Design/Concept Opinions please

[Gareth98]

(PREVIOUSLY POSTED ON INITIATION)

Hey

So I was wanting to get a Celtic themed Japanese style 1/4 sleeve. 

I approached an artist called DVZ for a design, and they created this, free of charge.

I have selected the artist in which i am getting it done by and the overall design will be altered probably quite significantly. 

I am wanting opinions of the concept, thanks :)

Edited Friday at 02:21 PM by Gareth98

[Graeme]

You're not going to get a more favourable response by reposting the same thing.

 

I think you got what you paid for with the design.  If you want Japanese, even with non-Japanese elements like you want, at the very least go to somebody who understands and has experience with Japanese tattoos, because it looks really bad if you get it wrong.

[Gareth98]

1 hour ago, Graeme said:

You're not going to get a more favourable response by reposting the same thing.

 

I think you got what you paid for with the design.  If you want Japanese, even with non-Japanese elements like you want, at the very least go to somebody who understands and has experience with Japanese tattoos, because it looks really bad if you get it wrong.

I wasn't looking for different answers, just more opinions - as I had the feeling this place is more appropriate to post this kinda thing in.

I'm going to have a different design made by a solid Japanese style tattoo artist, just looking for opinions of the overall concept and the mixing of styles :)

[Graeme]

If you're going to get a different design from a different artist why are you showing us this?  If you go to a good artist you'll get a good tattoo.  If you go to a dogshit artist you'll get a dogshit tattoo.  Concept doesn't matter.  Simple as.

[Gareth98]

6 minutes ago, Graeme said:

If you're going to get a different design from a different artist why are you showing us this?  If you go to a good artist you'll get a good tattoo.  If you go to a dogshit artist you'll get a dogshit tattoo.  Concept doesn't matter.  Simple as.

OK,  thanks for your replies - have a good day. :)

Edited August 30, 2016 by Gareth98

[Rob I]

I'm not sure I'd want to mix in Celtic with Japanese. It just doesn't make a ton of sense. 

Graeme is right though. Best to go to an artist who does solid Japanese work and have them design something for you, perhaps based on what you are showing us here, but more appropriate for the style.  

 

 

[oboogie]

2 hours ago, Rob I said:

I'm not sure I'd want to mix in Celtic with Japanese. It just doesn't make a ton of sense. 

Graeme is right though. Best to go to an artist who does solid Japanese work and have them design something for you, perhaps based on what you are showing us here, but more appropriate for the style.  

 

 

Yeah. Totally confused by that combination. 

[Gareth98]

I was originally going to get a full Japanese 1/4 sleeve in western colours. Like the dude who plays cricket.

Edited August 31, 2016 by Gareth98

[a_beukeveld]

2 hours ago, Gareth98 said:

I was originally going to get a full Japanese 1/4 sleeve in western colours. Like the dude who plays cricket.

Just find a tattooer who does good japanese work and get them to come up with the design for you. Adding a middle man just complicates things, and frankly, the design that artist did for you for free (which I dont understand why they would) is mediocre at best.

As for my opinion on the concept its kind of just lame. It seems like a desperate attempt to be "original". There are so many great classic Japanese designs, I dont see why youd want to add a dull celtic theme to it. Personally Id suggest a hannya or namakubi. They fit well as upper arm pieces, and have great stories behind them. Thats just me tho. Ive never liked the celtic/viking/norse stuff. They seem trite.

I also dont think a "1/4 sleeve" is a thing. Thats just a shoulder tattoo.

 

Edited August 31, 2016 by a_beukeveld

[PinkUnicorn]

16 hours ago, Rob I said:

I'm not sure I'd want to mix in Celtic with Japanese. It just doesn't make a ton of sense.

Somebody with one Celtic parent and one Japanese parent might disagree! :)

[oboogie]

Of course. But we are not talking about a person. We are talking about two styles of tattoos. It looks weird to ME, but if the guy wants to do it, he should go to town.

Edited August 31, 2016 by oboogie

[Gareth98]

4 hours ago, a_beukeveld said:

Just find a tattooer who does good japanese work and get them to come up with the design for you. Adding a middle man just complicates things, and frankly, the design that artist did for you for free (which I dont understand why they would) is mediocre at best.

