Location Matters
Whendecidingwhere to placean imageon thebody,
you haveto determinewhere theshape of thedesign
would fit best. For instance, a traditional pinup girl
worksbestonaforearmorcalfduetothefactthedesign
istallandnarrow.Youwouldnotwanttoplaceitonthe
chest, as it would break the plane and look very
awkward.Somethingrounder,likeaheartdesign,would
go better on one side of the chest.
If you’re usingthewhole chest area,a full wingspan
eagleisreallyperfectforthearea—that’swhyitissuch
atimelessclassic.Otherbirdsalsoworkwellthere,like
aravenoranowl.Itiskeytomatchtheshapeofthe
design to the body part.
Forlargerdesignstheplacementisstillcrucial;however,
flownowcomesintoplayaswell.Noticethewaythe
angleofthephoenixontheinnerforearmhelpsgiveit
motion.Ifitwereentirelystraightup-and-down,itwould
appear more static. The wings hug the rest of the
forearm,andthetipsofthewingspointingupwarddirect
youreyein thatsamedirection.Thetailfeatherstwist
and turn as they cascade up the arm. The swirling