Fine Line Tattooing

A day of lines. Personally I love line work in art. I see the lines of a piece more like the brushstrokes of a painting than the border of an image. So days like today are extra exciting because I'm recreating pen and ink illustrations composed of only lines. However, I didn't always enjoy lining. I remember my first boss giving me my 'almost' compliment years ago after I did my first black and grey portrait. "That's a good style for you..." he said with a smirk "since you can't outline." A bit cold of a compliment but true nonetheless. I couldn't do a nice outline to save my life it seemed, but I was determined to make that man eat his words! I've spent a long time studying and practicing and powered through a lot of frustrating days to not just pull a straight solid line but to also understand that those lines describe something. Those strokes can be all that's necessary to form a complete story. One line at the corner of a mouth can change an emotionless scowl to a pleasant grin. Days like today remind me I've grown; and that mountainous obstacles can fade to mole hills with time. If you're an artist struggling with your craft... keep your chin up! You're not alone, it's just part of the ride.