Portrait Tattoo Photo

Portrait tattoo photo

Free Art Instruction - Portrait Painting Tips & Techniques or Tattoo
If you are just getting into portrait painting,then you will find this article on portrait painting tips helpful.

Being able to capture the likeness of a human being on Tattoo and canvas, using paint, is certainly a sought after accomplishment for many new painters. It can also be somewhat challenging. This article will cover some of the more basic portrait painting tips & techniques and help lessen some of the confusion many beginners face. With practice, you will soon be painting portraits like the masters.

NEW 05/14/2008 Portrait tattoo

Portrait tattoo photo
Portrait tattoo photo
Portrait tattoo photo
Portrait tattoo photo
Portrait tattoo photo
Portrait tattoo 4

Portrait tattoo photo
Portrait tattoo photo
Portrait tattoo photo
Portrait tattoo photo
Portrait tattoo photo
Portrait tattoo 3
If at all possible, I highly recommend you paint your portraits using a live model as opposed to a photograph. There is simply no substitution for painting from life.


Portrait tattoo photo
Portrait tattoo photo
Portrait tattoo photo
Portrait tattoo photo
Portrait tattoo photo
Portrait tattoo 2

Painting a successful portrait is all about how you observe the subject. You want to study the subject as a whole. Study the bone structure and try to see shapes and planes. Do not try and paint every little detail exactly as you see it.

For beginners, it is probably best to start out with a lighting effect where light and shadow are in high contrast. This will make for a much easier painting.

Focus on one section at a time. Finish each section before moving on to the next.
Keep the darks of your portrait at a thin consistency while your lights should be painted on thickly.

Many beginners struggle with mixing flesh tones. I know I did when I first started painting. Remember that skin comes in a variety of colors & textures, so there is no specific formula for mixing flesh tones in portrait painting. You will have to experiment and practice, until you find the right color mixtures for any particular subject. Never purchase any pre-mixed flesh colors. When mixing your colors be careful not to over mix, which can deaden a color.


Portrait tattoo photo
Portrait tattoo photo
Portrait tattoo photo
Portrait tattoo photo
Portrait tattoo photo
Portrait tattoo 1

Try and repeat the colors and values in your painting to create balance.
When painting hair, don't try and paint every individual strand of hair. Look at the hair as one object and then paint the lights and darks. Paint the hair in the direction of the shape of the head.
The muzzle area of the face (the space between the nose and mouth) is generally the same color as the flesh but cooler.

When painting backgrounds, don't make them too detailed or busy. If you do, you will draw focus away from your portrait.

Add bits of color where the shadow meets the light in your portraits.

Fleshier parts of the face are generally warm and bonier parts of the face, like the chin for instance, are generally cool in color.

The white in the eye is not white. To get an accurate color for the white in the eye you can take the subjects basic flesh color and then lighten it with a gray made from black and white.

I hope these portrait painting tips & techniques have helped. Portrait painting can be difficult, possibly even frustrating in the beginning. Never give up and keep practicing. You will get the hang of it.

Ralph Serpe is Webmaster & Founder of Creative Spotlite. Visit today for more portrait painting techniques. You may also find our sister site http://www.artsymmetry.com helpful where you will find more free art articles.

Angel Tattoos

Angel & God Tattoos

Angel tattoos (as well as other religious tattoos) have been slowly but surely gaining popularity over the past few decades and it makes sense when you think about it – if you get an angel tattoo, it's like having your guardian angel with you all the time.

Angel Tattoos


The word angel comes from the Latin word angelos, meaning messenger. They are a link between heaven and earth. Angels belong to Judaist, Christian and Islamic traditions.
According to the Bible and the Koran, angels have the following tasks:
1.Bring messages to the people, warn them or bring the word of God.
2.Worship God.
3.Angels serve and protect humans.
4.They fight evil.
5.They carry out God's orders (they do have a free will though, they can choose to obey or disobey, just like humans).
6.Angels guard heaven and hell.
7.They keep track of all deeds done by every human being.

