Exploring the Boundaries of Your Tattoo Design Subjects

[13:47] “the one thing I try to stay away from is any kind of absolute representation from the film, movie, or comic book. I want it to still read as my art. Drawing it all from hand there’s no tracing or pulling things and trying to work it into a piece.”

— Teresa Sharpe

Sometimes research is necessary to get your idea to come across clearly, especially in illustrative tattooing where you’re trying to make an interpretation of an idea on someone's skin. Really digging into a subject, finding literature, pictures, or sometimes doing a bit of wikipedia searching to find some extra information can give you the opportunity to mix different unexpected elements and find ways to take interesting liberties with the subject.

You also want to make sure you have an accurate picture of the history behind your subject matter. Pulling from multiple sources and references can really strengthen your interpretation of a particular character or story that your client wants. 

watch the full episode:

Finding the Right Clients | Teresa Sharpe | EP 247