Mar
Understanding How to Choose a Tattoo Design
At Stick Tattoo, we have a team of talented and experienced artists to help you create the perfect tattoo. And while each of our artists are extremely well-rounded, each artist has a unique style and specialization that they enjoy tattooing. Our job is to help you find the perfect artist for your next tattoo, to create an amazing experience and tattoo that exceeds your expectation.
But that process begins with understanding the design and concept of your tattoo design. The following gives some points and tips on understanding the design process and how you can prepare for your tattoo or consultation.
Have an Idea of What You Want.
We are excited that you want a tattoo, but you also need to have an idea of what you want. Our team can help suggest various ideas and concepts, but your tattoo should also have some sort of meaning to you. Our team suggesting a tattoo concept should not be where you start the process.
Start with “WHY” you are getting your next tattoo, and what it stands for and represents.
Be Creative and Think Outside of the Box.
Next, think of all the things that could represent that meaning. Your tattoo design does not need to be as direct and straight-forward as you may think. Think of some other icons or elements that may represent that same concept.
Many people are drawn towards quotes. We often ask our customers if there is an element or aspect of the quote that could represent that full quote in a less traditional or straightforward manner than simply replicating the quote.
Do Some Research.
We absolutely encourage our customers to look on the internet to find ideas and concepts on what they may want their next tattoo to be. The internet is a great tool for searching “concepts” and seeing a variety of ideas. We do not advise anyone to steal another artist’s work or want an existing tattoo verbatim – but we will address that in another post.
If researching for an upcoming tattoo, we advise to find a few ideas or concepts that stand out to you and bring those to your artist. From here, we can see the types of designs and ideas that are appealing to you and start creating a custom piece based on those concepts.
Creating an Original Tattoo.
One of the most challenging things we face as tattoo artists are when our customers come in and bring us an existing tattoo design and want the exact same concept. As artists, this is very frustrating due to asking us to replicate someone else’s work, but it also crosses a line of our artist integrity and copying someone else’s existing work. We strongly encourage you to bring us a few concepts and allow our artists to create a custom, unique piece for you based on the ideas you have identified.
And we get it – some of these Pinterest tattoos are simple and cute – and there is not much anyone can do to change them up, but we do ask that we not steal or replicate an exact concept from another artist or shop. We will always suggest to add a slight modification to ensure we are creating an original piece.
Check (and Recheck) Spelling and Meaning.
While our artists are all very talented and dedicated to their profession, it is not our responsibility to spell check, or proofread your tattoo. Please be sure to ensure the spelling, grammar, and meaning are exactly what you want prior to handing it to your artist.
Understanding Tattoo Design Principles.
Another challenge we face when creating tattoos is the placement and orientation of your tattoo design. Often, a client will ask for a tattoo quote or image to “face them” when, proper placement will always be facing outward. We often hear, “But it’s for me”, and while we understand that, it is still our job to advise on the proper ‘do’s and don’t’s’ of our industry.
Changing Your Design or Ideas.
We appreciate you wanting a unique idea or design, and our artists work hard to create something that exceeds our customer’s expectations. However, every drawing takes time, research and effort. If you are thinking of changing your design or idea prior to your appointment, please contact us immediately, so the artist can be prepared for your new idea, but also save time from drawing something you are no longer interested in. Please be courteous of their time and talents.
Given all the information above, at Stick Tattoo, our artists hold the right to refuse any tattoo idea or design they do not feel comfortable tattooing, whether because of a duplicate tattoo design, poor placement or ignoring tattoo principles.