Here is a very professionally done time lapse video of Ink Master Shane O’Neill doing a portrait of Harry Houdini. I like to watch these time lapse videos because they offer a lot of insight on how to do a tattoo properly. Matter of fact, when I first started out, I scoured Youtube and other video sites for these kinds of vids. There sure are a lot more of them now than back in the day. I guess it just shows how mainstream this industry has become, a bit of good and bad I guess. So if you newbies tattoo artists are interested in finding some good videos that will allow you to get some more ideas on how a professional tat is done, consider gonig on Youtube to find more of these time lapse videos.
I think Shane O’Neill is a really talented artist and it really shows in this piece. I think a lot of artists will agree that one of the hardest additions to a portrait is the hands. This is because hands are by far one of the most difficult body parts to draw or ink naturally. A portrait, being realistic and lifelike dictates that any other body part has to be also. Although I think they came out a little on the fat side, they definitely do look very life like in this tat.