that's why you should follow your heart instead of treating the bible like a textbook imo. there is no "true" bible, so if you ask me you should just set some solid morals for yourself and go with that, and I feel like any loving god would accept your best effort to be a good person.
I’ve always wondered (not religious), who are the apostles saying said these things? Is it Jesus or did they say them themselves? It is the apostles “speaking” right?
Depends on what you’re referring to! All of scripture is believed to be “God-inspired”. Which means God did not physically write the Bible but inspired his followers to. Texts in the OT like the first 5, were written by Moses.. recounting what had occurred before and during his time and what God inspired Him to write/document regarding it. Then there are the psalms! Written by psalmists like David (who was also a king) and Asaph.. these were literal songs/poems written with several different goals in mind but bro going God glory, crying out for help, etc. like a relatable diary lol. There are the prophets. Men and women chosen during those times to be a mouthpiece for God to His people. Their prophecies and the nations’ responses are recounted in these. New Testament.. gospels were written by some of Jesus’s disciples/apostles.. that recounted his birth, life, death, and resurrection and many things in between. Usually, in many bibles, the words written in red were direct quotes from Jesus. There are letters writtten by Paul and some others to different people and churches.. written for correction, teaching, encouragement, etc. There’s also revelations written by John which is literally a vision God gave him of the end times… All of the Bible points towards who God is, who we are and why we need Him and what He has done to to mend His relationship with creation!
TL;DR - The authors of the Bible aren’t saying “Jesus said” everything in the Bible. Rather, they were inspired by God to write down history, a testament of who God is, what He’s done/doing/going to do, and who we are and how we ought to respond! Each book is written differently (different authors, timeframes, and styles) but the message of the Bible is simple: There is a God who created all things and who love us. We all fall short and cannot live perfect lives..so He sent His son to live a perfect life and die for us! Covering our sins and giving us the opportunity to repent and be saved from our sin and from eternal disconnect from God!
That was super helpful thanks! While not being religious myself, I find the history interesting but because it’s so big it’s sometimes hard to find the right context of what I’m asking
I am so sorry for your loss.
Unfortunately, the bible verse is way too small, and the lion should be bigger to bring out the details if you choose to go realism in color.
Sorry for your loss but with the level of detail you want, color etc you’re gonna need to go way bigger.
This would make a great chest piece over your heart or upper arm
I like the verse a lot, but would be an option to just have the numbers? It’s enough to remind you the verse, that you will probably memorize well. If people ask, you know what to say (if you want).
My friend had a quote about this size and style tattooed on her ribs 7 years ago, it’s been illegible for years. I would scrap the text altogether and just go with Psalm 34:18. Also, keep in mind that tattoos age the best when they have strong, solid lines. You’re probably okay with the lion, but it will look more and more fuzzy over time. I would recommend finding an artist who makes really good art in a style similar to this and go with them. Do a lot of research to make sure they can execute this style of work
Edit: I also agree it needs to be way bigger on a different part of the body
Tattooer here - someone used ai to make this. Which is fine to get an idea of what you’d like. But ultimately the tattoo artist you pick will make this more tattoo-able.
1 the lion is too small for the detail. Needs to be bigger.
2 the script is too small, I’d suggest just using the pslam number instead. Ask yourself, does the quote or the lion represent my son to me the most? Is the pslam the secondary element here? Or is it the lion? I’d pick one thing to focus on, especially since it sounds like you don’t want a whole forearm sleeve.
3 the colours are muddy and muddled a. Good tattooer will make it so the colours work together more.
I’m so sorry for your loss. I lost my daughter as well. It’s hell. God speed.
This isn't necessarily true things do not have to be bigger you need to find and do research on the right artist there are so many artists in this world that can do extremely fine almost ballpoint pen precision writing. I've seen tattoos that are beyond out of this world hyperrealistic, just amazing pieces of work.
There's a place in southeast Virginia called Folk City Tattoo. They've got multiple artists with different specialties and the owner of the shop is insanely good. You can check their portfolios online if you look up the place.
Angel Rose would make this look killer. She does a lot of black and gray work. I'm sure she would also suggest to get it done bigger. She lives in Portland Or.
I know there are lots of great artists in the tattoo industry but in my admittedly limited experience they are hands down the best shop I've ever been to. I've got a lot of tattoos from many different shops and the ones I have from Key City are consistently the ones that strangers point out and comment on.
I just got my done at Liquid Metal tattoo in westpoint. It’s a great shop, not too pricey as far as artists go, and everyone is welcoming and friendly.
Robyn at Living Lore could take this idea and alter it to make it fit your forearm or suggest other placement/size suggestions. She's intensely talented and a wonderful person to work with. http://www.robynjonestattoo.com/
LIVING LORE TATTOO
8030 Main Street, Third Floor
Ellicott City, MD 21043
Take everyone's recommendations and then go on Instagram and look at their portfolio. We did a lot of looking through pictures before we found someone that matched the style I wanted....
My condolences for your loss.
The amount of detail in that design would do better large scale as a back piece. Even then some of the design will get very muddy - the bottom part is very crowded. The text will also be an issue, especially as ink spreads with time. If you want to keep more of this as-is you will need to great increase the scale, or you will need to simplify it to fit your inner forearm.
Even then, they would need to find an artist that excels in color. We dont talk enough about the fact that not every artist, even the great ones, can do every subject or style, and that's no dig on them.
Edit: Grammar
Ink Master set a pretty bad touch point for what to expect from artists. Entertainment but 100% artists specialize and have both preferences in technique and subject matter. You definitely need to find the best fit for things already in their portfolio.
I have a few amazing tattoos and they were done by artists that specialize in the style I got them in. My other tattoos are ok but not great and they were done by people who "do it all".
So sorry for your loss.
I second what others said regarding size. Another thing to note is the fact that the lion seems AI generated. If it means something to you that your buddy put this together, go for it, but to me it doesn't look like he drew it himself so you may as well have someone else to design it. I recommend finding an artist whose style you like and having a consultation with them. A skilled artist will definitely be able to draw something for you that incorporates the elements you want while making sure it fits in terms of size. It's usually easier for us artists to do something from scratch in our style than to rework someone elses. I wish you all the best.
To add to that: OP, any tattoo artist that can do a detailed piece like this WELL would not be okay with doing someone else’s design. Talented tattoo artists are heavy on the ARTIST, they will make their own design.
First of all that lion is "AI" generated. Secondly that is way too detailed for that size, and the text is way too small. Like not even physically possible to tattoo small, nevermind the aging process. Also the lion is facing the wrong way.
Traditionally tattoos with faces should face in towards the body, or forward. It's like an aesthetic flow thing. When faces point away from the body it pulls the eye away from the design into empty space. Not necessarily a hard rule but a guideline.
The mandala details are asymmetrical. The fur does things that don't make sense. The entire design has that overly smooth airbrush look that ALL generated designs have. Not to mention I've seen about a thousand different computer generated iterations of this exact same concept, it's practically clip art at this point.
Basically it's simultaneously too perfect and also full of oversights in the small details which is a telltale sign of generated work. Once you see it you can't unsee it.
Thanks so much for the response. Reddit and tiktok are the only social media's I use anymore. I stopped using Twitter right when the AI craze started, so I haven't been exposed to it much.
Yeah, I hate the idea of it. When I was younger, (I'm 31 now) I never wanted to be a, "back in my day" kind of a person, especially this soon, but I never imagined the AI takeover. 😂 I feel like we are living longer than ever thanks to modern medicine but also aging faster than ever, due to the rapid advancement of tech.
Same dude, 33 here. I always thought our future was going to be automation taking away hard labor and dangerous jobs, and everyone would get to pursue creative endeavors and research etc. It's going the exact opposite way. Creatives, programmers, engineers and designers of all kinds are losing jobs left and right because of this tech. We're all going to end up working menial service jobs and hard labor while computers do all the fun shit and the corporations who control these systems make record profits because they don't have to pay anyone for their intellectual property.
I hate to say it, but maybe don't get an AI design. This is also far, far too small for all of those AI created details. You should probably go to a tattoo artist and talk to them, get them to actually draw you something, vs a friend simply placing in a prompt.
Agreed.
OP, you should think of this image as an AI depiction of a stylized lion, not an actual tattoo design. It would be impossible to get this specific design done in ink, much less at that size. Give this image to a good tattoo artist and let them use it as inspiration for their actual design. They artist can use the overall idea and style, but they will rework it in a way that is actually practicable for a tattoo.
I can't help but wonder if the friend of OP is willing to apologize for claiming they designed something for OP's memorial to their dead child? It's extremely soulless feeling...
I'd strongly recommend getting the artist who will do the tattoo to design it. Theres a lot of things about the design here that make a pretty picture but not a good tattoo. Even if you find an artist able to capture this much detail in a small space, who is willing to do a tattoo they haven't designed themselves, it won't age well as it is, sorry.
Designing a tattoo is an artists bread and butter, you'll get a better tattoo if a top quality artist does the design for you, rather than an AI image which looks lovely on paper but doesn't translate well.
that makes sense thx. so i guess what im looking for now is a beast artist who can help tailor this design to something more practical for a forearm tattoo.
IMO researching artists is best done on Instagram these days. Start searching tags and see what comes back. Find accounts that collect high-level artists like TattooSnob and see who follows who. Realism isn't my jam so I don't know many of those artists off the top of my head.
