Some just haven't had them coloured in...

A week or so ago my chum, Tinseltroos, asked me one the scariest questions an artist can be asked. Would I design a tattoo for her? I was massively honoured, that she would even think of me was very touching. Now there is obviously a distinct possibility that she won't like the finished design or may decide to do something else anyway but I was thrilled at the prospect. The brief was simple, medieval and floral design. So here's my sketches and work-in-progress doodles:



And after some cleaning up of the line-work and some colour this is the finished design:



I know it's wrong to say this but I'm really pleased with how this turned out. It is to go on the right side of her back perhaps slightly wrapping around her side. I'm especially pleased I redid the tension of the curves on the bottom scrolls as I think they will now follow the shape of her body better. It's really hard to design for a non-flat surface and I still don't know if I've really got it right, but this is the best I can do I think. I hope Tinseltroos likes it and if she has it done I will be ecstatic. There seems to me no higher compliment that an artist can be paid than to have one of your designs permanently adorn someone's body. Even if she doesn't go with it, I still feel honoured to be asked, and it's been huge amounts of fun and really educative to do. I've never attempted anything like this before and the whole new world of design issues it threw up opened up a new perspective of the design process for me. Perhaps I might try some textile design as I've never attempted that and I feel very inspired and enthusiastic following this week's endeavours.

The title of this post refers to a Maori belief that everyone has tattoos, it's just that some of us don't have them coloured in. I've always liked that thought, I know if I had a tattoo done it would be a Green Man and an Oak Tree, but that's a project for another day.