As for my opinion on the concept its kind of just lame. It seems like a desperate attempt to be "original". There are so many great classic Japanese designs, I dont see why youd want to add a dull celtic theme to it. Personally Id suggest a hannya or namakubi. They fit well as upper arm pieces, and have great stories behind them. Thats just me tho. Ive never liked the celtic/viking/norse stuff. They seem trite.

I also dont think a "1/4 sleeve" is a thing. Thats just a shoulder tattoo.

 

See that's the thing - I originally asked for an Oni mask and to include daffodils as a symbol of my nation - which is not too bizarre as it represents respect in Japan. The guy said he would rather do a skull of some sort and it went from there.... it was probably a mistake on my behalf for not just going to the artist I wanted the tattoo done by. The reason it was free because there was a delay in the design getting to me!

[a_beukeveld]

17 hours ago, Gareth98 said:

See that's the thing - I originally asked for an Oni mask and to include daffodils as a symbol of my nation - which is not too bizarre as it represents respect in Japan. The guy said he would rather do a skull of some sort and it went from there.... it was probably a mistake on my behalf for not just going to the artist I wanted the tattoo done by. The reason it was free because there was a delay in the design getting to me!

Well there you go then!

[Lance]

@Gareth98

With regards to the design, I'm kind of meh. It's not bad, but not very exciting either. Seen much better. 

 

With regards to the concept of mixing styles, why not? A similar post was made in the past and I noted I'd seen images on IG in the past that have mixed Japanese backgrounds with another culture's myths. Someone else posted a sleeve a bit back that had traditional motifs with a Japanese cloud background. It was cool to me.  So saying that I don't see a big issue with the idea that an artist can make it work proper. Will it be traditional? Maybe not. Do you want it to be? Maybe. Maybe not. The key thing is finding an artist that can make it work though. Valerie Vargas seemed to make it work on I think it was an Athena sleeve and same goes with Chris Brand's Suikoden pieces. That's essentially Japanese (and Chinese) meets East LA culture and he's rocking it. Those people had skill to make it work. Many do not so hopefully you have found someone who can.

 

The artist seemed to go a different route than you originally wanted though. If you're not a fan, skip the idea and the middle man. I agree with others that you should work with a tattoo artist. And perhaps run with your original thoughts if that was what you wanted.

 

[Fala]

Agree with @Lance - I really love what Chris Brand is doing with the Japanese/Chinese / LA crossover.  If I wanted to get a tattoo like what you want Gareth98, I'd go to Chris.  He travels enough, so you might be able to make it work.

[DJDeepFried]

He's on my A list for sure

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Ammy]

I like Japanese tattoos by Nicklas Westin, search for him, he's amazing. And about yours design - it isn't Celtic and it isn't Japanese, for my taste it is too simple, there have to be deeper and darker colors, and maybe more elements, cause it looks unfinished.

[Transplant]

On 8/30/2016 at 1:44 PM, Gareth98 said:

(PREVIOUSLY POSTED ON INITIATION)

Hey

So I was wanting to get a Celtic themed Japanese style 1/4 sleeve. 

I approached an artist called DVZ for a design, and they created this, free of charge.

I have selected the artist in which i am getting it done by and the overall design will be altered probably quite significantly. 

I am wanting opinions of the concept, thanks :)

Edited Friday at 02:21 PM by Gareth98

Which part of your body is this going to be placed? it doesnt look the right shape for any part of the body, unless its for your shoulder in which case there is too much going on and everything is too small.

@Gareth98 heres my opinion...

centre piece is too small, skull should be larger.

Too much background, maybe flowers could be larger and more involved.

The main piece appears to sit on top of the background.

 

You could make a good tattoo using these elements though. its by no means a bad starting point but you have to get this right, you will be stuck with it 'til you die!

Edited October 3, 2016 by Transplant

[Charles.M]

Getting a tattooer to design your tattoo is the first step, non-tattooers have the wrong skill set in laying out a design that is meant to fit on a three-dimensional human body, wrapping around it, in a purposeful way. Also, a tattooer will know what detail and lack thereof will look best on the skin (now and later) at the size you want it, the tattooer filter, is step number one! If you skip that step you end up going back anyway so why waste time?