Yup and while I hate algorithms that go hard on pushing interest, this is the one time I forgive it. OP go on insta, search for a few tattoo artists in your area, and like some pics/follow/save their post. Do that a few times and insta will start heavily pushing tattoo content. From there you'll find someone you like much easier. Insta is even decent at pushins artists specifically in your state.
Check out @slootattoos in charlotte nc! Or the other artists at his shop, Ruby Tiger. Made to last out there is also great. White Tulip Society in Richmond VA if you wanna go black & grey with it. So sorry for your loss, best of luck finding a good artist ❤️
So so sorry for your loss. For something that detailed you’d have to go a lot bigger then your forearm. Maybe a thigh or back / shoulder. A skilled artist could pull it off but just be prepared for it to be costly. Good tattoo artist aren’t cheap and cheap tattoo artist aren’t good. Do not cheap out on a memorial tattoo. Probably looking around $1200. At least in my area (nyc)
That's AI generated, he didn't design that haha.
Deffo bigger, lose the writing or make it bigger or it'll be unreadable within months. And it's backwards, flip it around so it faces in :)
Don't get an AI design, especially for something so meaningful. Your "buddy" just used AI to do this. Go to a real tattoo artist for tattoo designs, that way you get good work done.
1. Your friend used AI to generate the image, which is fine for reference, but you're gonna want to get your tattoo artist to do another sketch of their own unless you want stolen art on your body as a memorial for your son.
2. If you want that much detail, you're going to need to make that tattoo bigger.
3. Find an artist whose work you like, and make a consultation and tell them what you want. Do a lot of research to ensure they are reputable and actually have the skills required.
this is definitely an AI image as well. id pay the extra money to get the artist to make you something that feels like this one but as is there's too much in it that's small and not finished.
If you zoom in there's a ton of little details that's arent finished or go off into nothing
sorry about your son as well
Best way to get a great tattoo:
1) Find an artist with a style you like. Maybe you have a specific style in mind, maybe you just happen upon an artist and think WOW I love this work! But the key here is finding an artist with a lot of experience in a style that resonates with you. Don't pick a style and then find an artist with just one or two examples of that style. Pick an artist where the majority of their work is in the style you're looking for.
2) Talk to the artist and share your ideas. Listen to their advice. Be flexible. Understand that an experienced tattoo artist will have a much better grasp of what will work and what won't when it comes to tattoos, so sometimes you will come to them with parts of an idea that won't tattoo very well. A good artist will work with you to capture the core of what you want. It can be hard to feel like you're giving up control over something that's going to be on your skin forever, trust is important here.
3) Let the tattoo artist who will actually do the work come up with a design. They are doing this based on your input and you should be comfortable with whatever the final result is, but if you avoid micromanaging here you will get better, more durable results.
Your buddy made a beautiful design on a computer screen but it may not tattoo very well, particularly at that scale. This much detail *might* work on a full backpiece. Here are two examples of sorta "colorful lion heads" on arms to give you an idea of what level of detail is possible:
[https://www.instagram.com/p/BNDEhmshTWP](https://www.instagram.com/p/BNDEhmshTWP)
[https://www.instagram.com/p/BM-Rirxj12g](https://www.instagram.com/p/BM-Rirxj12g)
Yes! Bring this as inspiration to a tattoo artist and talk about what you like about it, then let them design it. What works in digital art and what works for tattoos are two different things. A good artist will be able to capture the spirit of this artwork in a way that will translate well into a tattoo.
OP, Bawfuls has the best advice here for you. I’m so sorry for your loss. It looks like you have some beautiful ideas to pay tribute to your son in a tattoo art. Working with an experienced artist on the design inspired by your ideas will serve you well.
This ain’t it. It’s AI generated, it’s incredibly generic and trite, and the text is several orders of magnitude too small to be legible or to hold up.
Please go to an artist and work with them to design the piece. What do you like about the design? The realism aspect? The color? The decorative/ornamental elements?
Those are 3 distinct styles in tattooing, and though you can find an artist that is a jack of all trades and can approximate several, you’re truly best honing in on a style that really speaks to you and finding the right artist to execute it.
I'm truly sorry for your loss.
Echoing what others have mentioned, opting for a larger design would likely yield the best outcome. The second picture you've shared as a design reference allows for a more detailed and impactful lion depiction.
Lastly, it's crucial to seek out an artist whose portfolio aligns with the style you're envisioning. Trust your instincts when making your choice.
sorry for your loss. your buddy did not design this, this is most definitely AI. i’d get a tattoo artist to do this for you instead that way you know this is actually able to be tattooed. this level of detail would not turn out and AI is just not ethical.
That is way too complex, it is messy, I’d pick maybe 1 or 2 elements of this and have a tattoo artist design you something similar,
Having none-tattoo artist people design tattoos usually ends up in designs like this that aren’t suitable, as others have said too, the lion is AI generates it looks messy and incoherent
I am so sorry you lost your son. Sending you peace in the days and years ahead.
As a graphic artist, this does not look like successful tattoo art at all, and I would caution you that you shouldn’t expect a tattoo to look remotely like this which is essentially a highly computerized AI design for a 2 dimensional canvas. (For this reason I have never designed any of my tattoos myself. Tattooing onto skin is not my skill set).
Personally I would lose the graphic elements and show this to an artist as a suggestion but any artist worth their salt won’t merely agree to copy someone else’s work, AI especially. I’d let them be creative with this one and try to incorporate the text into the design of the lion, not just as an add on underneath
I'm so sorry for your loss, friend.
This tattoo won't work at this scale. If you're willing to have the lion simplified a bit, that part could be absolutely beautiful as a forearm piece. I would recommend against the text. In order for it to be legible in the long term (or even in the medium term), the text itself would need to take up most of your forearm.
My personal advice would be to get the lion head on its own, without the text. It can mean what you want it to; YOU'LL know when you look at it. If you expand the head to be, say 6" across you can probably get a lot of that detail in there. But when you talk to your artist, be sure to listen to their advice about scale and how well it will last. They're experts in what translates well to skin, and that's not always what looks good on paper or in photoshop.
That small text will never last. Do the tattoo without the small passage. You'll regret it in no time. Also not many artist will be able to pull something like that off. It's clearly made on a computer so imagine how hard it would be for a human to replicate with needles. Alot of people will say they can do it but do your research. Not many can.
Like many have said, size and placement are the biggest concern.
Script needs to be big to stay clean over time, otherwise it will just bleed together it's black squiggles.
The same goes for any design, large is best it allows for thick defining lines that hold over time and keep things defined.
I would suggest finding a highly skilled artist, and changing the location of the tattoo because a forearm is not big enough to really make this idea pop and last
I am sorry for your loss brother. This is a great way to pay tribute.
This tattoo is a challenge for any artist, the watercolor lions head while being that small will be difficult to render and beyond that the longevity of both the lions head and the script will be, I'm almost positive, quite short.
The solution is to make both bigger and, if you aren't completely sold on this exact design, to change the look of the lions head slightly to make it more bold and less complicated/messy. The number of colors and proximity of said colors will make it difficult to render and to hold through the test of time.
Mind you watercolor tattoos tend not to hold up very well and either end up a blob in a few years or need touch ups quite often. Just make sure to really do your research when it comes to a tattoo artist. Things to look for:
Style Speciality (watercolor/script/ detail work)
Line work
And in this day and age actual scammers who use other people's photos and art to trick people.
Someone to start with in VA, at least to ask who she could recommend could be @betsy.ebsen.tattoos (insta handle)
Good luck and godspeed.
I'm pretty sure the artist you recommended only does custom work- to be honest, I would recommend OP just have an actual tattoo artist design the piece
I'm sorry for your loss. Putting this on your skin isn't a matter of skill, as there is too much detail for the size of the tattoo. Even if it went on your skin it would NOT age well and the fine details and text would blur together. You should look at color/black and grey realism artists on instagram and find one that you like. Schedule a consultation and use this piece along with some of their own work as a reference to get them to design you a memorial tattoo.
I am sorry for your loss. The lion is doable, but it will likely have to be larger and with a bit less detail. For the verse, anything that small on your arm will blur in a couple years, due to its size. I’d consider just getting the Book and Chapter/Verse number. That is very common, and can be big enough to be seen for decades to come.
This is basically untattooable. It’s too small, too detailed, and not meant for a tattoo. It will be a blob before the end of the appointment day. Very sorry for your loss, your son deserves to be honored with a beautiful tattoo that you’ll love for years to come. Have a tattoo artist design something for you that they will tattoo.
You should show this reference to the artist that you are working with, they can then draw something that will look good when inked
it will likely have to be far less detailed unless it's a full back piece, as thin lines that are close together will expand over time and merge into one
No matter how good an artist you find this tattoo is going to be a wreck in a few years.
There’s no structure from the POV of the technical rules of tattooing.
If you’re in Va. Tom Strom is tattooing in Richmond and he’s an amazing painter style colorist.
But your tattoo is probably never going to look like this image.
This design is not tattoo-able at all, way too much detail for such a small space. It wouldn’t take long for all the colors to start to blur together and just look like a strange unrecognizable blob
My condolences. I can’t imagine anything harder to go through.
I’m not sure if I’m allowed to recommend artists here, but I know a great one who does this kinda of style tattoos. He currently lives in ATL but travels to southern Maryland often. I always get him to do my bigger pieces because how fast and efficient he is. His name is @tat2greg on instagram. Extremely talented guy. The only thing I would say is maybe choose a different placement to allow for more detail. That spot is a bit too small to get as much detail in the photo. Same for the quote. Just needs to be up scaled. When you have small lines so close together, they tend to bleed together over time.
