Art

Improve your drawing

Even if we’re all on a different journey, we share a common goal: improving our drawing skills. Why? To create artworks faster; to have more precise and appealing designs; to further explore the possibilities of a subject or style.

In these regards, the one thing that I found most helpful over the years has been structure.

Structural imagination

In classes we often talk about the two fundamentals aspects of drawing: STRUCTURE and GESTURE. The first one tho is what we can commonly associate with “knowing how to draw”. To successfully render what we are trying to represent, with correct forms and proportions. The rest is the spice, stylization and such, but that comes after.

To achieve accurate rendering we need to be able to look at things as solid objects existing in space. This will allow us to understand and later imagine how those solids look from different angles, so that we can rotate and modify them at will.

Here comes in your new best friend: the box.

“Stef, I got ya. Where do I start from here?”

I have a mantra that I use in all my endeavors: SIMPLIFY and OPTIMIZE.

First we need to develop that structural imagination that will support our practice. What’s the most simple and versatile solid we can reduce forms to? A box.

A box can be built easily, once you learn the basics of perspective. Then, practicing how to draw its sides in different angles will do magic for your structure game.

Drawabox.com

I got recommended to this website by one of the students in the tattoo mentorship program (thanks Pierre!) and I think it’s just brilliant. The whole website is free (yup, zer, nada) and it’s packed with theory and homeworks.

Check it out to start your journey of improvement.

Drawabox.com

Health

Visit website

Back, neck and wrists pain

As you read these lines I’m sure you know what I’m talking about. Tattooing (but also other kinds of desk jobs) can really damage you in the long run.

I have previously mentioned a great book on the dangers of a sedentary lifestyle (Deskbound by Kelly Starrett), today we talk about a more focused approach.

Problems connected with tattooing

As of today I have been tattooing for 21 years and I had/have my share of issues. Lower back pain, neck pain, tingling fingers due to years of coil machines… that pushed me to look for countermeasures.

I have educated myself on why these issues develop and how to fix them. Let me tell you, I’m not a believer in pills and temporary symptom relief, I like to look for the roots if I can. I have realized that too much sitting and bad posture eventually leads to a chain of events, such as shortened quads, tight hip flexors, reduced mobility range, weak core, neck overextension, weak rotator cuffs, nerve damage, and the list goes on.

Prehab over Rehab

The best we can do is to address the problem before it happens or gets out of hand, rather freaking out when it’s too late. A good maintenance program is key.

First, we need to understand what we do wrong and how to counterbalance the negative sides we’re forced to deal with in our jobs and modern lifestyles.

I came across Jordan Signorelli’s work last year and I wanted to hear more about his work, as his philosophy resonates with the things I’ve learned over the years.

Over an interview for Tattoo Tales he explained how he developed content and programs to help tattooers (but not only) achieve a pain free life.

Listen to the interview

The tattooer health club

As it’s clear by now, if we want to keep doing what we love for a long time, we need to take care of our bodies. That means doing the right exercises while reducing as much as possible the damaging dynamics.

I believe in optimizing my time, that’s why if I can find someone or something that can help me learn what creates a positive impact in my life and business, I’m all in.

You can check Jordan’s content – lots of stuff on Youtube – and his targeted programs to start getting more out of your tattooing. Scaling your business doesn’t mean only art, craft and marketing but also improving the machine that sustains it all: your body.

the tattooer Health club
jordan on youtube

News

Watercolor painting and Composition masterclass

If you haven’t taken my painting seminar before and you’d like to learn all the fundamentals behind color choice, watercolor technique, materials and composition… we got you covered.

My painting masterclass will now be available in collaboration with Tttswrlds. 20 years of experience distilled in a convenient digital format.

This course includes:

1) 5 hours of streaming content with:

COLOR THEORY

  • Light and perception

  • Historical background

  • Color wheel constitutive elements

  • Understanding color schemes and harmony

  • Compositional structure of color

COMPOSITION

  • Basics of perception and definition

  • Hierarchy of Composition

  • Tools to create more engaging compositions

  • Driving the painting’s narrative

  • Elements and Principles of design

  • Composition types

  • Planning a composition: what to remember and what to avoid

  • Assignments: how to practice

TECHNIQUES

  • Fundamental watercolor techniques

  • Demonstration

  • Advanced techniques

2) PDFs with a comprehensive overview of tools and materials used in watercolor, key points and extra resources.

The seminar release is planned for the end of March at the price of €500.

Until launch date it will be on pre-order for €350:

buy on pre-order