Adding Tattoo clipart to skin- Advice

[igot2pman]

I got inspired earlier to put a tattoo to skin. I choose a good starting picture by Vincent Boiteau found HERE (has CC license) full size. Then I choose a free tattoo clipart found HERE.

1. Copied tattoo into the working image.
2. Then sized and sharpened it to fit the new image.
3. Used free transform, warp, to bend like the girl.
4. Removed the white from the tattoo via mask.
5. I used a displacemnt mask to make it more realistic.
6. Set tattoo to softlight, opacity 82%; duplicated and set to multiply, opacity 55%.
7. Made a High pass of the skin set to softlight to go over only the tattoo
8. Corrected the image with curves, levels, color fill color blending to fix arm pit color. And some minor cleanup.

My question is there anything I could do better. I am concerned mostly with the color looking right. Any ideas? Advice? Comments?

Try your own... or ask questions...

-Keven

[jugegamo]

is there a tutorial expalining more detailed how to do this?

[igot2pman]

Not that I know of; but if you have a more specific question I can tell you how to do it.

My steps are above, the dispacemtent mask is not 100% nessisary, it just makes it a little more realistic.

-Keven

[Kayem]

I know that lighter ink colors (white and yellow primarily in your case) lose their intensity relatively quickly. In reference to your example the lighter colors are characteristic of brand new tattoo while the darker colors have the muted appearance of an older tattoo. I would leave the lighter parts as they are and slightly darken the the blacks and greens to give the overall tattoo a "newer" look. Also the yellow flame going up through the shadow under her breast really stands out (glows)... that could be toned down a bit.

That being said, I think you did a great job!!

[cun030876]

Keven, to me the adjusted tattoo color is perfect. But IMHO, the right side of the tattoo should be distorted a bit following the model's body contour.

[0lBaldy]

Keven, sometimes a hint of a drop shadow (layer blending mode) helps define things, but it depends on the tattoo..

have you seen this tutorial: Applying A Realistic Tattoo

[igot2pman]

Kayem,
Thanks for the great info on how tattoo’s work and fade. I had concern over the black and making it too black, I faded it a little till it got there in the original.

1. Duplicated the multiply layer twice and deleted the mask
2. I used color range to select the green’s and the blacks and made to separate masks for each applied to the new layers.
3. Adjusted the opacity till I thought it looked right on both layers

I also toned down that hot flame with D&B.

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0lBaldy,

I have not seen that tutorial, but I have seen one or two for black only tattoo's. I have never seen one for color. But maybe it will help the earlier poster find what they need.

I have used the drop shadow before, its a good idea. Before, i was trying to make a black outline of a person like a cartoon. Didnt have much sucsess though.

Thanks for your input both,
-Keven

[igot2pman]

Originally Posted by cun030876

But IMHO, the right side of the tattoo should be distorted a bit following the model's body contour.

The tattoo should (and is) be distorted from the displacement map, that is what its for. Should I bend it more? If you could post an example of what you mean, it would be helpful.

Thanks for your thoughts,
-Keven

[cun030876]

Here is my try. I was using your retouched image and not doing it again from the beginning because your result already scores 9 out of 10. I only distort the right side of the tattoo to follow the body contour.

[igot2pman]

I was going to use the Warp tool to kind of give it a curve but sqishing it seems to give it the same a effect.

I like what you did, and thanks for showing what you mean. I guess displace cannot tell a wraping curve from a bump.

Thanks for your imput,
-Keven