Creating More Balanced Tattoo Designs
July 9. 2024
Tattoo design requires a deep understanding of aesthetics, anatomy, and detail. Oscar Akermo, a master of micro realism, shares invaluable insights for creating balanced and beautiful tattoos. Here are his top three tips:
Design for the client's body
Always design your tattoo based on a photo of the client's body part. Using a generic image of a body part found online is a common mistake. The tattoo must fit the specific body type of your client to look balanced and beautiful.
"50% of what makes a tattoo look balanced is in how it interacts with the body it sits on!" - Oscar Akermo
By designing directly on a photo of the client's body part, you ensure that the tattoo complements their unique anatomy, creating a harmonious and visually pleasing result.
Utilize focal points & visual hierarchy
Use the lessons from Focal Points & Visual Hierarchy in our 5 Week Digital Tattoo Design Program. Using 'Focal Points' aka the Main element, and thinking about the visual hierarchy of any design will help you better decide the exact sizes and placement you need for each element in your tattoo design.
Using focal points allows you to:
Establish a clear structure for the design
Ensure all elements, small or large, follow a cohesive order
Create a more balanced and natural feel to the art
When elements in your design follow a clear hierarchy, they will look and feel more balanced, enhancing the overall aesthetic of the tattoo.
Pay attention to detail
The devil is in the details. When designing any tattoo, pay close attention to the size, placement, and layout of each element. Ask yourself how small changes might affect the overall dynamic and feeling of the design.
"What happens to the overall dynamic and feeling of the design if I just make this element 5% bigger? Or move it slightly left? Right? Up?" - Oscar Akermo
By being thorough with even the smallest size and placement differences, both in the design phase and when placing a stencil, you will build a strong sensitivity to these differences and naturally begin to find beautiful layouts and placements more easily.
Attention to detail sets apart the "okay" from the great. It ensures every aspect of your design contributes to a balanced and harmonious final piece, keeping clients coming back—booking you out for months—and following you on social media.
