From neo traditional and old school artists to fine line and surrealist work, these are the best tattoo artists in Amsterdam.

Note: You may notice that a solid number of these artists are from Black Rose Tattoo Studio. This is purely because that studio is a cut above the rest, and is home to some of the best tattoo artists in Amsterdam. The pedigree there is ridiculous.

Bodine Ester

Owner of The 9 Muses, an amazing tattoo shop, Bodine Ester is one of the most electrifying tattoo artists in Amsterdam. Bodine is an expert at tattooing bleak, eerie, and abstract pieces, as well as twisted takes on pop culture characters and classic tattooing themes. While she mostly tattoos in black and grey, she also handles colour in a very unique way.

She has a true knack for realistic portrait pieces, but her stand-out work is definitely the larger, denser, bolder pieces that lean on horror and surrealism. She often blends inspiration from old school American and Japanese styles of tattooing, but these pieces remain distinctly and recognisably hers.

Not all of her work is dark, however (far from it). Many of her pieces explore softer, cuter themes, but it’s the darker stuff that really boasts her unique eye, hand, and imagination. You don’t come across many tattoo artists with this kind of style. We’re lucky to have Bodine, easily one of the finest tattoo artists in Amsterdam.

Katya Slonenko (Slon Salon)

Owner of the wonderful Slon Salon tattoo shop in Amsterdam, Katya Slonenko is truly a cut above the rest. Slonenko has a style that’s difficult to put into words. Bright and colourful, it pops with vibrant, almost cartoonish joy. While she excels at pieces depicting cute, cuddly creatures, her stand-out work is that which pays homage to cityscapes, streets, and architecture.

Slonenko has an eye for miniature landscapes: an Amsterdam street, a rural country home, an iconic skyline. These tattoos are like nothing you’ve ever seen. Katya Slonenko is one of the best tattoo artists in Amsterdam because of the love she pours into art pieces that celebrate the world around us, both natural and man-made.

Holly (Slon Salon)

Also tattooing out of Slon Salon is Holly, another one of the best tattoo artists in Amsterdam.  Holly is an artist with a great admiration for colour, pop culture, and all things cute and sweet. Many of her best tattoos are inspired by anime and video games.

If you want to show your love for Studio Ghibli, Pokemon, or Sailor Moon, you’ll be amazed by what Holly will deliver for you. If you simply want a cute tattoo that pops with pastel colours and soft lines — one that shows how much you love cats, flowers, and all things sweet, you need to pay Holly a visit. Hers are original pieces that pay homage to the brighter side of pop culture and our real world. I can’t get enough of them.

Heather Cheung

Working out of The 9 Muses (owned by Bodine Ester, above), Heather Cheung is another bold and bright talent amongst tattoo artists in Amsterdam.

Cheung is a master of black and grey tattoos; her art pops with the deepest, darkest blacks and the thickest, boldest lines that really leave an impression. There is an old school vibe to many of Cheung’s tattoos; with designs that harken back to the golden age: daggers, mothers, tarot cards, noh masks, and so much more.

But Cheung is always delivering her art with a very recognisable spin, thanks to her deliberate linework that has a feeling of permanence; it sticks in your mind as much as it does your skin. Her tattoos toe this wonderful line between intricate detail and bold minimalism that makes them incredibly eye-catching. It’s hard to look away.

Alberto DF

What makes Alberto one of the most unique and stand-out tattoo artists in Amsterdam is his dedication to the craft of true old-school tattooing.

His work is traditional, through and through. If you also have a love for the timeless style that originated from the golden age of tattoo art, you need to be tattooed by Alberto. Working with a colour scheme that is almost entirely black, white, and red, Alberto creates some truly original and imaginative pieces.

Hearts, skulls, roses, geisha, snakes, masks, moths, and more classic designs beside. But Alberto twists them all just a little, making them his own. There’s a subtle surrealism to his work, as he takes liberties with his designs to make them look like nothing else out there. Alberto is a tattoo artist that shows how you can pay respects to the legacy of tattooing while also being wholly and refreshingly original. It’s amazing work.

