Human Canvases

Protoplast (noun, Greek): prototype, a thing that is the first of its kind

With Protoplast: Vol. 1, you can experiment with design placement like never before. We used 3D modeling software to create realistic renderings of human body parts, then turned them into 2D Procreate brush stamps.

It's not always easy to show clients different placement options or experiment with compositions and layouts on a human body. This compilation of 252 full body and body part mannequins comes in 4 different body types, so you can get a realistic sense of how your designs will look on your clients. Plus, the full body canvases come in 4 different poses, each from 5 viewpoints, so you can find the perfect angle or pose for your concept. Whether you're a beginner or a pro, Protoplast is essential for any designer's toolkit.

To help you choose the most realistic canvas for each client’s design, Protoplast also includes a 30-color skin tone Procreate swatch file. You can use the default true black color for a neutral skin tone that includes the widest range of values, or select one that more closely matches your client’s skin color to display the final tattoo more realistically.

"I designed these body part layouts after taking a sculpting course and studying the planes of the body and écorché* model. After years of laying out tattoos for 3-dimensional human bodies on 2-dimensional surfaces, it occurred to me, that the true surface of the varying shapes of the body were not being taken in to account. The future of tattooing will be designing tattoos on 3D turnarounds. These sheets in this book were designed as the beginning process of that evolution.

To aid in the tattoo design process, I’ve included multiple views of the human body, unwrapped and flattened out as it would be in a tattoo illustration. Prominent skeletal and muscular landmarks are indicated to assist the tattooist in considering the flow and fit of their designs. I recommend you start by producing a few quick thumbnail sketches on the smaller body plane diagrams and then proceed to a more detailed rendering once a plan has been established." -Gunnar Gaylord

Whether you're a tattoo artist looking to showcase your work or just curious about what's possible, Body Shots is the perfect resource for you. This compilation of 2D line drawings includes line drawings of both male and female bodies in various sizes, as well as each body part individually. Whatever you have in mind, Body Shots makes it easy to bring your ideas to life.

These 2D line drawings make it easy for tattooers to place their designs, and include each body part and full body views. With small, medium, and large body types of both male and female bodies, you're sure to find the perfect canvas for your next tattoo design!