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Module 1, Lesson 1
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4.6 Basics of Design & Pre-Draw

Flowy Brow Design 101

Meticulous measurement and mapping are the groundwork for a design that complements your client’s natural features to achieve those undetectable results. Think of the measurement and mapping as the blueprint for your Flowy Brow masterpiece. We draw out every single stroke we will be tattooing, and they go over them in the first pass, so that we have a blueprint.

The Flowy Brow design is always based on following the client’s natural bone structure, and hair growth direction. It may seem a bit freehand if you’re used to seeing those mathematically drawn outlines, but once you try doing a few designs, you’ll see that the bone structure and natural hair are all you need for the perfectly flowy design.

Understanding Hair Growth

Take Notice of hair pattern and growth directions: always follow the client’s natural hairline and growth patterns. This is a crucial detail in design.

Pay attention to the following:

  • hair texture: straight or curly? 
  • hair growth angles: are the hairs open or closed? 
  • hair growth length: are the hairs short or longer?

Observe the positioning and shape of the stroke sketches on this pair of female brows:

See how the strokes at the heads of the brows go upward, how the strokes towards the center are center-oriented and flatter, and how they start to go downwards as we’re moving toward the arches. The flow follows her natural growth.

Now, observe the pair of men’s brows below. We can see a similar flow pattern, but pay attention to how different the curving pattern of the strokes is.

Just like a plant naturally bends towards the sun, eyebrows usually grow in a specific direction. We follow this natural flow to create a harmonious shape.

There are 3 types of brow growth architecture:

  • wiring architecture – hairs going upwards
  • yarn oriental – downward architecture
  • architecture of wire-central

The fact that Flowy Brow has no prescribed patterns means that we just follow the natural growth, adapting it slightly with clever stroke placement for the specific effect we want to achieve, like emphasizing the arch (which we did for the female model) or straightening the brow (which we did for the male model).

Here’s a great example of how, with Flowy Brow, we just follow the natural growth and enhance it:

Symmetry and Balance

We strive for balance. Not symmetry. No face is truly symmetrical.

  • Balance = equally weighted on both sides + respecting the natural bone structure, while aligning with expressions and movement. 
  • Symmetry = exactly identical when resting, mirror-like.

Eyebrows are sisters, not twins. Asymmetry is normal and adds personality. Our goal is to enhance natural beauty, not create a completely different brow.

If we strived for symmetry and didn’t take the bone structure into consideration, the client would look great when resting but the shape would not align once making expressions. 

Prioritize long-term results, so your work will look amazing not just now, but for years to come. By working with the client’s natural features and focusing on balance, we can create brows that frame the face. Instead of chasing trendy shapes that might not suit the client in the long run, we design timeless brows that enhance the natural features.

Just look at this 3-year-old Flowy Brow below – see how the strokes are faded to a degree, but the pattern still looks just as flowy and natural?

Extra Design Tips

  • Sharpen your pencil as often as needed to draw a clean crisp pattern. Don’t be afraid to take a little pause and re-sharpen.
  • Work with the client’s bone structure, not against it. This leads to the best and most natural-looking results.
  • Respect the natural features. We can enhance them, not erase them.
  • Always remember: less is often more when it comes to PMU brow shaping.
  • Start the assessment of your client’s brows with them sitting up straight and you as an artist standing. Start your sketch in a seated or standing position and always check your pre-drawing design with a photo or grid and ensure the lines connect properly.
  • Observe your client’s face in motion and in 360°. Always view your client from different angles and have them make different faces or expressions at you. This is awkward at first, but it’s important. Have your clients raise their brows up, be angry, and smile big. Observe the brows, and iif anything seems off, go back to your sketch and adjust. 
  • Always ask for the client’s approval of the design before you start tattooing. Show them the design and give them some time to observe it. Make sure to let them know that the results will be a compressed version of the design they see.
  • If you accidentally erase your sketch during the procedure, you will need to stop, drop the machine, and pick your pencil back up. DO NOT just wing it.