Shopping For Designs
Collecting Tattoos.com
In my book,"Collecting tattoos" ,I
discuss issues on design choice.               
  Many are now choosing to shop the
Internet for their tattoo designs.
I would like to explain a couple of things
from a professional artist point of view.
Lots of people bring pictures  to the
tattoo parlor that they have pirated off a
website. The pictures usually have lines
going through it to distort the picture, to
make it difficult to steel. As an artist I
always shake my head in a no fashion
showing the client some frustration of
having to redraw the design to create a
line sheet.
I always include a fee for redrawing the picture, which
is usually more than what the design would have cost if
they would have just purchased it.
You see, when you purchase a design, {we call it
"flash"}, off the Internet, it usually comes with a line
sheet that your artist can put through a thermo copier
and create a stencil to be transferred to the skin,
without having to hand draw the design to prepare it.
Time is money and you can make things very easy for
your professional tattoo artist by bringing them the
correct elements needed for your new tattoo.
Even if the design does not come with a line sheet, it will be easier to create a stencil
from a clear picture. Designs that come with line sheets have important shade lines on
them to help the artist understand the shading and coloring of the design. This is also
a huge time saver and most artists will give you a better price for making their job
easier. You also gain some respect because your not trying to steel from fellow
artists. That's right, many tattoo artists also draw for companies that sell flash.
It is my goal to help you understand the importance of purchasing your flash for your
new tattoo, and how it makes things easier for both the client and the professional
tattoo artist.
Most parlors have the
Internet, and you can record
the site address for them to
view and discuss your ideas
before you decide to
purchase the design.
It would be a good idea to discuss the design ahead of time, because if the artist
explains that the design wouldn't be appropriate for the location of the body or won't
stand the test of time, you'll have more time to relax and shop for different ideas.
Many come to their appointments and are disappointed that the design they want
won't make a good tattoo. They frantically search through the available flash and
quickly select a different design so they can still get their ink fix. Sometimes tattoo
parlors are so busy that if it's going to take you a while to choose a design you'll have
to reschedule your appointment. If the artist starts falling behind schedule, it
cascades during the day. So if the artists is running 30 minutes behind in the early
afternoon, by evening they could be 2 hours behind schedule, especially if 2 or 3
clients change their mind on design.
Line Sheet

Here are some great sites where you can purchase
flash designs. I've also included some directory sites to
help you find free flash as well.
Finished Color Sheet
Here are some
designs to browse
and maybe get
some ideas for your
future tattoos.