Tattooing small, intricate image: have been told it's impossible!?

Question

I went to a tattoo shop today and asked about the possibility of tattooing one of these images (http://tinyurl.com/2yn7cr and http://tinyurl.com/28zbna) at a size of 1 to 1 and 1/2 inch square. It's important that the tattoo looks exactly like the image (including sharp lines and corners). It's important that no squares are in the wrong place.
They said it would be very difficult to do one of them and practically impossible to do the other. That was at the 1 and 1/2 inch scale and I was shooting for 1 inch square only.
Can anyone tell me:
(a) What is the problem? I've seen tattoos with finer lines than these?
(b) If it is possible to produce these kinds of tattoos, does it require an uncommon level of skill.

Quote from Luckyfish:

'There is a blur factor in all tattoos, and thin areas of skin between black carbon pigment lines will inevitably be blurred by the natural skin-cell division causing ink particle movement. The best thing you can be telling people is to have their artist do a bead line of white ink between every black line, and continue to do that on a regular basis every few years so that the white pigment "holds the place open" and prevents the black ink from moving.'

Anybody agree with or disagree with this statement?

Answer 1

Given the level of perfectionism you're applying, the complexity of the designs, and the size you want them done, I'm not surprised they don't feel it's practical.

Look at it this way. Doing a tattoo is technically considerably harder that just drawing something on a piece of paper - you're working on an irregular, elastic surface, having to deal with blood and excess ink obscuring your view of what you're doing, using a tool which vibrates and which is considerably more unwieldy than a pen or pencil. And, although you do have a transfer to follow in order to get the design right, you're working freehand, with no opportunity to correct mistakes. Mistakes are not an option. And just as with any other type of drawing, some things - like drawing a perfectly straight line - are very hard to do. Now, obviously, a good tattoo artist is very capable of managing these extra complicating factors, and can produce fantastic work. But that doesn't mean that the technicalities of the process don't sometimes limit what can be achieved.

Now look at the designs you want. They're very precise and geometric - to do them right, every line and corner would have to be perfect. And the size you want them is very, very small, which means that any tiny imperfection in the lines and angles would be far more significant than it would be in a larger design. (Try, for yourself, reducing your designs down to 1 inch square and then tracing them, without using a ruler. You'll see how hard it is, and how much more significant any mistakes appear - and this would only be working with pencil and paper, without the added complexities of tattooing.) In addition, as well as getting the lines right in the first place, you're asking the artist to colour within them, just as precisely, working all the way up to the lines and right-angles, which would also be very tricky indeed.

So the problem isn't just that the lines would be fine - you're right, doing fine lines isn't an issue. The problem is that the level of precision necessary to execute this tattoo would be really, really high - beyond what the artist feels they can do. I'd respect the fact that they've been straight with you and told you it won't really be possible for them to do it - better that than diving in and making a hash of it!

By all means do ask around, or try to find an artist who specialises in very small tattoos. But again, I have to agree with what others have said, that even if this tattoo were done to your specifications, its long-term future might not be so great. Because it's natural for a tattoo, over time, to become slightly less crisp and sharp, for the lines to blur slightly. In a well-planned tattoo that's fine; the artist knows this will happen and works the tattoo in such away that it'll still look good as it ages. But in the design you want, there won't be any room for this. The squares will be so small that any blurring at all will make them look like blobs, all the artist's work getting it right in the first place will have been wasted, and you will no longer have the tattoo you wanted. And from how precise you are about your wishes, I think that would be a big issue for you.

I hope this helps to answer your questions - sorry to be the voice of gloom, but you did ask! Good luck finding a tattoo design that you're happy with.

Answer 2

SUGGESTION: Small and intricate? The only thing I can think of is a henna-style design. No meaning to it, just pure swirliness. They do look pretty though. But on the hand or behing the ear? I don't find that attractive at all. Find a larger space for it. EXPERIENCE: About a week ago I saw a pretty young woman with a writing tattoo starting from behind her ear and going all the way down to the base of her neck. It was obviously a few years old and the ink had started spreading in a very ungraceful manner. It looked horrible and destroyed all the good effect her pretty face would have otherwise had. I advice you against choosing that area. OPINION: The hands... it depends on what you get and what domain you'll be working in. Maybe you'll be able to cover it up with a watch or a bigger bracelet, if necessary? But still. The human body offers so much working space. Why cram your "intricate" tattoo in the most unaesthetic places possible? Go for the back, the upper arm, the hip, the leg, the sides... bigger spaces! Places that ALLOW you to ink something detailed.

Answer 3

I also asked about getting a small tattoo done, and I was told the same thing about the lack of detail in something so small. Also, the ink over time would tend to bleed together, so the tattoo wouldn't look as good over time.

On the other hand, I went to a tattoo expo and met an artist from Delaware who had in his work exhibit, something he called "microtattoos". They were detailed images the size of coins, from a penny to a quarter. I talked to him about it, and he said that there aren't many artists in the country who specialize in doing those really small tattoos. I asked how they hold up, and he pointed to one the size of a quarter (red king playing card image), and said he did that one over five years ago and it still looked the same. that isn't to say that in another five years, it won't look blurry.

If you're interested, the artist's name is Tommy Rabid, and he owns a shop called Agaru Tattoos. I haven't been there or had work done by him; I just had a discussion about his work at the expo. The website is: www.agarutattoos.com
As you navigate through the page, you can find Tommy Rabid's gallery, and he has a few of his microtattoos posted.

I hope this helps!

Answer 4

It may not be impossible to do, but it might not be able to meet your exacting standards (which is a GOOD thing to have when it comes to permanent body art). I've heard about artists doing masterpieces the size of a postage stamp, but those fine lines and details won't last long. Eventually it will all bleed together to end up a furry blob (no matter how well-executed your tattoo was). Good luck in finding the right piece of art and capable artist though!

Answer 5

It'd be hard not because of a lack of skill, but that the design would just blend into one another and look sloppy.

To get the fine, sharp detail of what you're looking for, you need to get a larger tattoo to really show it off, or else it looks like a blobby blur.

You may have seen tattoos with finer lines than these, but guaranteed, they weren't as complex, intricate or as delicate as what you're proposing, on 1" of skin.

Answer 6

Tattooing is kind of like dabbing with the point of a fountain pen. If the dab is too much then there is no corner. It depends on how you skin takes to it as well.
If you look really closely you will see the fine line tattoos are close to but not exactly the same as the picture on the wall. That is where the artist comes in and makes something out of a line that "got away" to still make an acceptable picture.

Answer 7

The thing is, its possible to do, but for the size you want it, you have to remember that in 5 years its going to be a blob. There will be no definite lines left. I wanted to have the word Goddess tattooed really tiny on the back of my neck and was told that it would be a waste of my money, because that's what would happen.
You could probably find a disreputable tattoo artist who doesn't care about his work and he may do it for you. Good luck with that.

Answer 8

NOT impossible. there is going to be a tattoo artist tattooing at the convention in little rock and he tattoos tiny images. he uses a powerful magnifying glass to magnify them but they are all smaller than a quarter if i remember correctly. not many artists specialize in or do these types of tattoos. so it's not impossible but it is rare and it may not hold up well over time.

Answer 9

It's not impossible to do, but it would be VERY tricky. You might have to look around a lot to find a very experienced artist, or someone who specializes in small tattoos.

Answer 10

WOW, that is something---it would be a kinda cool tattoo....I'm not a big fan of them myself, but that one is neat.

I'd shop it around---there's some really really good artists out there who could do this, just make sure you get references when you finally find someone who says they can do it

PS--I was told that squares/blocks are hard to do on the skin because...well, it's skin!