How I plan a large piece, from consultation to the last session

A large piece doesn’t start with needles. It starts with a conversation. A back piece, a sleeve or a full leg means months of work and years of wearing it. That’s why the most important decisions happen before we begin.

This is how I decide. Not how I execute, but how I think.

The idea first, the images second

The first question I ask isn’t “what do you want”. It’s “why”. What does this piece mean to you. Some people come to close a chapter. Some come to remember someone. Some simply love an image and want to wear it done well. All of those are valid reasons.

I don’t judge what you tell me. The session is a judgement-free space, and so is the consultation. But I need to understand the story, because the choices come from it: which elements go in, which one matters most, what stays out.

Reference photos help. They show me the tone you’re after, the light, the mood. I don’t copy them. Every piece is drawn for the person wearing it.

Placement follows the body

A large piece isn’t a picture stuck onto skin. The body moves, bends, has muscle and bone. The composition has to follow its shape.

That’s why I look at you before I draw. Where the light falls on the shoulder. How the back flows into the arm. Where the elbow and the knee bend. The main element goes on the largest, smoothest surface. Fine detail doesn’t go where the skin creases.

Sometimes that means the element you care about most can’t sit exactly where you wanted it. I’ll explain why and suggest something else. The goal is a piece that looks right standing still, moving, and years from now.

Composition is settled before needles

I don’t start a large piece until we both know what the whole thing looks like. Even if we only do part of it in the first session, I already know where the sleeve ends and how the elements connect.

That gives you two things. The certainty that you won’t end up with a tattoo you can’t add to. And the freedom to take long breaks between sessions, because the plan is already set.

We work out the composition together. I show you, I ask, I adjust. When you’re happy, we move on.

Several sessions, with healing in between

A large piece takes several sessions. Between them, the skin has to heal. I don’t work over an area that hasn’t healed.

That means your body sets the pace, not the calendar. If you need more time between sessions, you have it. I can start a piece in Amsterdam and continue it in Bucharest, or the other way round. The plan stays the same.

When you come back, the first thing I look at is what has healed. Sometimes I adjust what comes next based on how the first part turned out. That’s why my portfolio has a large-scale section and a healed section. I want you to see how they live, not just how they look fresh.

Why I sometimes say no

I turn tattoos down. Not often, but I do.

I say no when the idea isn’t a fit for what I do. I don’t work in every style. If someone else would do it better, I’ll tell you.

I say no when the size asked for doesn’t leave room for the detail asked for. A realistic portrait needs space to breathe and to age well. If you want a portrait in an area that’s too small, I’ll suggest another area, another size, or another approach.

I say no when the placement doesn’t work with the composition. A design built for a back doesn’t simply move to the ribs.

And I say no when I feel the person isn’t sure. A large piece is a big decision. I’d rather you wait than rush.

When I say no, I say why. And most of the time I offer a version that keeps what you wanted, in a form that will look right on you.

How we start

Message me with the idea, the area and the size you have in mind. If you have references, send them. I’ll tell you honestly whether it’s a fit and how I’d approach it. From there we set up the consultation. If you’re based in the Netherlands or the UK, my guest spots page explains how we can split a piece between Amsterdam and Bucharest.

Have an idea for a large piece? Message me on WhatsApp and let’s talk it through.