How to design a tattoo

Artistry on the human canvas, where personal expression meets permanence. Tattoo design merges personal narratives with aesthetics in an intimate and enduring way.

The world of tattoo art is rich and diverse, ranging from simple and minimalist designs to intricate and detailed works of art. What sets tattoo design apart is its profound personal significance and the considerations of placement, movement, and the canvas's texture—the skin.

Are you a budding illustrator or a seasoned graphic designer? Whether dipping your toes into the intricate world of tattoo art for the first time or looking to deepen your existing skills, this comprehensive guide will provide valuable insights, practical tips, and inspiration.

We'll look at some key considerations when designing a tattoo and take you through a step-by-step tutorial on creating an artist-ready tattoo design.

Considerations when designing a tattoo

Designing a tattoo is a detailed process that goes beyond artistic expression. There are many practical considerations, too, like size and spacing.

Let's delve into these key considerations.

Personal significance

The heart of tattoo design lies in its personal significance. Tattoos are more than just skin-deep; they often represent stories, memories, beliefs, or milestones. Understanding the narrative or meaning a client wants to capture is crucial for a designer.

Aesthetic preferences

Tattoos come in various styles, from traditional and tribal to watercolor and geometric. Each style has its distinct characteristics and techniques.

Familiarizing yourself with these different styles will help you better cater to varied aesthetic preferences.

If you're designing a tattoo for yourself, you probably already have a good idea of the styles you like. With this knowledge, you can bring your own unique flavor to your tattoo design by adding personal flair or blending different styles.

Depending on the tattoo size, style, and complexity you're going for, you may also find some inspiring pre-made designs in our expanding Template Library.

Get this template

Get this template

Placement and size

The placement and size of a tattoo significantly impact its design. Different body parts offer varied levels of visibility, pain sensitivity, and space for detailing.

Consider line thickness and color in your design. Finer lines and colors fade or blur quicker over time, especially in high-movement areas. Solid lines and black ink will hold longer. But, be aware that fading is inevitable and you may need to have tattoos touched up after a few years.

Although you design on paper or a digital surface, a tattoo isn't flat. Consider the body's contours in the area where you'll be placing the tattoo, and keep in mind its three-dimensional surface.

For example, if you want a large portrait tattooed on your arm, ensure most of the face will be visible from at least one angle. Otherwise, it may look disjointed and won't have the visual effect you have in mind.

Color theory

Color choice in tattoos is a complex interplay of artistic vision and practical considerations. Different skin tones will affect how colors appear once healed.

Light-colored inks like white won't look contrasted on very pale or extremely dark skin. On the other hand, dark inks may not be visible on dark skin tones but will create a sharp contrast on fair skin.

We've already mentioned that black lasts longer. But some colors tend to fade faster than others, depending on exposure to elements like sunlight and skin lesions.

Another color consideration is that you or your client may be more sensitive to some ink colors than others.

Understanding how different inks and colors interact with various skin types is essential for creating vibrant, enduring tattoos.

Cultural sensitivity

In the diverse world of tattoo art, certain designs should also be approached with cultural sensitivity. Tattooing has a long history, with some of the oldest designs found on mummies from the ice age.

The tattoo community is open to various types of tattoos and cultural symbols, but certain traditional tattoos have deep, spiritual meanings. Avoid cultural misappropriation by respecting the origins and meanings of symbols and motifs from cultures that aren't your own.

It's about honoring traditions and educating yourself about the significance behind cultural elements in tattoo designs.

Other practical considerations

Beyond the artistic aspects, skills, and personal and cultural significance, other practical factors play a crucial role in tattoo design.

Budget constraints, the duration and number of tattoo sessions, and the level of discomfort experienced during tattooing should be discussed with the tattoo artist.

You should also consider the healing time and how the tattoo may age over time. Skin moisture and weight gain are also factors that could dramatically alter tattoos.

These factors can influence design decisions like complexity, size, and color usage, ensuring that the final tattoo is both feasible and sustainable.

Step-by-step tattoo design tutorial using Linearity Curve

Creating a custom tattoo design for your tattoo stencil requires both creativity and precision.

Linearity Curve's robust and easy-to-use design tools offer a streamlined process to bring your tattoo ideas to life. Let's walk through each step of the design process.

We'll use an iPad for this tutorial, but you can also use Curve on your Mac or iPhone.

