Freehand Tattoos as Space Fillers
If you have an awkward-shaped space to fill between some of your existing tattoos, freehanding may be for you. It ensures flow and connectivity with your other tattoos.
Usually, when you have an artist design a gap filler piece for you, they will take a tracing of the space or a picture. They use this as a reference for the amount of space they can take up with their design. While this is a tried and true method, someone with less experience could easily mess this up. They may design something that feels wonky or too crowded in the space. Even the best tracing or photograph can’t capture the exact contours of a human body. If your artist designs your tattoo directly on your skin and around whatever tattoos you may already have or wrap around whatever body part, you are guaranteed a piece that fills a space evenly and flows nicely.
All of this considered it’s still important for you as the client to do your research and find an artist who is experienced in drawing on tattoos. You must also look to the quality of their work. 
Freehand Tattoos as a Way of Connecting with People
There is a sort of magic that happens when a tattooer you trust draws an art piece directly onto you. You are able to watch your piece come to life from start to finish. You see the artist’s process the whole way. A kind of energy channeling happens naturally. This can bring the art more life and connectivity to the client. It’s exciting to watch the process of a tattoo come to life. You’ll see the loose shapes at the beginning and the final shading or color at the end. This is also a great way of seeing an artist’s full skill level. They are able to tap into their creative side on demand. They make a piece of art under the pressure of being watched by the person who is going to wear it.
The experience of receiving a freehand tattoo is certainly a memorable one. If you are a tattoo collector who is thinking about getting one, do your research to find someone who has freehand tattoos in their portfolio. Prepare for a longer-than-normal appointment. You’ll be a part of the creation process and the tattoo process. If all goes well, you will be left with a beautiful piece of art that flows with your body.
Most of the artists at Wolf and Shadow Tattoo Collective [fka Diego Tattoo Gallery] perform some sort of freehand tattooing. Chance Quinn specializes in freehand and is always happy to answer any questions you have.