From reference to project: studying references and assessing the body area
Before a tattoo there are two decisions that weigh more than many technical choices: what the design comes from and where it goes on the body. This guide, written for those who tattoo and those who get tattooed, proposes a way of studying references, distinguishing inspiration from copying, and a list of factors to consider when assessing a body area: shape, movement, exposure, ageing, session length. There is no absolutely best area: it depends on the design, the person and the artist, and the guide serves to ask the right questions before discussing it.
Studying references
What to look at in a reference
A reference is a starting material: a photograph, illustration, painting, object, another tattoo. To study it, it is useful to look at the same elements used to read a style.
- Shape and structure: the main masses, proportions, axes of the subject.
- Light and shadow: where the light comes from, where the darkest areas are.
- Line and detail: which elements are essential and which are noise.
- Colour and contrast: how well it stands without colour, how much is needed.
- Scale: what remains legible if the design is reduced.
The useful question is not "how do I copy it?" but "what do I really like about this image?"
More than one source
With a single reference the risk is to reproduce it. With several sources, even of different kinds (photographs for structure, illustrations for style, period materials for symbols), the design comes from a synthesis. For a real subject, such as an animal or a plant, it is useful to look at several images of the same subject from different angles.
Inspiration, citation, copying
Images almost always have an author, and another artist's work (tattoos included) is not free material. In practical terms:
- Taking inspiration means extracting an idea, a structure or an effect and reinterpreting them.
- Citing means taking up a recognisable element while declaring it.
- Copying means reproducing someone else's work; for a protected work it may require authorisation.
Copyright rules vary from country to country and the picture is complex: for doubtful cases it is best to ask the author or a legal professional. Symbols tied to cultural traditions deserve extra attention: knowing their meaning before using them is a sign of respect.
From reference to design
Going from references to design means deciding what to keep and what to leave out. A few questions help.
- What is the idea in one sentence?
- Which three elements make it recognisable?
- Which style supports it best (line, colour, contrast)?
- Does it work at the scale at which it will be done?
- How does it dialogue with the body that will host it?
The last point leads to the second part of the guide.
Assessing the body area
There is no absolutely best area. There are areas more suited to a certain design, and factors worth considering together with the artist.
| Factor | What to ask |
|---|---|
| Shape | Does the design follow or contrast with the shape of the body? A curved, moving surface changes how a design reads. |
| Size | Is there enough space for the details to stay legible? |
| Movement | Does the area bend or stretch a lot? Does the design change when moving? |
| Skin | Is the skin stable or subject to change? Are there scars, moles, stretch marks? |
| Exposure | Will the design often be visible or covered? Sun and friction can affect its durability. |
| Ageing | How will thin lines and small details change over time? |
| Duration and comfort | How long does a session last in that area? Sensitivity varies from person to person. |
| Context | Work, habits, daily life, possible future cover-ups. |
Some areas, for example hands, feet and fingers, are very exposed to movement, friction and sun, and tattoos there can change faster or require touch-ups: this is a topic to address with the artist case by case.
For doubts about skin (conditions affecting it, scars, past reactions) or about health in general, the right person is a doctor: this guide does not give medical advice.
For those who tattoo and those who get tattooed
Those who get tattooed can bring several references, describe what they like and dislike, and ask how the design will behave in that area. Those who tattoo can use these questions as an outline for the consultation and explain what changes with shape, scale and area. A design adapted to the body and discussed in advance is, as a rule, the one that leaves fewest surprises.
Related terms: Stencil · Lining · Shading · Linework · Illustrative · Realism
Related guides: Reading a style: six elements for looking at a tattoo · Skin and tattooing: before, during and after
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