When a project runs smoothly without any problem whatsoever it becomes difficult to talk about the working process without feeling a little boring and repetitive.
The project was simple: a biomechanical. One of my favourite subjects, if not my very favourite.
After explaining how I create my biomechanicals (freehand), having evaluated different approaches and having discussed implementation times, the client and I met for the first session.
Since I create this kind of work freehand the design can sometimes take longer than usual and this ended up being the case, particularly during the first session.
To relax a little after sketching on the upper arm I decided to move on to the forearm, but I was about to make a mistake. In the past I have already found myself sketching the entire arm ending up not having enough time to do the outline and finding myself at midnight and beyond still struggling with needles and ink.
Mindful of those situations I stopped immediately and moved on to outlining the design created until then in gray.
In the following session I completed the design and the outline on the forearm.
After that I took some time to study colours on the computer based on some images the client had provided me with.
Nothing definitive, just a sketch to give the client an idea of the colours. He was enthusiastic, with a little surprise on my part since I was afraid it was going to be a little too sketchy to the untrained eye, but apparently this guy has the ability to visualize and it’s a huge help for those who have to express themselves through lines and colours.
In the following stages my proverbial optimism was destroyed at each sitting.
When I thought I’d be able to complete a specific area, at the end of the session I found myself having completed only half. In addition to the huge amount of details and lights present, our conversations distracted us from working a little too often, especially during our first meetings. We went a bit over schedule as it often happens with this kind of work where there is a specific project but everything is done session by session. Moreover, on the upper arm I had to retouch the work more than on the lower arm. For the aftercare I had, in fact, used adhesive film for the bottom half while for the upper half, to the client’s request, the traditional method was used, method that has a number of limitations, especially if the client doesn’t keep the tattoo from scabbing and doesn’t apply cream.
However, the end result is an arm on which one could spend hours looking for details that may not be visible at first glance, and the pictures and video actually do not do full justice to this piece which looks absolutely spectacular in real life.
It’s so spectacular that it seems that he can use his tattoo to seduce girls 😀
This client has shown an enviable determination and resistance, probably due to regular physical activity (I noticed that people who are active and/or play sports have a higher resistance) but not only that. Clients who ask for biomechanicals tend to have an edge, have a higher resistance, they do not complain and are more determined, or maybe I’m just lucky to have this kind of client when I have to confront myself with pipes, gears and mechanical parts 😀
The project has kept us company throughout the entire year and it’s been a pleasure chatting with this guy who sometimes let me talk a little too much 😛
Now I can’t wait to start working on the next biomech.
Please send in more requests like this 😀
Look at the images of the working process below.