Learning to draw tattoos you need to understand what the tattooist wants. As a beginner, it can be a steep learning curve, but it’s a great way to create a unique custom tattoo. the tattoo artist does not always need a complete finished image. what they do need is a drawing of clear and precise lines that can be easily adjusted.
Whether you’re drawing a custom tattoo design for yourself, or trying to sell flash art to a tattoo studio, the same lessons apply.
Even if you provide the tattoo artist with the finished artwork, you may need to change the colors. the same drawing of a rose can be red, yellow or even black. this will create very different looking tattoos.
Most ist tattooists adapt and personalize a tattoo without even thinking about it. this makes it more individual for the person being tattooed. so as long as you have a good line drawing to work with, the tattooist will be able to use the artwork.
What most tattoo artists want is something new and unusual. you should try to develop your own style. An original piece of art that is different will attract the attention of a tattoo artist more than a repetition of an existing design. As good as it is, another image of a dragon is unlikely to stir your creative juices. they probably already have a full drawer.
how do you start drawing a tattoo?
You should start drawing a tattoo by drawing a simple line drawing of the image you have in mind. copy the design about 5 or 6 times. then draw the main lines of the design with simple lines stronger and smoother.
try changing parts of the drawing to see how it affects the appearance of the final image. create 5 or 6 slightly different drawings and analyze which one is the best.
Once you’ve done this, you can create the drawing of the final line. this is the drawing that will become the template for the tattoo. When you’ve finished the line drawing, print about 5 copies and try to color or finish them in different ways.
First make a shaded pencil drawing to show what the tattoo would look like done in black and grey. then you can try coloring and shading the other copies in different ways. make one as color blocks, one with shaded and blended colors, and one as watercolor, for example.
Look carefully at the drawings and determine which one you think works best. discuss what you could do to improve the design. once you have a more focused idea of the design, you can print 5 more copies and try to make 5 slightly different versions again. repeating this process will help you improve the design until you are completely satisfied.
shows the different ways a tattoo design can be used
If you show the tattoo artist how the design can be used in different ways, they don’t have to think about it. time is their most precious commodity, so if you can save them time, they’ll appreciate it.
If one piece of flash art can easily create several different tattoos, that will give the tattooist more options.
The final image should grab people’s attention, even when it’s in a book with hundreds of other tattoo designs.
drawing everything in reverse order may work
You can also draw a tattoo in reverse order. If you have a finished drawing you can take tracing paper and try to draw a line drawing that will guide the tattoo artist so he can reproduce the image.
This is something tattoo artists have to do all the time, but it adds to their workload. if you can do it for them, you’re more likely to get a good reaction.
Doing it this way may work, but it can be difficult to simplify some images. you need the tattoo stencil drawing to be simple enough while keeping the necessary details.
what to practice drawing for tattoos?
Smooth and firm lines are what you need most to practice. keeping the thickness and spacing of lines consistent is vital.
One of the exercises I do is to draw a single curvy, winding line from one side of the page to the other. then draw a second line parallel to the first, following it precisely. try to keep the line even and the space between the 2 lines the same from one end to the other. you will need to repeat this over and over again until the entire page is covered by lines. try to keep all lines and spaces the same distance apart.
When you look at the drawing afterwards, you’ll see where you did better and where you didn’t do so well. keep practicing and you will see your results improve.
You will need to practice all aspects of your drawing skills. we have fantastic free drawing tutorials here. Do not get frustrated. It can be boring to do the same thing over and over again, but the practice will pay off in the end.
Can you be a tattoo artist if you don’t know how to draw?
no, not really. to be a tattoo artist you really need to know how to draw. however, even if you can’t draw now, everyone will get better the more they practice. I would never have considered myself good at drawing, but years of practice have honed my skills to the point where it would no longer be true to say “I can’t draw strong>”.
Practice may never make your drawing or mine perfect, but it will always make it better. the more hours you spend practicing, the better you’ll get.
Should I learn to draw before getting a tattoo?
yes, before you tattoo someone you need to learn to draw. as tattoo artist you will leave an indelible mark on someone’s skin. They must be sure that the results will be what they want. if you can’t draw the image in the first place, why would anyone trust you to tattoo the image onto their skin forever?
conclusion
Learning to draw tattoos can be a long and arduous task. It will take a lot of practice, but if you get really good at it, there’s a chance you could be successful selling flash tattoo designs or even tattooing yourself if you can get some training.
practice diligently and stay focused on your goal. go and talk to some tattoo artists about what they want from a design. If you can provide them with a service they need, which reduces their workload, they’ll be smiling.
