advice please - drawing

[marcE]

hello to all.
ive been drawing since day 1, and ive always been fascinated by tattoos. ive done a few designs already, but i want to have my sleeve started. i know what i want on the sleeve, but i dont know how to start drawing it. is there a rule i should follow? or a template i can get of an arm?

im finding it hard thinking where bits should go, and how it will look, as im starting on my forearm, so it kinda changes shape when you move it around.

any advice would be great, ow... and i no about outside the box.

cheers

[gothchild10]

Hey hun, I'd say go crazy ...just remember that if you choose to have figures with faces, have them looking inwards towards your body as this goes with your natural body shape, and makes the tattoo part of you, sometimes when they're facing out from your body, they look uncomfortable, almost like they don't want to be part of you. Balance is good too, personally I like symmetry, but I'm an OC knob lol, I think sleeves look better if they're designed with some sort of balance, having images on your forearm contrasting, matching or opposing those on ye olde Ulna side, thats if theyr'e not designed to wrap around as one.
Generally i'd say there is no real rule to be honest, whatever floats your boat man, it's good to have some sort of theme to go off don't just get loads of random poxy pictures to fill the space...I say get a bit of a plan, then let your tattooist go for it freestyle...he'll love it!!

anyhoo, I'll shut up now...I go way too much sometimes

[marcE]

thats great, cheers. i just didnt understand: think sleeves look better if they're designed with some sort of balance, having images on your forearm contrasting, matching or opposing those on ye olde Ulna side, thats if theyr'e not designed to wrap around as one.

i think i need a template of an arm, i find it hard just drawing something when im thinking about it, i need somekind of starting point. unless i have an image that i can work around. i want a pin-up, but thats prooving hard to find a good pose. fancy a session? lol

[inkylady]

If you want a template of your arm try measureing it

[marcE]

hmmm... funnily enuf ive never thought of that - good idea. cheers ill try it

im still interested in how tattooists draw sleeves. i s'pose when you go in they draw a ruff idea on your arm, that would be good!! anyone got an arm they want to donate?

[boothy stylee]

alot of tattooists have a basic idea then just draw it straight onto skin,or take drawings and place them with background and positions in mind so that it looks its best,whenever i draw ideas up ill draw a border of the basic shape for the area i would possibly like to fit it,just draw n see what happens!

[DeadOne]

And try to keep in mind just general common sense ya know?

I draw alot of traditional stuff and there is a certain order I put things in, obviously you dont put a boat above a bird or a woman standing on top of a plane if you know what I mean?

Think long term and think big thats how I work everything out.

& Dont mash styles!

[marcE]

cool cool. one more question.... do you draw it in one go, or 2 sides -> inside and outside? i think thats where im getting stuck. i keep thinking - well wot if it doesnt flow round, wot will be on the sides... etc

any chance of any sleeve pics you've done?

cheers

[saturns_shadow]

would help to know what theme your after....
some style's flow easyer than other...

[PaulaHK]

look at sleeve flash sets for how they lay em out (Alex Binnie, Xam)

or draw as much as you can directly onto your arm with a washable marker pen, get a big bit of see through sticky back plastic apply firmly to arm and pull off taking with you drawing and all body hairs!