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Pemy (Salon Serpent)

You can search and search but you’ll never find a tattoo artist quite like Pemy, who works out of Salon Serpent in Amsterdam. Pemy stands far out from the busy crowd with a very recognisable style that is all her own. What makes Pemy one of the most unique tattoo artists in Amsterdam — perhaps the most unique, honestly — is her talent for designing anthropomorphic animals, especially cats.

Most of Pemy’s tattoos depict cute and colourful creatures in human dress, doing human things (mostly, as I said, cats). There’s a wonderful celebration of the surreal and the cartoonish in Pemy’s work. It’s illuminating, cheeky, sweet, and worthy of basking in. Anthropomorphic animals are not all she does, though; she also does wonders with surreal portraits of people and critters.

It’s the sheer imagination on display here that really makes you step back and say wow. Pemy has an eye like no other and it makes her work incredibly addictive.

Marcel (Black Rose Tattoo)

Marcel tattoos out of Black Rose Tattoo, a shop of such a high calibre that it might well be the best tattoo shop in Amsterdam. Marcel happens to be one of the best (if not the very best) neo-traditional tattoo artists working anywhere right now.

His work is dark and bold, with minimalist use of colour but copious amounts of texture that breathes and has an almost three-dimensional quality to it. This is the kind of art that reaches out to you and has you gasping at the sheer luxury of it all. Marcel excels at producing black and grey pieces, each with one bold colour attached: a blood red or ice blue that almost melts your mind as you drink it all in.

His finest designs are those that depict the faces and heads of people, blended with natural imagery: animals, flowers, leaves, suns, and moons. These are gorgeous neo-traditional tattoos, and Marcel is easily one of the very best tattoo artists in Amsterdam.

Gabriel Garz (Black Rose Tattoo)

Gabriel Garz is another one of the true stand-out tattoo artists in Amsterdam. His black and grey fine-line and delicate style is unmatched. Garz is another artist that leans on darkness and horror-tinged art, yielding wonderfully imaginative results. Spider, snakes, and skulls are some of the recurring images you’ll find in Garz’s work, and it’s all so textured and addictive.

But if horror isn’t your thing, Garz also delivers some amazing old-school inspired work with flowers and birds; nothing beats the darker stuff, though. Then there are Garz’s faces! The realistic approach doesn’t work for all artists but Garz makes it look effortless. What a talent.

Sven Anholt (Black Rose Tattoo)

Sven Anholt is another truly unique tattoo artist who has made a name for himself by tattooing in an old-school traditional, and sometimes Japanese, style. However, there is a recurring theme to his work: demons. In this wonderful interview with Tattoodo, Anholt talks about refining this “devil or Krampus-like figure” that he has become known for.

Anholt discusses in the interview all the folk and historical inspirations behind his demons, as well as the places he has visited that helped give birth to this unique design. Anholt is now known for tattooing these demons in a traditional style, but he also often explores other dark and gloomy themes, all in an old-school style. There are no other tattoo artists in Amsterdam quite like Sven Anholt.

Diego Garrafa (Black Rose Tattoo)

Diego Garrafa has turned himself into a legend in the tattooing scene with his exclusive work on lettering. This isn’t just any lettering, however. This is the sickest, boldest, most punk lettering you’ve ever seen. Larger-than-life pieces, all in the thickest, inkiest, darkest blacks. Tattoos that live a life of their own and cover almost too much skin. There’s nothing like it!

Garrafa tattoos everything from bellies and shoulders to fingers and toes, and even faces. Gnarly, bold letters that stand out like you wouldn’t believe. He and his art are laws unto themselves.

Must-Visit Tattoo Shops in Glasgow

If you’re visiting Glasgow and are looking to get a tattoo, these are the best tattoo shops in Glasgow, home to some of the Scotland’s finest tattoo artists. Check them out.

Nest of Thorns

Nest of Thorns is one of the most bold and unique tattoo shops in Glasgow; home to a group of phenomenally talented artists who excel at old school, neo trad, and pop culture tattoos. The artists at Nest of Thorns are some of the best when it comes to tattoos inspired by anime, gaming, and other areas of pop culture.

Kirsten and Amy tackle similar themes and topics with their art but from completely different directions, meaning that Nest of Thorns offers its clients a wonderful variety in the way of style and aesthetics. Likewise, Kyle and Pete both lean into traditional tattooing, but one is more neo traditional while the other is more traditionally old school. Whatever you prefer, there’s an artist for you!

