new here

[PackMan]

hoping to avoid the bashing and actually get some helpful advice here.

I have been working on this tattoo for over 2 years now. I started piecing together ideas etc shortly after my mom died. About 6 weeks ago i finally had nuts and money to get started.

The magnolias, ribbon, words, and dragon are from my sketch. Of course i am not all that great of an artist so i used a template for the actual dragon head.

I met with my artist and he reworked my sketch (mostly changing the ribbon up so it flowed better around the flowers and transitioned better to the dragon).

My first sitting was just the outline of my sketch. My second sitting was to add the water, stones, and shading. (I chose water as it is my mother's element)Other than that i gave the artist free reign with the water and stones. The picture i have attached is shortly after my second sitting.

My third sitting was Saturday and we got all of the water completed and colored with blue, light blue, and white. It looks great but i didn't get a picture and now its in the healing process so it looks rough.

i am looking for some insight into the colors I should use for the remainder. The ribbon needs to be some shade of pink as it represents my mother’s fight with breast cancer. How would it look to transition the pink ribbon to a red dragon? Or should i change it up and do an all red ribbon and dragon and use pink for the words? or?? I wouldn't even mind to do the dragon and ribbon in all pink or something, but then what color do i do the words? The flowers are magnolias so they will need to be white/pink/light blue highlights.

Thanks for any help. Please don't post here to bash the work. I am very pleased with the work so far. As you can tell, it is also a cover up. I had my initials done about 15 years ago. they are behind and below the "Faith"

- - - Updated - - -

i have actually figured some things out and forgot to include them in that last post. I have decided that i would like the dragon and ribbon to be all one color. I just think trying to transition it will not look right. I would love to do the magnolias in pink and white. I'm just not sure what to do with the dragon and the words.

[pidjones]

I like the dragon, but would suggest that the lettering should be cleaned up. As for colors - pick what you want, but listen to the pro about what will endure.

[PackMan]

Thanks pidjones. We are going to work on the letters next session.

That's the problem, I don't know what colors I want for the dragon. Maybe red with the accents in green and the flames in orange/yellow.

Or I've even seen an awesome one that was purple.

I'm just not sure how to pair the colors of the dragon with the lettering color and the little accents on the dragon like the whiskers and hair.

[marley mission]

i'm diggin'

[PackMan]

Thanks. I just had the water done on Saturday. It's looking pretty brutal right now, but once it heals, I post up another picture.

[SeeSea]

Unless you have a really really strong need for certain parts to be certain colors, let the artist decide. They have much better experience about color palette and flow, and what color combos works best to balance out the entire design.

[PackMan]

thanks SeeSea....i appreciate your advice.

[PackMan]

Update...water is pretty much healed up. Still a little tissue papery. One more session to finish dragon and flowers. Then I'm thinking either my mom's initials or a Japanese water lantern on the inner bicep to finish it off. I know, nobody likes lettering. See below for updated pictures.

[PackMan]

Go into tomorrow at 12:30 to get it finished. Super stoked.

Going with teal dragon with purple highlights. Flowers will be pink magnolias.

Dragon similar colors to the attached.

[SeeSea]

The teal and purple looks cool IMO. Good luck with it today!

[PackMan]

Changed the plan once I got in there and we started discussing. Went with a red/orange/yellow dragon with purple accents. The flowers and words are pink. I'm going to wait to see how it heals but I think I want the flowers and words a darker pink or maybe fusia. Other than that I think it's going to heal up nicely and am very happy. I will post up some better pictures when the swelling goes down and it gets healed up.