Tattooing can't move forward as a art form unless we all stop drawing the same rose with mom written under it.

That's what I say to my self before every tattoo design I draw. I don't always succeed but I try to use thick and thin line weight and think about things like composition , and perspective. I draw from as many reference as possible , nature, vintage wall paper, manga ..you get the idea...to create something that is beyond the clients expectations.

So the next time one of your friends ( or you ?) is going with your cell phone to get some tattoo you saw on line. Do your self a favor ...use it as a starting point give your artist a week or so and get your self something that inspires awe and speaks to your soul. You deserve it. It will be worth the wait and your artist will thank you for it.

"One definition of a masterpiece I have heard . . . when you see it, you should feel you are seeing for the first time, and it should look as if it is done without effort."- Robert Bateman.