Nest of Thorns is an exciting breath of fresh air in the Glasgow tattoo space, and one of the coolest tattoo shops in Glasgow, and in Scotland as a whole!

Gold Leaf Tattoo

Gold Leaf is a tattoo studio owned and run by two incredible tattoo artists that are producing some of the most stunning work in Scotland. Laura and Ellie are the cream of the crop. They both have an eye for texture. Their art lives and breathes and moves. The colours pop; the shadows creep; it’s all so mesmerising.

Few artists’ work takes your breath away like theirs does. When you go to Gold Lead, you’re going to walk out with a true piece of art on you, whoever and whatever you pick. There’s a neo traditional style on display here, with old school motifs like snakes, roses, daggers, and dark things being elevated to new heights by their imagination and skills.

Gold Leaf is one of the most essential tattoo shops in Glasgow. Get yourself a tattoo from Laura or Ellie; you owe it to yourself.

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Twenty Two Volts

Twenty Two Volts is a tattoo studio that is just quality across the board. A handful of varied and amazing artists, each one bringing their own set of skills to the table. Because of this, Twenty Two Volts has set a very high bar for tattoo shops in Glasgow. They are at the peak of the craft.

One of the coolest things about this Glasgow tattoo shop is its love for colour. These artists know how to make their work pop and burst with colour and light. These tattoos have life and character. Even the darker pieces have so much density and boldness to them. There’s a real sense of presence and volume to the work put out by the artists at Twenty Two Volts that is awesome to see.

Because of the sheer variety on offer, almost every taste is accounted for. Grimdark pieces, neo traditional tattoos, pop culutre art, surrealism — it’s all here and it’s all so good! Twenty Two Volts is one of the coolest high quality tattoo shops in Glasgow. Check them out!

Read More: The Best Tattoo Shops in Edinburgh

Hardlines Glasgow

Hardlines is a collection of some of the best tattoo artists in Scotland, all gathered under one roof and each offering a different style of tattooing to appeal to all kinds of tattoo enthusaists. Do you like big, bright, and bold neo traditional tattoos? How about pop culture-inspired pieces that reflect your passions? Or maybe smaller, darker, horror-inspired pieces?

All of these styles of tattooing are not only available at Hardlines, but also honed to the peak of the craft. When your tattoo shop offers both variety and high quality, there isn’t much left to conquer. You’re delivering the best. And for this reason, Hardlines is one of the very best tattoo shops in Glasgow.

Mortez

The artists at Mortez mix passion with talent and experience. They love what they do and it shows. They produce some of the most imaginative pieces of tattoo art in Scotland. If you like your tattoos to harken back to the good ol’ days of golden age tattooing, you can get yourself an old school or a neo trad tattoo at Mortez.

If you want a tattoo that proudly presents your passion for animation, comics, or other areas of pop culture, you can get a unique custom tattoo from Mortez to show that off. From fine lines and black-and-grey tattoos to explosions of colour and texture, everything done by the artists at this, one of the coolest tattoo shops in Glasgow, is expert and excellent.

Rock’n’Roll Tattoo

Realism is the name of the game at Rock’n’Roll Tattoo in Glasgow. The artists here excel at bringing you hyper-detailed and hyper-realistic tattoos, both in black-and-grey and in full colour. Ornamental and neo traditional tattoos are also done with expertise and flair here, but it’s the portraits and realism that really make Rock’n’Roll Tattoo stand out amongst other tattoo shops in Glasgow.

It’s not often you get realistic portraits done in full colour. Many artists prefer to present their realism in black and grey; but at Rock’n’Roll Tattoo, they offer both styles! And the realism extends beyond portraits and into natural imagery as well: plants, flowers, and animals are rendered with striking texture and dimension. It’s a sight to behold!

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Deviltown

If you’re in the mood for some proper old school tattoos or a healthy dose of surrealism, you need to pay a visit to Deviltown. Deviltown Tattoo prides itself on being an inclusive and progressive space amongst tattoo shops in Glasgow, and their artists excel at providing custom pieces that blend the traditional with the fresh.

