Reinventing The Tattoo Forum

Whoops, link didn't copy right and there is no "edit your posts" button yet. Sorry!

Solid piece only thing I would've done would to have built up the lines to better differentiate foreground objects to background object. I would've done a thicker outline around the biggest lotus and little filigree hanging over the edge of it and continue with smaller lines and almost use no outlines on the petals that are further away. Also, while working on a new part for the session going back through and tightening up the lines that fell out during the healing process. Good piece and I really like the background elements.

Yeah I see what you mean about the outline. I was supposed to get a final touchup pass but she canceled on me twice now, so I don't think I'll get the chance. I didn't want to not have an outline around any of the lighter flowers since its on her back and would see significant sun, but I think I definitely have a problem being too timid with my outlines. If I get the chance to go back into it I'll definitely thicken some stuff up. Thanks!

i concur with Caleb's comments about line weight. In this piece you've got a number of flowers at different distances, which is an opportunity to use priority to show distance in a way that would help keep the composition from merging together into one big shape when viewed from far away. You've got a thicker line around that central foreground petal that's wider than the rest- that would be a good thickness for the line around the whole flower- thick enough to stand out but not enough to clunk. Then the medium flower and ornamental scrollwork keep the line weight they have, and the distant elements get a gray line. Using different levels of contrast would increase this effect- starting with dlight higher contrast (isolated small areas of black) I the foreground flower and scrollwork, then lower contrast in the smaller flowers, with the distant ones being fairly light. Some small white highlights, applied with a liner, would help pop out the upper petals of the big lotus, which right now look just slightly empty, too similar to the flesh tone of the client. 

Overall your execution is nice and smooth, with the flower petals having a velvety look and the lines being clean and uniform. The background stuff is s little patchy and fragmented though- longer gradients are better for making the foreground stuff pop forward. Last but not least, the scrollwork is a little spindly, like its presence has been minimized or was an afterthought- Agee bigger shapes would give it a more dynamic presence. Look at s few of Russ Abbott's recent pieces for some examples.

Thanks!  I get a little nervous about using grey lines on peoples backs due to theme seeing a decent amount of sun, but I should have committed to pushing the lineweight forward.  The thicker line around that front petal was to push those petals forward.  If the whole lotus had a thicker outline would you have made that twice as thick?  I agree with the bigger shapes and background gradients too.  I have a tendancy to hone in too much when I draw.  I'll keep that in mind!  Thanks!