#41480
    Dave Patrick
    Participant
    @dave-patrick

    Hello. I would like to get a really cool, colorful, photorealistic tattoo with animals and perhaps some people (like a painting), that perhaps has some elements of optical illusion. I mean something really, really cool. I live near DC. I’m totally new to this, but I figure if I’m going to do something, it has to be worth it.

    Any advice?

    #153175
    Sam-I-Am
    Participant
    @sam-i-am

    Welcome to the forum!

    I’m glad you stopped in here before you got a shit tattoo.

    I don’t know the tattoo artists in the DC area. I know there are some good ones in Philly and the Baltimore area. I’m sure a few members here can give you some ideas.

    Good luck, keep us posted.

    #153177
    Dave Patrick
    Participant
    @dave-patrick

    I’m totally cool with going to Baltimore or Philly for a better tattoo. Do you have any suggestions?

    #153178
    Dave Patrick
    Participant
    @dave-patrick

    Do you have any suggestions for designs, similar to what I’m looking for? The tattoo shops want to know.

    #153179
    Sam-I-Am
    Participant
    @sam-i-am

    If you want suggestions, here’s some right off the wall. I sense you want a whole back piece.

    Take a scene from history. There is a fantastic (staged) photo of the driving of the golden spike at Promontory Point in 1869.

    What scene in your life stands out? A movie scene? A local event?

    I’m planning a back piece based on the old movie 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea.

    Keep us posted!

    #153180
    Dave Patrick
    Participant
    @dave-patrick

    That’s exactly right; I do want a whole back piece. Maybe with some cool stuff sneaking around to the front, but not sure.

    I would like it to be like a tapestry that consists of a combination of many different images, very colorful with different styles, some photorealistic and others not photorealistic but really stylistically awesome, with a lot of different animals (each of its own unique style) and some humans doing stuff, with excellent depth especially with the humans, and possibly made so that when looking at it from afar the whole tapestry looks like a huge skull, but not like a scary skull, more one that celebrates life and humanity in general, like more light and colorful, and glowing-ish with cool designs.

    I loved that movie 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea since I was a kid! I especially loved the giant squid! A giant squid came up to the surface of the water in the pitch black of night one time when we sailed to Bermuda from the U.S. one time. The bright moonlight from the majestic, totally clear sky (you could see the Milky Way, multiple satellites and shooting stars every clear night) reflected off of its giant, dinner-plate sized eye as it silently watched us, then disappeared back into the depths.

    #153181
    Dave Patrick
    Participant
    @dave-patrick

    There could be some realistic flowers on it, too, but masculine ones. Ha ha. And nothing tribal, and NO words. Just images. I saw some cool-looking owls (had no idea owls were a popular tattoo?), and eagles and ravens; those would be cool…the feathers and detailed faces could look awesome if done right.

    Other animals would be awesome, too. Filled with animals. And a couple humans. But not like a Noah and the Ark scene. More like something that celebrates life and this world and solar system in general.

    Which leads me to something else I forgot to mention – some outer space and Really cool-looking, glowing stars, and some gorgeous glowing-esque undersea stuff with coral and whatnot.

    I know this is like a tall order and seems that it could be a bit much, but I know there is a way to keep it from being too much or gawdy. I mean, I don’t need like too many animals on there. I just want it to look awesome and VERY well-done, but I suppose that goes without saying!

    #153182
    Dave Patrick
    Participant
    @dave-patrick

    I suppose the outer space would have to be up top and possibly to the sides? And the undersea stuff with the coral on the bottom? Possibly forming the “teeth” of the skull?

    #153183
    Sam-I-Am
    Participant
    @sam-i-am

    Take just what you wrote down to a tattoo artist. Utilize their creative ability, and they’ll design a kick ass piece for you.

    Good luck, keep us posted.

    #153184
    Dave Patrick
    Participant
    @dave-patrick

    Please feel free to tell me if it sounds stupid. I am WIDE OPEN for ideas here, and I will not be offended by ANYTHING.