The tattoos done at Deviltown are all unique custom pieces, but many of them have roots in old school, traditional tattooing styles and designs. This is, in part, about subverting the traditional while also providing tattoo enthusiasts with art in that beloved, timeless style.These guys are doing something that is classic and new all at once, and we can’t get enough of it.

Deadman Tattoos

As a group of varied and talented artists, Deadman Tattoos can do almost anything. Whatever kind of tattoo you’re after, it’s a pretty safe bet that someone at this Glasgow tattoo shop can deliver. If you want a unique, custom tattoo inspired by your favourite anime or video game, Deadman has an artist for that.

If you want a realistic portrait tattoo done in black and grey or full colour, Deadman has an artist for that. From intimate, small, detailed tattoos to huge blasts of colour and pomp, the artists at Deadman Tattoos have proven to be experts in everything. This is a jack-of-all-trades kind of shop, but here they’re all masters.

Cherry Pie Tattoo and Piercing

As the name suggests, Cherry Pie Tattoo and Piercing is a combination tattoo and piercing shop in Glasgow that delivers some of the prettiest tattoos in Scotland. This is a female-owned and operated tattoo shop, showcasing some of the best talent amongst women tattoo artists in the UK.

From delicate fine lines to fun blasts of colour and expression, a lot of ground is covered by the artists at Cherry Pie Tattoo and Piercing, all with flair and flavour. We’re especially big fans of their current apprentice, Shy, whose stark, bleak, and atmospheric work of gothic beauty is a true sight to behold!

Memento Mori Tattoos

Mememnto Mori Tattoos is a band of brilliant artists in Glasgow. The styles and skills on display here are fresh, frantic, and fierce. From watercolours to abstract and surreal designs; from neo traditional to grimdark black pieces with an edge of comedy and cheek, there’s so much freshness and coolness here that you just love to see.

Mememnto Mori is a tattoo shop that keeps the art form fresh and new; keeps tattooing on its toes. This kind of approach to tattooing is much needed, and its no surprise that’s happening in Glasgow. Mememnto Mori is one of the most distinct and unique tattoo shops in Glasgow, without a doubt.

The Very Best Tattoo Shops in Edinburgh

You’ll find plenty of variety here when it comes to style. Neo traditional and old school artists stand shoulder-to-shoulder with fine line and horror-inspired artists. These people know their stuff, take pride in it, and provide some of the best tattoos in Scotland.

The Keep Edinburgh

The Keep is one of the most strikingly impressive tattoo shops in Edinburgh, and is currently home to one of our favourite UK tattoo artists: Dani Green. The tattoos that people leave The Keep with are big, bold, and original. These are some of the best tattoo artists in Scotland, all found under one roof.

What’s extra special about The Keep is that it’s also an art studio, which means they design original paintings that you can buy your own prints of, as well as shirts and other merch! The pedigree of the artists at this Edinburgh tattoo shop is like nothing else. There is so much imagination, colour, and attitude bursting from the canvases here (both human and otherwise).

This is far from your old school, cookie cutter tattoo studio. The Keep is a place of vibrancy, modernity, and outside-the-box approaches to art and design. If you’re in Edinburgh and looking for a quality original tattoo or a stunning art print, pop into The Keep and prepare to have your mind blown.

Insider Tattoo Studio

It’s hard to imagine more consistency in a single place than what’s found at Insider Tattoo Studio. A handful of varied and exquisite tattoo artists under one roof. The variety of art on display here is matched only by the consistent quality of these artists, making Insider one of the finest tattoo shops in Edinburgh by a country mile.

One of our favourite UK tattoo artists, Jack Peppiete, tattoos here, and he is joined by artists of all different flavours and styles. What that means for you as a customer is that, no matter your taste, you’ll find a tattoo artist at Insider to fit your flavour.

From bold ornamental designs to cute pop art; from old school American to traditional Japanese, almost every kind of tattoo art is done with expert professionalism and bold imagination by the artists at Insider. This isn’t only one of the best tattoo shops in Edinburgh, but it all of Scotland and the UK as a whole.

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Watermelon Tattoo

This is a female-owned, female-led tattoo studio in Edinburgh, and it blows away so much of the competition. The delightfully named Watermelon Tattoo is a true force of vision and imagination in the Scottish tattoo scene, delivering a range of tones and styles that is almost unmatched.

