help me get an awesome mantis crawling up my body, permanently
July 5, 2015 3:14 PM Subscribe
I have decided on a tattoo that I would like and I need planning help. I'm in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
After a couple of excellent tattoo threads over on the Blue, I've given a lot of thought to tattooing and have decided on one that I would like: a praying mantis, crawling up one of my limbs. I would like to get it done in a style without an outline, with a subtle drop shadow. (I know this will fade somewhat differently and might require retouching; I'm cool with that.) I have a few questions:
After a couple of excellent tattoo threads over on the Blue, I've given a lot of thought to tattooing and have decided on one that I would like: a praying mantis, crawling up one of my limbs. I would like to get it done in a style without an outline, with a subtle drop shadow. (I know this will fade somewhat differently and might require retouching; I'm cool with that.) I have a few questions:
- Given the particular style I am looking for, what is the best way to do the art for it? Should I talk to a tattoo artist beforehand and have THEM work it out, or commission someone to draw it for me and take it with me?
- Where should I go to get it? If you have specific recommendations in Albuquerque, that would be EXCELLENT. There are a lot of artists who post their portfolios, but not many who do the no-outline style. If I don't get a specific recommendation here, what should I look for? (I could travel to a nearby state, or to another city, if I need to in order to get a really good artist.)
- How much should I expect to pay? I know "expensive", if I want it done well, and I'm OK with that; I'll save up if I need to. I want to get it about the actual size of a mantis, maybe a bit bigger-- about 3 inches, probably, maybe a bit bigger if I need more size in order to get an amount of detail that I want.
- Where is the best place to get such a tattoo? I'm thinking about 2/3 down my thigh, on the side, but am open to other ideas if there's a good reason not to do that. I'm cool with a bit of stretching on it, but I don't want it to become totally undiscernable.
Three inches is not very large, and won't be able to show as much detail as you might like. Search my history for "dragonfly" and follow the link to the photo of my tattoo - it's roughly five inches long and five across.
Body part: so far, all mine are on my arms because that's where I felt my body wanting them to be. Wherever you feel it and where your artist thinks the final result will work best is as good a place as any.
In the creation of the art, I've usually done this by supplying examples (links to things, printouts, etc) and then words "like this, but more [adjective/noun/other descriptor]." You can look around for styles that you like and look for local artists who have done work that is similar, or you can find an artist whose style you love even if you didn't initially think it was something you'd go for.
No idea what costs are like in ABQ, but my dragonfly took about two and a half hours.
posted by rtha at 3:48 PM on July 5, 2015
Body part: so far, all mine are on my arms because that's where I felt my body wanting them to be. Wherever you feel it and where your artist thinks the final result will work best is as good a place as any.
In the creation of the art, I've usually done this by supplying examples (links to things, printouts, etc) and then words "like this, but more [adjective/noun/other descriptor]." You can look around for styles that you like and look for local artists who have done work that is similar, or you can find an artist whose style you love even if you didn't initially think it was something you'd go for.
No idea what costs are like in ABQ, but my dragonfly took about two and a half hours.
posted by rtha at 3:48 PM on July 5, 2015
Where is the best place to get such a tattoo?
Find a design online that is close to the size and shape of the design you want. Print out a few copies in various sizes, cut them out, and use rubber cement to play around with different size and placement options.
posted by Room 641-A at 9:47 PM on July 5, 2015 [1 favorite]
Find a design online that is close to the size and shape of the design you want. Print out a few copies in various sizes, cut them out, and use rubber cement to play around with different size and placement options.
posted by Room 641-A at 9:47 PM on July 5, 2015 [1 favorite]
How much should I expect to pay?
Very good artists (which is sounds like you want) generally charger $180-$200 per hour, depending on how fast they work. I am sure there are more expensive artists, but they probably don't accept new clients very easily.
Should I talk to a tattoo artist beforehand and have THEM work it out, or commission someone to draw it for me and take it with me?
Number one. Tattoo artists are generally extremely talented at drawing, painting, fine art, etc. Anyone who is talented enough to pull this off for you should be able to do the drawing, and likely will do a better job of adapting it to an irregular weird-shaped canvas (you!) than a traditional freelance artist.
posted by Juliet Banana at 6:30 AM on July 6, 2015
Very good artists (which is sounds like you want) generally charger $180-$200 per hour, depending on how fast they work. I am sure there are more expensive artists, but they probably don't accept new clients very easily.
Should I talk to a tattoo artist beforehand and have THEM work it out, or commission someone to draw it for me and take it with me?
Number one. Tattoo artists are generally extremely talented at drawing, painting, fine art, etc. Anyone who is talented enough to pull this off for you should be able to do the drawing, and likely will do a better job of adapting it to an irregular weird-shaped canvas (you!) than a traditional freelance artist.
posted by Juliet Banana at 6:30 AM on July 6, 2015
1. Strongly seconding number one. You can bring images for reference or whatnot, but the person who's doing the tattoo should be the person that draws it.
2. I don't know ABQ, but I did some quick research--Johnny Mac, at Tinta Cantina, would probably be worth talking to.
3. A couple/few hundred dollars if it's a one-shot, more if it requires multiple sessions. There's a good chance your artist will try to talk you into something bigger than you have in mind--this is for a few reasons (as rtha says, 3" is not very big, small tattoos only have so much room for detail, and it's a lot more common for people to regret that a tattoo is too small than that it is too big), and I'd encourage you to consider going bigger.
posted by box at 7:00 AM on July 6, 2015
2. I don't know ABQ, but I did some quick research--Johnny Mac, at Tinta Cantina, would probably be worth talking to.
3. A couple/few hundred dollars if it's a one-shot, more if it requires multiple sessions. There's a good chance your artist will try to talk you into something bigger than you have in mind--this is for a few reasons (as rtha says, 3" is not very big, small tattoos only have so much room for detail, and it's a lot more common for people to regret that a tattoo is too small than that it is too big), and I'd encourage you to consider going bigger.
posted by box at 7:00 AM on July 6, 2015
For #2, my tattoo-loving boyfriend used to live in Albuquerque and got work done there. I asked him who he would recommend and he says: "Tinta Cantina is a great place, right on Central Ave. There is also Star Tattoo. Tinta has walk ins on Saturdays, Star definitely you need to book in advance, they are nationally renowned."
posted by aka burlap at 11:18 AM on July 6, 2015
posted by aka burlap at 11:18 AM on July 6, 2015
It looks like Ericksen Linn from aka burlap's Star Tattoo link does a ton of beautiful no-outline botanical and nature work.
posted by Juliet Banana at 12:54 PM on July 6, 2015
posted by Juliet Banana at 12:54 PM on July 6, 2015
Did you get it yet? I just wanted to point out that Stephanie Brown here in Chicago regularly does small insect tattoos. My friend KC has one and it looks great. Three inches is small for a tattoo, but I think with the right design it works.
posted by Juliet Banana at 10:11 AM on August 8, 2015
posted by Juliet Banana at 10:11 AM on August 8, 2015
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by corvine at 3:31 PM on July 5, 2015