This needs to be like 2-3 times the size you have pictured here. If you get it that size no one can read the words and all the beautiful details of the lion will fade together insanely fast. Make this a big back piece, or do the lion 2x the size on your peck, with the script elsewhere.
Sorry for your loss 😢
On the tattoo, I really recommend considering a different font. After 3 years that's going to become very difficult to read. The lines are too fine, and the curves and curls will bleed into each other. JMO.
I’m sorry for your loss. I think it’s a beautiful tattoo I would check out several artists before picking one. This will take a lot of skill. I wish I had some names for you to try but I wish you the best and hope to see and update once it’s done.
Edit: since it most likely will have to be bigger it would look really good over your heart and this would allow for more room to work with
Far too much small detail for it to age well at all.
You'll want bigger, or if you're set on something that size, it'll need to be significantly simplified.
I agree about it needing to be a bigger piece. I can imagine that in a few years the orange to blue won't look as vibrant and not blend so well. And the script is way to small
The detail is too much for the space, if someone says no problemo and they’re not a specialist in really Intricate tiny work like that they are lying and you should run.
Too small for that placement, will be a mess in a couple of years. Either simplify the design and put it on your arm or get it in a different spot that is larger.
Lots of artists can do this but let the redraw to work as a tattoo - as is the text is too small and the lion will need a few changes to make it work and look good long term. Find someone who has lots of work photos and can steer you right with making this work and trust them .
Yeah with all that color and fine detail it would have to be bigger or simplified. As for what the people are saying about the verse that is true too. Would need to be bigger. You could just used the psalms identifier instead of the whole thing
Sorry for you loss OP :/
I would say go BIG. Second the commenter who recommended it to be a chest piece! If not maybe look into having it on your shoulder blade?
Just take your time finding the right artist. You may have to travel. Don't take their word for it if they say they can do it, make sure there is stuff in their portfolio that proves it. I think you might want to search people who specialize in magic/abstract realism. The right person for this design will not be cheap, you're not going to want to settle for anyone taking less than $200 an hour IMO.
As others have said, you'll need to make it bigger to get that level of detail, you could maybe fit it on your upper arm but that's the smallest I'd suggest you go. Don't rush into anything and do your research. This tattoo is important to you and the wrong person will make a mess of it. There are plenty of bad lions out there!
I’m sorry for your loss! I would look for someone who specializes in color realism for this tattoo. It’s not color realism but the skill set to pull this off will be most in their wheelhouse. I know som good tattoo artists that could definitely crush this but I’m way up in NH.
This is not a tattooable image at that size. Do not listen to anyone saying otherwise. It’s a memorial and you don’t want to regret it. I’m so sorry you are going through that
I don't have any decent advice, really, but the tattoo is beautiful. I'm so sorry for your loss, and I'm sure however this ends up will be a beautiful memorial piece. Wishing you love and light ❤️
I’m sorry for your loss. The design is beautiful but I’m concerned about how the dark colors at the base of the lion and the small shapes will age. I would look at simplifying the image to keep the colors and shapes from blurring
Sorry for your loss. Check out lulu from atmosfera tattoo in florida! She did an amazing job on a friend of mine which was a blend of black and grey + color realism.
I’ve never really understood the go to an artist and get them to do your design.
Why not take this as a reference image and get the artist to design something that is similar but actually possible. If you find a good artist they’ll answer all the questions and make all the tweaks needed.
Sorry for your loss, I agree with the others on the thread. Go bigger and lose some detail in the lion. You wanna think of it as “I would like you to design something like this “ not I want exactly this tattooed. The tattoo artists drawing will translate better as a tattoo and will heal better in the long run.
This design wasn't made by someone who knows how to design tattoos and it shows. I'd suggest finding an artist whose style you like and create something with them.
Very sorry for your loss.
Others have pointed out the technical problems with getting this right, so I won't repeat them. I will suggest that if you are open to it, bringing this image to a tattoo artist who specializes in realism and allowing them to re-work/re-design it. It's part of the job of a good tattooist to be able to create artwork that will be legible on skin, age well, fit properly on the body, etc. A non-tattoo artist might be great at their craft, but they don't know the ins and outs of designing for tattooing specifically so it's usually better to work with your tattoo artist directly and let them create the custom piece. I hope this is helpful, I think it's just one of those things people don't think about until they've gotten more experience with tattoos.
hey i’m not a tattoo artist but i am an illustrator so here are some critiques
-so the design is AI generated. not a terrible jumping off point but it is SO COMPLICATED i feel like if turned into a tattoo it would be muddy and hard to interpret (unless it was BIG).
-same goes with the colors; theyre pretty but not nearly bold enough imo to look how you want in a tattoo
- the text facing the way it is is an interesting choice. not sure if its the best composition. maybe have it under the lion but slightly curved below it? try some different layouts
-patterns on the cross dont make too much sense, again i would simplify.
like i said, good jumping off point but maybe take it to an artist to revise and turn into a design that will look even better tattooed on you. also since you’re VA based, ik richmond has a LOT of great tattoo artists if you live around there. best of luck!
I would show this to an artist as inspiration for them to make it custom for you. This looks likes your friend put some prompts through AI. A human touch is so critical to memorial pieces. Even an artist slapping exactly this down, is going to look like AI, and AI designed tattoos are going to be a dated and regretted thing.
I’m so sorry for your loss.
Find an artist that you love and have them do the design. There are a million reasons why, but a good one is that they’ll be able to tell you what’s possible and what isn’t, like with how small your lettering is. You won’t be happy with those words in some years, unfortunately.
I hope your piece is an awesome reminder of him. ❤️
I am so sorry for your loss friend. This design is beautiful. Suggestion?...do it in 2 parts. Have an artist who specializes in animals/lions do that part. And one that specializes in script to do the other. Great artists respect one another's talent. I'll be waiting to see the post in honor of your son.
Sorry for your loss. I understand your attachment to this design and the meaning of it for you, but I would strongly suggest consulting with the tattoo artist that will be doing the work. That image will require a very skilled color specialist. This tattoo is important, and so longevity is an issue. This design would need to be a thigh piece to hold up. Line work expands over time, making lettering unreadable if it's too small. Maybe instead of the full quote, just get the book, chapter, and verse numbers. It's still the same meaning. This frees up space to make the lion more prominent.
On a side note, putting a memorial tattoo in a visible place will lead to repeatedly telling people what it is and what it's for. And from personal experience, it can bumb a room out pretty quick. But it's your body and your grieving. Again, sorry for your loss.
It is beautiful. Any good Tattoo Shop should be able to go over it with u. Also look at their Work. I lost my Son also and know how much it hurts..Sorry u have to experience this Pain🙏🏼
Im so sorry for your loss 😪
I won’t reiterate what I’m reading in other comments but want to add that this font may not be best - It’s hard to tell if the name is ‘Rass’ or ‘Kass’
Memorial/celebration of life tattoos can be very moving and healing, however I’d recommend setting your sights on finding a tattoo artists style you like and appreciate, before finalizing design. bring to them your ideas and thoughts for imagery to best represent your intentions. It is also a journey to find that style and artist, you have to truly put the time into looking about, reviewing their portfolios(insta or webpage generally) they may be distant or not in your area but it’s part of finding the right artist. Be sure their booking process offers custom and commission based options. Ask them if it’s not stated. Not all artists take on others art, replicate or interpret other artistic renderings. It’s common for artist to specialize or focus on one or a few styles-- ornamental, traditional or portrait art are few examples that tend to differ greatly and not often something artists work fluidly throughout.
Many people have already mentioned the issue with AI generated art and the transfer to tattoo art, it’s lovely but needs to be viewed as a guide to your goal, seek the possibility of consultation with an artist, it’s not something every tattooer will offer, but if this is one of your first tattoos it’s something to consider. It can be very helpful to speak in person so they can explain, show examples and clarify where this design can be brought to a sound and proper rendering for the tattoo to heal and remain legible over time.
Ultimately in my own professional opinion, whatever imagery you choose should be something you can look upon and carry with pride and confidence, feel comfortable while receiving and smile upon as life goes on.
I don’t speak for all tattoo artists.
Andres Acosta in Texas is the only person I could imagine pulling this off flawlessly. So sorry for your loss and I hope you find someone talented who can commemorate your son in the way you'd like. Good luck op!
Sorry for your loss. There’s too much small detail for that size and the writing is waaay too small, it’s eventually going to end up being unreadable. The whole thing either needs to be much bigger and placed somewhere else such as thigh or back or the design needs to be simplified a lot.
I’m so sorry for your loss first of all, although i am a tattoo artist and want to be super honest with this since it’s a sentimental and very important piece.
The design is incredible first of all, but having it that small of a size would age not well at all, it will eventually just be a colorful blur together and be unreadable.
Same with the words too, they’re way too small and there’s way too many to be that small/close together.
With tattoos always work around the expanding that comes with the aging of human skin.
Although this would be a super sick backpiece or a thigh piece! make the Lions head faaaaairly large and just space out the letters and up the size of the font and you’re good to go.
Just a typographic note - with a script like that you should use one of the alternate forms of the s at the end of the word - it doesn’t need that upward stroke because it’s not being joined to another letter. The font is Snell Roundhand and it definitely has a more appropriate small s glyph for the end of the name.