Small, cute, and colourful pieces are delivered with care and precision, while big and bold and bright pieces are done with pomp and style. There’s so much excitement to the art at Watermelon Tattoo. These artists clearly love the form and love what they do. There’s heart to this art.

It’s cool to see an even balance between thickly detailed black and grey tattoos and lusciously vibrant bursts of colour that are both equally eye-catching. Whatever your preferred style, you can find and get it here at Watermelon, one of the coolest tattoo shops in Edinburgh.

Ink Dependent Tattoo

Ink Dependent is more than just a very clever and punny name (though that name does deserve some attention). It’s also simply one of the best tattoo shops in Edinburgh. This tattoo studio excels at delivering outstanding black and grey tattoos. While they do tackle colour occasionally, it’s in their darker designs where they really, ironically, shine.

Black and grey is often used for two different styles of tattooing: hyper-realistic portrait designs of people and animals, and grimdark, gothic, moody horror pieces. You’ll find both of these styles at Ink Dependent Tattoo. If you’ve always wanted a realistic depiction of a person or a tiger, you need to check out the work at Ink Dependent.

Likewise, if you’re in the mood for a horror-inspired tattoo with a gritty edge to it, Ink Dependent is the Edinburgh tattoo studio to visit! There’s a lot of variety within this specific niche and style of tattooing, which demonstrates the strength and pedigree of tattoo art found here at Ink Dependent Tattoo.

Studio XIII

Studio XIII is another Edinburgh tattoo studio that offers a wonderful variety of styles and techniques, all of which have been honed to the height of the craft. From pop culture-inspired neo traditional art to black and grey portraits and something a little more abstract, it’s all here and all excellent.

Whether a tattoo shop has a very specific style and niche that it’s known for, or it hosts a wide range of talented artists, both are satisfying in their own way. For Studio XIII, their approach is the latter, which means the breadth of skill on display here is really fantastic.

This is one of the best tattoo shops in Edinburgh for people looking for a wide range of approaches to tattoo styles. They also do excellent piercings!

Read More: The Best Tattoo Shops in Glasgow

Old Town Tattoo

Old Town Tattoo is exactly our kind of tattoo studio. The artists here reign supreme when it comes to old school and neo traditional tattoos. New takes on classic style; you love to see it! The art that these guys put out is big, bold, bright, and colourful. It harkens back to the golden age of tattooing while doing so much fresh and exciting work.

The beauty of old school tattooing is found in the abstract. Designs that turn the everyday into something surreal but stylish. And Old Town Tattoo excels at exactly that approach to its art. We are huge fans of this particular style of tattooing, so we can’t get enough of Old Town Tattoo. Easily one of our favourite tattoo shops in Edinburgh. If you’re more into softer tattoos with fine lines and less colour, they deliver on that front as well!

Relatively Painless Tattoo

Aside from having one of the best names for a tattoo shop we’ve ever seen, Relatively Painless also has a very distinct style all its own. If you’re a fan of bold, dark tattoos, horror-themed art, and an abstract approach to artistic expression, you need to visit Relatively Painless; one of the best tattoo shops in Edinburgh.

This is where outside-the-box thinking, an impressively deep imagination, and some sharpened talent converge to make the best dark tattoos in Scotland. Some of the work that Relatively Painless Tattoo produces leans into the realistic; a lot of it is more stylised and creatively expressive. All of it is gorgeous.

We all have our favourite styles and themes when it comes to tattoo art, and if you like dark pieces with a hint of horror, please visit Relatively Painless Tattoo.

Bold and Gold Studios

This right here is proper old school tattooing, brought to the 21st Century with pomp and style. These guys know their stuff and they absolutely excel at it. There is such a brilliant timelessness to old school and traditional tattooing, whether it be Western or Japanese, and you’ll find both handled here with skill and finesse.

As the name suggests, Bold and Gold Studios is more than one place: a tattoo studio and a piercing studio. Here we’re talking about the tattoos, obviously, but their piercers are excellent as well. There’s such a playfulness to old school tattooing that proves so addictive, and no style of tattooing ages with more grace, whether it be in colour or black and grey.

