Hey All!

[Rhys William]

Hey Everyone,

Rhys here. Nice to meet all of you and thanks to admin for managing a presentable site with clear guidelines!

I don't need much from anyone here... I got my first tattoo in Thailand a couple years ago (believe it or not I still don't have HIV from that! lol) and I love it. I always knew I would get another one. However, the tat I got first was not what I originally wanted...

To put it plainly, I am a very cocky guy. The tattoo idea that I wanted initially would have been something concerning the story of Achilles, and his heel (let me know if you are unfamiliar with that). I am confident and successful but I definitely have my fair share of weaknesses.

I never conceived and idea for a tattoo about this idea that I liked enough. I considered an arrow somewhere to represent the heel, maybe on the heel... I've given it a lot of thought and really could not come up with anything I liked.

Please let me know if you have any ideas, or tips to figure it out myself if you've found yourself in a similar situation!

Thanks and love from Montreal, Canada,

Rhyser

[knucklehead211]

From my experience, if you go in with a less than well defined idea, a good artist can usually work with it. My artist is definitely familiar with me coming in with a vague idea, or a design that I haven't fully thought out, and he always comes up with something sick!

[Rhys William]

From my experience, if you go in with a less than well defined idea, a good artist can usually work with it. My artist is definitely familiar with me coming in with a vague idea, or a design that I haven't fully thought out, and he always comes up with something sick!

Thanks! I spoke to my cousin about it (he's a tattoo artist) and he said he would try to come up with something. There is nothing online that impressed me... would it be uncalled for if I just went in with a vague idea, and built some off of his and just went back another time?

Assuming they come up with nothing at all as I have, what else could you suggest?

Appreciate it!

R

[knucklehead211]

It really depends where you want to go with it. I've never seen any hardcore greek mythology ink. My calf sleeve will concern another greek legend, but I plan on going more modern with it - or at least taking it to the pirate age, beautiful ships! Anyways, you could do a sleeve scene or a back piece with Achilles being dipped in the river Styx with his mother's hand on his heel, or a shot of him in battle getting shot with the poison arrow, or both. But it might be a complex message to convey if you go small, and hopefully your artist will have some thoughts. I am by no means an expert!

- - - Updated - - -

Also, just throwing it out there, if you ever have time to just sit down and brainstorm with your artist, do it! I made my first appt with my artist over the phone in 2011. From there, we usually have talked on fb about what I want to do. this year, I actually went in and visited with him for a bit, and it was so much more helpful and informative than just messaging him. I got to catch up, see how he likes the new shop, and then tell him all my ideas in person. Seeing him take down notes, I could definitely tell he dug it and knew what I was going for. Right before I left, he remembered some reference art he'd been saving in the flash desk for my visit, and that hit every point I was looking for. It is much more reassuring and enlightening to meet face to face.

[Rhys William]

It really depends where you want to go with it. I've never seen any hardcore greek mythology ink. My calf sleeve will concern another greek legend, but I plan on going more modern with it - or at least taking it to the pirate age, beautiful ships! Anyways, you could do a sleeve scene or a back piece with Achilles being dipped in the river Styx with his mother's hand on his heel, or a shot of him in battle getting shot with the poison arrow, or both. But it might be a complex message to convey if you go small, and hopefully your artist will have some thoughts. I am by no means an expert!

- - - Updated - - -

Also, just throwing it out there, if you ever have time to just sit down and brainstorm with your artist, do it! I made my first appt with my artist over the phone in 2011. From there, we usually have talked on fb about what I want to do. this year, I actually went in and visited with him for a bit, and it was so much more helpful and informative than just messaging him. I got to catch up, see how he likes the new shop, and then tell him all my ideas in person. Seeing him take down notes, I could definitely tell he dug it and knew what I was going for. Right before I left, he remembered some reference art he'd been saving in the flash desk for my visit, and that hit every point I was looking for. It is much more reassuring and enlightening to meet face to face.

Definitely. My issue is, like you said, that it is a complex idea for a small tat—which is what I'm looking for. No sleeves. Yet. :p

Thanks for the tips mate.

R

[knucklehead211]

No worries man! If you're looking to keep it small, I'd say an arrow shaft with the back snapped off dripping green poison lodged in your heel would look pretty cool. Plus it wouldn't be too big and could be easily hid. But like I said, I'm no design expert. I think my taste in tattoos has improved with time, but I still might be drawn to some tacky subject matter lol. Best of luck!