I wonder if the brush you are using is a high res brush or a low res? You use Gimp, if I remember correctly?

If you use a low res brush for your tattoo-it won't matter the resolution in which the texture itself was saved as; the painted on tat will look blotchy and pixelish if it was low res to begin with.

Maybe post a picture here on Rendo as a WIP of the render with the pixelish detail so everyone could see it and perhaps comment.  There are SO many talented artists here, Mav, that you may get something that I or anyone else that comments in the forums didn't think of?

Grin!

Dar