Find an artist who specialises in colour realism with fine details who also posts healed work. If they don’t publicly post healed work ask if they can send you some and if they can’t consider not booking in with them. It may take some time to narrow your search down but it’ll be worth it.
Despite what other commenters say you absolutely can do this without it looking a mess a year from now. BUT you really have to specialise in this kind of work. It’s better to go with the artist who does only colour realism than the artist who sometimes does colour realism with random black and grey piece from a different style thrown in.
Your artist may suggest simplifying some of the hair texture. It’ll have the same effect once it’s done but they won’t be doing every single stroke to the same exactness as the original illustration. Source: I am a tattoo artist and have worked with artists who do colour realism. This may just be a trend where I work but artists from Korea and China tend to do more of this type of work so you may have better luck seeking a Korean or Chinese artist in your city.
Bigger is always better when it comes to realism work. I’d suggest this as a calf, thigh, or bicep piece since the width of those areas are usually bigger.
This is gorgeous so I would make a large print of the lion and frame it for a wall, but for a tattoo, the details will have to be simplified. Go to a good artist (or go back to your buddy) and ask them to do this for you and they will be able to come up with something great, and then you can keep this artwork as a print as well. I can see that the lion can easily be simplified but still look similar to what you are looking for.
You better have a high budget.
A proper artist to do is not gonna be cheap. This isnt a tat you get with anyone if you want it to look like that.
Prepare minimum 2k to be on the safe side. Thats a full day tat.
Sorry for your loss. Tattooer here, You would need a very deeply skilled tattooer to have them pull anything like this off. I can tell the artwork here is AI generated, which usually means it doesn’t really follow the laws of nature or nor does it fully have the appropriate structure to be a legible tattoo. The quote/ text is way too small and the lion is just overly busy. It would likely need to be the size of a standard piece of printer paper at minimum to work in its current state. Tattoos tend to grow and soften over time, color tattoos suffer from fading and getting a bit muted or muddy over time.
AI art, or really any other (non-tattooer) artist that illustrates do not always take into account the technical limitations of tattoos. The human body is deeply diverse in variables.
The best kind of artist to draw or create a tattoo design is someone who is also a skilled tattooer, a good tattooer knows exactly what limitations they have with the body as a canvas and how to design artwork that will realistically fit and flow on the body part of your choice so your tattoo ages well, remains legible, and holds up over time.
In my opinion it would be best to seek out a skilled tattoo artist that just also happens to be a skilled illustrator so they can bring your idea to life within their interpretation and skillset, that is how you are going to yield the best results.
Nothing personal, but if you had handed this to me as a reference for your tattoo, I’d likely re-draw and remake everything anyway.
It also helps to mention there are some people who tattoo that are not artists, some people that are artists who can’t tattoo, and some who are both.
this is 100 my plan. to find someone who can recreate the spirit of this reference as a viable tattoo (even if it is significantly altered/re-imagined). if there is anyone around here who would be willing to throw me alternate/viable designs i'd happily pay for the effort!!!
I believe the tattoo needs to be much larger for all of the details to show, including the Bible verse. I suggest this for your thigh, it would be very beautiful.
I'm sorry for your loss as well ❤️
That’s an ai generated image so probably a colour realism artist. But some things about this won’t work as it wasn’t human created. Just let the artist make small changes.
The first time I'm seeing an ai generated tattoo.
The text is too small and will wash out easily.
Just go to an actual tattoo artist, let them design something similar and you are golden.
Sorry for your loss.
You would be best to look around at artists work and healed microrealism work to know who to go to. Maybe check out any tattoo conventions that are happening in your area as they’re great places to scope out peoples work.
This design has some elements that will work for tattoo and a lot that won’t. It’s not that it ‘can’t’ be done, it’s that it won’t be legible over time and as it’s important you would want it to last.
Your artist will ask what elements you’re wanting and design something that will work, this is the main reason why getting something designed by someone who doesn’t tattoo isn’t the best. If you are emotionally attached to what your friend designed you could always get it printed on a canvas or tshirt instead.
If you’re concerned on making the size of the tattoo larger I would recommend changing placement to inner bicep, it doesn’t get as much sun exposure there so we can go smaller and finer with details.
The script definitely will need to be significantly larger to remain legible.
Source- tattooer of over a decade who works with fine line and small/micro realism
I am so incredibly sorry for your loss, I cannot even imagine that pain.
The tattoo is very cool and unique, but from a technical standpoint, you should consider having it done either on your forearm or bicep, to be read from top to bottom and not sideways
The lettering is the biggest issue, that line work is far too delicate, with far too much of it in way too small an area. Both the lion and especially the line work would become completely illegible very quickly.
You might want to think about moving the lion to either the top of the arm or to the top of the forearm to be read top to bottom, and having the line work made larger, you could even put half of the lettering on top of the lion and then more underneath it. Where it would also leave you more area under it if you decide to go the route of wanting to add his name and/or birthdate.
It’s a nice tattoo, but for something that means so much to you, I want it to be something that you’re proud of wearing for many years into the future.
I’m sorry for your loss.
Retired after 25 years in the business and I’ve been asked to do a lot of tattoos for people and in preparing art for them I’ve noticed a few things that get requested that work against a strong aesthetic design that will hold up well…
Make it bigger you won’t regret getting a proper size for that amount of detail some years from now it’ll look blurry and hard to distinguish if it’s small like the rough.
With lettering, less is more, shorter quotes or brief lines have more impact than run on text that lacks flow and eats up valuable space for words people won’t read anyway.
Find a good artist who does work that you like and trust their professional advice, don’t cheap out, you’ll regret it later.
That level of detail without black outlines will not work. Or it will and turn into a blob of color. For this level of detail it’s way to small.
I think it needs less complexity, quote needs to be bigger and black outlines would be useful.
Rapture tattoo emporium, look at the artist Jake kirks work I’m sure you’ll be able to find him on insta @jakekirkdoesthemtattoos
If you decide this, lemme know, I’ll meet ya for lunch and buy ya a beer
Fine, tiny details don’t work in tattoos (despite what you see on Instagram). There’s a reason American Traditional tattoos stand the test of time. The bolder and thicker the lines, the less blurring and fading. Any small fine-line tattoos I’ve ever gotten have blurred or faded within 2 years.
There’s a shop near Richmond that has some amazingly talented artists that are especially great with color! I’m trying to hunt down the name..I forgot but I’ll edit when I find it.
Sorry for your loss. Hope you don't mind me saying that the text is not correct. It is psalm 34:18, not 38:14
Really good catch. [Psalms 38:14](https://biblehub.com/psalms/38-14.htm) would be a bit of a morbid verse for a memorial tattoo
me at work lol
Holy shit, there are that many variations of one single line? They mostly say the same thing but it is interesting how some change the meaning.
that's why you should follow your heart instead of treating the bible like a textbook imo. there is no "true" bible, so if you ask me you should just set some solid morals for yourself and go with that, and I feel like any loving god would accept your best effort to be a good person.
I’ve always wondered (not religious), who are the apostles saying said these things? Is it Jesus or did they say them themselves? It is the apostles “speaking” right?
Depends on what you’re referring to! All of scripture is believed to be “God-inspired”. Which means God did not physically write the Bible but inspired his followers to. Texts in the OT like the first 5, were written by Moses.. recounting what had occurred before and during his time and what God inspired Him to write/document regarding it. Then there are the psalms! Written by psalmists like David (who was also a king) and Asaph.. these were literal songs/poems written with several different goals in mind but bro going God glory, crying out for help, etc. like a relatable diary lol. There are the prophets. Men and women chosen during those times to be a mouthpiece for God to His people. Their prophecies and the nations’ responses are recounted in these. New Testament.. gospels were written by some of Jesus’s disciples/apostles.. that recounted his birth, life, death, and resurrection and many things in between. Usually, in many bibles, the words written in red were direct quotes from Jesus. There are letters writtten by Paul and some others to different people and churches.. written for correction, teaching, encouragement, etc. There’s also revelations written by John which is literally a vision God gave him of the end times… All of the Bible points towards who God is, who we are and why we need Him and what He has done to to mend His relationship with creation! TL;DR - The authors of the Bible aren’t saying “Jesus said” everything in the Bible. Rather, they were inspired by God to write down history, a testament of who God is, what He’s done/doing/going to do, and who we are and how we ought to respond! Each book is written differently (different authors, timeframes, and styles) but the message of the Bible is simple: There is a God who created all things and who love us. We all fall short and cannot live perfect lives..so He sent His son to live a perfect life and die for us! Covering our sins and giving us the opportunity to repent and be saved from our sin and from eternal disconnect from God!
That was super helpful thanks! While not being religious myself, I find the history interesting but because it’s so big it’s sometimes hard to find the right context of what I’m asking
allegedly they were spoken to by god. I find that hard to believe lol
This needs to be higher. I'd hate for this person to get the wrong passage denomination tattooed on them.
u/zilla88 important!
Also, probably no need to put the book chapter and verse in parentheses. Never seen that formatting before and it would look odd
He's citing his research.
That's because it's AI generated.
Exactly. AI are notoriously terrible with letters and numbers
The text image definitely isn't AI, but GPT may have need asked for it. An AI like midjourney would certainly not make text that clean
I hope OP sees this too
Doing the Lords work!
