Draw tattoos can be an excellent idea to ensure that the design, which will be permanently inked on your body, is original and holds deeply personal meaning. However, creating your own tattoo design requires not only drawing skills but also knowledge of tattoo history, different tattoo styles, anatomy, and body movements.
Creativity and high-quality materials are also essential to design the best tattoos.
The Importance of Drawing in Tattooing
Although some tattoo professionals claim that you can tattoo without knowing how to draw, and while it may not be strictly necessary for certain styles… the reality is that knowing how to draw opens up more (and sometimes better) opportunities.
Drawing skills are useful not only for addressing your clients’ requests but also for standing out as an artist. It can even be a lifesaver during the tattooing process.
While there are always exceptions, most clients look for custom designs created from scratch or at least with specific modifications.
Additionally, when promoting your tattoos, having your own original designs puts you on the map as an artist. It conveys your personal style, helps you stand out, and allows you to offer something unique that clients can’t find anywhere else (no stealing designs from Pinterest!).
And it’s not just that—drawing also influences your technique and your ability to solve problems during the tattooing process.
In an ideal world, everything goes as planned, but in reality, unexpected issues arise. For example, the stencil might fade halfway through the tattoo… Something you can easily handle with drawing skills.
Even more importantly, when it comes to creating volumes, shadows, shapes, and contrasts, you need to understand everything about proportions, depth, vanishing points, light behavior, and visual harmony.
Drawing Your Own Tattoo: Do It Yourself or Hire a Professional Tattoo Artist?
When getting a custom tattoo, the priority is choosing the design. To create a unique drawing, it’s important to steer clear of the tattoo designs we see everywhere. Creating an original tattoo from scratch can be the solution. If done well and with the right tattoo artist (it’s not recommended to tattoo yourself), the result will be even more satisfying.
Simply creating a design worthy of a reputable tattoo studio is challenging and requires significant skill. To create a tattoo, from design to execution, you need to master the art of body tattooing, human anatomy, and the various pigments that can be used. After all, with permanent tattoos, there’s no room for error. Therefore, it’s crucial to understand the movements of each body part and adapt your tattoo ideas accordingly.
A design will look different on the torso compared to the nape, bicep, thigh, or forearm. The surfaces, rotations, and usage of these body parts require the designer to adjust their sketches based on the body area. Whether it’s your first tattoo, covering up a failed one, or other reasons, it’s often better to choose a professional tattoo artist to create your design, ensuring no mistakes are made.
However, if you have the right materials, you can opt for a temporary tattoo kit or semi-permanent temporary tattoos. The discreet and non-restrictive nature of these special temporary inks allows you to experiment without fear of permanent consequences if things don’t go as planned.
What Materials to Use and What Limitations Exist When Creating and Draw Tattoos Designs
You’ve made up your mind—you want to start drawing your future body art. However, to nail the design, you’ll need not only technique and tattoo knowledge but also the right materials to create your sketches as effectively as possible. Working on a computer seems indispensable, and graphic software paired with a drawing tablet is essential for creating the best draw tattoos. To begin with, to best adapt to each person’s anatomy, the tattoo artist could take a photo of the body part to be tattooed and, using tracing paper, create the design over it to ensure harmony.
However, this technique isn’t the best, and in the digital age, vector graphic editors like Illustrator or Inkscape easily replace this outdated method. That said, to use these programs effectively, a suitable drawing tablet is necessary, and for an artist unaccustomed to using one, it can be a significant barrier to creativity.
Using a graphic tablet that combines paper drawing with digital design, such as the ISKN Repaper, allows any designer to immerse themselves in their tattoo creation by drawing directly on a sheet of paper with their favorite pencil, without dealing with the confusing hand-eye coordination of watching a computer screen while drawing or using a stylus that doesn’t offer an optimal drawing experience. Since tattooing requires great precision, it’s important to feel comfortable when transferring the artwork to paper (and software).
Another obstacle to consider when creating or draw tattoos is intellectual property rights. Be careful not to copy or “draw too much inspiration” from another tattoo artist’s or artist’s work. It would be a shame to face legal issues over copyright infringement with a permanent tattoo.
Where to Start to Draw tattoos?
Okay, all of this sounds great, but where do you begin? Start with the basics for draw tattoos.
You don’t need a full range of colored pencils or the best markers to get started. All you need are three things: time, a pencil, and paper.
Some might think that becoming a tattoo expert requires the latest materials, a dedicated desk, innate talent, and so on.
But the reality is that to develop impeccable drawing skills, all you have to do is start—with whatever you have! There will be time later to invest in whatever you think is necessary, but don’t let that stop you from starting now.
Do you have paper and a pencil at home? Great! You already have everything you need.
Still not ready to begin? Then it might be worth looking inward… Sometimes we procrastinate and make excuses to delay something we’re not truly motivated to do, for whatever reason.
So, if you feel like you’ve been putting off developing this part of yourself as an artist, take a moment for some introspection and analyze what’s holding you back. We encourage you to let go of that fear and forget about embarrassment. No one judges you more than yourself.
Look, it will be harder at first, but as with everything in life, practice will help you build rhythm and skill. Keep in mind that making mistakes is part of the process, and it’s impossible to learn something without messing up at first.
Absolutely every expert has made mistakes over and over again when starting out. No one is born knowing it all! We learn everything through repetition. So, don’t get discouraged!
Similarly, some days you might feel inspired, and everything turns out great, while other days might be the complete opposite. That’s normal and natural—we need the contrast. So, don’t beat yourself up about it either.
The important thing is to start and not give up despite the setbacks. If you practice a little every day, you can be sure that you’ll soon be above average… But give it time. Remember: patience and consistency.
About Author
- https://t.me/s/tattoogunmachine
- Hello everyone! My name is Jade Blunt, and I'm a passionate tattoo enthusiast. Let me share a bit about my life and my journey in the world of ink and skin.
Ever since I was a child, I've been drawn to art and creativity in all its forms. However, it was when I turned 18 that I discovered my true passion: tattoos. I remember my first tattoo, a small design on my wrist that marked the beginning of an adventure that would change my life forever.
As my love for tattoos grew, so did my desire to learn more about this fascinating art. I started researching, talking to talented tattoo artists, and immersing myself in the history and culture of tattoos. Every tattoo tells a story, and I wanted to be a part of that narrative.
Over time, I decided to share my passion with the world through my blog, "Tattoo Gun Machine." In this space, I strive to provide valuable information about tattoos, from tips for tattooed skin care to stories of innovative tattoo artists and inspiring designs. My goal is to educate and inspire those who share my love for tattoos, as well as to demystify some of the stigmas surrounding this art form.
My blog has become a corner of the web where the tattoo-loving community can connect, share ideas, and explore new trends. I've also had the privilege of interviewing some of the most talented tattoo artists in the world, who share their unique experiences and knowledge within my pages.
But my journey in the world of tattoos doesn't stop here. I'm always on the lookout for new inspiration and challenges. I dream of one day opening my own tattoo studio, where I can bring my own designs to life and continue contributing to this form of artistic expression.
So, if you share my passion for tattoos or are simply interested in learning more about this exciting world, I invite you to join me on my journey at "Tattoo Gun Machine." Together, we can explore the art, culture, and beauty of tattoos as we continue to ink our stories onto the canvas of life. I'll see you on my blog!
