A Japanese Tattoo Training Studio

Japanese Tattoo Design Is one of the hardest styles to learn. Most artists figure it out alone.

CryBaby Ron Studio is where artists come to improve. Structure, flow, composition, and the design process behind Japanese work, taught by someone with 16 years of experience who actually wants you to get better.

Studio introduction video
Watch This First
3:34
▸ Watch the breakdown — what the studio is, who it's for, and how it all works.
Join the Studio → See The Classroom
一
Flow
二
Discipline
三
Structure
四
Results
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The Problem

You can see what good Japanese tattoo design looks like. You just can't always make it happen.

The flow feels off. The composition doesn't hold together. The background looks like an afterthought. You know something's wrong but you're not always sure what it is or how to fix it.

Japanese tattooing has always been a style where the knowledge gets kept close. Artists don't share their process. There's no clear path. Most people are figuring it out by trial and error, reference hunting, and guessing.

This studio exists to change that.

Testimonials

Don't take our word for it.
Hear it from the studio.

Member Reviews
Jason Bundy
★★★★★
This is an amazing community. Ron is a no nonsense teacher. I am happy to have found this. I wasn’t sure about the price at first, but after starting just over a month ago, I can say that it is worth every penny. I look forward to seeing what more I can learn from Ron and everyone else in the community!
Still a paying member after 2 months
Keith Kiernan
★★★★★
I joined Ron’s group on Skool and was at first curious about this app and what it was about. Seeing what Ron is about is really what I was seeking when it comes to being an artist. Not just a tattoo artist, but an artist that understands what compositions and design aspects are about. He focuses on traditional Japanese as a style and concept which has always been a focus of mine. This community focuses on the foundations within the traditional styles of tattooing which has always been my goal.
Still a paying member after 6 months
Ella Drazek
★★★★★
So grateful to have found this class & community. Ron is an excellent teacher and has done a fantastic job creating an environment for learning & growth. As a newer artist/beginner in the tattoo community I have felt so welcomed, supported, and inspired by everyone here. I have learned so much valuable information over the past few months. Also really appreciate the live calls to chat with Ron and learn more about the other members as well as receive great feedback on composition & design/flow.
Still a paying member after 7 months
Jenny Ros
★★★★★
Learning with Ron is amazing! He teaches you how to truly understand drawing, helping you make huge progress fast. He’s always ready to answer questions and support us. Between the recorded lessons, live calls, and monthly challenges with constant feedback, you get so much support. Plus, the community is the absolute best! Studying with Ron has been a total game changer!
Still a paying member after 7 months
Who This Is For

Built for artists who want to do Japanese work properly.

Whether you're already doing Japanese tattoos and want to level up, or transitioning into Japanese from another style — this studio is for artists who are serious about getting better.

You don't need to be advanced. You need to be willing to draw, share your work, receive critique and apply feedback.

This is not for:
  • —People who want to passively watch videos and never draw
  • —Artists looking for a shortcut — there isn't one
  • —Anyone who isn't willing to post their work and get honest feedback
The Classroom

A structured curriculum, a working community, and direct access to someone who will tell you exactly what's wrong with your drawing and how to fix it.

Ten core modules covering the fundamentals of Japanese tattoo design. New modules added every month. These aren't overview videos. Each module breaks down the underlying structure of the subject — so you understand how to build it, not just copy it.

Modular Curriculum
Nº 01 Foundation 始

Start Here

Orientation. How the studio is structured, how to study, and what to practice first.

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Nº 02 Fundamentals Design, Composition and Flow Basics course preview

Design, Composition & Flow Basics

The basic guidelines that apply most to tattooing. Build a structural eye before you build a flash sheet.

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Nº 03 Botanical Lotus Flower petals and structure course preview

Lotus Flower — Petals & Structure

Structure, rhythm, and clean layering. Build petals on construction lines so the whole flower holds together.

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Nº 04 Motion Snake Bodies motion and scales course preview

Snake Bodies — Motion & Scales

Build clean, powerful Japanese snake bodies from the ground up. Movement first, scales after.