Conceptualize your custom design

Your first step is to plan your tattoo. This can be broken down into three phases:

1. Brainstorming: Start by gathering inspiration. This could be anything from photos, personal experiences, client stories, nature, art books, cultural symbols, or other tattoo designs. You can also scroll through your favorite tattoo artists' social accounts. Create a mood board or a collection of these inspirations.
2. Initial sketching: Using Linearity Curve graphic design software or a piece of paper to make a few rough sketches. Don’t worry about perfection at this stage. It's all about getting your creative thoughts onto the canvas. Use Curve's freehand drawing tools (the Pencil Tool and Brush Tool) to emulate the feeling of sketching on paper.
3. Iterating ideas: Experiment with different elements and compositions. Play around with shapes, lines, and colors to see what resonates with the tattoo's intended meaning and aesthetic.

Open a new Curve document

Once you're happy with your composition, it’s time to bring your vision to life.

Start with a blank canvas. Create a New Document in Linearity Curve and choose your document size.

We chose A4 paper (because the design will be printed out) and adjusted the sizes to change it from landscape to portrait.

Portrait orientation makes the most sense for the area where this tattoo will appear—the forearm.

Create your original design

Now, the fun part. We'll create a pet portrait tattoo design in an artistic brushstroke style.

Begin by importing an image of your pet. Go to the Library Tab (+) and choose Photos. You can drag and drop your image onto the blank Artboard.

Because you'll be tracing over your reference image, you can lower the layer opacity a little. Go to the Layers Tab on the right, tap on the image's layer opacity (100%), and change it to 80%.

Lastly, lock your animal image layer so that it won't accidentally be moved while you're drawing. Simply tap on the lock icon next to the image layer's name.

Create a new layer above your reference photo where you'll draw your tattoo design. To do this, tap on the orange Plus icon at the top left of the Layers Tab and select New Layer.

Now, select the Brush Tool in the Toolbar on the left. In the Style Tab on the right, you can choose a brush style with a natural point. By tapping on the three dots in the Stroke section, you'll open the Brush Editor.

Here, you can set the Width, Angle, and Contour. You can also toggle Pressure sensitivity On.

Using your customized brush in a contrasting Stroke Color, draw the contours of your pet's face. Keep the strokes loose and try to emphasize its facial features.

Toggle the visibility of your reference image's layer by tapping on the Eye icon next to it in the Layers Tab. This will help you see whether the entire design is going in your desired direction.

You can switch to Regular Stroke to draw the shapes of the eyes.

Let's add a pop of color to the eyes, nose, and mouth. Add a bright Fill Color to these shapes by first selecting them and then toggling Fill On in the left-hand Toolbar.

Once you're done, you can toggle off the reference layer's visibility and change all the brushstrokes' Stroke Color to black.

To select your entire design, simply switch to the Selection Tool in the left-hand Toolbar and drag a selection box over your drawing.

It works well for the eyes and nose shapes, but the mouth shape is a little trickier. Using the Selection Tool in Multi Select Mode, tap on all the brushstrokes that form the mouth.

Then, choose Duplicate Mode to create an identical set of brushstrokes. You can move these to the side so they're easier to work with.

With your duplicate mouth shape selected, tap on the Join Paths option in the Style Tab. This will create a singular vector path.

Change the Stroke to Regular and lower the Width to make it easier to work with.

Now, you can use the Pen Tool to close the path and turn it into a complex shape. To do this, simply tap on the open path node on one end and tap on the open node on the other end.

Toggle off Stroke and toggle on Fill. Move your mouth shape over to the mouth area on your tattoo design.

Refine the edges of your Fill shape using the Node Tool.

Move the mouth shape beneath the other brushstrokes by holding and dragging it down in the Layers Tab.

Finalize your tattoo design

Once your design is complete, prepare it for the professional tattoo artist. Ensure the design is clear and detailed enough to serve as a guide.

Save your design in a widely accepted printable file format that's easy for tattoo artists to use, such as .pdf or .jpeg. Tap on the File name menu item and open the Export dropdown.

Select your file format and save.

Bonus: create a tattoo placement mockup

Curious to see what your design will look like once it's inked on your body?

Here's a pro tip: create a mockup using Linearity Curve.

Look for an image in the Unsplash Library Tab, or drag and drop a photo of your own body parts (yep, that felt weird to say) on a new layer.

Now, you can scale, rotate, and place your tattoo design to fit the area on the body you'd like to have it done.

This will help you visualize the final product and also give your tattoo artist a good reference point for the size and placement.

A tattoo design mockup will also help you map out the placement of lettering if you'd like to add text to your tattoo.

Share your tattoo design

We’d love to see your tattoo designs made with Linearity Curve. If you tried your hand at this tutorial or created a completely unique design, share it with our community. You can also mention us on social media—we might feature your work.

Don’t have Linearity Curve yet? Start for free on your Mac, iPad, or iPhone by signing up below.

Frequently asked questions