SlowMoe 0 Posted January 29, 2014 Share Posted January 29, 2014 I'm having a hard time coming up with ideas for this. I wish I'd have put more thought into the placement of these tattoos, but it is what is and I'm at the point where I think adding any more to my arm will make or break the finished product. The guys that have been tattooing me aren't very helpful, and I would like to get some ideas before I go any further. One concern is the spaces around the cross. Should I fill them in with tattoos or just use filler here? Or a combination? What about the two portraits at the top; should I use filler around and above them, put a couple of tattoos around them, or what? I was thinking an antique frame around and between the two but I don't know that might look like shit. I have been really indecisive about this and I would really appreciate some opinions. Thanks Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ducky15568 50 Posted January 30, 2014 Share Posted January 30, 2014 There is a bunch you could do for filler, it all just depends on if you want a theme (not that you need one at all.) Some ideas i could think for you to look at are: Negative space Smoke Clouds Smaller tattoos as filler Stars and dots swirls outer space Water These are only some ideas that i could think of off the top of my head. Some will definitely be better ideas than others. Hope this helps! Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johannes 5 Posted January 30, 2014 Share Posted January 30, 2014 my simple advice is to keep getting tattooed...it will fill up in time... :) JAllen, Graeme, Hands On and 4 others 7 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gregor 14 Posted January 30, 2014 Share Posted January 30, 2014 I'm not a fan of any filler - let the stand out on their own !! Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe Stratford 50 Posted January 30, 2014 Share Posted January 30, 2014 It seems to me the cross is an old tattoo, possibly have it re-worked (blasted over is the new term du jour, I believe!) if your happy to do so, make it look more in keeping with the rest of your trad stuff and maybe have something incorporated into or around that, possibly something like the attachment. I have a negative space around my Traditional tattoos and personally I feel it looks the best, it gives each individual piece definition, if you start filling with things like stars/smoke etc it can swamp up the whole arm IMO. CultExciter, Nikki Walker and cltattooing 3 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
SlowMoe 0 Posted January 30, 2014 Author Share Posted January 30, 2014 So it seems like the general concensus i to just pack as many tattoos in as I can, leavina a little negative space around each one? ChrisvK 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brock Varty 6 Posted January 30, 2014 Share Posted January 30, 2014 So it seems like the general concensus i to just pack as many tattoos in as I can, leavina a little negative space around each one? Just keep getting rad tattoos. Eventually, you will get to a point where you won't care about the fairly minor specifics of that part of your arm. Don't worry, let it happen, if you have a cool little piece you want to get and it feels right to stick it in there...then do it! JAllen, Dbeatdano, SlowMoe and 4 others 7 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Akers 0 Posted February 3, 2014 Share Posted February 3, 2014 I've been thinking about this myself lately. I always wonder if a sacred geometry type filler would look good. Has anyone else thought about this? Not just for your tattoo but in general. Something kind of like this? scubaron and Brock Varty 2 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
cltattooing 765 Posted February 3, 2014 Share Posted February 3, 2014 I've been thinking about this myself lately. I always wonder if a sacred geometry type filler would look good. Has anyone else thought about this? Not just for your tattoo but in general. Something kind of like this? I've been pondering that lately, actually. I think it would look great if it were all done in lighter tones of grey. At least with my tattoos, what I have on my arms is mostly traditional with really strong silhouettes. So if the background patternwork would be subtle enough to not detract from the impact of the prior work, I think it could look DOPE Brock Varty, CultExciter, CABS and 2 others 5 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brock Varty 6 Posted February 4, 2014 Share Posted February 4, 2014 I've been pondering that lately, actually. I think it would look great if it were all done in lighter tones of grey. At least with my tattoos, what I have on my arms is mostly traditional with really strong silhouettes. So if the background patternwork would be subtle enough to not detract from the impact of the prior work, I think it could look DOPE Word Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
temporarytattoo 0 Posted April 28, 2014 Share Posted April 28, 2014 Getting tattoo is one of the passion and i love really getting tattooed as i had done many tattoos like animal tattoo it was really looking very cool and worth too. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ake11 0 Posted January 28, 2015 Share Posted January 28, 2015 i have done stars and dots and not not a fan..i think they only look good if you have very little negative space between tattoos. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
suburbanxcore 941 Posted January 28, 2015 Share Posted January 28, 2015 @David Akers, that's not particularly my favorite style, but I really like the way it looks in that picture a lot. I think @cltattooing is right that in certain shades and done well, it could mesh neatly with traditional. That's an idea for the future... @SlowMoe, I like that umbrella and lightning bolts. Who did that one? Very nice. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
bongsau 2,431 Posted January 28, 2015 Share Posted January 28, 2015 I wouldn't pin anything too close to that cross, it will get lost. Perhaps spider webbing in/around? The top part of your arm could be framed off somehow with another piece like a bird that would come down on to the side of your chest. IMO keep it simple, don't try to fill in all around your western styled tattoos with eastern style background, it will look confused. Keep the space to let the subjects standalone get some tattoos on your other arm and across the chest, you may be delighted how it changes the balance of your tattooed-look. The ideas on how to add your tattoos, placement, the brainstorming...one of the most fun parts about getting the tattoos! Don't overthink, enjoy the process of developing your ideas. It will come to you :) ditto...umbrella is really cool. I like the spider too. bruzzz 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hands On 772 Posted January 29, 2015 Share Posted January 29, 2015 you could fit two small sparrows in the bottom quadrants of the cross. or rays could be emanating from the cross. depending on what the portraits mean, a few things could fit there. I immediately see an hourglass. thin tattoo icons like a snake, dagger, rose on a stem, praying hands. maybe an elephant on the top of your shoulder and the trunk could go in between and curl around. a giraffe. an exploding volcano. or you could go to Jeff Rassier and ask him do his thing! BrookR70 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
BrookR70 89 Posted January 29, 2015 Share Posted January 29, 2015 I immediately thought about a couple of small roses, but I really like the rays idea as long as they are lightly shaded. Or maybe one larger rose placed behind it. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cork 645 Posted January 30, 2015 Share Posted January 30, 2015 Come guys, this thread is from exactly a year ago. Ake11 was a necromancer in his past life. SStu and Hands On 2 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hands On 772 Posted January 30, 2015 Share Posted January 30, 2015 Come guys, this thread is from exactly a year ago. Ake11 was a necromancer in his past life. wow... we're slackin. strange that this shit got bumped and I replied blind without lookin at dates. never again! Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cork 645 Posted January 30, 2015 Share Posted January 30, 2015 wow... we're slackin. strange that this shit got bumped and I replied blind without lookin at dates. never again! Although, with the way forum notifications work, the OP might get an email and he can come back and enlighten us on his decision. @SlowMoe Hands On 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hands On 772 Posted January 30, 2015 Share Posted January 30, 2015 Although, with the way forum notifications work, the OP might get an email and he can come back and enlighten us on his decision. I've got my fingers crossed for a full bodysuit slideshow. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
suburbanxcore 941 Posted January 30, 2015 Share Posted January 30, 2015 Hopefully he just got a panther. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patrickkinder 3 Posted January 12, 2016 Share Posted January 12, 2016 Choosing the right filler is my biggest struggle too. Would love to know what the OP ended up doing on this one. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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