TATTOO DESIGNER

Meet Michael Dowdall and step into tattoo as art, culture and commercial design. Learn what this course covers, what it doesn't, and the portfolio you'll build over six weeks.

• Michael Dowdall's background and practice
• Course scope and boundaries
• Tattoo as identity, culture and storytelling
• Course structure and final portfolio preview
• Q&A

Explore what separates tattoo-informed design from ordinary drawing. Learn why permanence, placement and readability define this artform, and how a designer's role differs from a tattoo artist's.

• Tattoo designer vs tattoo artist
• Permanence and psychological weight
• Tattoo as memory, identity and rebellion
• Readability and the ageing body
• Case study: Fresh vs aged tattoo readability
• In-class exercise: Identity through the pen

Explore the tattoo styles that define the culture and learn to tell influence apart from imitation. Discover how style is built through repeated decisions, not a single aesthetic choice.

• Major tattoo styles and movements
• Culture, subculture and cultural respect
• Influence vs imitation
• Finding your voice and niche
• In-class discussion: Comparing tattoo styles

Assignment 1: Mood & Intent Board
Build a one-page mood board, artist statement and three visual rules to define their Flash Drop direction.

Learn to see like an artist before you design like a tattooist. Discover how shape, silhouette and simplification shape a strong composition, and meet the Dowdall Design Method.

• Shape language and silhouette
• Positive and negative space
• Composition and visual hierarchy
• Simplifying complex references
• The Dowdall Design Method
• In-class exercise: Reference reduction

Learn to turn vague, emotional client briefs into clear creative direction. Discover how to ask sharper questions, manage expectations and protect your originality as a designer.

• Interviewing and understanding clients
• Managing expectations and budget
• Client psychology and cultural sensitivity
• Copyright and reference boundaries
• Workshop: Client brief lab

Discover why the body isn't a flat page. Learn how curves, muscle groups and movement shape a design, and explore placement as part of the process, not an afterthought.

• Body flow and the S-curve rule
• Muscle groups, joints and movement
• Placement areas across the body
• Symmetry, scale and skin stretch
• Case study: Style lineage vs plagiarism

Assignment 2: Virtual Wrap Exercise
Photograph a curved surface and warp a 2D sketch onto it in Procreate, then explain what changed.

Learn to design artwork that still reads clearly years from now. Explore black anchors, negative space and line-weight hierarchy, and discover why skin tone shapes contrast decisions.

• Ink spread and visual ageing
• Skin tone and value contrast
• The black anchor and negative space
• Line-weight hierarchy
• Case study: Skin tone, colour and contrast

Assignment 3: Black Anchor Draft
Produce a refined main design with value, black anchor and negative space notes, plus a longevity explanation.

Learn to move from a single strong drawing to a full, sellable collection. Discover how repeating motifs, shared symbols and visual rhythm turn separate pieces into one cohesive world.

• Main design vs supporting designs
• Repeating motifs and shared symbols
• Visual rhythm and shape consistency
• Balancing simple and complex pieces
• Workshop: Body mapping
• In-class exercise: Collection expansion

Learn to translate finished artwork into clear technical files. Explore stencils, tonal maps and colour guides, and discover the Procreate techniques behind a professional handoff kit.

• Clean stencils and line extraction
• Shading, colour and value maps
• Placement notes and file naming
• Demo: Whip shading and tonal layering
• Communicating design intent

Assignment 4: Technical Kit
Assemble a full handoff package, including final render, stencils, shading map and artist notes for one design.

Discover how tattoo-informed artwork moves beyond the studio. Explore branding, merchandise and packaging, and learn to adapt one design into multiple commercial assets.

• Tattoo language in commercial industries
• Flash as visual IP
• Adapting designs across formats
• Building commercial flexibility into style
• In-class exercise: Cross-industry application

Learn to collaborate with studios and price your work with confidence. Explore tattoo tickets, licensing thinking and outreach messaging, and discover how professionalism protects strong artwork.

• Studio and artist collaboration etiquette
• Tattoo tickets and pricing models
• Invoices, contracts and sole trader basics
• Studio outreach messaging
• Case study: Good vs poor artist handoff files

Assignment 5: Complete the 2D Flash Collection
Finish 3–5 supporting flash designs plus pricing, usage boundaries and one commercial adaptation idea.

Explore how AI can support ideation without replacing artistic judgement. Learn to spot generic outputs, refine AI-assisted concepts by hand, and build a 3D mockup for your showstopper design.

• Ethical AI use and moodboarding
• Spotting and correcting AI errors
• Manual refinement of AI concepts
• Mapping designs onto 3D models
• Recording a social-ready reveal

Learn to assemble a portfolio that tells a story, not just shows drawings. Explore social launch planning and pitching, and present your final Flash Drop for feedback in the Portfolio Pitch Lab.

• Assembling the final PDF portfolio
• Writing a brand introduction
• Building a 3-post social launch campaign
• Demo: Pitching techniques
• Workshop: Portfolio pitch lab

Assignment 6: Final 3D Virtual Flash Drop Portfolio
Submit your complete portfolio, including mood board, mockup, handoff kit and social launch campaign.