Fireside Articles

Dragons Don’t Do Cute Poses | Patrick O’Neil Technique Talk | EP 300

Dan Pushcarich

Published on: 28/05/2025

New Blog Post DescriptionWe’ve got another Inside Fireside Tattoo Club sneak preview for you today! This time it’s with a real friend of the podcast Patrick Paul O’Neil. The group has been holding these Technique Talks that go beyond surface-level conversation about tattooing. In this discussion Patrick speaks on how over the years that understanding your own process matters—like how he approaches color by building up layers rather than trying to nail everything in one pass. When working with clients, he’s found that what they don't like actually tells him more than what they do like. It gives clearer boundaries for the creative field we're working in.

Drawing for Tattoo DesignTattoo Techniques

Geometrica Ad Absurdum | Dillon Forte | EP 299

Dan Pushcarich

Published on: 14/05/2025

Hey, what's going on, everybody? In today's mind-bending interview with geometric master Dillon Forte we'll be diving deep into his meticulous approach to geometric tattoo designs. This guy has some serious ideas about sacred geometry that'll have you seeing triangles and circles in your sleep, trust me.

Tattoo Techniques

Wrong on Paper, Right on Skin | 3 Minutes to Better tattooing

Dan Pushcarich

Published on: 23/04/2025

Shape is king in tattoo design. When I recently had a client come in wanting a blue jay that would wrap around multiple angles of his shoulder, it perfectly illustrated why we need to prioritize designing for the body rather than the stencil paper. This is exactly the kind of challenge that separates good tattooers from great ones - understanding that what might look "wrong" on paper can be absolutely right on skin.

Drawing for Tattoo DesignTattoo Techniques

Tips for Tattooing Darker Skin Tones | Fireside Technique | EP 37

Dan Pushcarich

Published on: 08/04/2025

Creating dynamic tattoos for dark skin can be a challenge, but it’s not impossible. In this short episode, we offer a few tips to help get the most out of your designs for dark complexions. Some of the main thing’s we’ll get into are; simplifying your value range, taking extra care for body placement, and utilizing larger, more well defined shapes. Tattooing darker skin is really no different than tattooing any other skin tone, you just have to take a little more care and consideration with your design for the client.

Tattoo Techniques