Today creating custom tattoo design contests are common

Guidelines and Structure

These tattoo design contests are hosted by people who are looking for specific tattoo designs. The more you know and understand the guidelines and structure of their request, the more chance you have of coming up with a winning entry.

The first thing to do is to draw it out on paper. Sketch your design until you come up with something with which you're happy, and then draw it in detail. You should concentrate on important details of your work such as color, line and size of the whole design.

Copying or Transferring

Once you have finished putting in all the details, put your transfer paper and carbon paper one over the other and carefully put your design over them. Tape it at the sides to avoid any movement. Then carefully use the stencil to trace out your design. Put firm pressure on the lines of the design to make your transfer clear and vivid. Make sure that you transfer all the design completely.

If you use a thermal fax-machine, the process is a lot easier. After drawing it out on the paper you just put it on the fax machine and let it copy onto the special thermal paper. The advantages of using a thermal fax machine are that there are no smudges, the image is clearly defined and it takes just seconds to copy and transfer your work.

Stencils are Easy

There is no hard work in making a stencil of your design. The real hard work is making the design itself. Upon entering the contest, you get all the details of the host's desired tattoo design; you should first imagine it in your mind. In this way, when you draw, you will already know how to go about including the specific details that the host wants. To make it work for you, make various sketches before finalizing the piece. And if you are satisfied with your final work, you are ready to stencil.

Be Open

Always remember that when you enter the contest, there is stiff competition. There are artists with comparable or advanced skills entering the contest. The secret to your success is capturing the contest holder's idea and giving it life with your drawing.

Contest tattoo designs are given feedback, so work with the contest host to make a perfect piece. Be open to suggestions; just do not lose your own identity when creating a design for others. Giving attention to detail and structure might give you an edge over other artists. Remember, true artistic commitment is the satisfaction of the clients; after all, they are the ones who will wear the tattoo.