New Member - Introduction and looking for advice

[L2DB]

Hey everyone...

I got my first tattoo (family crest on back shoulder) about 10-11 years ago and my 2nd (celtic dog on arm) two years later and have been on hiatus since then. I started watching Ink Master on Hulu a few weeks ago and have been blowing through the episodes. Naturally, I want another one now. Wife-approval is a reward for losing some weight (215 down to about 195-200; nothing major) so I've got a few months to get my ideas worked out.

I haven't talked to an artist yet, but I'd like some input from others prior to then so I have some perspective on some elements of my design. I want a road (I like this one, but I'm not married to it), but I'd like it stylized as a woodblock print (a la William Rice - example. It seems fairly straight-forward, but I have three main questions...

1) It seems like a lot of the woodblock style can be achieved just by not smoothing the colors as much and having the changes in color be a bit more obvious. For example, on the lower right side of the example above, there's a patch of white snow, then a noticeable border of cream/tan, then it moves into the blue gray.

2) In that section of snow, would each color change be outlined or only the major forms (in that section, the blue/gray part I guess)?

3) Is the effect I'm going for even possible or is it just going to look coloring-booky?

Thanks.

[SStu]

Your answers are going to largely going to depend on the size of the piece, and the ability (or not) of the artist in question.

If that particular style is paramount, then personally I'd be inclined to find an artist who does great (normally blackwork) woodcut tattoos and see if they are interested in including color.

[SeeSea]

@SStu's advice is good - find such an artist and ask the question. It's not necessary for you to try to imagine how such a thing should/could be done (your Q's 1 and 2). That's what an artist is for. You don't have to have it all worked out in your mind ahead of time.

And congrats on your weight loss!