Tattoo Artists of Metafilter - your thoughts re kanji
June 20, 2019 11:03 AM Subscribe
I am likely to be getting a kanji tattoo. There is some particular brushwork that I would like to have replicated as closely as possible. What is the best way to get the image replicated? Are there stencils or line work you can create from images? Appreciate your thoughts, kind regards.
(Don't need advice re cultural appropriation issues etc, thanks)
This post was deleted for the following reason: poster's request -- cortex
Are there stencils or line work you can create from images?
It's totally standard now to use transfer paper to essentially print a temporary tattoo which is then transferred to your skin and traced over by the tattoo artist.
In your specific situation, I would look for an artist who specializes in watercolor-style tattoos - they will be able to more closely replicate the brush strokes.
posted by showbiz_liz at 12:41 PM on June 20, 2019
It's totally standard now to use transfer paper to essentially print a temporary tattoo which is then transferred to your skin and traced over by the tattoo artist.
In your specific situation, I would look for an artist who specializes in watercolor-style tattoos - they will be able to more closely replicate the brush strokes.
posted by showbiz_liz at 12:41 PM on June 20, 2019
there are some words in your question that have a vague meaning, and it's making it hard to understand what exactly you're asking for. It also sounds like maybe you've never had a tattoo before, and that could be part of it.
1)By brushwork do you mean the shape of the characters? The texture of the characters? Artifacts around the characters? Here's what i mean by those words
2)"Are there stencils or line work you can create from images?" any tattooer worth their stuff will be familiar with creating stencils, it's expected procedure for really detailed tattoos. You should not be doing this step. I'm not sure what you mean by linework, or why you feel that would be necessary.
It sounds like you have a picture of some kanji that is out there in the real world some how and you want it replicated? If thats the case all you'd need to do is go to a good tattooer. Getting autographs replicated as tattoos is really common and the same thing in practice. Just be prepared to be told that some details cannot be replicated. Skin is not paper.
posted by FirstMateKate at 12:43 PM on June 20, 2019
1)By brushwork do you mean the shape of the characters? The texture of the characters? Artifacts around the characters? Here's what i mean by those words
2)"Are there stencils or line work you can create from images?" any tattooer worth their stuff will be familiar with creating stencils, it's expected procedure for really detailed tattoos. You should not be doing this step. I'm not sure what you mean by linework, or why you feel that would be necessary.
It sounds like you have a picture of some kanji that is out there in the real world some how and you want it replicated? If thats the case all you'd need to do is go to a good tattooer. Getting autographs replicated as tattoos is really common and the same thing in practice. Just be prepared to be told that some details cannot be replicated. Skin is not paper.
posted by FirstMateKate at 12:43 PM on June 20, 2019
Not to double post, but I would not go to a watercolor tatooer for this. Watercolor tattoos are not watercolor in the traditional sense of creating scenes or portraits or anything concrete with colors, it's typically just random colors by themselves or paired with line work. that is, the edges and color variations are abstract. I'd go to a portrait tatooer or a very accomplished floral tattooer, their work requires very controlled, deliberate shading and use of color variation to convey changes in plane and texture.
posted by FirstMateKate at 1:01 PM on June 20, 2019 [3 favorites]
posted by FirstMateKate at 1:01 PM on June 20, 2019 [3 favorites]
Not to double post, but I would not go to a watercolor tatooer for this.
As the person who suggested that, these are fair points! (Really, my main recommendation is that you not just go to "a tattoo parlor," but research specific artists and look for evidence that they have the skills to pull this off correctly.)
posted by showbiz_liz at 1:27 PM on June 20, 2019 [1 favorite]
As the person who suggested that, these are fair points! (Really, my main recommendation is that you not just go to "a tattoo parlor," but research specific artists and look for evidence that they have the skills to pull this off correctly.)
posted by showbiz_liz at 1:27 PM on June 20, 2019 [1 favorite]
Go to a tattoo artist who is Japanese or Chinese (or Korean) who understands kanji/chinese characters.
I can always tell when someone has a kanji/chinese tattoo done by an tattoo artist who doesn't know kanji/chinese. The proportions and spacing are all off, and it looks really amateurish, like a little kid writing ABCs for the very first time.
(Don't need advice re cultural appropriation issues etc, thanks)
Okay, but if you're white and get a kanji or chinese character tattoo, as an Asian American person, I will totally judge you for it and will probably stay away from you. Get ready for 'barbeque grill' comments. Your biggest issue won't be cultural appropriation, but looking like an idiot.
posted by suedehead at 2:19 PM on June 20, 2019 [20 favorites]
I can always tell when someone has a kanji/chinese tattoo done by an tattoo artist who doesn't know kanji/chinese. The proportions and spacing are all off, and it looks really amateurish, like a little kid writing ABCs for the very first time.
(Don't need advice re cultural appropriation issues etc, thanks)
Okay, but if you're white and get a kanji or chinese character tattoo, as an Asian American person, I will totally judge you for it and will probably stay away from you. Get ready for 'barbeque grill' comments. Your biggest issue won't be cultural appropriation, but looking like an idiot.
posted by suedehead at 2:19 PM on June 20, 2019 [20 favorites]
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Keep in mind that tattooing as a medium has it's own limits, you cannot photocopy an image onto you. Sure you can find some really crispy looking fresh tattoos on Instagram, but they will always set and blur and the detail you're looking for will fade over time (even over the first few weeks).
Technically, it's a relatively easy image that decent artist could do. Go look at their portfolios in person.
PS Speaking as someone with a kanji tattoo... don't get a kanji tattoo.
posted by so fucking future at 11:24 AM on June 20, 2019 [8 favorites]