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Author Topic: Tips for small tattoos  (Read 2554 times)

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Offline Distruktion

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Tips for small tattoos
« on: January 7, 2009, 11:41:50 AM »
I'm painting my Dark Eldar and want to add some tattoos to my Wyches (mainly).  Any suggestions or tips on ways to achieve this smoothly so that it doesn't look like just a black line or smudge on the model?

Offline Kother

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Re: Tips for small tattoos
« Reply #1 on: January 7, 2009, 12:41:11 PM »
I have an idea that I have never tried.  If your going for black paint it on black, highlight with codex gray on the middle of the raised areas but always keep the edges black.  Then go over with an ink but just painted on the tattoo, a black ink if you want black. 

I also seem to remember a GW tutorial on putting blue tattoos on fantasy dwarfs so that could help you out.  I don't have a link though. 

And finally, is that a blood elf mage?
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Offline Skeeve

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Re: Tips for small tattoos
« Reply #2 on: January 7, 2009, 01:34:43 PM »
the way I do it.

Take you base skin color. Mix it 1:1 with dark blue. Paint your tattoo - you paint should be pretty dilute so you have to put more then one layer. Then If you feel it is too dark glaze it over with diluted skin highlight, if you feel it is too light ad some more blue into you mix and give it another layer. Two things you have to be prepared for - you will be redoing it more then once, and, in order to look good you probably have to give it more then one layer.

If you need design do a google search for tribal tattoos - there are a number of rather simple but effective shapes out there

the result is here (Chest and stomach on the left) - right click the image to actually see it

« Last Edit: January 7, 2009, 01:42:47 PM by Skeeve »

Offline Khain Mor (/kharandhil)

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Re: Tips for small tattoos
« Reply #3 on: January 7, 2009, 05:35:40 PM »
You'll need a lot of practise to do some good tattoos.
It's takes a lot of time to do some good free-hand.
Keep practising and you'll become and great 40k tattooer.
The effort it may need may prove to be unnecessary sometimes, but I hope you have a lot of patience.

You have to draw the symbol first, just like real tattooers , then you paint it on. Well that's what  do.

Your paint has to be very well diluted like Skeeve said or else you'll have a thick piece of paint on the skin and it won't look very well or clean.

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Offline Col. Dash

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Re: Tips for small tattoos
« Reply #4 on: January 9, 2009, 08:53:48 AM »
I do a dark say Regal blue, then over that a heavy highlight of enchanted blue. That idea works with most colors though. tattoos arent that bad for me, what after 15 years of painting I cant get is camo face paint.

Offline Distruktion

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Re: Tips for small tattoos
« Reply #5 on: January 9, 2009, 02:12:56 PM »
Thanks for the input, I'll definitely put them to use... Hopefully I can pull it off ;)

 


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