Drawing For Tattoo Design: 3D Modeling for Realistic Tattoos Javi Antunez

3D Modeling for Realistic Tattoos

| Javi Antunez | EP 261

At the Richmond Tattoo and Arts Festival we grabbed quite a few really great interviews and got to see a number of awesome tattooers and excellent attractions. We also had the chance to catch up with some tattooers and artists who've caught the wave of emerging technologies.

We had the privilege to sit down with Javi to chat about his many roles in the tattoo world. From digital design using ZBrush to tips and tricks for mixing styles to launching NFTs, we cover it all in this episode.

In today's episode, we take a deep dive into Javi's tattoo design and thought processes. We discuss tips mixing color accents in black and grey tattoos and even dive into his awesome Bored to Death Club NFT projects. Enjoy!

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Interview By Jake Meeks —

Writing By Daniel Pushcarich -

Topics: Tattooing, ZBrush, 3D Modeling, NFT, Bored 2 Death Club, Color Tattoos, Black and Grey tattoos, Tattoo Design

two skeletons hugging arm sleeve tattoo

“With ZBrush you can just create a bunch of assets that you can use again and again (in your tattoo designs) and they will look completely different.”

— Javi Antunez

Javier Antunez (@javi_tattooedtheory) Specializes in beautifully rendered illustrative realism in tattooing. He is very well versed in ZBrush and other 3D modeling software and often uses these methods in his tattoo design. Is a veteran tattooer based out of South Florida. Javi specializes in illustrative realistic tattooing.

Javi is also the founder of the Bored to Death Club (@B2DC__), an NFT community. You can learn more about Javi Antunez and view his work at www.tattooedtheory.com

Please enjoy!

muppets animal leg tattoo by javi antunez

INTERVIEW LINKS, MENTIONS, AND SHOW NOTES BELOW…

SELECTED LINKS FROM THE EPISODE

Connect with Javi Antunez:

Website | Shop | Instagram | Linktr.ee

SHOW NOTES

[03:29] Working the Clay
[06:10] It’s like a Digital Onion
[8:52] 3D Modeling for More than Tattooing
[12:36] Avoiding Porkchop Tattoos…Prepare Ahead
[15:19] I’ve Literally Never done a half sleeve
[18:51] Rule of 3rd’s with Color in Black and Grey
[21:26] Complexity and Balance in Tattoo Design
[24:14] Depth, Texture, & Contrast
[27:21] Comic Book Realism
[28:56] Origins of “Board 2 Death”
[32:02] An Affront Against the Cuteness
[33:05] Tattooing Behind on the Times
[35:58] How it all Started
[37:51] The “Art” of Keeping a secret
[38:56] Javi’s Quick Tattoo Photography Tips
[43:13] Javi Tells you some freaky shit!
[44:24] Photographing Tattoos Honestly
[45:55] NFT Utility! Coupon Clipping For Tattoos
[48:53] Putting value into your Tattoo “Wanna Do’s”
[49:51] We Could Plant a House, We Could Build a Tree
[53:57] Breaking Down the Barrier For NFTs
[57:37] Build your Community First

MORE JAVI QUOTES FROM THIS INTERVIEW

3d Modeling For More Than Tattooing

[8:52] “If you’re using it for just the 2D final photo…95% of what ZBrush has to offer isn’t necessary at all…you can fill in the blanks while you’re tattooing.”

— Javi Antunez

ZBrush can seem pretty intricate with all its menus and various features, which might feel a bit overwhelming. However, for tattoo design purposes, deep diving into ZBrush's 3D intricacies might not be necessary, especially when focusing on 2D tattoo artwork. The extremely technical aspects are not pivotal for the tattooing process. Instead, artists can concentrate on refining details during the actual tattooing rather than getting caught up in achieving 3D precision.

Efficiency is key when using ZBrush for tattoo design, underscoring the ability to swiftly assemble designs through the utilization of tools and techniques honed over time. Leveraging existing elements facilitates quicker design creation by amalgamating various components. For instance, generating multiple poses and lighting variations from a single 3D model opens doors to diverse designs. This versatility simplifies the design process, catering to artists looking for both efficiency and a range of design outcomes.

