A custom tattoo is a design created from scratch for one person, based on their idea, references and placement. It is the opposite of flash, a ready-made design picked from a sheet.
How is a custom design made?
The starting point is a short description of the motif and two or three references. The artist takes from them what will work well on skin and fits the composition to your anatomy. The finished design does not copy someone else's tattoo. References show the direction, and the drawing is original.
At Dirty Lust, the design is always included in the price of the tattoo. We explain more in How is a tattoo design created?
How to prepare for a custom design
- Describe the motif in one or two sentences.
- Share your references and say what you like about them.
- Give the placement and an approximate size.
We explain how to make references genuinely useful in Tattoo design: Pinterest inspiration.