Dotwork: features and sketches of a tattoo

Dotwork tattoo style is translated as “dot work”. This technique, as you might guess, is represented by creating an image from dots. The different density of these elements creates a gradient, which means that the technique allows you to play with color and shadow. The technology is so unique that not every specialist will take on it.

Its history began a long time ago, because many things associated with tattoos have almost prehistoric roots. In Africa, caves were discovered, and on their walls - an artifact in the form of rock art. So, there the ancient people painted themselves (or someone else), but the bodies of these painted ones were decorated with patterns of dots. And archaeological measurements have shown that these drawings were made at least 6 thousand years before our era.

But if you do not delve into such a distant history, the dotwork is also close to painting: the neo-impressionists who worked at the end of the 19th century actively used the technology of point strokes. And their paintings could well become inspirational for modern tattoo artists.

And if you get even closer to our days, then the style became popular thanks to Xed le Head. This tattoo master did not know how to draw in the style of the classics, and he did not particularly like realism, and therefore he undertook to invent the author's technique. And he came up with geometric patterns in the form of dots. Naturally, such motifs already existed and they were used by representatives of various art trends. But in fact, he was the first to get a tattoo. Or, for sure, those who made this technique in demand.

Consider the recognizable features of the dotwork.

• Color spectrum. She is extremely restrained - black and red, that's all color minimalism. But their union is capable of creating bright and contrasting images. The colors blend well, but their shades help create dots of different densities. The closer the points are to one another, the thicker the color, and vice versa.
• Geometry. Today, you can make classics in the dotwork style, but nevertheless strict geometry is a priority. If you want to stuff yourself with a cool bracelet on your wrist using the point technique, this is a typical dotwork. But it is not for nothing that this geometricity is called lace: skillfully executed designs seem to be woven by a master.
• The complexity of the job. Finding a competent master is really not easy. The technique is complex, and not every tattoo artist takes on it (the bitter experience with a blurred tattoo and a changed color is not an isolated case). That is why word of mouth is important, and the portfolio of the master, and the desire to find a competent specialist from the client himself.

The technique involves two mechanisms for drawing a picture: classical hardware and manual. In the first case, the master uses an induction machine, in the second, a handpoke is involved. But whichever method is chosen, each point will be marked separately. This is why it is difficult.

Tattoo also requires a temporary resource. Those who decide to get a tattoo using such graphics need to understand that small images do not look so impressive in the addition. But the large ones are impressive.

This technique also has its own popular subjects that I want to repeat. Individual orders, when the master first hears about such a topic, are not so frequent.

Here are the most popular sketches.

• Lion and tiger. Two beasts are heroes in the animal kingdom, and people have long been associated with being chosen, with certain character traits. But only a large drawing will look cool, for example, on the chest.

• Crow. This is not to say that the theme of birds and animals is the most popular in the dotwork, but eagles, owls, and also deer, cats, wolves, bears, one might say, are in the top of animalistic orders. Naturally, clients should make sure they know the meaning and symbolism of these figures.

• Space. But this topic, one might say, found a new breath in connection with the renewal of the cosmic history of mankind. The latest achievements of Elon Musk have raised interest in the mysterious universal worlds, and cosmic allusions have been continued in the world of tattoos. It looks interesting and unusual. The moon, the sun, stars, planets can become an art reflection on the eternal, imprinted on their own body.

• Wood. It is a symbol of the genus and human life in general. Dotwork trees look great on the back or forearm. Can be combined with ethnic patterns.

• The mountains. Modern associations with mountains are not only romance and connection with nature, but also the conquest of peaks. And although the climbers themselves do not say that about the mountain (you cannot conquer it, you can only climb if it allows), nevertheless figuratively people perceive the same Everest as a person's personal record, as the conquest of his own life heights.

• Forest. It can be considered a symbol of the human soul, in which there is so much of everything, as in a dense forest, and not everyone is able to enter this forest. On the hands of such works are found more often. Sometimes they become body-business cards of people whose life is connected with ecology and / or travel.