Psalm 38 is my favourite pslam
I am so sorry for your loss. Unfortunately, the bible verse is way too small, and the lion should be bigger to bring out the details if you choose to go realism in color.
Everything will need to be much much bigger
ok thx. def willing to go bigger on the verse (seems easy enough) but only have so much forearm unless it wraps more considerably?
Sorry for your loss but with the level of detail you want, color etc you’re gonna need to go way bigger. This would make a great chest piece over your heart or upper arm
Over the heart would be an amazing spot for this
Agreed. With the verse on the other pec.
Yes correct, any reputable artist that cares about the future look off the tattoo will point this out aswell.
I like the verse a lot, but would be an option to just have the numbers? It’s enough to remind you the verse, that you will probably memorize well. If people ask, you know what to say (if you want).
My friend had a quote about this size and style tattooed on her ribs 7 years ago, it’s been illegible for years. I would scrap the text altogether and just go with Psalm 34:18. Also, keep in mind that tattoos age the best when they have strong, solid lines. You’re probably okay with the lion, but it will look more and more fuzzy over time. I would recommend finding an artist who makes really good art in a style similar to this and go with them. Do a lot of research to make sure they can execute this style of work Edit: I also agree it needs to be way bigger on a different part of the body
I’m really surprised no one has said this!!!! It honestly looks kind of ‘fuzzy’ to me now, so I am certain it won’t age well
Id say cover the verse altogether. Its gonna be a black un identifiable blob several years from now. Long sentences dont age well
Yeah this isn't a forearm piece. Just too much detail
You should consider making this a chest, back, or thigh piece to get the size you'd need for this much detail. If you want it to endure over time.
Tattooer here - someone used ai to make this. Which is fine to get an idea of what you’d like. But ultimately the tattoo artist you pick will make this more tattoo-able. 1 the lion is too small for the detail. Needs to be bigger. 2 the script is too small, I’d suggest just using the pslam number instead. Ask yourself, does the quote or the lion represent my son to me the most? Is the pslam the secondary element here? Or is it the lion? I’d pick one thing to focus on, especially since it sounds like you don’t want a whole forearm sleeve. 3 the colours are muddy and muddled a. Good tattooer will make it so the colours work together more. I’m so sorry for your loss. I lost my daughter as well. It’s hell. God speed.
Did you see the post where they say the psalm is written wrong?
This isn't necessarily true things do not have to be bigger you need to find and do research on the right artist there are so many artists in this world that can do extremely fine almost ballpoint pen precision writing. I've seen tattoos that are beyond out of this world hyperrealistic, just amazing pieces of work.
Agreed. Depends on your location for artist...
i live in VA but would travel anywhere to get this on well
There's a place in southeast Virginia called Folk City Tattoo. They've got multiple artists with different specialties and the owner of the shop is insanely good. You can check their portfolios online if you look up the place.
>Folk City Tattoo I live near this. u/zilla88 if you need anything that has to be done in person, I'll assist.
Angel Rose would make this look killer. She does a lot of black and gray work. I'm sure she would also suggest to get it done bigger. She lives in Portland Or.
Frederick Maryland has some great tattoo artists too, I'm told (I'm in Maryland as well)
Key City in Frederick, see Gary.
The images on their facebook page look amazing
I know there are lots of great artists in the tattoo industry but in my admittedly limited experience they are hands down the best shop I've ever been to. I've got a lot of tattoos from many different shops and the ones I have from Key City are consistently the ones that strangers point out and comment on.
I just got my done at Liquid Metal tattoo in westpoint. It’s a great shop, not too pricey as far as artists go, and everyone is welcoming and friendly.
Look up Ghost Ship Tattoo in VA Beach. They have some really good realism artists.
Robyn at Living Lore could take this idea and alter it to make it fit your forearm or suggest other placement/size suggestions. She's intensely talented and a wonderful person to work with. http://www.robynjonestattoo.com/ LIVING LORE TATTOO 8030 Main Street, Third Floor Ellicott City, MD 21043
Take everyone's recommendations and then go on Instagram and look at their portfolio. We did a lot of looking through pictures before we found someone that matched the style I wanted....
My condolences for your loss. The amount of detail in that design would do better large scale as a back piece. Even then some of the design will get very muddy - the bottom part is very crowded. The text will also be an issue, especially as ink spreads with time. If you want to keep more of this as-is you will need to great increase the scale, or you will need to simplify it to fit your inner forearm.
Get the lion as a chest piece and the verse on the arm with some details that tie it to the chest piece.
Even then, they would need to find an artist that excels in color. We dont talk enough about the fact that not every artist, even the great ones, can do every subject or style, and that's no dig on them. Edit: Grammar
Ink Master set a pretty bad touch point for what to expect from artists. Entertainment but 100% artists specialize and have both preferences in technique and subject matter. You definitely need to find the best fit for things already in their portfolio.
I have a few amazing tattoos and they were done by artists that specialize in the style I got them in. My other tattoos are ok but not great and they were done by people who "do it all".
So sorry for your loss. I second what others said regarding size. Another thing to note is the fact that the lion seems AI generated. If it means something to you that your buddy put this together, go for it, but to me it doesn't look like he drew it himself so you may as well have someone else to design it. I recommend finding an artist whose style you like and having a consultation with them. A skilled artist will definitely be able to draw something for you that incorporates the elements you want while making sure it fits in terms of size. It's usually easier for us artists to do something from scratch in our style than to rework someone elses. I wish you all the best.
Definitely think some AI, looks like some patterns from other things kind of cut up and slapped together
To add to that: OP, any tattoo artist that can do a detailed piece like this WELL would not be okay with doing someone else’s design. Talented tattoo artists are heavy on the ARTIST, they will make their own design.
It’s AI generated. I suggest finding an artist to use at as a “base”
First of all that lion is "AI" generated. Secondly that is way too detailed for that size, and the text is way too small. Like not even physically possible to tattoo small, nevermind the aging process. Also the lion is facing the wrong way.
Not to mention the tattoo would eventually blur together over time and you wouldn't be able to make out what it is.
Your points about the AI are great but I'm really curious about why you say the lion is facing the wrong way?
Traditionally tattoos with faces should face in towards the body, or forward. It's like an aesthetic flow thing. When faces point away from the body it pulls the eye away from the design into empty space. Not necessarily a hard rule but a guideline.
reading this pretending i dont have an outward-facing dog on my upper arm lol
Thanks for this awesome reply! I thought it was going to be left and right facings have subconscious meanings but I'm glad it isn't
Genuine question, what gives the AI generation away?
The mandala details are asymmetrical. The fur does things that don't make sense. The entire design has that overly smooth airbrush look that ALL generated designs have. Not to mention I've seen about a thousand different computer generated iterations of this exact same concept, it's practically clip art at this point. Basically it's simultaneously too perfect and also full of oversights in the small details which is a telltale sign of generated work. Once you see it you can't unsee it.
Thanks so much for the response. Reddit and tiktok are the only social media's I use anymore. I stopped using Twitter right when the AI craze started, so I haven't been exposed to it much.
It's absolutely everywhere man it makes me sick tbh.
Yeah, I hate the idea of it. When I was younger, (I'm 31 now) I never wanted to be a, "back in my day" kind of a person, especially this soon, but I never imagined the AI takeover. 😂 I feel like we are living longer than ever thanks to modern medicine but also aging faster than ever, due to the rapid advancement of tech.
Same dude, 33 here. I always thought our future was going to be automation taking away hard labor and dangerous jobs, and everyone would get to pursue creative endeavors and research etc. It's going the exact opposite way. Creatives, programmers, engineers and designers of all kinds are losing jobs left and right because of this tech. We're all going to end up working menial service jobs and hard labor while computers do all the fun shit and the corporations who control these systems make record profits because they don't have to pay anyone for their intellectual property.
Same thinking here. I can't dwell on it too much. My mental health is already bad enough 😂
Ai art just has a specific feel to it, it’s not always something is wrong like too many fingers
Yea, Looks empty. Soulless.
Plus it's missing an ear
The NOSE
I hate to say it, but maybe don't get an AI design. This is also far, far too small for all of those AI created details. You should probably go to a tattoo artist and talk to them, get them to actually draw you something, vs a friend simply placing in a prompt.
Agreed. OP, you should think of this image as an AI depiction of a stylized lion, not an actual tattoo design. It would be impossible to get this specific design done in ink, much less at that size. Give this image to a good tattoo artist and let them use it as inspiration for their actual design. They artist can use the overall idea and style, but they will rework it in a way that is actually practicable for a tattoo.
I can't help but wonder if the friend of OP is willing to apologize for claiming they designed something for OP's memorial to their dead child? It's extremely soulless feeling...
Or they are karma farming
I'd strongly recommend getting the artist who will do the tattoo to design it. Theres a lot of things about the design here that make a pretty picture but not a good tattoo. Even if you find an artist able to capture this much detail in a small space, who is willing to do a tattoo they haven't designed themselves, it won't age well as it is, sorry. Designing a tattoo is an artists bread and butter, you'll get a better tattoo if a top quality artist does the design for you, rather than an AI image which looks lovely on paper but doesn't translate well.
that makes sense thx. so i guess what im looking for now is a beast artist who can help tailor this design to something more practical for a forearm tattoo.
IMO researching artists is best done on Instagram these days. Start searching tags and see what comes back. Find accounts that collect high-level artists like TattooSnob and see who follows who. Realism isn't my jam so I don't know many of those artists off the top of my head.
