Going from Idea to Ink with Adobe Acrobat DC and Dr. Woo

Celebrity tattoo artist Dr. Woo goes from consult to creative genius with Document Cloud solutions.

What do Drake, Miley Cyrus, Zoe Kravitz, Cara Delevingne, and Frank Ocean have in common?

Two words: Dr. Woo.

For 10 years, the Dr. has been tattooing his jaw-dropping designs on the world’s most famous bodies. The Los Angeles-based ink artist and Instagram celebrity is one of the most sought-after and influential minds in his field.

With his designs and ideas in high demand, Dr. Woo is constantly on the go — and his clients are too. How does he keep projects moving quickly without sacrificing creativity? Simple. He’s a total boss when it comes to scanning, sharing, and getting his creative (or work) reviewed.

Busy business, busy clients

When clients come to Dr. Woo, they expect the very best — from ideation to execution. However, his packed and on-the-go schedule doesn’t always leave time for the back and forth of traditional creative development, reviews, and approvals and having the luxury of being in his studio/office.

“It’s hard to find time in my schedule for a first meeting or consultation in person,” Dr. Woo says. “Five years ago, I’d have to manually scan an idea and wait for someone to get to their computer, check their email, and get back to me with their thoughts.”

Let’s face it, though — in today’s always-on, always on-demand universe where, literally, endless options abound, no one has time for that.

And no one needs to. With Acrobat DC and Adobe Scan, Dr. Woo can streamline his creative process and still deliver the ultimate tattoo experience.

Step 1: Channel inspiration

Like any creative pursuit, Dr. Woo’s designs start with a spark of inspiration.

“I’m very drawn to design and architects and how they utilize negative space,” Dr. Woo says. “The culinary field actually really inspires me. It is so expansive and experimental. It reminds me to keep trying new things in my craft.”

Step 2: Craft with clients

Dr. Woo chats with clients about their vision for their new ink and body placement. This often happens digitally or on the phone.

“I see creating tattoos as a craft first and then an art. So the client’s input and personal inspiration is a huge aspect of the process,” he says.

Step 3: Sketch and scan

It’s time to put pen to paper. Dr. Woo draws out his design by hand and then captures the image with Adobe Scan, turning it into a PDF.

“I love that Scan keeps the integrity of the hand-drawn design. It handles the contrast and color so efficiently,” he says.

Step 4: Review and revise — anywhere

With his ideas digitized, Dr. Woo uses Acrobat to send the image to clients for review. They can comment with ideas and even draw edits directly on the PDF itself.

“It’s like having everyone in the room drawing and making revisions. It’s like the client is in the studio with you. You’re looking at the same thing, possibly at the same time, and you don’t have to wait to hear feedback anymore,” he says.

With integration across Adobe products, the design can even be moved into Photoshop or Illustrator for edits and then be sent back to the client.

And it doesn’t matter if you’re in a car, on a plane, or about to go on stage. Acrobat makes it simple to view files and give feedback from your phone or tablet.

Step 5: A work of (body) art

Utilizing Acrobat, by the time a client walks into Dr. Woo’s studio, everyone is ready to make the design permanent. And while technology can’t do anything to help a fear of needles, it does help knowing that everyone’s ideas have been heard and incorporated successfully.

“When everyone is on the same page,” he says, “it makes communicating a breeze and keeps people inspired.”

You can do like Dr. Woo, too

Over the past decade, Dr. Woo has seen many changes in how tattoo artists use technology to propel their craft. He was one of the first people to bring a computer into consultations, using Google Images and Photoshop to develop designs.

“There’s always something new to help you be better, and this workflow with Acrobat has opened my eyes to something I’ve never imagined I could use before,” he says.

And it doesn’t end with tattoo design. Acrobat’s capabilities can simplify processes across industries and disciplines. From a chef’s plating ideas to a filmmaker’s storyboards to your resume, anything can be shared and reviewed easily when you PDF like a boss.

“There’s no extra work. There are no extra steps. It’s just a better way to do things and communicate,” Dr. Woo says.

Check out this exclusive video and see how you, too, can PDF like Dr. Woo.