• Skull, cross, dragon. Not necessarily in one story composition. These characters are united by the citation frequency. But it is worth understanding that they are perceived radically, and you need to think about whether their meaning is so close to a person, whether he is ready for such categoricality on his body.

• Feather. As already mentioned, small images are not so effective in the addition, and the pen is often made small. But, for example, on the wrist or on the neck, on the forearm or shoulder, such a sign is appropriate. With the correct creation of the gradient, even a small tattoo will look interesting, noticeable.The pen, among other things, is associated with people who write, and therefore the idea of ​​a tattoo can be picked up by poets, writers, journalists and those who make a living with texts.

• Portrait. One of the most difficult jobs in this technique. Responsible and large-scale. You need to look for the best artist, otherwise any distortion will kill the essence of the whole tattoo.

• Heroes of Perfect World. The warriors from this game have become heroes of dotwork tattoos, and some amateurs are ready to make them a part of themselves. Again, as in the case of the portrait, you need to look for megaclass masters.

The plant theme is rightly considered the most popular. The theme of flowers is not hackneyed, because floristic compositions really suit women more than others and are deeply symbolic.

What girls do in dotwork style.

• Lotus - it means strength, providence, power and inaccessibility, ladies usually choose their legs as a canvas for this tattoo.

• the Rose - this botanical image is associated with the glorification of beauty and its value, although the interpretation may depend on color, shape, etc., but it is beauty and sensuality that lead in the bookmark of meanings.

• Snowflake - for girls, this is originality, uniqueness, purity and fragility (the pattern of each real snowflake is really unique, and therefore the logic is clear here).

• Fox - this animal is associated with cunning and beauty. A tattoo with this character may hint that its owner is quirky, inquisitive, is distinguished by ingenuity and even extraordinary thinking. Japanese girls who get such a tattoo want to carry their luck with them. In some cultures, the fox is a connection with the other world, with departed relatives.

• Cat - women with such a pattern usually want to emphasize their independence, pride, grace. And 200 years ago, such tattoos were often used by seafarers, and they served as a talisman for them. In Asian countries, a cat is still considered an animal capable of protecting against evil spirits.

• Snake - there are a lot of meanings: from cunning and dexterity to devotion and sexuality. If we are talking about devotion, then there are usually two snakes, and they are intertwined in the picture. Such dotwork style tattoos are usually stuffed on the arm.

• Jellyfish - if for men such a tattoo means a spiritual path of development, then for women it is a symbol of an easy attitude to problems, an active social position, a well-developed intuition. They say that colored jellyfish are better than those with a little color, but the dotwork can argue with that.

• Martin - this bird is associated with spring, youth, tenderness. It can bring good luck, or it can hint at first love, which is always in the heart. Just above the shoulder blades - this is a favorite place for girls for such images.

Dotwork is a technique in which work is ready to decorate almost any part of the human body.

• The hand area is considered, if not more in demand, then close to that. On the brush, images can be performed if a person has scars and wants to remove them with a tattoo. Even a simple ornament helps out. Dotwork is quite capable in this regard, but only if the tattoo occupies the maximum space of the skin.

• The drawing on the neck is like a personal code, which one wants to show to people, and sometimes needs to be hidden. Such tattoos are intriguing. Those who are ready to donate their necks for the creation of symbolic images on it also come for additional work. Again, you need to be prepared for the fact that only large drawings will reveal all the charms of technology.

• For obvious reasons, girls prefer tattoos on the thighs. And if you wear skirts and shorts that cover the tattoo only relatively (when a girl sits down, the image opens), there will be that intrigue.

• Beautiful, large-scale pictures on the back are the guys' priority. For such works, not without pleasure, the masters of additional work undertake: there is a place to roam around and demonstrate all the possibilities of the point creation of gradients.