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Hey man,

I don't usually critique anyone's work on here, mostly because I never think I'm qualified and would prefer to leave it to someone with top level skills like Mike. But what I can do is share the same advise I got from some top artist, that I notice in your work. Mostly it's all about contrast and punching the Tattoo not only for the first impression but for the longevity over the next 20 years.
Getting enough black in the right areas and nailing the highlights will really bump your tattoos. pushing the darks back and bringing the light forward. If you don't hit the mark with contrast, your image will look kinda flat. Also,work a bit more to learn how to use color theory. using contrasting colors like blue/orange, green/red or purple/yellow etc, can really help to bump your tattoos and bring them out more. when you place contrasting colors next to each other they enhance the image and the colors look brighter than they really are. For example your la Lakers tattoo would pop a lot more if you use a more contrasting color in the ball like the orange/brown that the balls original color really is, rather than more blue.this would also give you more opportunity to use more black in the ball for example using a darker shadow on the bottom and lighter on the top to round the ball more 3d like. And having this kind of contrast would also bring your lettering forward. Make sense? the same as your Texas snake. you use a lot of colors in the same spectrum for most of the image, but by just changing the color of the snake to a more red/orange would have brought the snake out more with the green/yellow background. or putting in a more orange sky and more green snake would bump the color contrast.. I'm sure Mike could give you some better advise, but This is some of the things I've learned from mikes dvds, as well as other killer artist
The best way to really learn how to kill it and hit the mark with your work is to watch the best do it first hand. getting to a convention to watch other killer artist or to get tattooed by them is the best way to add a ton of info to your brain, and it is much easier to utilize their skills in your own work..
If you don't already have them , pick up some of mikes dvds, or other artist. there is a lot of info in these dvds that you can really add to your work, same with books like Guys Reinventing the tattoo. his book will really help. even after 5 years, i still go back into it.
But overall man, your doing really well. Keep it up.

hope that helps man,

Cheers


Stephen Stacey

Thanks I really appreciate your time! And I completely understand what you are say. Those are things that I notice in my own work as well and have been trying to work on. Doing alot more paintings and color studies. And def. need to check out some more dvds tattooing and just art in general. Mike's Get Real was great and so where Brandon Bonds videos. Should probably re watch especially for the use of black.I have also been interested in Russ Abbotts color wheel. Again thanks for your time and Ill put what you have said to good use!

Anyone else care to critique? Or anything that you feel could be useful to me? The more info or things i need to work on the better! Thanks in advance!

Start drawing. And i mean, ALOT! Your not going to be a better artist by tattooing. Your technique might get better, but really, tattooing is just a craft, like being an electrician, or lumberjack.

The word artist has become more a label people tend to put on them self to try and stand out from the crowd and be different. And they complete neglect the fact that most artists work their asses off, 24/7

The best advice I've ever got, was to try and draw 3hours a day, even if I had an 8hour work day.