This tattoo was a particularly fun challenge. My client wanted a japanese maple leaf and some wind, etc. the background of this piece took on an almost cubist edge to it. I particularly like the interplay of open skin in the piece, I think it worked out successfully. I used a lot of photo reference for the maple leaf to get an interplay of natural brown tones, oranges, pinks, and light olives to give it a painterly look. The photo, unfortunately, does not fully show this. Photos rarely do tattoos justice anyways...