- Two hounds only, Bran on the left, Sceólang on the right.
- Horizontal composition with manuscript-style leaves woven around and beneath them.
- Hiberno-Saxon / Insular influence without becoming too knot-dense.
- Bran darker with emerald eye; Sceólang lighter with lapis eye.
- Muted gold and scarlet accents; leaf green may pop more brightly.
Main Design
The primary concept sits front and center on its own design page. Use the separate viewer to compare it against the remaining reference images in the project.
The viewer includes the current image set from img/, including the main concept and the newer reference files still in the project.
Design direction
Concept: Bran and Sceólang in a manuscript-inspired Insular style, with the composition carried by their bodies, paws, tails, and surrounding leaves rather than by a central symbol.
Character balance: Bran sits on the left with darker visual weight; Sceólang sits on the right, slightly lighter and a touch more lifted in posture.
Mood: Tense but not chaotic, alive, noble, mythic, and readable at a distance.
Palette
Black / charcoal
Grey wash
Muted gold
Scarlet accents
Leaf green (brighter)
Lapis blue eye
Emerald eye
Tongues: natural pink/red
Placement logic
Select an option to show the preferred fit.
Upper shoulders
Preferred
Preferred
Single shoulder
Compressed variation
Compressed variation
Shoulder to forearm
Linear adaptation
Linear adaptation
Upper shoulders are the preferred fit. The design stays mostly horizontal, with just enough arc to follow anatomy naturally.
The placement example below uses the tighter draft image as an across-both-shoulders reference.
Across Both Shoulders
A tighter across-the-shoulders adaptation from the draft sheet, showing the hounds spread across both shoulders rather than sitting on just one shoulder.
Refined brief
Client-facing summary
Tattooer notes
- Primary outline bold and stable; internal structure medium weight.
- Keep negative space between paws, heads, and tail spirals.
- Avoid dense center fill or unreadable knot masses.
- Use skin breaks for highlights where possible.
- Patterning should support the silhouette, not overpower it.
What to avoid
- No central logo or knot dominating the design.
- No wrap-to-chest composition.
- No over-symmetrized logo stiffness.
- No tight micro-detail that will blur over time.
Quick copy block
This is the exact text used by the copy button.
Bran and Sceólang in a Hiberno-Saxon / Insular manuscript style, focused entirely on the two hounds. Horizontal composition preferred. No Dara knot or central logo. Bran on the left: darker, black with grey patterning, emerald green eye. Sceólang on the right: lighter, grey/white with black interspersed, lapis blue eye. Palette is primarily black and grey with restrained Insular accents: muted gold, scarlet red, and brighter green leaves. Tongues should remain a natural pink/red. The design should stay breathable, readable, and tattooable, with leaves included and enough negative space for longevity.