What style art/tattoo is this?

February 27, 2017 12:50 PM

I'm looking around for tattoo ideas and ran across this bison. I love the style of the design but have no idea what it's called.

Unfortunately, I'm not looking to get a bison tattoo (I totally would because this is a magnificent bison).

I'm trying to search for more examples (I'm getting a wolf) but coming up empty. I tried "totem," but that doesn't seem to be quite right. Any ideas? It seems to have an Indian influence, I've seen some henna art similar too.

This bison is pretty stunning.

(Additionally, there is a bison constellation going on in there, which I will be substituting with my wolfie.)

Thanks!

posted by crankyrogalsky to Media & Arts (14 answers total)

Do you mean this one? You linked to a search page.
posted by brainmouse at 12:54 PM on February 27, 2017 [2 favorites]

If it's the constellation effect you're looking for, here's a google page of constellation wolf tattoos.
posted by cooker girl at 12:59 PM on February 27, 2017

There is already a wolf constellation, so that might be a good place to look. Also, there is no Bison constellation, at least not one recognized by the IAU.
posted by sexyrobot at 1:00 PM on February 27, 2017

Response by poster: Sorry, the picture is coming up right for me. It's not a search page. Trying to figure out how to get the picture.

I know there's a wolf constellation.
posted by crankyrogalsky at 1:04 PM on February 27, 2017

Response by poster: Bison picture
posted by crankyrogalsky at 1:06 PM on February 27, 2017

I'd say it looks a lot like "zentangle" style drawings.
posted by Orca at 1:07 PM on February 27, 2017 [3 favorites]

Yup, that's what I thought as well when I saw it.
posted by Klaxon Aoooogah at 1:15 PM on February 27, 2017

Some relevant words, with examples I got on the top page google image searches on each: "filigree", "lace art", "swirly art"

So searching images for /lace filigree swirly animal/ will give you some similar suff for inspiration, and of course any one of those words +[animal of choice] would probably work.

A lot of the digital art is vector based, so "vector" or "vector art" are terms you might throw in too,
posted by SaltySalticid at 1:19 PM on February 27, 2017 [1 favorite]

That style of art for tattooing is called 'wood cut' because the line-based-shading resembles wood cut prints.

For tattoos: absolutely look for inspirational material, but realize that you need to speak to a tattoo artist. They are professional artists who specialize in applying their art to skin. They are not printers, and not every drawing will turn into a good tattoo.

Luckily for you, there are many tattoo artists who specialize in the wood-cut style.
posted by so fucking future at 1:59 PM on February 27, 2017 [4 favorites]

I mean, at the risk of being obvious, have you considered reaching out to that artist and seeing if you could commission what you want from her?
posted by brainmouse at 2:06 PM on February 27, 2017 [1 favorite]

Seconding that "wood cut" was my first thought also, although I think it a bit "swirly" and less linear than a straight up wood cut. "etching" style would be another common descriptor that you should check out.
posted by Exceptional_Hubris at 2:15 PM on February 27, 2017

It actually reminds in style of Eric Sabee, who did the artwork for the (awesome) deck-building game Ascension.
posted by DrAstroZoom at 2:17 PM on February 27, 2017

Response by poster: The artist is in NY and I'm going to see if she makes it out to LA. I have tattoos, I don't need to be schooled. Just want to know poke around for ideas.
posted by crankyrogalsky at 2:23 PM on February 27, 2017 [1 favorite]

Woodcut or possibly I've seen similar work in abstract artists books - it isn't abstract but when they've done representative work that abstractness sometimes comes in like that.
posted by geek anachronism at 12:41 AM on February 28, 2017