Watercolour · Forearm · First tattoo

Stitch and The Little Prince in watercolour: a first tattoo.

Love several stories but don't know how to bring them together in your first tattoo? Here I mixed Stitch and The Little Prince in a little universe of colour. I'll show you the stencil, the watercolour taking shape and the result on the forearm. And yes: it was his first tattoo. Let's take it step by step, because there's more here than a lovely character 💜

Idea: Stitch and The Little Prince brought together with a planet, stars and a rocket.
Placement: Forearm: the full view shows how the motifs are arranged.
Experience: It was his first tattoo, as I explain in the video.
Documentation: Stencil, process and result.

In this story01 · First, everything needs its place 02 · Now for the watercolour 03 · Two references, one little universe 04 · His first tattoo, seen as a whole

A stencil of Stitch, a planet, stars and a rocket on a forearm — The stencil: figures, planet, stars and rocket before adding colour.

01 / A FIRST TATTOO

First, everything needs its place

Before the watercolour appears, look at the stencil. The planet sits lower down, the figures sit on it and the rocket takes the upper part. Stars follow the flow. There's no blue, pink or purple yet, but you can already follow the scene from one end of the forearm to the other.

I haven't placed two separate references in opposite corners. They share a place: that little planet. The rocket and stars expand the setting without taking all the attention from the figures. That's one way to bring ideas together without the result looking like a collection of stickers.

If you have lots of references, you don't need to arrive with the drawing worked out. Tell me what you like about each one and what must be there. Then we can start talking about main figures, details and space: not every element needs to be the same size or draw equal attention.

Applying green and yellow to the small figure beside Stitch — Working on the colour of Stitch's companion.

02 / A FIRST TATTOO

Now for the watercolour

In this detail, I'm working on the yellow and green of the small figure beside Stitch. Blues, pinks and purples are already appearing around it. Compare this moment with the result: the same palette continues through the planet and the surrounding washes.

Notice that the colour doesn't just sit behind the drawing. It's inside the planet, beside the figures and in little dots spreading outwards too. You can follow the composition without finding a hard divide between character and background.

That's what I want to show by taking you closer to the process: a wash can have a loose edge and still belong to a readable whole. Defined outlines, stronger colours and softer areas all sit together here.

Stitch from behind and a small green figure sitting on a purple planet among stars — Stitch, his companion and the planet, up close.

03 / A FIRST TATTOO

Two references, one little universe

Now look closer at the planet. You can see Stitch from behind, the little green figure with a pink bow and the surrounding stars. Dark outlines and yellow edges separate the figures from the blue, pink and purple washes. There's lots of colour, but also details that help you recognise what you're looking at.

At the start of the video, I introduce the mix of Stitch and The Little Prince. A reference isn't only a character: it can be a setting, an object or a way of bringing figures together. Here, the planet, stars and rocket each have a role in the scene.

If this tattoo gives you an idea, tell me which part interests you. It might be the universe, the palette or several references sharing one composition. We can start there to discuss something of your own; you don't need to ask for a copy of this arm.

The full Stitch tattoo with a planet, rocket and blue, pink and purple watercolour on the forearm — The full forearm result, from rocket to planet.

04 / A FIRST TATTOO

His first tattoo, seen as a whole

Now let's step back a little. The rocket is at the top, the figures in the middle and the planet towards the wrist. Seeing it all lets you appreciate both the drawing and how much of the forearm it occupies. A close-up shows colour; the whole arm helps you imagine the piece's presence.

In the video, I explain that the client hadn't seen the result yet and that it was his first tattoo. Then comes the moment of showing him. It's part of this project, but doesn't mean a first tattoo needs to be this large or have this many elements.

If you're thinking about yours, we can start with three things: what you want to carry with you, where you picture it and how much presence you'd like it to have. This project's stencil and result are useful images for explaining your preferences, even before you've decided on a design.

A CLOSER LOOK AT THIS TATTOO

Questions about this project

Can I mix different characters or references in one tattoo?

Yes, we can explore how to bring them into a composition. Here I mixed the references in one scene, with a planet, stars and a shared palette. Tell me what you like about each: we can discuss what leads and what accompanies it, rather than giving everything equal space.

Does my first tattoo have to be small?

I wouldn't use this case as a size rule. This client's first tattoo was a large forearm composition. For yours, tell me whether you want something subtle or a piece with presence, and where you picture it. You don't need to choose what someone else chose.

Do I need to bring a finished drawing?

You don't need to arrive with every reference already fitted together. Tell me which subjects matter to you and what draws you to your saved images: colour, shape, placement or a particular detail. That gives us a starting point for discussing your idea.

How can I imagine its presence on my forearm?

Look at the stencil and the whole arm, not just the Stitch close-up. One shows how I arrange the elements; the other shows the space the composition takes up. Use them to explain what you like, not as an exact measurement for your arm.

Can I see the healed watercolour here?

Here I show the video's process and result. For changes over time, explore my healed tattoo selection, where each photo keeps the age I stated when publishing it. Those are different questions: how I build a composition and how a piece looks later.

I published this project on 16 January 2023. The original video shows the stencil, some of the colour work and the moment I revealed the result. Original post ↗

A DIFFERENT QUESTION?

Another starting point. Another example.

YOUR IDEA, YOUR STARTING POINT

Your idea can begin with colour, too.

Tell me which subjects appeal to you, where you picture them and what size you have in mind. If you like an example, explain whether it's the colours, the drawing or the way it sits on the body.

Ask about my watercolour tattoo ↗