If you love your roses, skulls, pirate ships, tigers, dragons, and geisha — or if you want something wholly original in an old school style — you have to pay a visit to one of the best tattoo shops in Edinburgh.

Okey Dokey Tattoo

Oh yes, now this is what we’re talking about! The sheer amount of style and detail and imagination poured into the art by these fabulous artists should be celebrated. At Okey Dokey Tattoo, each artist brings something wholly original to the table. They’ve each carved out a style; a niche; a unique perspective on what tattooing can do. And it’s all under one roof!

Big, bold, neo traditional pieces. Intimate, detailed fine lines. Cute and colourful pieces. Abstract pieces in black and grey. There’s so much variety and style and mastery here. We honestly can’t say enough good things about the work that’s done at Okey Dokey Tattoo. One of the most impressive tattoo shops in Edinburgh by a long, long way.

Whatever style of art you personally enjoy, be it watercolour, oils, surrealism, geometry, cartoons, calligraphy, or Japanese anime, all of it can be captured on the skin by the immensely talented UK tattoo artists working today. And the most wonderful thing is that more and more of these immensely talented artists are women.

The UK’s Best Female Tattoo Artists

Female tattoo artists are taking up more and more of the tattooing landscape in the UK and that is a wholly fantastic thing. More art, more talent, more skills, more beauty. So, let’s take a look at ten of the best female tattoo artists working in the UK tattoo industry today.

Ali Burke

Ali’s art is unmistakeable. She has a unique and frankly magical eye for capturing the world as it exists and the world of fiction in her artwork. If you’re looking for a tattoo that incorporates adorable animals, bright flowers, or anime characters, you have to go to Ali for her uncanny ability to blend bold colour with soft tones.

There’s an atmosphere to her tattoos – they appear kind, sweet, made with love and affection. And all of this matches Ali’s own personality and attitude towards her work. She’s a kind, enthusiastic, and incredibly friendly artist. After a few hours with her, you get the best tattoo and a new friend. We know from first-hand experience, and we also know that she is one of the finest female tattoo artists in the UK today.

Find Ali on our list of artists of geeky tattoos!

Dani Green

Based in Edinburgh, Dani Green is one of the most electrifying and striking female tattoo artists in the UK right now. Her work is bold, bright, colourful, and playful; inspired by everything from natural landscapes and creatures to more nerdy designs reminiscent of Japanese and western pop culture.

The way that Dani Green sees and implements colour into her tattoos is inspiring, and the imaginative ways that she plays with her inspiration to create something wholly new and entirely her own will stay with you for a long time. Dani Green is one of the UK’s most beloved and celebrated tattoo artists for a reason. You need only glance over her work to see why!

Kate Selkie

My god, there may not be a UK-based female tattoo artist working today, with a more unique art style than Kate Selkie. We often use the comparison of human skin to canvas when talking about tattoos, but Selkie actually has the remarkable ability to make skin seem like canvas.

She doesn’t tattoo so much as she paints. Specialising in animals, flowers, and plants with an alluring blend of absolute realism and subtle interpretation, she creates something unmatched by any other UK tattoo artist. Her work is something truly special, and if there’s one woman who can make a name for herself with a unique style, it’s Kate Selkie.

Lois Clayton

Based in Essex, Lois Clayton is a UK tattoo artist who specialises in vibrant and colourful tattoos based on Pokemon and Nintendo characters. She takes beloved characters and puts them in original and imaginative scenarios, such as ramen bowls, keychains, or bites of sushi.

Clayton’s tattoos are both dedications to, and unique takes on, the beloved characters that so many of us grew up on, have been inspired by, and continue to find so much joy and comfort in. And, thanks to the sheer creativity on display in her tattoos, and the fact that the brightness and positivity found in these characters emanates so boldly from her work, you can’t help but smile at every single piece she creates.

Lala Inky

Lala is a quirky, sweet, and wonderful female tattoo artist with a delightfully nerdy side to her tattoo art. Both of us at Books and Bao have been lucky enough to get tattooed by her, and it’s always a fun, relaxing, and exciting experience.

Her work is unabashedly nerdy, adorable, usually bright and bold. Our own tattoos from her (one above) are great examples of that. Lala is great at taking something nerdy, whether it be Japanese or Western and putting her own unique spin on it, customising it, and bringing it to life in real bold beauty. She’s also fun, and being tattooed by someone who’s fun and a good chat takes half the pain away.

