Need advice on tattoo style/artists. Really need help oh great people of this forum

[rufio]

Hello folks,

I have a general idea about what i would like to get on my body but i cant choose on style/artist. This is what i have in mind.

I would like to have an ocean on my ribs. And i was thinking of using lines to recreate waves like this

Maybe mix this with colour. Important part for me is that when you look at it, you know its a (or an?) ocean. And i prefer it to be in 3D.

What i would like from you guys is advice whether this will work or not. Also i cant decide which style i should choose. Flash, Old(new)school are not really appealing to me.

My budget is around 2000 euro's/dollars. Any advice is welcome guys. (even awesome recipes for dinner).

Teach me masters.

[exume]

I can kinda see what you're going for with those pictures but honestly if you didn't say ocean I would have thought desert, and this is on a screen, not a round, moving piece of skin. If I wanted a big rib piece that reminded me of the ocean I would get a big sea creature surrounded by fingerwaves. You said you aren't really into traditional american tattoos so maybe look at some japanese artwork and go from there.

[Shaun1105]

I agree, without something else for reference it's going to be hard to tell that you have an ocean on your ribs and not just lines.

Even if it's just something off in the distance, I think adding something - lighthouse, ship, whale, dolphin, turtle, fish, sunset, etc. - is a good idea. As for style, you just need to look at a whole bunch of different tattoos until you find a style you like.

[rufio]

I can kinda see what you're going for with those pictures but honestly if you didn't say ocean I would have thought desert, and this is on a screen, not a round, moving piece of skin. If I wanted a big rib piece that reminded me of the ocean I would get a big sea creature surrounded by fingerwaves. You said you aren't really into traditional american tattoos so maybe look at some japanese artwork and go from there.

I see what you mean. unfornately im cursed with stuborness. hopefully i can find an artist who can make this work.

- - - Updated - - -

I agree, without something else for reference it's going to be hard to tell that you have an ocean on your ribs and not just lines.

Even if it's just something off in the distance, I think adding something - lighthouse, ship, whale, dolphin, turtle, fish, sunset, etc. - is a good idea. As for style, you just need to look at a whole bunch of different tattoos until you find a style you like.

Alrdy had an idea for a sun but combining these two might be the solution.

Would be sweet if the artist can replace the ocean with the linescaping

[jen7]

what you want reminds me of that old album cover

[Fala]

Do you have any tattoos? Which artists are you currently looking at?

[Graeme]

Like @exume said above, neither of those pictures you posted initially look like an ocean to me. I can see how they're supposed to represent an ocean, but they could equally be a desert, some kind of topographical map, a visual representation of radio pulses, probably many other things. That kind of abstraction and ambiguity is maybe fine for some things, I don't personally believe that it belongs in tattoos, but if you want something that is clearly and unmistakably an ocean, those ideas won't work.

The thing about tattoos is that they tend to look a certain way for a reason. I'm not saying that you need to go out and get Western traditional or Japanese tattoos if those kinds of tattoos don't fundamentally move you and get you excited, but there are very fundamental design principles in those kinds of tattoos (and in other kinds as well, but we don't tend to talk that much about, say, tribal or black and grey here) that should be respected if you want a tattoo that is going to last. A couple that are relevant here is that 1) lines will thicken over time so if you have a lot of dense linework like in the reference images above chances are that they're going to bleed together over the course of your life; 2) the nature of skin is that it is going to age, your muscles will slacken, your skin will sag, etc., etc., and this is all going to impact how your tattoo will look. A well-designed tattoo is going to be drawn and placed in a way that will, to an extent, take this into account. I am not convinced that a design based only on very precise linework is going to age well.

Stubbornness is your enemy when it comes to tattoos.

We all get the tattoos we deserve.

[rufio]

Ill get back to you guys tomorrow. Kinda late here at the moment. Thanks for the replies :)

[Margarita Yaschenko]

A couple that are relevant here is that 1) lines will thicken over time so if you have a lot of dense linework like in the reference images above chances are that they're going to bleed together over the course of your life; 2) the nature of skin is that it is going to age, your muscles will slacken, your skin will sag, etc., etc., and this is all going to impact how your tattoo will look. A well-designed tattoo is going to be drawn and placed in a way that will, to an extent, take this into account. I am not convinced that a design based only on very precise linework is going to age well.

well and add any element to the sea like a whale or a ship, as mentioned above, be sure to somehow figure will be boring.

Just for example of styling:

[knucklehead211]

To me it looks like if a drone camera and a topographical map had a baby. Not necessarily a bad thing if that's what you're looking for, but at the same time, like everyone's saying, I don't know if it will translate. I think the closest you could do would be like @Margarita Yaschenko showed, and do almost a wood block style tattoo. But what do I know?

[rufio]

Okey, after a long night and evening thinking. You guys convinced me. Someone on this forum wrote some like this (cant remember who): Sometimes paintings look very nice, beautifull but dont translate well to the body.

First of all to answer some questions: This would be my first tattoo. I dont had any artists in mind for this style.

Margarita, thank you for showing this tattoo.

So, searched on the interwebs and came across this.

Now this is something that looks neat to me aswell. minus the lighthouse. What do you guys think? Is this possible?

Also, I found this artist. adrian lee Adrian lee. He does nice work allthough kinda far away.

oh btw, totally oftopic, have you guys seen the work of Zdzisław Beksiński? his paintings are out of this world

- - - Updated - - -

Btw, im not good with uploading pictures etc.