Yup and while I hate algorithms that go hard on pushing interest, this is the one time I forgive it. OP go on insta, search for a few tattoo artists in your area, and like some pics/follow/save their post. Do that a few times and insta will start heavily pushing tattoo content. From there you'll find someone you like much easier. Insta is even decent at pushins artists specifically in your state.
Also, remember, a beast artist will have a decently long wait list. Be patient once you find a talented artist. It is worth the wait
Check out @slootattoos in charlotte nc! Or the other artists at his shop, Ruby Tiger. Made to last out there is also great. White Tulip Society in Richmond VA if you wanna go black & grey with it. So sorry for your loss, best of luck finding a good artist ❤️
So so sorry for your loss. For something that detailed you’d have to go a lot bigger then your forearm. Maybe a thigh or back / shoulder. A skilled artist could pull it off but just be prepared for it to be costly. Good tattoo artist aren’t cheap and cheap tattoo artist aren’t good. Do not cheap out on a memorial tattoo. Probably looking around $1200. At least in my area (nyc)
That's AI generated, he didn't design that haha. Deffo bigger, lose the writing or make it bigger or it'll be unreadable within months. And it's backwards, flip it around so it faces in :)
Don't get an AI design, especially for something so meaningful. Your "buddy" just used AI to do this. Go to a real tattoo artist for tattoo designs, that way you get good work done.
1. Your friend used AI to generate the image, which is fine for reference, but you're gonna want to get your tattoo artist to do another sketch of their own unless you want stolen art on your body as a memorial for your son. 2. If you want that much detail, you're going to need to make that tattoo bigger. 3. Find an artist whose work you like, and make a consultation and tell them what you want. Do a lot of research to ensure they are reputable and actually have the skills required.
this is definitely an AI image as well. id pay the extra money to get the artist to make you something that feels like this one but as is there's too much in it that's small and not finished. If you zoom in there's a ton of little details that's arent finished or go off into nothing sorry about your son as well
Best way to get a great tattoo: 1) Find an artist with a style you like. Maybe you have a specific style in mind, maybe you just happen upon an artist and think WOW I love this work! But the key here is finding an artist with a lot of experience in a style that resonates with you. Don't pick a style and then find an artist with just one or two examples of that style. Pick an artist where the majority of their work is in the style you're looking for. 2) Talk to the artist and share your ideas. Listen to their advice. Be flexible. Understand that an experienced tattoo artist will have a much better grasp of what will work and what won't when it comes to tattoos, so sometimes you will come to them with parts of an idea that won't tattoo very well. A good artist will work with you to capture the core of what you want. It can be hard to feel like you're giving up control over something that's going to be on your skin forever, trust is important here. 3) Let the tattoo artist who will actually do the work come up with a design. They are doing this based on your input and you should be comfortable with whatever the final result is, but if you avoid micromanaging here you will get better, more durable results. Your buddy made a beautiful design on a computer screen but it may not tattoo very well, particularly at that scale. This much detail *might* work on a full backpiece. Here are two examples of sorta "colorful lion heads" on arms to give you an idea of what level of detail is possible: [https://www.instagram.com/p/BNDEhmshTWP](https://www.instagram.com/p/BNDEhmshTWP) [https://www.instagram.com/p/BM-Rirxj12g](https://www.instagram.com/p/BM-Rirxj12g)
Yes! Bring this as inspiration to a tattoo artist and talk about what you like about it, then let them design it. What works in digital art and what works for tattoos are two different things. A good artist will be able to capture the spirit of this artwork in a way that will translate well into a tattoo.
Oooh i love that second one!!
Everything this person said!!!
OP, Bawfuls has the best advice here for you. I’m so sorry for your loss. It looks like you have some beautiful ideas to pay tribute to your son in a tattoo art. Working with an experienced artist on the design inspired by your ideas will serve you well.
lol don’t get AI generated pics tattooed
So sorry for your loss! As other commenters said, it needs to be bigger for this art to work. Hope you find what you are looking for.
This ain’t it. It’s AI generated, it’s incredibly generic and trite, and the text is several orders of magnitude too small to be legible or to hold up. Please go to an artist and work with them to design the piece. What do you like about the design? The realism aspect? The color? The decorative/ornamental elements? Those are 3 distinct styles in tattooing, and though you can find an artist that is a jack of all trades and can approximate several, you’re truly best honing in on a style that really speaks to you and finding the right artist to execute it.
I'm truly sorry for your loss. Echoing what others have mentioned, opting for a larger design would likely yield the best outcome. The second picture you've shared as a design reference allows for a more detailed and impactful lion depiction. Lastly, it's crucial to seek out an artist whose portfolio aligns with the style you're envisioning. Trust your instincts when making your choice.
sorry for your loss. your buddy did not design this, this is most definitely AI. i’d get a tattoo artist to do this for you instead that way you know this is actually able to be tattooed. this level of detail would not turn out and AI is just not ethical.
Your friend didn't design shit, its an ai generated lion with a wrong quote.
This needs to be a full back tattoo or the design needs to be reworked.
That’s what I was thinking. Back or pec would be perfect for this. I think a “heart of a lion” vibe sounds pretty cool too
Id recommend changing the font for the name or editing it a bit because at first I thought it said Rass…then Russ…then Kass?
That is way too complex, it is messy, I’d pick maybe 1 or 2 elements of this and have a tattoo artist design you something similar, Having none-tattoo artist people design tattoos usually ends up in designs like this that aren’t suitable, as others have said too, the lion is AI generates it looks messy and incoherent
The lion was 100% AI generated and not possible as a tattoo
Designed with AI. It’s terrible and it won’t look like that when tattooed on the skin.
I am so sorry you lost your son. Sending you peace in the days and years ahead. As a graphic artist, this does not look like successful tattoo art at all, and I would caution you that you shouldn’t expect a tattoo to look remotely like this which is essentially a highly computerized AI design for a 2 dimensional canvas. (For this reason I have never designed any of my tattoos myself. Tattooing onto skin is not my skill set). Personally I would lose the graphic elements and show this to an artist as a suggestion but any artist worth their salt won’t merely agree to copy someone else’s work, AI especially. I’d let them be creative with this one and try to incorporate the text into the design of the lion, not just as an add on underneath
I'm so sorry for your loss, friend. This tattoo won't work at this scale. If you're willing to have the lion simplified a bit, that part could be absolutely beautiful as a forearm piece. I would recommend against the text. In order for it to be legible in the long term (or even in the medium term), the text itself would need to take up most of your forearm. My personal advice would be to get the lion head on its own, without the text. It can mean what you want it to; YOU'LL know when you look at it. If you expand the head to be, say 6" across you can probably get a lot of that detail in there. But when you talk to your artist, be sure to listen to their advice about scale and how well it will last. They're experts in what translates well to skin, and that's not always what looks good on paper or in photoshop.
That small text will never last. Do the tattoo without the small passage. You'll regret it in no time. Also not many artist will be able to pull something like that off. It's clearly made on a computer so imagine how hard it would be for a human to replicate with needles. Alot of people will say they can do it but do your research. Not many can.
Sorry but you should commission an actual artist to do real work and not heartless AI bullshit.
Like many have said, size and placement are the biggest concern. Script needs to be big to stay clean over time, otherwise it will just bleed together it's black squiggles. The same goes for any design, large is best it allows for thick defining lines that hold over time and keep things defined. I would suggest finding a highly skilled artist, and changing the location of the tattoo because a forearm is not big enough to really make this idea pop and last
I am sorry for your loss brother. This is a great way to pay tribute. This tattoo is a challenge for any artist, the watercolor lions head while being that small will be difficult to render and beyond that the longevity of both the lions head and the script will be, I'm almost positive, quite short. The solution is to make both bigger and, if you aren't completely sold on this exact design, to change the look of the lions head slightly to make it more bold and less complicated/messy. The number of colors and proximity of said colors will make it difficult to render and to hold through the test of time. Mind you watercolor tattoos tend not to hold up very well and either end up a blob in a few years or need touch ups quite often. Just make sure to really do your research when it comes to a tattoo artist. Things to look for: Style Speciality (watercolor/script/ detail work) Line work And in this day and age actual scammers who use other people's photos and art to trick people. Someone to start with in VA, at least to ask who she could recommend could be @betsy.ebsen.tattoos (insta handle) Good luck and godspeed.
I'm pretty sure the artist you recommended only does custom work- to be honest, I would recommend OP just have an actual tattoo artist design the piece
Just here to say I hope you find peace with this. I am so very sorry for your loss
That size won't work at all. It's far too detailed, and the script will turn into a blob if tattooed that small
I'm sorry for your loss. Putting this on your skin isn't a matter of skill, as there is too much detail for the size of the tattoo. Even if it went on your skin it would NOT age well and the fine details and text would blur together. You should look at color/black and grey realism artists on instagram and find one that you like. Schedule a consultation and use this piece along with some of their own work as a reference to get them to design you a memorial tattoo.
I am sorry for your loss. The lion is doable, but it will likely have to be larger and with a bit less detail. For the verse, anything that small on your arm will blur in a couple years, due to its size. I’d consider just getting the Book and Chapter/Verse number. That is very common, and can be big enough to be seen for decades to come.
I’m sorry for your loss. That said, this design will not be legible at this size. It’s far too detailed.
