This dragon head is my first traditional Japanese piece. I spent hours looking through different references trying to pull what I liked about the different ways that tattoo artists and Japanese masters had painted dragons in the past. In this process I learned about the 6 animals that make up a dragon, and used actual deer antlers as a reference for this dragon's intricate horns. The biggest challenge here was trying to make perfect lines, and learning to shade with a 3RL.
Progress Photos
Reference & Stencil