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A better link:
http://imgur.com/D3WKHlK

Hey bro,

Although I am not at that level yet in tattooing, my drawing skills are more than adequate enough to understand how it is done in tattooing. A portrait is a portrait after all and whats right is right, and whats wrong is wrong.

First thing that I notice about this tattoo, is that the hair is not defined at all. Thats fine, no worries you'll get there soon enough.
I would advise you to use your magnum to line within the hair, by going adjacent with the line of needles.
Also, you need to have a dimension within all that hair. You need to find a flow, and have lighter shades overlapping darker shades for a more realistic look.
This way you'll refine the individual hairs and make your overall portrait more defined. Maybe do some extensive research on realistic hair to understand how it is translated.

Now your colour shades and transitions are good for now.
Lastly, I know some people say that you shouldn't use lines in a portrait but there are in fact a few lines that are important in order to have clean details.
Such lines would be where the top and bottom lips meet. It shouldn't be a straight line or a very thick line at all, but it should be there. And it should be complemented by a very short light shade towards the top lip and then a slightly darker shade towards the bottom lip.

There are quite a lot of little things that you can do here and there to tighten up a portrait.

Basically its also important for me to know from which medium you are coming from. People who come from painting have a much different style of tattooing than people who come from drawing.
People who come from painting often concentrate on complex blends and shades and values etc, which is amazing on its own.
And people who come from a drawing background, tend to notice things like light lines and dark lines, or more importantly, small details like rough or smooth textures within a shade etc.


Overall though, I think its a good portrait but you still have work to do. I hope this was at least a little bit helpful. Let me know what you think.

Thanks buddy.
I wasn't 100% happy with the hair. I know it could be way better.
I tried to do more details in the hair but I didn't want to make it to busy.. if you know what I mean for.
Unfortunately I was working from a shit picture.. we couldn't find a better one..
I drew in the past but I never liked it as I felt the painting has more "artistic value" if you look at the history.. So I rather paint than draw.
Thanks for your review again.

Basically drawing helps with black and gray work, like how to shade to the skin etc, while painting helps with tattoos where the whole area is covered in ink, so that would be packing, blending etc.

But I think amazing tattoos can be created when the artists knows both worlds. So in the case of this tattoo, it would be a mixture of smooth gradients or blending and transitioning, along with intricate details for textures and refining which I guess should be applied at the end.

Anyway, I think you should spend a few days looking at any kind of realistic portrait (drawings, paintings, Photography, tattoos, all black and white as well as color) and studying every detail in order to help your brain understand how to see and notice little fine details that you will then be able to imagine and apply on your tattoo even if your reference photo is shit. :)

Thats the secret. Drawing realism wont help with the actual use of a tattoo machine application, but it will definitely help your eyes, brain and imagination to work together.

Thanks for it.
I'll take your advises.
Unfortunately I don't get a lots of portraits as I'm living in a small island (only 20k people). But I love to do them.
This was my third portrait, the first two was b&g.

Well for a third portrait its fucking good bro!
Do take my advice, and I promise you the next portrait you do will be 2 times better.

Anyway, where do you live? Im curious.

I'm hungarian but I'm working in the UK.
I'll do a research as soon as I'll have time :)
Thank you

If you want it more accurate then on the Shetland Islands :)

Shetland Islands look fucking beautiful bro, you must miss home. :)

Well I hope I helped you out a little, good luck with everything. :D

Yes, you did definitely help me :)
It's nice... if you come for 2 weeks.. but you know here is no trees,etc. just so flat... so we just call it as "green desert" :D

Thanks again!

Hahhah green desert, I like that.
Must be nice.
:D