Blackwork Tattoo Design
A course by Sophie MoTattoo Artist, Illustrator, and Graphic Designer
A course by Sophie Mo, Tattoo Artist, Illustrator, and Graphic Designer
Learn how to illustrate a custom monochrome tattoo using analog and digital techniques
Make your work memorable and showcase your unique style using the design techniques of illustrator and tattoo artist Sophie Mo. The London-based designer specializes in blackwork tattoo design, creating unique work that has received the attention of brands like Airbnb, BBC 6 Music, Squarespace, Microsoft, REVLON, and more.
In this course, learn how to create your own blackwork tattoo design by combining a variety of analog and digital techniques. Developing good design skills is essential for any prospective tattoo artist. With Sophie, discover the methods for achieving clean lines, high contrast, and a singular aesthetic that gets both attention and clients.
What will you learn in this online course?
15 lessons & 14 downloads
Influences
3 minutes, 16 seconds
My Tattoo Technique
6 minutes, 23 seconds
Materials and Tips
9 minutes, 31 seconds
Searching for Inspiration
13 minutes, 15 seconds
Sketching
18 minutes, 59 seconds
Defining the Visuals of the Project 1
9 minutes, 57 seconds
What's included in this course?
Get started by meeting Sophie and hearing about her academic and professional background. She shows you some of her work and what subjects inspire her most, specifically cinematography, Asian culture, and botanical-style Victorian illustration. Then, see the steps for completing three different monochrome designs for your final project, going from rough sketch to final illustration.
Go through some different drawing techniques that Sophie uses in her designs, including linework, dotwork, and solid shading, and learn how to create a signature blackwork design by bringing these elements together. See the materials you need to start designing and go through their different uses. Visual research is key to any work of art, so learn how Sophie finds references and new inspiration using both physical and online resources.
Get started with your final project. Focus on the concept and start sketching the main shapes, adding definition as you finish your designs. After you have some rough sketches of the designs, learn how to refine your drawings and determine the ‘base lines’ needed to achieve a clean outline. Shade all three illustrations using the techniques Sophie teaches for achieving precise results and high contrast.
To wrap things up, Sophie gives you some final tips on how to transform your physical drawing into something digital. Learn to correctly adjust the size of your drawing, a resource that is especially useful if you want to create prints or merchandise. Get some of Sophie’s advice on the best body placement for your new design, as well as how to take care of a tattoo if you choose to ever have one done on your own body.
Recommended software & tools for this course
What is this course's project?
Learn how to create a blackwork tattoo design with different analog and digital techniques. Sophie will be showing how to design a portrait, an animal drawing, and a botanical illustration.
Projects by course students
Who is this online course for?
This course is ideal for anyone interested in tattooing and illustration, especially for those who want to start designing their own tattoos.
Requirements and materials
No prior knowledge is needed to take this course, but some basic technical drawing skills are an advantage.
For the materials, you need some pencils, erasers, fineliners, printer paper, tracing paper, and a ruler. A computer with Adobe Photoshop installed is needed for final corrections and resizing.
Reviews
- 4 months ago
Aprendí más me encantó
- 8 months ago
Excelente curso, agradable y disfrutable
- 10 months ago
I really enjoyed this course, it boosted my inspiration. Sophie is very good at drawing and she explains in a calm and detailed way. I recommend!
- 1 year ago
Me encantó,aprendí mucho. Seguiré viendo más contenido de esta grandiosas tatuadora.
- 1 year ago
Excelente curso, mucha inspiración y técnicas.
She is a tattoo artist at Parliament Tattoo in Finsbury Park, London. Her custom designs have been privately and commercially commissioned by brands like Airbnb, Microsoft, Squarespace, BBC Radio 6 Music, Major League Baseball, Andaz London/Hyatt, Bulleit Whiskey, REVLON, and more. In 2020, she won a D&AD wood pencil for best illustration across all magazines and newspapers.
Content
- U1
Introduction
- About Me
- Influences
- What Will We Do on the Course
- U2
Getting Ready and the Research Process
- My Tattoo Technique
- Materials and Tips
- Searching for Inspiration
- U3
Production
- Sketching
- Defining the Visuals of the Project 1
- Defining the Visuals of the Project 2
- Defining our Final Draw - Tracing 1
- Defining our Final Draw - Tracing 2
- Defining our Final Draw - Tracing 3
- Defining our Final Draw - Tracing 4
- U4
Finalising Your Project
- Scanning and Working with Photoshop
- Final Tips
- FP
Final project
- Blackwork Tattoo Design
What to expect from a Domestika course
Learn at your own pace
Enjoy learning from home without a set schedule and with an easy-to-follow method. You set your own pace.
Learn from the best professionals
Learn valuable methods and techniques explained by top experts in the creative sector.
Meet expert teachers
Each expert teaches what they do best, with clear guidelines, true passion, and professional insight in every lesson.
Certificates
PLUSIf you're a Plus member, get a custom certificate signed by your teacher for every course. Share it on your portfolio, social media, or wherever you like.
Get front-row seats
Videos of the highest quality, so you don't miss a single detail. With unlimited access, you can watch them as many times as you need to perfect your technique.
Share knowledge and ideas
Ask questions, request feedback, or offer solutions. Share your learning experience with other students in the community who are as passionate about creativity as you are.
Connect with a global creative community
The community is home to millions of people from around the world who are curious and passionate about exploring and expressing their creativity.
Watch professionally produced courses
Domestika curates its teacher roster and produces every course in-house to ensure a high-quality online learning experience.
FAQs
This course is best for those with some basic drawing experience, but motivated beginners can also benefit. It covers intermediate-level tattoo illustration techniques, including blackwork and portrait drawing.
You’ll need fine liner pens, pencils, erasers, tracing paper, a lightbox, and access to Photoshop or similar software for digital editing. Specific pen brands and paper types are recommended in the course.
You’ll learn blackwork techniques, portrait and floral sketching, dotwork, shading, geometric and anime-inspired tattoo design, and how to finalize artwork for tattooing or print.
Yes, the course covers planning tattoo contrast, sizing, and optimal placement on different areas of the body to ensure the design flows well and remains visually impactful.
Yes, the course includes lessons on scanning, importing, editing, and organizing your hand-drawn artwork in Photoshop to prepare it for tattooing or print applications.
The course covers a range of techniques for both bold blackwork and highly detailed illustrations, including the use of different line weights, dotwork, and shading for maximum contrast.
You’ll learn how to source, organize, and adapt reference images from royalty-free archives, Google Images, and books, as well as best practices for tracing and modifying them.