Everyone wants a great tattoo, but how can you tell if a tattoo is amazing? While preferences are subjective, there are a variety of indicators that professionals use to judge whether a tattoo is amazing.
Linework refers to the lines in a tattoo. Linework should be clean and consistent throughout the tattoo. The best tattoos have straight, crisp linework. Shaky lines are a tell-tale sign that the tattoo artist is inexperienced.
Saturation refers to the color and shading in a tattoo. Great tattoos have fully saturated black, color and shading. If the tattoo is not fully saturated, there will be unsightly gaps in the tattoo.
Contrast is one of the main principles of the visual arts. In terms of tattooing, contrast refers to differences in the tones of the tattoo. There should be contrast in the tattoo so that it does not appear flat. Great tattoos have contrasting areas of light and dark to really pop.
Composition refers to the aesthetic arrangement of the elements of a tattoo. A good tattoo artist knows how to arrange the different elements of a tattoo design in an aesthetically pleasing, balanced way.
Artistry refers to the artistic quality of the design. If the tattoo is poorly drawn, it will not look great on the skin. The tattoo design should have an artistic quality. After all, we are called tattoo artists.
Readability refers to the legibility of the tattoo. Tattoos should be readable. If it is unclear what the tattoo is, it is not a great tattoo.
Placement refers to where and how the tattoo is placed on the body. Tattoos should fit the body properly. They should be proportionate to the area of the body being tattooed. Faces should face in toward the body and not away. Text should appear upside down to the wearer. The design should take into consideration the placement on the body.
Healing is a great sign of the tattoo’s application. If a tattoo scars or blows out, not only does the tattoo not look good but it was also not applied properly.