    #153185
    poxphobia
    Participant
    @poxphobia

    Oh dear, you need to narrow it down 😛 You want A LOT, and that’s cool, you’re enthusiastic and have a lot of ideas – Not a bad thing!
    You can fit a lot into a backpiece, but generally, doing TOO much, will just make it messy. What you’re talking about is a full bodysuit. No need to limit yourself, you can always make your entire body into a piece of art. My suggestion; Go find an AMAZING artist. And I mean; Not the best one in your area, but one of the very best. Look at Peterpoose’s list, not just for DC, but the world. See what can be done. Go on instagram, follow artist, see who they follow, see what everyone does. It’s a project that’s probably gonna take years to complete, but if you want the very best…

    Now, when you find an artist (or several, no need to pick just one right away, you can e-mail and contact a ton with your ideas), set up a consultation. Bring them pictures, of tattoos you love, images that sort-of look like what you want, pics that resemble a style you want (print-outs, not on your phone), and tell them all of this. All your ideas. Make sure to pick an artist that not only does amazing work, but the kind of work where you think “how the hell did a client ask for that, formulate that into a thought?” because those are the truly creative ones (in my opinion!). Then, listen to them. Let them break it down, draw, tell you what sucks, etc.
    If you wanna go long-term and BIG you could always do your legs underwater, back and arms with animals/humans etc, upper back and chest solar system, etc.. That way you could get a ton of amazing artists in on it as well, but also be able to do it piece-by-piece, not just one “in progress” piece for a few years 😛 You got a lot of options.

    But cool to see someone who really wants good ink, and has a lot of ideas and enthusiasm!! Good luck, looking forward to seeing the result.

    #153186
    Dave Patrick
    Participant
    @dave-patrick

    I think you’re right, that I need to tone it down considerably. Do you or anyone have any suggestions?

    #153187
    buttwheat
    Participant
    @buttwheat
    #153188
    Dave Patrick
    Participant
    @dave-patrick

    Holy sh[oe], Halo is amazing!!!! I love how he gets the effect of a blue glow deep in the eyes of the skull!!!

    #153189
    Dave Patrick
    Participant
    @dave-patrick

    I really like the “glowing” aspect to tattoos like this:

    https://images.search.yahoo.com/images/view;_ylt=AwrB8pgGJo1UWi4A76qJzbkF;_ylu=X3oDMTIycjkzMzI5BHNlYwNzcgRzbGsDaW1nBG9pZANjN2I4ODM1OGJmYjc5YmY5NTQ3YTdiNGQ3NWU5YWQ4MQRncG9zAzMEaXQDYmluZw–?.origin=&back=https%3A%2F%2Fimages.search.yahoo.com%2Fyhs%2Fsearch%3Fp%3Dtattoo%2Bskull%2Bglowing%2Beyes%26n%3D60%26ei%3DUTF-8%26fr%3Dyhs-mozilla-001%26fr2%3Dsb-top-images.search.yahoo.com%26hsimp%3Dyhs-001%26hspart%3Dmozilla%26tab%3Dorganic%26ri%3D3&w=641&h=960&imgurl=media-cache-ec0.pinimg.com%2F736x%2F5d%2Fa8%2F60%2F5da860beb62822c90125582cec4f4fd1.jpg&rurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.pinterest.com%2Fpin%2F398990848209662811%2F&size=65.8KB&name=%3Cb%3EGlowing%3C%2Fb%3E+%3Cb%3ESkull%3C%2Fb%3E&p=tattoo+skull+glowing+eyes&oid=c7b88358bfb79bf9547a7b4d75e9ad81&fr2=sb-top-images.search.yahoo.com&fr=yhs-mozilla-001&tt=%3Cb%3EGlowing%3C%2Fb%3E+%3Cb%3ESkull%3C%2Fb%3E&b=0&ni=312&no=3&ts=&tab=organic&sigr=11ga7n2gr&sigb=15ojk0gts&sigi=12de6emh2&sigt=10r2nm7q4&sign=10r2nm7q4&.crumb=famnv7H2XxJ&fr=yhs-mozilla-001&fr2=sb-top-images.search.yahoo.com&hsimp=yhs-001&hspart=mozilla

    I’d love to get something like that skull, and maybe with a little bit of glowing space around it.

    I was originally thinking something like this on my back, but with glowing eyes, and with some cool imagery inside the skull: http://tattooton.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/Skull-Tattoo-Designs-for-Men28.jpg

    Or maybe just black and white exactly like that one. It looks so cool. And the skull chin tapers inwards, so I wonder if it would give my widening waist a slimming effect, ha ha?

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