Taking the risk out of getting a bad tattoo is a difficult proposition. Complicated designs are becoming commonplace for tattoo artists. Yet even the masters have trouble with work that has extra sharp details. Not to mention that you never know how it will turn out until it’s completed.

That was a problem for Loïc Zimmerman, a computer graphic artist out of France. He designed his own tattoo and wanted to see the how the 2-D sleeve and chest design would turn out. Luckily for him, he works at French video game developer Quantic Dream, where he scanned his entire body during the day. The image rendered facial movement, muscle stimulation and 3-D animation. He applied his 2-D art to the 3-D model of himself.

After reviewing the 3-D model his tattoo artist is now confident in the design. Loïc does point out that some of the major problems with extremely detailed work is that 3-D rendering doesn’t offer the ability to show how the ink will fade and blur with aging and wrinkles. Not yet, anyway.

Even though there is no substitute for flesh and blood, this software could very well push the future of the art to the next level. There will be so many more options available. You can say no to the design, no to the 3-D model, and finally you can get it done with erasable tattoo ink.

If you don’t like it in a few months just get it removed quick and painless. Less risk means more beautiful, precise artwork. Prepare for these tools to hit high end studios within the next year.

[Needled]

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