Angel tattoo designs are usually pictured with wings, although the Bible doesn't mention angels that have wings. The confusion comes from another kind of supernatural beings mentioned in the bible, called cherubs. So the kind of angel tattoos that are so popular nowadays are actually cherub tattoos (see further).
Angel tattoos can be large or small, some designs are very large – covering the back for instance.
Often, angel tattoo designs are taken from classic art. There is a wealth of angel images in the art of the middle ages and Renaissance and these can be adapted to tattoo images by a skilled tattoo artist.
Angel tattoos can have the following meaning:
1.Peace
2.Beauty
3.Spirituality
4.Innocence
5.Purity
6.Love
7.Protection
8.Devotion
9.Faith
10.They express a personal relationship with God.
Sometimes people will get an angel tattoo to commemorate the death of a loved one. According to a common belief system, the dead become angels who protect us. Getting an angel tattoo in memory of someone is a way of having them with you for always.
Angel tattoos are often combined with designs of:

Angel Tattoos


1.Trumpets
2.Harps
3.Swords
4.Banners
5.Halos
6.Bows
7.Clouds
8.The devil


Angel Wing Tattoos


Angel Tattoos
Angel Tattoos
Angel Tattoos
Angel Tattoos
Rather than a whole angel, some people opt for an angel wings tattoo. The wings can be quite large and ornate, covering the shoulders and or much of the back. Other angel tattoos depict the whole angel in a classic pose, either flying or at rest.
The most popular spot for angel wing tattoos is between the shoulders, the place where wings would naturally be if humans had them (I wish I had some!).
Angel wings are also nice stylized as tribal art tattoos. Here's an example:

Guardian Angel Tattoos
A guardian angel tattoo comes in different sizes and shapes, but its purpose is always the same – to protect the person wearing it. Guardian angels protect human beings in times of crisis. The advantage of having a guardian angel tattoo is that you have your guardian angel with you all the time!

Cherub Tattoos
As mentioned before, cherub tattoos are those that most people call angel tattoos. They have wings, look like a baby angel (usually male) and are sometimes pictured sitting on clouds with a trumper or bow in their hands. They are the bringers of love.
The best-known cherub is Cupid who makes people fall in love by shooting an arrow through their heart.
Speaking of hearts, heart tattoo designs are sometimes combined with 1 or 2 angel wings, like the one on this picture:
The Archangel Tattoo

Angel Tattoos
Angel Tattoos
Angel Tattoos
Angel Tattoos
Angel Tattoos

Archangels are the angels with the highest rank (arch is Greek for chief), the angels that are the closest to god.
The most popular archangel tattoo is one of st. Michael, God's warrior angel. Another famous archangel is Lucifer, who became the fallen angel known as Satan.
The Fallen Angel Tattoo
Angel Tattoos
Angel Tattoos Angel Tattoos
Angel Tattoos
Angel Tattoos

A fallen angel is an angel that has been banished from heaven as a punishment for disobeying God. Angels have free will, so they can choose to do good or bad things, the fallen angels obviously have done something wrong.
The most famous fallen angels (aka demons or dark angels) are Satan, Leviathan and Beelzebub.
Typical fallen angel tattoos usually picture a angel with a menacing look, torn wings and sometimes horns.
Demon tattoos are popular Gothic or biker tattoos.


Angel Devil Tattoos
Angel Tattoos
Angel Tattoos
Angel Tattoos

Angel Tattoos

Of course, some people have a considerably less solemn take on angel tattoos. Some angel images are more cartoon-ish in appearance and can be accompanied by a devil image.
In fact, these angel devil tattoos have a special significance all their own – they represent the two parts of the human psyche, the good and the bad. An angel devil tattoo is an amusing way to acknowledge that both exist and that the best thing to do is to find a balance between them.
Angel devil tattoos symbolize temptation, the urge to give in to ones base desires (and don't we all love that?).


Celebrities With Angel Tattoos

Angel Tattoos
Angel Tattoos
Angel Tattoos
Angel Tattoos
Angel Tattoos

Here's a list of celebrities with angel tattoos:
1.Melanie C: has the word ANGEL written on her abdomen.
2.Justin Timberlake: has a large angel tattoo combined with the word GUARDIAN on his back.
3.Drew Barrymore: has an angel tattoo on her back.
4.Beyonce: celebrity with a praying angel tattoo on her left thigh.
5.Fred Durst: has an angel on his back.
6.David Beckham: has a guardian angel tattoo on his back combined with the names of his children. He also has a winged cross tattoo design in his neck.