Edited March 16, 2015 by rufio
dots are important

[exume]

I do think that type of image would translate better to a tattoo than what you had previously shown us. I'd say keep researching tattooers, look at millions of pictures of tattoos, just by seeing volumes of the type of work that's out there you can get a better idea of what you're into. Read around this forum, there's tons of information to absorb, learn everything you can. Your ribs are a big area and you can fit a big stunning piece there, if it's your first, maybe only tattoo, you're going to want the best that you can get. Maybe you'll have to travel, but there are a lot of talented tattooers in the Netherlands for you to check out, so maybe not.

Interesting that you mention Adrain Lee, his work looks really nice but it doesn't seem to mesh stylistically with what you seem to be looking for, I'm sure he could kill an ocean themed piece but what I see on his front page seems different than that.

[SStu]

Just so the obvious is not overlooked . . .

[bongsau]

The Great Wave off Kanagawa - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

if you desire tattoo of ocean water, above is the best reference available.

straight up, just japanese style finger waves and water. doesn't get any simpler, bolder or timeless as that.

- - - Updated - - -

@SStu beat me to the punch !

[rufio]

Aye ive seen that wave many times. But it has already been tattooed and i dont want to get the exact same. Im not gone be a tattoo stealer out of respect and and it should be an unique part/tattoo.

But its looks good. Maybe a variation between the two.

[Joe Shit]

https://instagram.com/florenciorojas

https://instagram.com/tattoobengr

https://instagram.com/genzianatattoo

[SeeSea]

Your first couple of references reminded me of geometrics or dotwork. Looks like Tattoo Ben has some work like that.

[Lance]

@rufio, if you like the geometry/topography, closest thing I can think of is some of the stuff on the IG profile below.

https://instagram.com/dotstolines/

[SStu]

Aye ive seen that wave many times. But it has already been tattooed and i dont want to get the exact same. Im not gone be a tattoo stealer out of respect and and it should be an unique part/tattoo.

But its looks good. Maybe a variation between the two.

Certainly not saying you'd need to copy that particular photo. Thousands of tattooists do variations on Japanese waves - and many are capable of doing an interesting full piece, if that's the way you wanted to interpret an ocean so that it's easily recognizable.

[rufio]

@rufio, if you like the geometry/topography, closest thing I can think of is some of the stuff on the IG profile below.

https://instagram.com/dotstolines/

Ah ive seen him. I like his style but people recommended me not to get lines that are so close to eachother the way i want them. and i trust them. Plus, i already set my mind on a japanese based style tattoo now. Cant change back.

- - - Updated - - -

Certainly not saying you'd need to copy that particular photo. Thousands of tattooists do variations on Japanese waves - and many are capable of doing an interesting full piece, if that's the way you wanted to interpret an ocean so that it's easily recognizable.

Oh sorry, i misinterpreted you.

Since im a kitesurfer i also would like some wind in the design. Do you think a whirlwind would work sitting in the ocean?

- - - Updated - - -

Your first couple of references reminded me of geometrics or dotwork. Looks like Tattoo Ben has some work like that.

Tried to google him but i cant find him. Do you have an link for me?

[Joe Shit]

Tattoo Ben is the 2nd guy I recommended..There's a lot more japanese style tattooers in NL.

https://instagram.com/rintotattoo/

https://instagram.com/amargoucem

https://instagram.com/lenleye

https://instagram.com/steve_h_morante

» Claudia’s Tattoo Gallery | Classic Ink & Mods Tattoo Amsterdam

https://instagram.com/pino_cafaro

[AverageJer]

Good suggestions here already. Google old maps and sea drawings. Also, ask a good artist/shop what reference materials they have. I got some "wind" filler on my arm based on old French etchings and I think it turned out pretty good.

Here's one photo I found just using google:

[rufio]

Allright people. I had a dream. I had these waves on one side of my ribs and i had this demon blowing wind from the other side on my chest towards the waves. this is what im going to get. Unfortunately im still abit unknown in the japanese tattoos. I see alot of these demons masks/face. I wonder if they have any meaning i should be aware of. Dont want to insult someone. I know theres the Oni demon. I wonder if anyone knows something like a storm/cloud demon or wind demon. Apreciate all of the input guys. It is really helpfull.

- - - Updated - - -

Tattoo Ben is the 2nd guy I recommended..There's a lot more japanese style tattooers in NL.

https://instagram.com/rintotattoo/

https://instagram.com/amargoucem

https://instagram.com/lenleye

https://instagram.com/steve_h_morante

» Claudia’s Tattoo Gallery | Classic Ink & Mods Tattoo Amsterdam

https://instagram.com/pino_cafaro

Hey, Thank you for this list. They each make excellent work from what i can see. I found this guy https://www.facebook.com/pages/Johan-Finn%C3%A9/196702500367048

His name is Johan finne. He puts some realism in his japanese work wich i really dig. If you know other artists who mix these two styles. please let me know

[Graeme]

Dude, you want a Fujin/Raijin tattoo, which totally rules.

[rufio]

Dude, you want a Fujin/Raijin tattoo, which totally rules.

Hahah yeah. But i think i will go with just the head from fujin and maybe neck. That his face is coming out of the clouds. And maybe tunder in his eyes. and maybe tunder around him as part of the clouds.

It will either be Kordell from Kordelltattoos.com or Johan finné. I prefer Johan but its really hard to find any info on how to contact him. ah well. I know what i want now. I guess this thread could be closed. Thanks alot everyone. Wouldnt be here if it werent for you guys and probably had a tattoo with lines to close to eachother :P