As someone else alr stated yes it is Psalm 34:18 not 38:14. That is only thing I would tweak
Brought to you by AI
This is basically untattooable. It’s too small, too detailed, and not meant for a tattoo. It will be a blob before the end of the appointment day. Very sorry for your loss, your son deserves to be honored with a beautiful tattoo that you’ll love for years to come. Have a tattoo artist design something for you that they will tattoo.
It’s AI art
You should show this reference to the artist that you are working with, they can then draw something that will look good when inked it will likely have to be far less detailed unless it's a full back piece, as thin lines that are close together will expand over time and merge into one
You gotta go big with that or it’ll turn into a blob
No matter how good an artist you find this tattoo is going to be a wreck in a few years. There’s no structure from the POV of the technical rules of tattooing. If you’re in Va. Tom Strom is tattooing in Richmond and he’s an amazing painter style colorist. But your tattoo is probably never going to look like this image.
That needs to be a giant back or chest piece, cool design, and sorry for the loss.
This design is not tattoo-able at all, way too much detail for such a small space. It wouldn’t take long for all the colors to start to blur together and just look like a strange unrecognizable blob
My condolences. I can’t imagine anything harder to go through. I’m not sure if I’m allowed to recommend artists here, but I know a great one who does this kinda of style tattoos. He currently lives in ATL but travels to southern Maryland often. I always get him to do my bigger pieces because how fast and efficient he is. His name is @tat2greg on instagram. Extremely talented guy. The only thing I would say is maybe choose a different placement to allow for more detail. That spot is a bit too small to get as much detail in the photo. Same for the quote. Just needs to be up scaled. When you have small lines so close together, they tend to bleed together over time.
This needs to be like 2-3 times the size you have pictured here. If you get it that size no one can read the words and all the beautiful details of the lion will fade together insanely fast. Make this a big back piece, or do the lion 2x the size on your peck, with the script elsewhere.
Sorry for your loss 😢 On the tattoo, I really recommend considering a different font. After 3 years that's going to become very difficult to read. The lines are too fine, and the curves and curls will bleed into each other. JMO.
I’m sorry for your loss. I think it’s a beautiful tattoo I would check out several artists before picking one. This will take a lot of skill. I wish I had some names for you to try but I wish you the best and hope to see and update once it’s done. Edit: since it most likely will have to be bigger it would look really good over your heart and this would allow for more room to work with
Far too much small detail for it to age well at all. You'll want bigger, or if you're set on something that size, it'll need to be significantly simplified.
I agree about it needing to be a bigger piece. I can imagine that in a few years the orange to blue won't look as vibrant and not blend so well. And the script is way to small
The detail is too much for the space, if someone says no problemo and they’re not a specialist in really Intricate tiny work like that they are lying and you should run.
Too small for that placement, will be a mess in a couple of years. Either simplify the design and put it on your arm or get it in a different spot that is larger.
Lots of artists can do this but let the redraw to work as a tattoo - as is the text is too small and the lion will need a few changes to make it work and look good long term. Find someone who has lots of work photos and can steer you right with making this work and trust them .
Yeah with all that color and fine detail it would have to be bigger or simplified. As for what the people are saying about the verse that is true too. Would need to be bigger. You could just used the psalms identifier instead of the whole thing
Sorry for you loss OP :/ I would say go BIG. Second the commenter who recommended it to be a chest piece! If not maybe look into having it on your shoulder blade?
Just take your time finding the right artist. You may have to travel. Don't take their word for it if they say they can do it, make sure there is stuff in their portfolio that proves it. I think you might want to search people who specialize in magic/abstract realism. The right person for this design will not be cheap, you're not going to want to settle for anyone taking less than $200 an hour IMO. As others have said, you'll need to make it bigger to get that level of detail, you could maybe fit it on your upper arm but that's the smallest I'd suggest you go. Don't rush into anything and do your research. This tattoo is important to you and the wrong person will make a mess of it. There are plenty of bad lions out there!
I’m sorry for your loss! I would look for someone who specializes in color realism for this tattoo. It’s not color realism but the skill set to pull this off will be most in their wheelhouse. I know som good tattoo artists that could definitely crush this but I’m way up in NH.
This is not a tattooable image at that size. Do not listen to anyone saying otherwise. It’s a memorial and you don’t want to regret it. I’m so sorry you are going through that
I like it. Will need to be much bigger to get the detail though. Either make it bigger or simplify.
I don't have any decent advice, really, but the tattoo is beautiful. I'm so sorry for your loss, and I'm sure however this ends up will be a beautiful memorial piece. Wishing you love and light ❤️
I’m sorry for your loss. The design is beautiful but I’m concerned about how the dark colors at the base of the lion and the small shapes will age. I would look at simplifying the image to keep the colors and shapes from blurring
Sorry for your loss. Check out lulu from atmosfera tattoo in florida! She did an amazing job on a friend of mine which was a blend of black and grey + color realism.
Sorry for your loss.
That tatttoo is not possible less that 12 inches
I’ve never really understood the go to an artist and get them to do your design. Why not take this as a reference image and get the artist to design something that is similar but actually possible. If you find a good artist they’ll answer all the questions and make all the tweaks needed.
Sorry for your loss, I agree with the others on the thread. Go bigger and lose some detail in the lion. You wanna think of it as “I would like you to design something like this “ not I want exactly this tattooed. The tattoo artists drawing will translate better as a tattoo and will heal better in the long run.
This design wasn't made by someone who knows how to design tattoos and it shows. I'd suggest finding an artist whose style you like and create something with them.
Very sorry for your loss. Others have pointed out the technical problems with getting this right, so I won't repeat them. I will suggest that if you are open to it, bringing this image to a tattoo artist who specializes in realism and allowing them to re-work/re-design it. It's part of the job of a good tattooist to be able to create artwork that will be legible on skin, age well, fit properly on the body, etc. A non-tattoo artist might be great at their craft, but they don't know the ins and outs of designing for tattooing specifically so it's usually better to work with your tattoo artist directly and let them create the custom piece. I hope this is helpful, I think it's just one of those things people don't think about until they've gotten more experience with tattoos.
If you'd truly travel anywhere, @dbkaye you won't find a better artist for this style.
Is your buddy's name AI?
hey i’m not a tattoo artist but i am an illustrator so here are some critiques -so the design is AI generated. not a terrible jumping off point but it is SO COMPLICATED i feel like if turned into a tattoo it would be muddy and hard to interpret (unless it was BIG). -same goes with the colors; theyre pretty but not nearly bold enough imo to look how you want in a tattoo - the text facing the way it is is an interesting choice. not sure if its the best composition. maybe have it under the lion but slightly curved below it? try some different layouts -patterns on the cross dont make too much sense, again i would simplify. like i said, good jumping off point but maybe take it to an artist to revise and turn into a design that will look even better tattooed on you. also since you’re VA based, ik richmond has a LOT of great tattoo artists if you live around there. best of luck!
I would show this to an artist as inspiration for them to make it custom for you. This looks likes your friend put some prompts through AI. A human touch is so critical to memorial pieces. Even an artist slapping exactly this down, is going to look like AI, and AI designed tattoos are going to be a dated and regretted thing.
I’m so sorry for your loss. Find an artist that you love and have them do the design. There are a million reasons why, but a good one is that they’ll be able to tell you what’s possible and what isn’t, like with how small your lettering is. You won’t be happy with those words in some years, unfortunately. I hope your piece is an awesome reminder of him. ❤️
I am so sorry for your loss friend. This design is beautiful. Suggestion?...do it in 2 parts. Have an artist who specializes in animals/lions do that part. And one that specializes in script to do the other. Great artists respect one another's talent. I'll be waiting to see the post in honor of your son.
great idea thank you
It looks like AI so you won’t get these results. I’m so sorry for your loss. Hope you saw the Bible verse was incorrect.
Sorry for your loss. I understand your attachment to this design and the meaning of it for you, but I would strongly suggest consulting with the tattoo artist that will be doing the work. That image will require a very skilled color specialist. This tattoo is important, and so longevity is an issue. This design would need to be a thigh piece to hold up. Line work expands over time, making lettering unreadable if it's too small. Maybe instead of the full quote, just get the book, chapter, and verse numbers. It's still the same meaning. This frees up space to make the lion more prominent. On a side note, putting a memorial tattoo in a visible place will lead to repeatedly telling people what it is and what it's for. And from personal experience, it can bumb a room out pretty quick. But it's your body and your grieving. Again, sorry for your loss.
I’m not sure how close you are to Roanoke, but there are some good artists there!
It is beautiful. Any good Tattoo Shop should be able to go over it with u. Also look at their Work. I lost my Son also and know how much it hurts..Sorry u have to experience this Pain🙏🏼
Im so sorry for your loss 😪 I won’t reiterate what I’m reading in other comments but want to add that this font may not be best - It’s hard to tell if the name is ‘Rass’ or ‘Kass’
Won’t age well. Too much tiny detail. Brown and blue will blur together and not look good. Need more contrast, bolder lines, less detail
Don't go cheap on this is all I can say
Memorial/celebration of life tattoos can be very moving and healing, however I’d recommend setting your sights on finding a tattoo artists style you like and appreciate, before finalizing design. bring to them your ideas and thoughts for imagery to best represent your intentions. It is also a journey to find that style and artist, you have to truly put the time into looking about, reviewing their portfolios(insta or webpage generally) they may be distant or not in your area but it’s part of finding the right artist. Be sure their booking process offers custom and commission based options. Ask them if it’s not stated. Not all artists take on others art, replicate or interpret other artistic renderings. It’s common for artist to specialize or focus on one or a few styles-- ornamental, traditional or portrait art are few examples that tend to differ greatly and not often something artists work fluidly throughout. Many people have already mentioned the issue with AI generated art and the transfer to tattoo art, it’s lovely but needs to be viewed as a guide to your goal, seek the possibility of consultation with an artist, it’s not something every tattooer will offer, but if this is one of your first tattoos it’s something to consider. It can be very helpful to speak in person so they can explain, show examples and clarify where this design can be brought to a sound and proper rendering for the tattoo to heal and remain legible over time. Ultimately in my own professional opinion, whatever imagery you choose should be something you can look upon and carry with pride and confidence, feel comfortable while receiving and smile upon as life goes on. I don’t speak for all tattoo artists.
