I’ve been tattooing for 26 years, and one thing I’ve learned is that big tattoos always look better when you go in with a plan and custom-craft them by sketching and refining the design. Using an approach I learned from the famous Thor artist, Walter Simonson, I go through a small series of thumbnail sketches to capture the flow and energy. I then build up a custom piece, often getting friends to pose for reference and manipulating lighting to control the light source.

AI is still inferior to human art

I then draw up the design, give it some time to breathe, and then go back in to darken and lighten spots to increase the flow and contrast.
I’ve noticed that some tattooers, including a few I’ve worked with, use AI to generate an image, throw it in an app like Ghostlike, and then go to work.
That might work for some, but you’ll never approach the level of someone like Robert Hernandez with that kind of outlook.
I have two apprentices, and I had them go through the same process used on me in art school. I had them pick up books like “Dynamic Figure Drawing” and “Perception Made Easy”, and we concentrated as much on good art as we did tattooing technique.
Don’t be lazy. If you really want to be better than mediocre, put in some elbow grease.

Here is a current backpiece I am drawing up, what AI delivers if you ask for the same thing, and a healed image of a backpiece I did using the technique I discuss.
You can see my work at danhenk.com/tattoos and view me at the shop website https://www.wyldchyldtattoony.com/tattoo/dan