Contour Lines To Indicate The Tattoos Fit & Flow Fireside Tattoo Network

Contour Lines To Indicate The Tattoos Fit & Flow

“I’m using ‘line’ to represent the flow of that area of the form, [but] only on the shadow sides.”

- Jake Meeks

Next, you’ll make the line drawing for the whole stencil. You really want to make sure to thinly line and block off your shadow areas that way you know where the light ends and the shadow shapes begin.

Following that, Jake likes to utilize contour lines as a way of forming what is practically a topographic map for the tattoo. Incorporating these contour lines into the various shadow shapes helps you accurately perceive their direction and flow.

These blocked off transition areas and contour lines can act as guideposts and are helpful with complicated areas where light source and form can tend to get a bit lost on darker complexions.

Watch the Full Episode:

3 Tips For Stenciling Darker Skin Tones | 3 Minutes to Better Tattooing