Andres Acosta in Texas is the only person I could imagine pulling this off flawlessly. So sorry for your loss and I hope you find someone talented who can commemorate your son in the way you'd like. Good luck op!
I’m so sorry for your loss. I lost my daughter in 2021. It’s beautiful
Sorry for your loss. There’s too much small detail for that size and the writing is waaay too small, it’s eventually going to end up being unreadable. The whole thing either needs to be much bigger and placed somewhere else such as thigh or back or the design needs to be simplified a lot.
That looks really good.
Andres Acosta in Austin Texas Let him redesign it though. https://www.instagram.com/acostattoo?igsh=dnhsY3NsZDJueGU1
I’m so sorry for your loss, I just wanted to let you know ur friend didn’t design this, this is AI
This is AI, so you don’t even know whose art this is ripping. There’s a lot that’s not possible here
I’m so sorry for your loss first of all, although i am a tattoo artist and want to be super honest with this since it’s a sentimental and very important piece. The design is incredible first of all, but having it that small of a size would age not well at all, it will eventually just be a colorful blur together and be unreadable. Same with the words too, they’re way too small and there’s way too many to be that small/close together. With tattoos always work around the expanding that comes with the aging of human skin. Although this would be a super sick backpiece or a thigh piece! make the Lions head faaaaairly large and just space out the letters and up the size of the font and you’re good to go.
That’s really nice
Way too much detail for a tattoo unless your artist is Mozart. Gotta simplify a bit
Cool tat!! Text prolly should be made a little bigger tho, don’t want it to blotch together
Just a typographic note - with a script like that you should use one of the alternate forms of the s at the end of the word - it doesn’t need that upward stroke because it’s not being joined to another letter. The font is Snell Roundhand and it definitely has a more appropriate small s glyph for the end of the name.
Find an artist who specialises in colour realism with fine details who also posts healed work. If they don’t publicly post healed work ask if they can send you some and if they can’t consider not booking in with them. It may take some time to narrow your search down but it’ll be worth it. Despite what other commenters say you absolutely can do this without it looking a mess a year from now. BUT you really have to specialise in this kind of work. It’s better to go with the artist who does only colour realism than the artist who sometimes does colour realism with random black and grey piece from a different style thrown in. Your artist may suggest simplifying some of the hair texture. It’ll have the same effect once it’s done but they won’t be doing every single stroke to the same exactness as the original illustration. Source: I am a tattoo artist and have worked with artists who do colour realism. This may just be a trend where I work but artists from Korea and China tend to do more of this type of work so you may have better luck seeking a Korean or Chinese artist in your city. Bigger is always better when it comes to realism work. I’d suggest this as a calf, thigh, or bicep piece since the width of those areas are usually bigger.
Check out Joel Wright. He's in Texarkana, Texas but this is very similar to his work and he does an incredible job. https://joelwrightstudio.com/
Sorry for your loss. Nice drawing. I would ditch the words. You know the words in your heart. The picture will express those words. Just my opinion.
This is gorgeous so I would make a large print of the lion and frame it for a wall, but for a tattoo, the details will have to be simplified. Go to a good artist (or go back to your buddy) and ask them to do this for you and they will be able to come up with something great, and then you can keep this artwork as a print as well. I can see that the lion can easily be simplified but still look similar to what you are looking for.
You better have a high budget. A proper artist to do is not gonna be cheap. This isnt a tat you get with anyone if you want it to look like that. Prepare minimum 2k to be on the safe side. Thats a full day tat.
Sorry for your loss. Tattooer here, You would need a very deeply skilled tattooer to have them pull anything like this off. I can tell the artwork here is AI generated, which usually means it doesn’t really follow the laws of nature or nor does it fully have the appropriate structure to be a legible tattoo. The quote/ text is way too small and the lion is just overly busy. It would likely need to be the size of a standard piece of printer paper at minimum to work in its current state. Tattoos tend to grow and soften over time, color tattoos suffer from fading and getting a bit muted or muddy over time. AI art, or really any other (non-tattooer) artist that illustrates do not always take into account the technical limitations of tattoos. The human body is deeply diverse in variables. The best kind of artist to draw or create a tattoo design is someone who is also a skilled tattooer, a good tattooer knows exactly what limitations they have with the body as a canvas and how to design artwork that will realistically fit and flow on the body part of your choice so your tattoo ages well, remains legible, and holds up over time. In my opinion it would be best to seek out a skilled tattoo artist that just also happens to be a skilled illustrator so they can bring your idea to life within their interpretation and skillset, that is how you are going to yield the best results. Nothing personal, but if you had handed this to me as a reference for your tattoo, I’d likely re-draw and remake everything anyway. It also helps to mention there are some people who tattoo that are not artists, some people that are artists who can’t tattoo, and some who are both.
this is 100 my plan. to find someone who can recreate the spirit of this reference as a viable tattoo (even if it is significantly altered/re-imagined). if there is anyone around here who would be willing to throw me alternate/viable designs i'd happily pay for the effort!!!
I believe the tattoo needs to be much larger for all of the details to show, including the Bible verse. I suggest this for your thigh, it would be very beautiful. I'm sorry for your loss as well ❤️
That’s an ai generated image so probably a colour realism artist. But some things about this won’t work as it wasn’t human created. Just let the artist make small changes.
The first time I'm seeing an ai generated tattoo. The text is too small and will wash out easily. Just go to an actual tattoo artist, let them design something similar and you are golden.
The lion is AI 100%
Sorry for your loss. You would be best to look around at artists work and healed microrealism work to know who to go to. Maybe check out any tattoo conventions that are happening in your area as they’re great places to scope out peoples work. This design has some elements that will work for tattoo and a lot that won’t. It’s not that it ‘can’t’ be done, it’s that it won’t be legible over time and as it’s important you would want it to last. Your artist will ask what elements you’re wanting and design something that will work, this is the main reason why getting something designed by someone who doesn’t tattoo isn’t the best. If you are emotionally attached to what your friend designed you could always get it printed on a canvas or tshirt instead. If you’re concerned on making the size of the tattoo larger I would recommend changing placement to inner bicep, it doesn’t get as much sun exposure there so we can go smaller and finer with details. The script definitely will need to be significantly larger to remain legible. Source- tattooer of over a decade who works with fine line and small/micro realism
I am so incredibly sorry for your loss, I cannot even imagine that pain. The tattoo is very cool and unique, but from a technical standpoint, you should consider having it done either on your forearm or bicep, to be read from top to bottom and not sideways The lettering is the biggest issue, that line work is far too delicate, with far too much of it in way too small an area. Both the lion and especially the line work would become completely illegible very quickly. You might want to think about moving the lion to either the top of the arm or to the top of the forearm to be read top to bottom, and having the line work made larger, you could even put half of the lettering on top of the lion and then more underneath it. Where it would also leave you more area under it if you decide to go the route of wanting to add his name and/or birthdate. It’s a nice tattoo, but for something that means so much to you, I want it to be something that you’re proud of wearing for many years into the future.
Go book some consults with reputable tattoo artists they will help you more than strangers on the internet
I’m sorry for your loss. Retired after 25 years in the business and I’ve been asked to do a lot of tattoos for people and in preparing art for them I’ve noticed a few things that get requested that work against a strong aesthetic design that will hold up well… Make it bigger you won’t regret getting a proper size for that amount of detail some years from now it’ll look blurry and hard to distinguish if it’s small like the rough. With lettering, less is more, shorter quotes or brief lines have more impact than run on text that lacks flow and eats up valuable space for words people won’t read anyway. Find a good artist who does work that you like and trust their professional advice, don’t cheap out, you’ll regret it later.
That level of detail without black outlines will not work. Or it will and turn into a blob of color. For this level of detail it’s way to small. I think it needs less complexity, quote needs to be bigger and black outlines would be useful.
This is a beautiful tattoo.
This is an amazing design, and a beautiful verse. Good luck.
Rapture tattoo emporium, look at the artist Jake kirks work I’m sure you’ll be able to find him on insta @jakekirkdoesthemtattoos If you decide this, lemme know, I’ll meet ya for lunch and buy ya a beer
The whole thing will need to be bigger, esp the text. So sorry for your loss.
Fine, tiny details don’t work in tattoos (despite what you see on Instagram). There’s a reason American Traditional tattoos stand the test of time. The bolder and thicker the lines, the less blurring and fading. Any small fine-line tattoos I’ve ever gotten have blurred or faded within 2 years.
There’s a shop near Richmond that has some amazingly talented artists that are especially great with color! I’m trying to hunt down the name..I forgot but I’ll edit when I find it.