself.

This lady http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2013/01/30/article-2270600-17409C19000005DC-452_964x1202.jpg I love, she has quite a lot of 'correct' botanical stuff going on if you look closely. It's all rather realist in style though but it's applied with similar tessellation to what is now used for modern traditional tattooing. A bit crowded on the arms but it's there. The cuffs she has are amazing.

So, it seems to (uneducated and here to learn) me that it stuff like, say, this

Antique botanical prints from Zorn 1779-1790

this Joel Oppenheimer Audubon and Natural History Prints

and this Ferrari Botanical Prints and Allegorical Prints 1638 would lend themselves very nicely indeed to being simplified to a modern tradition style of drawing whilst still keeping the correct leaf and flower shapes for the species.

I suppose this http://www.lastsparrowtattoo.com/gallery/flower-tattoos/14250-img-1868.html is getting towards what I'm after although there's less black than I'd want and if I go with colour I'd want more saturation. This http://pinterest.com/pin/270708627574608650/ is closer in terms of style but I'm not digging the vine trend and botanically it's all wrong. this is also absolutely not what I'd want (too little black, too flimsy, vine-ish but not rose-vine-ish) http://media-cache-ec0.pinimg.com/236x/e5/70/93/e5709396a216e1613b4773ab770be8fc.jpg but, it brings something to the table too.

I hope that make some sort of sense!

(There's a toad, a wren, maybe a long tailed tit and a few insects I's like in the mix too, if it works out)

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x post there candy...

It's not sunny very often here but I like to stay pale anyway so factor 50 in the summer and factor 20 in the winter is the norm for me anyway.

[MsCandyPants]

yeah, consult and tattooing in same session seem a little rushed for my liking too. I guess you should be able to tell on initial meeting if you get a good vibe though. Plus if they start drawing and it's not what you had in your head you'll know

[HettyKet]

I'm kind of hoping that he'll start drawing and it wont be what's in my head, just related to it, and I'll fall in love with with the designs on the spot. I am a hopeless romantic.

(I'm also quite assertive when I need to be and certainly wont be going with the tattooing if it doesn't feel like magic)

[MsCandyPants]

I'm kind of hoping that he'll start drawing and it wont be what's in my head, just related to it, and I'll fall in love with with the designs on the spot. I am a hopeless romantic.

Or that lol

Yeah I'd go with my gut. For instance I went to get a piercing once and walked into the place and really didn't feel right so left. Anyway bumped into an old acquaintance that got pierced there and he had to get a bar surgically removed from the bridge of his nose due to a dodgy job. He'd heard of it happening to numerous other people too. Thing is he said it didn't look right when the piercing bloke pulled the piece out to get ready but dismissed it.

Sorry, went off a little there.