Advice Needed: Would this design hold up as a tattoo?

[Gingerninja]

I really dig this image of the flowers with the hidden skull. Would love to hear opinions on whether it would hold up as a tattoo, how big it would need to be get the detail and colors? Go.

[jen7]

The smaller it is, the more it looks like a skull.

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[sourpussoctopus]

I think it could hold up, though as someone who's only been tattooed for 3-4 years, I'm no expert on tattoo aging.

It could look great done by someone like Kelly Violence. I lurv her flowers.

[herewego]

I would think it would work well as a fist/hand sized tattoo.

[sighthound]

I don't see why it wouldn't hold up as long as it's outlined in black. I'd go as big as you'd want with it. The bigger it is the better the flowers will look, and the skull won't be evident until it is seen at a distance, which is good.

[Gingerninja]

Thank you everyone who has commented! This is exactly the feedback I was hoping to receive from the community. And OMG, I love Kelly Violet but alas she's too far away for me to travel at this moment. Any other recommendations? I'm thinking like 7" or so on my side/ribs. It would be positioned very close to a 5.5" pointillism rose that Miah Waska did for me. I just love the idea of people going "love the flowers...oh, wait, is that a skull?"

[bongsau]

I think it would work if it was all black, illustrative style tattoo.

However I wouldn't be confident the shape of the skull will hold over time, as your body changes, as you age, as you move with the tattoo on you, since the design is fairly static. A skilled tattooer could make it work though.

An alternate perspective:

If you want to get a skull, get a skull. If you want to get flowers, get flowers.

Too often we try to get too 'clever' with a design and it ends up being hard to read, complicated, and (especially) dated.

Simplicity is what stands out and stands the test of time.

My $0.02

[Gingerninja]

I think it would work if it was all black, illustrative style tattoo.

However I wouldn't be confident the shape of the skull will hold over time, as your body changes, as you age, as you move with the tattoo on you, since the design is fairly static. A skilled tattooer could make it work though.

An alternate perspective:

If you want to get a skull, get a skull. If you want to get flowers, get flowers.

Too often we try to get too 'clever' with a design and it ends up being hard to read, complicated, and (especially) dated.

Simplicity is what stands out and stands the test of time.

My $0.02

Yep, sage advice and I like it. Thanks!!

[bongsau]

No prob, I always say people can get whatever they want tattooed on them, that's the whole point of tattooing.

It's taking me 10 years to finally realize this thing about simplicity. There are always thing you could improve upon in the design and execution of a tattoo, but undos aren't part of the game. That's what I love about tattooing.

I have an early tattoo where a rock looks like an upsidedown skull. I asked the guy to make it that way. 10 years later, its a still friggin rock that looks inconsistent with the rest.

[Gingerninja]

No prob, I always say people can get whatever they want tattooed on them, that's the whole point of tattooing.

It's taking me 10 years to finally realize this thing about simplicity. There are always thing you could improve upon in the design and execution of a tattoo, but undos aren't part of the game. That's what I love about tattooing.

I have an early tattoo where a rock looks like an upsidedown skull. I asked the guy to make it that way. 10 years later, its a still friggin rock that looks inconsistent with the rest.

Great perspective. I've been looking at this design for a couple of years now but never had a forum to get feedback until I found you all. I have two others in the works and this is the one that didn't quite fit with the other designs. :)

[Manu Manu]

Too often we try to get too 'clever' with a design and it ends up being hard to read, complicated, and (especially) dated.

Simplicity is what stands out and stands the test of time.

I share this opinion. Simplicity is the key.

If someone show you his new tattoo and you're not able to see what is represented at first glance, if you have to frown to

understand it, that's not a good tattoo (imo)

[Gingerninja]

So much truth. My first is a bit a disaster, too. Needs a cover up. Again, THANK YOU all.

[9Years]

+1 to advice to keep it simple.

However, this effect can be killer in the right hands. Check out some of James McKenna's stuff. Some of his stuff pushes things a bit too far for my tastes, but there are some really amazing ideas in there too:

https://instagram.com/j__mckenna/

https://instagram.com/p/zYrrrqQ2sH/?modal=true

https://instagram.com/p/wilI64w2vd/?modal=true

https://instagram.com/p/j9HGFKw2sI/?modal=true

[Gingerninja]

+1 to advice to keep it simple.

However, this effect can be killer in the right hands. Check out some of James McKenna's stuff. Some of his stuff pushes things a bit too far for my tastes, but there are some really amazing ideas in there too:

https://instagram.com/j__mckenna/

https://instagram.com/p/zYrrrqQ2sH/?modal=true

https://instagram.com/p/wilI64w2vd/?modal=true

https://instagram.com/p/j9HGFKw2sI/?modal=true

Wow. I love having my mind blown by the amazingly talented people in this world. Thanks for sharing. My education keeps getting better and better.

[herewego]

Wow. I love having my mind blown by the amazingly talented people in this world. Thanks for sharing. My education keeps getting better and better.

If you do decide to go with this design, he would probably knock it out the park.

I agree with @bongsau and it took me 20 hours worth of a leg sleeve, which is now a cover up project, to see the light.

[Gingerninja]

Thanks @herewego. I love the feedback...ultimately, I agree that simplicity is key and moving on with this as a no-go project. Now, I can work to get my next two scheduled which I know will work!