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Nº 05 Form Study Koi volume and form course preview

Koi — Volume & Form

The discipline of dimensional fish: volume, gesture, and how multiple koi arrange around a central flow.

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Nº 06 Pattern Dragon Scales pattern and construction course preview

Dragon Scales

First video in a three-part series. Deep dive into scale construction, density, and direction.

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Nº 07 Anatomy Tiger Heads anatomy course preview

Tiger Heads

Applying the formula we built dragon heads with — now to the tiger. Same principles, different anatomy.

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Nº 08 Gesture Tiger Bodies gesture and stance course preview

Tiger Bodies

Gesture, weight distribution, and stance. Same body — three readings: still, crouched, and mid-leap.

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Nº 09 Structure Dragon Heads structure and fundamentals course preview

Dragon Heads — Structure & Fundamentals

Build clean, powerful Japanese dragon heads step-by-step. You'll learn the formula that scales to other heads too.

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Nº 10 Flow Japanese Waves movement and flow course preview

Japanese Waves — Movement & Flow

Build waves from the inside out. Structure, flow, crest construction, and the rhythm that ties a piece together.

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Join the Studio →
What Else Is Inside

More than a video library.

The Working Room
The Community

Artists helping artists get better

This is where the real work happens. Post your drawings, get feedback from Ron and from other artists working through the same material. The community is active, honest, and genuinely supportive — artists helping artists get better.

On a good week inside the studio, you'll see drawing challenge submissions coming in, members giving each other detailed feedback, live call recordings, and Ron dropping in with corrections and commentary. It's a working room, not a content library.

The Live Calls

Every Monday at 8AM PST

Ron draws live, critiques submitted work, and answers anything you want to ask. These aren't polished presentations — they're working sessions where real problems get solved in real time.

The Monthly Challenge

Focused practice, together

Every month the community works through a focused drawing challenge together. Same subject, same timeline, everyone posting their progress. It's the best way to stay consistent and see your work improve alongside other artists doing the same thing.

Drawing Corrections

Your work, marked up directly

Ron regularly takes member drawings and marks them up directly — showing exactly what's working and what’s not working and how to fix it. This is the kind of specific, technical feedback that's almost impossible to find anywhere else.

How It Works

Watch. Draw. Share.
Apply. Repeat.

The Loop
01

Watch the module

Understand the structure, the underlying forms, and why each decision is made.

02

Draw it

Not to make something finished. To understand how it's built.

03

Share it

Post your work in the community feed. This is where the real learning happens.

04

Apply the feedback

Take what you learned back to the page. Draw it again. Better this time.

05

Repeat

Same loop, next subject, that's how you actually get better.

Join the Studio →
Ron Smith, CryBaby Ron
Who Is Ron

16 Years Tattooing.
CryBaby Ron.

Ron Smith has been tattooing for 16 years and has spent most of that time specialising in Japanese style work. He built this studio because he watched too many artists struggle with the same things he had to figure out on his own — and because the knowledge that makes Japanese tattoo design work has always been kept too close.

He teaches the way most artists in this industry don't. Openly. With detail. Showing exactly how he thinks through a design, what he's looking for, and why something is working and why it isn't working. Members consistently say it's the most direct, accessible tattoo education they've found.

Pricing

One membership.
Everything you need.

Studio Tuition
Standard
$ 79 /month
Month to month · Cancel anytime
What's included
  • 一Community, support and feedback
  • 二Monthly Drawing Challenge + prizes
  • 三Weekly live calls — drawing critiques, live drawing and Q&A
  • 四Weekly classes
  • 五25 classroom videos with regular updates
Try for free →
道

You've been trying to figure out Japanese tattoo design on your own, you don't have to keep doing that.

The studio is built for artists who are serious about getting better. Show up, draw, share your work, and apply the feedback. That's how this works.

Join the Studio →
— Repetition over everything.
— Ron