First Time Drawing - Some Questions

[learner]

Hi everyone, I am very new to this and got a passion to learn to draw and tattoo. I have no experience what so ever. I have a few questions that I am just curious about, if anyone can help me will be much appreciated!


1) I’ve been watching tattoo artist process on YouTube. I see them have a picture one side is the outline and the other side is the picture all colored that they stick onto the customers body. Did they just get the design from the internet instead of drawing it traditionally? Is this digital process?

2) I see a lot of tattoo artist using digital. But I want to stay traditional. Are there still tattoo artist who do not use digital?

3) I am trying to draw a Japanese Peony flower. When I draw it the petal placement looks random and my petal pattern doesn’t look good. Is there any tips/techniques that anyone can share that will help with drawing this?


Thanks ?

 

[TexasPT]

practice practice practice practice practice...that's how you get better.

I've spent the quarantine blowing through pages of my sketchbook working on different things I'm not good at. That's how you get good. There is no fast way.

welcome to the site

 

[DKJ]

My answers here >>> Expand
1) I’ve been watching tattoo artist process on YouTube. I see them have a picture one side is the outline and the other side is the picture all colored that they stick onto the customers body. Did they just get the design from the internet instead of drawing it traditionally? Is this digital process?
It all depends on how good you are at drawing. Practice!

2) I see a lot of tattoo artist using digital. But I want to stay traditional. Are there still tattoo artist who do not use digital?
I, for one, wouldn't advice going digital at first, because of the "undo" option. Drawing with a real pencil on a real paper is less forgiving than digital, it can really flaw your learning curve to start with digital. And tattoing is absolutly unforgiving, so you better be sure of your lining.

3) I am trying to draw a Japanese Peony flower. When I draw it the petal placement looks random and my petal pattern doesn’t look good. Is there any tips/techniques that anyone can share that will help with drawing this?
You have various options:
- Go for a symetric drawing where everything looks flat but well organized,
- Try to understand perspective and how things and objects are distorted by our 3D vision,
- Break down existing peony drawings into simple geometric shapes (circle, square, triangles...) to see what they're made of,
- Buy a plastic Peony and draw it from every angle and under every light possible.

Thanks ?

Welcome to the forums!

Try to go Premium as soon as you can, tips are really going deep there.

Peace,

DKJ

 

[learner]

Thanks will be premium soon.

But nobody can help or answer some of my questions? :S

 

[Tattooz]

Welcome to the forum.
Your questions are very vague.
1) The technique you mention is very uncommon in the real world. A typical design would be traced on tracing paper over a sheet of spirit transfer paper, then transferred to the skin. I have seen artists simply print the design in full then draw the outline over the stencil paper so that the outline is actually on the back of the A4 "normal" paper. In my opinion, i dont see the benefit whatsoever.

2) Most artists will use the traditional method. Maybe digital to make the design, or maybe a digital stencil printer, but still pencils and paper will be used most of the time.

3) Practice and practice some more!

If you are wanting to become an artist and tattooist overnight by watching youtube alone, it simply will not happen. Have a look around here and all you will see is Practice, practice some more = Progression.

 

[DKJ]

Thanks will be premium soon.

But nobody can help or answer some of my questions? :S

Since you're really starting from scratch, you should learn about the basics.

A simple and good exercice to start with would be to take clean designs from the internet and try to reproduce them through tracing paper with a pencil.
You'll say that it's a 3 years old activity, but try to see if your result is as clean as the original.
Also you will learn about how to position the paper and hand to do each curve, where the lines start and stop, and a mot of other things.
It's not about drawing well, it's about getting to know HOW to draw well.
And it's often a very satisfying challenge.

Don't try to compare to anyone and you'll discover how far you can take your skills, everyone can try anything.

Peace,

DKJ

 

[MalligaMallan]

Hi and welcome to the forum! As far as I've learned the stencils with the motifs on the backside is just something the tattooer make him or herself. It looks very cool on ig clips, but there's absolutely no use for it what I can see. If you find any other info about them I'm happy to hear about it ??

 

[TATTOOBART]

In my opinion as an artist. You should always create your own art. Doing a tattoo or design that someone else made is stealing in my opinion. Just imagine someone would copy Rembrandts paintings or something. That wouldn't be right. Plus you want people to wear your personal artwork. It's way cooler I think. I struggled a lot with drawing. I looked up a guy on youtube: the broken puppet. He had cool tattoo related step by step drawing videos. They helped me out a lot drawing basic shapes. Then once you know this you can give your own twist or variation to it

 

[DKJ]

In my opinion as an artist. You should always create your own art. Doing a tattoo or design that someone else made is stealing in my opinion. Just imagine someone would copy Rembrandts paintings or something. That wouldn't be right. Plus you want people to wear your personal artwork. It's way cooler I think. I struggled a lot with drawing. I looked up a guy on youtube: the broken puppet. He had cool tattoo related step by step drawing videos. They helped me out a lot drawing basic shapes. Then once you know this you can give your own twist or variation to it

Hi Bart,

I will have to disagree on this.
Beginners need to start somewhere, if you can't draw an apple, you'll be there quicker if you draw from reference.

Learning tatto styles and history is a must too, every idea is a variation of something which already existed. It can be a division or a completion of the original, but Art doesn't come from vaccum. So copying a Sailor Jerry is not an offence but a real take on tattoing.

And last, not everybody wants to be a tattoo artist. You can be a tattooer, which is like the difference between a craftsman and an artist.
Every great tattoo artist we see nowadays is just an accomplished craftsman in tattoing, playing with the codes and history of tattoos (ex: Dansin, Filip Leu...). Few are geniuses from another place.
Even great artist are reproducing some Gustave Doré pieces or Michelangello works, these are in the public domain, there's no shame to want them on your skin.

Then, i'll agree that if you want to be an artist, being a copycat is our of the definition.

Peace,

DKJ