Moreover, delving into 3D modeling extends beyond tattooing, enabling artists to transform their 3D designs into tangible products, such as a personalized tattoo machine holder, showcasing the practical applications of digital design in the physical world. The conversation expands to explore broader horizons, including the potential for exploring NFTs. Learning these technological skills introduces an array of creative possibilities, reflecting the multifaceted advantages of 3D modeling proficiency.

I’ve Literally Never done a half sleeve

[15:19] “Always assume the client’s gonna get their whole body tattooed…pretend that that half sleeve will become a full sleeve eventually…you make sure you end it in a way where you…get ready a zipper to eventually…meet up so that when that time comes, it doesn't look like an afterthought.”

— Javi Antunez

When creating larger work like sleeve designs, the significance of working with existing tattoos should be amplified, using the shape of the client's prior tattoos as a foundation and merging them into the new design. The primary idea is to honor the body's natural shape and incorporate the existing art to form a unified, new composition.

The necessity of preparing tattoos for a potential full-body transformation should also be taken into consideration. Artists should be encouraged to visualize that the client might cover their whole body with tattoos eventually. This approach encourages planning each piece in a way that allows for future additions. For instance, leaving transitional space around the wrist in a half-sleeve design for easy extension into a full sleeve later on.

In addition, the importance of considering future tattoo development while understanding the client's current perspective is important as well. Many clients mainly focus on immediate concerns like the pain of the current session. Thinking ahead helps artists create a more coherent and natural-looking collection of tattoos as clients expand their skin gallery.

Rule Of Thirds With Color In Black And Gray Tattooing

[18:51] "Color usually has a much larger weight than black and grey...The eye will always kind of gravitate to the color. So if you go one third color, two thirds black and gray, you least have your eye can kind of like pass throughout the composition a little better."

— Javi Antunez

Javi uses the term "weight" to express how color components carry substantial visual influence within a tattoo composition. It's important to balance color versus black and gray tones within a design to create an appealing and balanced tattoo.

To achieve balance and contrast in tattoo design a ratio of one-third color to two-thirds black and gray allow the viewer's eye to navigate through the composition smoothly. Consider contrast elements like value, saturation, and texture to maintain harmony and balance in the design.

Javi's Tattoo Photography Tips

[38:56] “If you have an 18 inch ring light, the light is so dispersed…that you don't get a hotspot...with the wet trick, you’re still making the blacks blacker, still making the whites whiter…But when you have that big giant light and it's that well dispersed You get a much more natural kind of effect.”

— Javi Antunez

As an added bonus I've included a little bit about photography.

Excessive, direct light, especially from small phone cameras, can distort tattoo colors, resulting in overly bright whites or intense dark spots. Using dispersed light sources, like large ring lights or multi-directional lighting, can help to avoid these 'hotspots' in tattoo photography. The broad, even light helps remove concentrated bright areas, and polarizing filters also aid in reducing glare, allowing better focus on the tattoo itself.

While human vision can distinguish between object color and light reflections, cameras often capture both as a single element, unable to differentiate between wetness and/or glare. Also, the importance of choosing the background, whether white or black, influences how realistic a tattoo appears in photos. Selecting the right background is crucial for accurately representing the tattoo in images.

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Transcript for this video can be found (here). All transcripts can be found (Here)

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The Fireside Tattoo Network is home to the Fireside podcast, Fireside Technique video series and our Fireside Weekly blog.

The Fireside Tattoo podcast is hosted by veteran tattooer Jake Meeks, check out our episodes where we discuss, argue and wax philosophical, from tips for all levels of artists to trends in the tattoo world. Many guest artists have sat down for interviews and in-depth conversations and many more are planned…check back often!

Our Fireside Tattoo Overview video series offers informative, short, and detailed videos geared towards helping artists understand the science and nuances of tattoos and make more informed decisions to improve their work. We often take some of our more technical topics from our Fireside podcast and film an in-depth, narrated, time-lapse video showing exactly how Jake or our featured artists handle certain issues.

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Drawing for Tattoo Design

Your tattoo designs starting to feel stagnant? Feel like you’re not progressing? Drawing is the single most important piece of the tattoo process. No level of technical tattoo skill can overcome bad composition and draftsmanship.

Fireside Tattoo Network simplifies the tattoo design process with the Fireside Method. By focusing on the principles of Shape, Value, Edge and Color, we help you identify and solve your biggest challenges early in the design process.

The Fireside Method: