I’ve been getting a lot of questions lately about how I plan my patchwork tattoos, especially when it comes to planning around faith. So today, I want to share with you how I approach this particular design process.
Choose Symbols That Reflect Your Faith
The first thing that I always do is think about the devotional focus or personal story that should guide the choices for the motifs. For example, if I’m working on a series that has a devotional focus like “Faithful” (which will be my next series), then I’ll start by thinking about what symbols would best fit that theme. But I also need to remember that while some of these symbols may have a specific biblical association, they can also be interpreted in different ways by different Christians. And of course, there are differences among traditions as well.
For instance, one of my favorite symbols is the dove. In the Bible, we see Noah’s dove returning in the evening and bringing back a freshly plucked olive leaf in its beak, which was an indication that the floodwater had receded from the earth. Jesus used the image of wind to describe being born of the Spirit when he said, “The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.” John 3:8 (NIV)
But not all Christians interpret the dove imagery in the same way. Some use it to represent the Holy Spirit, others use it to symbolize peace, and still others use it to represent hope. That’s okay. It’s just important that I choose symbols based on my own interpretation of them and how I personally connect with them. After all, the symbols I choose should reflect me and my faith journey, not someone else’s.
Clean designChoose and Frame the Cross
So when designing a new tattoo, I start by looking at the cross. There are so many different styles of crosses out there, and each style means something slightly different. The most common is the plain Latin cross, but there are also other variations like the Jerusalem cross (a central cross with four smaller crosses). I can also pair a cross with a crown of thorns, rosary beads or petals. My decision on which type of cross to use depends on what I want to convey with my design. If I want to keep things simple, then I’ll probably go with a plain Latin cross. If I want to add more detail, then I’ll look into other options.
Next, I think about how I want to frame the cross. I can choose to keep it simple with just an open silhouette, or I can add additional surrounding details to make it more visually dense. This affects how much space I’ll need on the body to accommodate the design.
Plan Your Christian Patchwork Tattoos Layout
After that, I move on to the rest of the design. I usually begin by creating a very rough sketch of how I’d like the piece to look, and then I refine that sketch into a full-sized version. I’ll show this to my artist before making any final decisions, so he can get an idea of how I envision the piece.
Once I’ve decided on a basic layout, I’ll begin choosing the actual designs. These are usually separate motifs that will go together to create a cohesive design. I’ll usually pick one or two main pieces and build around those, adding more as I go along.
When I get to the point where I actually need to decide on the placement of each motif, I’ll review my ideas and try to find a way to incorporate them without overcrowding the design. This is when I’ll ask myself if I need to simplify some of the details, or if I need to adjust the spacing between the motifs.
At this point, I’ll usually come up with a couple of possible arrangements. One arrangement might include a restrained arm collection, while another might lead to a colorful chest-led focal piece. For the arm, I might pair blackwork praying hands on the outer upper arm with a horizontal ichthys on the inner forearm, leaving space for text. For color, I might use a blue, red and gold stained-glass cross centered on the upper chest, with a separate white dove and gold cross high on the outer arm, with blue feather tips. I’ll show both of these arrangements to my artist and ask him to help me determine which one fits the design better.
Clean designLeave Room for Clear Lettering
I’ll also consider whether I want the text to be part of the design or a separate element. I’ll usually try to leave room for lettering within the sleeve or chest composition, but sometimes I’ll prefer to have it placed separately on the body. Either way, I’ll make sure there’s enough room for the lettering to be read clearly once healed. I’ll compare a full verse and a shorter reference at full size, keeping exact wording, capitalization, punctuation, accents and line breaks. If letter openings disappear as I move my arm, I’ll consider shorter wording, a different font, size or placement. Larger delicate script can leave more room for lines to spread.
Another thing that I’ll consider when choosing a design is how I want the pieces to flow. Do I want them to be spread apart, or do I want them to be close together? How much ink density do I want? Will there be repeated colors throughout the design?
These are all things that I’ll discuss with my artist during our initial consultation, so that he can get an idea of how I envision the piece. He’ll also give me his opinion on whether or not the design will work for me, and if not, he’ll suggest changes.
In the end, though, the choice of design is mine. No matter what I choose, I know that it will be a beautiful reminder of my faith.