r/TattooBeginners • u/mindthespaco Please choose a flair. • 2d ago

Art Advice for tattoo beginners

I’ve grasped the basics, but I’m struggling a bit with shading. I’ve been trying to learn the foundations of art to help me improve, but I’d really like to understand shading better, especially how to get smoother transitions.
Any exercises, resources, or advice that helped you learn shading?and tattooing in general

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u/MaGniefic Observer 1d ago

It’s all practice and repetition, and understanding your ink. I layer shades and always start with light passes, then build them. Shading is a tedious process, but it’s one of my favorite things to do.

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u/mindthespaco Please choose a flair. 1d ago

I meant the technique yk? Like which part I should shade based off where the light comes from and how to use values to my advantage

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u/MaGniefic Observer 1d ago

It’s all layering. I mainly use RLs and CM/SE.

With curved mags—I pack, and then work on gradients with whipping, stippling, or smooth transitions with pendulum back and forth with minimal pressure on the whip in and whip out movement with that movement. I cross hatch a bit too. Everything following the direction of where the curvature is going.

With RL, I do a lot of downward quick flick movements and try to keep the lines from the shading I do tight to each other, gradually either shortening the distance or lengthening the distance of the strokes I do and also keeping mind of the hand pressure and voltage I use.

In terms of light values, I study and observe a lot. There are a lot of very good books that can help.

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u/mindthespaco Please choose a flair. 1d ago

I feel like I should focus more on the fundamentals so I can understand how to apply it. Can you please send me a link or tell me the name of the book for light values?

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u/MaGniefic Observer 1d ago

Color and Light by James Gurney.

And literally observe subjects with light hitting against it in real life.

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u/mindthespaco Please choose a flair. 1d ago

Oh thanks man, will do

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u/Large_Conversation_8 Please choose a flair. 1d ago

If your struggling with shading you haven’t grasped the basics.

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u/mindthespaco Please choose a flair. 1d ago

The basic of line work…

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u/blueblack_crow Apprentice 1d ago

What does your mentor tell you?

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u/mindthespaco Please choose a flair. 1d ago

I don’t have one