Stephanie Melbourne

If there’s one word that sums up Stephanie, it’s ‘dynamic’. A quick scroll through her impressive Instagram page reveals a range of styles and topics, from cartoony portraits to true-to-life shimmering rubies; from animals to anime. She’s diverse and her work is exciting. There’s a life and an animation to her tattoos that really make you feel like you’ve been given something exciting, not just a still image. Something, well, dynamic!

Stephanie blends neotrad tattooing with more modern and fun subject matter, showing that tattoos can be fun, sweet, and adorable.

Ellis Arch

Ellis can do an awful lot. Her range of style and her approach to tattooing is more than impressive. From black-and-white minimalism to brutalist bold blacks and sold colours to intricately shaded and coloured true-to-life people and creatures.

She’s the kind of artist you can approach with a vague idea and style, and she can make it into something real and tangible that you’ll fall in love with. Whether you like your tattoos loud and bold, or soft and delicate, she can do it. There’s a strength and fluidity to her art that’s unmatchable. Just look at how she captured our beautiful boy Oscar!

Lucy O’Connell

Lucy is another incredible UK tattoo artist who can do almost anything. If you have a favourite character from a film – real or animated – she can capture it on your skin like nobody else.

If you’re looking to celebrate your love of animals, people, or natural things, she can celebrate it with you. Or if you just want to look even more beautiful, she can help. Her art is versatile; it’s living, breathing, exciting art that’s hard not to get lost in.

Her strengths are in her variety and her intricate ways of capturing the heart of the thing she’s tattooing. She’s clearly an artist whose love for tattooing is equal to her skill.

Claudia de Sabe

Claudia is nothing less than a thundering legend in the UK tattoo artist world, especially among female tattoo artists. Originally from Italy, she gifts lucky lovers of tattoos everyday with mind-blowing, gorgeous artwork. Claudia takes the most traditional aspects of tattooing, from the UK, USA, Japan, and so on, and makes them sharper, more exciting, more modern, and more beautiful.

If you love your neotrad designs, Claudia’s interpretation and unique spin cannot be beaten. And it’s not hard to argue that she does traditional portraiture better than any other UK tattoo artist.

Sadee Glover

If you have a love for pets, beautiful wild creatures, and the prettier things in life, Sadee can map them to your skin for life, making you even more beautiful than you already are. Her ability to blend the bolder, harsher lines and colours of traditional work with the subtler intricacies and details of modern tattooing is impressive, demonstrating control, a keen eye, and a love for the art of tattooing.

She’s also incredibly gifted at portraiture with a colourful, neotrad twist. Sadee is one of the great female tattoo artists, for sure.

Georgina Liliane

There’s a softer, darker, more pastel-esque tone to Georgina’s artwork that relaxes you if you gaze at it for long enough. Her beautiful style, which is very much unique to her, is so unmistakably Georgina.

This means that she is, seemingly effortlessly, set apart from the rest of the UK’s female tattoo artists by virtue of being wonderfully herself. Like a nature and landscape painter, she captures the intricacies of living, moving, breathing things and transfers them into tattoo art with seamless beauty and splendour.

Amy V Savage

You’d be surprised how few artists can switch between black-and-grey and colour work without losing an inch of quality and dynamism. Amy is one of those rare and special artists. She has an eye for the deep yet simple artistry in things of the natural world, and celebrates them through her art.

Whether you prefer your art to be bold and bright, or softer and darker, she can deliver on both styles with grace and panache. Look closely, and take in all the wonderful intricacies of her work. And take your time.

Keavy

Based in Cumbria, Keavy is one of those wonderful female tattoo artists who excels within the cheerful, cute, and bright world of tattooing (our favourite place to be). Her art pops with bold, happy colours; it takes a lot of influence from the happier side of pop culture (kids’ cartoons and Pokemon, for example); and it makes you happy just to gaze on it.

She does also dabble in black and grey work but, in our opinion, it’s her brightest and most vibrant pieces that help her to stand out in a crowded industry. Bubbly and bright, we can’t get enough!

