In our experience, portrait tattoos done in Melbourne are either a memorial to a lost loved one (human or animal), or a dedication to a celebrity.

When it comes to celebrity portraits, the detail is important, and this can form part of a larger piece, or stand alone.

For memorial portraits, the tattoo must be perfect. It is often used as part of the grieving process, and many people want to commemorate the life of a loved one in a way that makes sense to them.

Firstly, the artist.

The most important thing to look for when you are choosing an artist is not only their style, but their attention to detail.

We have all seen the tattoo fails on the internet, where a so-called ‘professional’ artist has attempted a portrait – and it has gone horribly wrong. To make the tattoo look good, it has to be a realistic tattoo with correct proportions, colour and shading.

Not all great tattoo artists can complete a perfect portrait, and therefore different artists have different specialisms. When you are choosing an artist, be sure to check their portfolio first – all the artists at Good Luck Tattoo have reams of previous work that you are welcome to view – check out their Instagram pages through our website, or come into the studio.

The great artists will also be sensitive to your needs – especially when your portrait is of a loved one or a family pet. Getting this tattoo might be an emotional time for you, so if you don’t feel supported by your artist it can become an uncomfortable situation.

Secondly, the source material.

In order to create a beautiful portrait, your artist will need a good picture. To make the most of the detail, the portrait needs to be reasonably large – so try and make sure that the picture you use is a similar size to prevent the image becoming distorted by resizing.

The image itself needs to be as clear and crisp as possible – obviously, if the image is very old this might not be achievable, but even the best artists need a clear picture to work from in order to give you the portrait you want.

Of course, here at Good Luck Tattoo we want you to have a portrait tattoo you can be proud of, so make an appointment for your free design consultation, or just pop in to our Richmond tattoo parlour to see us for more information.