One of the easiest ways for me to tell is by looking at the references you like. If you do not have one clear idea yet, I usually ask you to send me several images that you are drawn to.

If those references are consistent in style, subject, color, and general scale, you are usually already much closer to being ready than you think.

If every reference is completely different from the next, that usually means the direction still needs to be clarified first. In that case, we can go through them together and figure out what exactly you like in each one — maybe the style from one image, the colors from another, the subject from another, or the overall composition from somewhere else.

Once those preferences start forming a consistent direction, the final tattoo concept becomes much clearer.

If all the images you love are still at completely opposite ends of the spectrum, you may simply need a little more time before committing to the tattoo. You may not notice that yourself at first, so feel free to contact me anyway. We can go through your references together and figure out what actually fits you best.