I found this pretty insulting and presumptuous...

[Isotope]

This is from another, tattoo unrelated forum I frequent. Related to another hobby. A long time member was looking for tattoo advice and help with a sketch. I chimed in and recommended casually that he find an artist he wants to book with, pay the deposit, sit down and talk with them, and let them do the sketch, rather than people on this tattoo-unrelated hobby board. Another member who is a book illustrator chimed in:

...That said I've seen enough tattoos in my 44 years that I'm pretty sure my professional illustration background would serve just fine

in doing a drawing that would work on the body as well as any good tattoo artist. Not any different despite what Isotope says (he's making assumptions)

[SeeSea]

"You're probably right - it doesn't take much talent to blow away the work of most scratchers."

[cltattooing]

-shrug-

fuck em

[polliwog]

You have tattoos; I'm willing to bet this guy doesn't. Hopefully the person asking for advice will remember this.

It's super easy to act like a know-it-all online and a lot harder to hold back...

[AverageJer]

I think that for many people tattoos occupy more "lifestyle" cultural space than "artistic" cultural space. Not sure if I am making sense but my guess is that that is what a comment like this is born from.

Obviously your advice was good and the person will either take it or not.

[Isotope]

Thanks guys. It just struck right in my heartstrings as VERY condescending and patronizing, born out of confident ignorance.

It would be this guy's first tattoo, a boat that was in the family to honor his dad.

[knucklehead211]

So an illustrator thinks he can draw something up that would go on a body for a lifetime...reeks of "don't kbow what you're talking about".

[Isotope]

And when I told him that it was was insulting and demeaning, whether he realized it or not, seeing as he qualified his statement with "good tattoo artist." This was the response I got:

I'm simply talking about the design work junior, and I don't give a rats ass if you or anyone else is offended that not only can I design, but I actually know

my human anatomy and can design as well and often times orders of magnitude better (we've all seen **** tattoos) than some people who ink even. I'm not saying I can ink, I'm talking about design.

Design is design, it doesn't change just because it's on a body for someone like me who's spent years learning every muscle and curve.

Hell I could get into Zbrush and actually design and render a tattoo on a human 3D model that I sculpted. Easy Peasy.

I'm sorry if the reaches of my artistic abilities are offensive to some. :P

Oh guess what, I could lay out a design on a car too - or an airplane, or a boat, or a dog, or a building, or a **** Tyrannosaurus Rex - doesn't matter.

Sorry for your ignorance in this matter!

[polliwog]

Time to disengage. He's a blowhard and he doesn't deserve further effort on your part.

[knucklehead211]

I'd say he showed his hand pretty quick. Let the guy follow your advice or not: this being the internet you're probably never going to hear a follow up from him anyways.

[Synesthesia]

Major dick. So sick of someone being decent at drawing and thinking tattoos are just drawing on skin, there's so much more to it than close-minded brats like this guy could even begin to understand. Just remember one of my favorite tattoo phrases: people get the tattoos they deserve.

[Rad Kelham]

If you think that's bad, try hanging out on Redditt tattoos.

[Rad Kelham]

Crappy tattoos get upvoted, good ones downvoted, and the mods think they are gods.

[purplelace]

There are a few illustrators who I know, that draw for tattoo pieces (I have commissioned one piece from two of them for future tattoos). They both are more than aware that the designs will have to be tweaked, but it is more for me to show tattooist what I have in my head, as these people can get what I have in my head onto paper better than me. Also me telling them where planning on putting tattoo helps them as well.

Not all illustrators have their heads up their own arses! :p

[Cork]

At the first response, I could understand why someone who's been drawing for 44 years would think they could manage a good tattoo, and I'd probably be willing to agree with them and give them the benefit of the doubt, but that second response, HA, what an asshole. That first line where he used "Junior" already made my blood heat, and it wasn't even directed at me.

[Scott R]

most of the time "people are wrong"

[tatB]

If you think that's bad, try hanging out on Redditt tattoos.

I regularly check reddit tattoos because (i have too much free time) there is the occasional awesome tattoo that shows up that hasn't been posted on the artists instagram. but a majority of the posts are super meaningful personal symbols or watercolor.

[Isotope]

Crappy tattoos get upvoted, good ones downvoted, and the mods think they are gods.

I spent a grand total of 5 seconds there upon reading quite authoritatively that Mike Malone was an apprentice of Sailor Jerry. A LOT of bad tattoos. I don't mean tattoos I wouldn't get, but bad tattoos.

[DavidR]

I'm not going to add much to the thread here and this certainly won't count towards my tally of "thoughtful posts" but since I don't get to call someone a bell-end very often (unless I'm talking about David Cameron), I'll bite.

The guy's a bell-end. Send the OP a PM offering to discuss it with him privately and leave the thread alone.

Also:

[BrookR70]

You could call him out by asking him specifically what makes a good tattoo. See what he comes up with. Now he's playing on your turf.