We all agree that a tattoo should be a unique mark on skin, so when we have done a design we won’t do it again. Artists really don’t enjoy the factory feel of repetition. Our tattoos are usually freehanded on, as we all think this is the only real way to get a feel for the flow of the body. Stencils are used from time to time within a design, but large scale work usually has a freehanded element. This takes trust between client and artist, this must be realised before you embark on a freehand tattoo. The pens that we mark the design onto your skin sometimes look very different to the outcome, as you will realise if you have ever watched a painter mark out a sketch for a painting, it is usually rougher, and sketchy, this is exactly the same as free handing a tattoo. There are examples of freehand tattoos from start to finish in the galleries on this site, so that you can see how a freehand tattoo takes more trust, but how it emerges and looks strong in the final sitting!

Jim has trained all of his apprentices to freehand straight away, so we are all very used to working in this fashion. It isn’t scary or less thought out, on the contrary, we have already tattooed the design in our head whilst drawing it on! So, whoever you pick as your artist at Ritual Art Tattoo be sure that you will end up with an interesting, unique piece that will be with you forever and travel through ups and downs with you, it is your own piece of art and you should be proud to be an art collector!