Hey there! Before we start designing your dream tattoo, make sure you're all prepped and ready to go. Some people already have a clear idea of what they want, while others might need a bit more help coming up with ideas. That's what our first consultation is for - to figure out what you're looking for and make sure you're feeling confident moving forward.

I want you to forget about the technical details and just focus on what you want your tattoo to look like. Trust me, anything is possible. I'll take care of the how.

The Dream Tattoo 

Are you dreaming of getting a tattoo but struggling to imagine the design? Let's explore my concept of “the dream tattoo”...

The DayDream

Close your eyes and think about what makes you happiest, what inspires you, or what you love the most. In this dream, you are in control. What do you see in front of you? What is happening? Imagine someone is making a movie about the theme you see in your vision. What would the movie poster look like? 

Consider the main motif of your dream. Is it a person or multiple people, someone you know, a celebrity or public figure you admire, an animal or multiple animals, or even flowers? Other keywords that can help you include figures, objects, landscapes, emotions, situations, characteristics, hobbies, activities, places, time of day, season, weather, and more.

Think about the timeframe of your dream. Is it set in the past, a memory you cherish? Or is it the present, reflecting something that interests you today? Perhaps it's a vision for the future, a reminder of the direction you want to go in. Is it daytime with blue skies and sunshine? Is it nighttime with a misty new moon and starry sky? Or are you watching the sunrise or sunset, taking in all the beautiful colors? Do you have a favorite season?

The Simple List

If you're having trouble imagining your dream tattoo, try writing down things you love, topics you enjoy, or themes you're interested in. Maybe you'll discover something more if I ask about the music you like, the movies you prefer, or the books you enjoy. And one of my favorite questions: What makes you different from those around you? How would others describe you?

The Ingredients

When it comes to tattooing, high-quality reference photos are crucial. Just like cooking, if the ingredients are poor, the result won't be great. So the better photos you can find, the better your design will be.

Now, list all your top priority motifs (objects/landscapes/feelings/situations/traits/hobbies/activities/places/time of day/season/weather etc.) plus any additional smaller motifs that could be added as extras. 

Exciting, isn't it? When your list is done, get ready to search for references…

The Search

Where to search

Searching through your own photo albums is usually the best place to start. Having your very own personal photos in the designs makes the design more unique and personal. 

But if you need other references, I recommend the following places to search:

Google Images: https://images.google.com/

Pinterest: https://no.pinterest.com/

Bing Images: https://www.bing.com/images

How to search

Avoid the word “tattoo”

When searching for images on Google, Pinterest, Shutterstock, etc., remember to search for images of a specific object and avoid using the word "tattoo" in the search field. For example, if you want to find a lion, search for "lion photography" instead of "lion tattoo." 

Be specific

Try to be more specific in your search by using more words in the search field, such as "calm lion mother protecting her cubs" or "serious lion lurking in the grass." 

Quality AND Quantity, please

Find at least three images per motif so we can find the best one together. Remember that all images can be edited, so as long as there's something in the image that makes you happy, we can most likely use it in the design.

​​Also, don’t be afraid to include objects/things that may not necessarily be on your list but make you happy and might fit into the theme.

Saving & Sharing the images

Save all your favorites in an online folder, preferably Google Drive. If not, Dropbox, iCloud storage, OneDrive or any other online storage works as long as you can share it with me. 

If you have many photos and several different categories, I recommend saving them in sorted albums inside your folder so that you have an overview of all the motifs, and I can easily find the images when needed during the designing or tattooing process. 

NOTE: Same day as our design session, you can share your folder with me via email: electriclindatattoo@gmail.com - NOT BEFORE!

Extras

Text

Do you want to have text in your tattoo design? Go to dafont.com and select a theme. In the "preview" text box, type in the text, you want and hit "submit." Browse through different themes and fonts until you have some favorites. Take screenshots of your favorites and add them to your collection.

AI art

If you have any experience with AI art, I recommend playing around with it, and maybe it can be a fun way to create one or several parts we can add to the final design. I recommend the following sites: 

Midjourney (Discord server)

NeuroFlash AI Art Generator (browser app)

IMGcreator (browser app)

My last advice

The Design Session

Before I can start tattooing you, we need a design session to work together in the studio (or via Zoom if needed) to create your tattoo design.

A) Separate Design Session

We can either have this design session as a separate appointment in the studio, giving you the opportunity to "sleep on it" and think over the design before the actual tattoo appointment. Please note that I cannot guarantee a finished design during this session, but we will make significant progress. If more time is needed, we can schedule additional design sessions, as desired. The Design Session can be booked as 1 hour for small tattoos, 2 hours for medium sizes, or 3 hours for big projects.

B) All in One

Alternatively, we can do the design on the same day as the tattoo appointment. This option saves you time and travel but doesn't allow the same opportunity to "sleep on it" as with a separate design session. We will not start tattooing until we both agree on the design.

Questions?

If you have any questions about this process or anything else, please email the studio at post@masterpiece.no or call the studio at +47 24022016.