Brainstorming my next tattoo - International Skyline

[rivgambino]

Hello all,

Since I got some good advice last time about some ideas I had I figured I'd stop by since I am in the early phase of planning my next tattoo. I went by the shop today and was able to secure a date in 2 months from now. Any input, ideas, etc is always appreciated.

The Placement - Left Ankle/Calve ( currently bare )

The idea - a 360 degree tattoo building an international skyline around leg. I'm guessing 4 buildings/sites based off of my skinny legs but will be talking to my artist this week in which we will discuss his thoughts on what we can fit.

Anyways the idea is having famous buildings going from ankle up to calve. Preliminary ideas are the Leaning Tower of Pisa ( I'm Italian American ), Ulan Danu Bratan Temple, The Seattle Space Needle, Saint Basil's Cathedral ( probably wouldn't fit but I'm hoping ). Also like the idea of Christ the Redeemer in Rio.

Rising above the Skyline would be a simple paper plane & the words "Dream Big".

2 things I should mention....

I am not a traveler. I Live in CT and went to the Bahamas for a week once. That was my only time on a plane. My life never allowed me to. So I can't use personal experiences bc I don't have any.

I am a father of 1 and every single night when he's asleep I kiss him and say "Dream Big" so thats how the idea came about.

So ya...anyone have any ideas, thoughts, opinions....I was picturing this to be black & gray with some color background. Haven't thought that far ahead. Really been googling the "International Skyline" and looking at architecture related things. Want to make sure the space needle wouldn't be inked on smaller then the leaning tower when in reality thats bigger. Ok rant over, thank you to anyone who responds with any input.

[Synesthesia]

Could be cool in all black and gray realism (sometimes small pieces of color just make it look unfinished). I love that statuesque look. Who's the artist?

[rivgambino]

I think you're right about color. Especially if its something that I want to add onto later in time it might not make it jive well. Artist is Mike Gladwell. He's done 2 pieces on me already & we work well together. His line work is nice which is obviously key for a piece like this. Thanks Syn for the response.

[SeeSea]

Interesting idea - I agree with no color. Are you thinking of going up your entire calf all the way around? I think that might be the only way to do it justice for any detail.

Another thing to consider is that your lower leg is smaller at the bottom (ankle) and gets bigger as you get up to your knee (duh) but buildings are bigger on the bottom and get smaller near the top. So the buildings either need to be drawn out of perspective or squashed together at their bases, or you might consider them overlapping on the bottom - like 3D, one in front of the other, and then becoming separated as they rise from their bases. If that makes sense. If you want it realistic. Or, you might avoid trying to be realistic and fitting them in without them all necessarily having the same base along the same line at your ankle.