Clara

Bristol-based Clara is a new and fresh face in the UK tattoo world, but she has burst out of the gate with an immediately recognisable brand. Clara’s colour palette, style, and design themes are all her own, and having a unique brand of your own is what tattoo art is all about these days. She’s as savvy and she is talented!

If you’re into pastel tones, smaller pieces, and cute themes inspired by storybooks, nature, a big of old school tattooing, and generally happy vibes, you need to get a tattoo from Clara asap!

If you want to check out some of the best men tattoo artists in the UK today or tattoo artists in South Korea, then look no further.

Copenhagen, in short, is perfect. To top it all off, Copenhagen tattoo artists are some of the best around.

Copenhagen Tattoo Artists

Here, you’re going to see some incredible tattoo art from artists working out of shops like Iron & Ink and Thank You Tattoo – some of the very best tattoo shops in Copenhagen.

These artists are masters of neotrad, old school American, traditional Japanese, photorealistic black-and-grey tattoos, and everything else besides. These are the ten best Copenhagen tattoo artists.

ŠPENDLO

ŠPENDLO is a tattoo artist who divides their time between Copenhagen and Slovakia. In Copenhagen, their work out of Custom Made Ink.

ŠPENDLO excels at big, bold, bright artwork. Their tattoos are colourful, first and foremost. The colours are rich, big, and bright but also soft.

“Cartoonish” is the most fitting word but that might seem patronising. As a huge fan of cartoons and cartoon art, that’s far from my intention.

This is exactly the kind of tattoo art that I adore, maybe more than any other. It’s happy, cheerful, playful, and joy-inducing.

ŠPENDLO really does their best work when producing dinosaurs and other animals, but also when putting their own spin on images from nerd culture: video games, anime, and cartoons.

This is the kind of portfolio or tattoo Instagram page I can scroll through and be made giddy by for hours on end. This is art that makes people happy, and it is endlessly beautiful to boot.

Kinga Ewelina

Let’s start this off with a bang! Kinga is Copenhagen’s most unique is stylish tattoo artist, by a pretty wide margin.

This Copenhagen tattoo artist works out of Iron & Ink. As you go down this list, you’ll notice a trend: that Iron & Ink is one of the best tattoo shops in Copenhagen. And Kinga is a big part of the reason why.

Kinga’s tattoos, mostly (but not always) black and grey, have an ornamental theme about them. They’re intricate and delicate like the finest jewellery.

This magnificent Copenhagen tattoo artist specialises in mandala tattoos and other subtly Indian-inspired tattoo art.

The intricacies and details on display here are extraordinary! And Kinga, hands down, produces some of the most beautiful tattoo art in Copenhagen.

Jesper Jørgensen

Arguably Copenhagen’s king of tattooing, Jesper is an absolute legend of the tattooing world. Working out of Thank You Tattoo, one of the very best tattoo shops in Copenhagen, Jesper’s old school tattoos and neotrad tattoos are mouth-wateringly good!

Jesper is perhaps the leading Copenhagen tattoo artist when it comes to neotrad and harnessing the power of old school traditional tattoo designs and tattooing techniques.

A lot of (but not all of) his tattoos have delightfully dark, twisted, heavy metal themes. We’re talking fire, bloody, and demonic things. Bats, witches, skulls, reapers, and more.

Jesper also works with Eastern-inspired tattoo art. You’ll find a few samurai, geisha, and katana ripped straight out of the book on classic Japanese tattoo art.

But through his needle they’re so wonderfully refined and captivating. Looking to get the best tattoo in Copenhagen? You may want to start with Jesper.

Read More: 18 Unique Things to Do in Copenhagen

Andreas Milan

Another traditional Copenhagen tattoo artist is Andreas Milan. Andreas’ tattoos are true old school. They’re a real hark back to the traditional American tattoos of old.

But, of course, they’re refined and beautiful. Not so much neotrad as true traditional with modern precision and clarity. In other words, real beauty.

Andreas tattoos out of World Famous Copenhagen, another of the best tattoo shops in Copenhagen, and he is celebrated as one of the most cherished and refined Copenhagen tattoo artists.

From Andreas you can expect ships, knives, gypsy heads, eagles, snakes, mermaids – all of the true traditional tattoo designs that have become immovable classics in the world of tattooing. And he delivers them with sharpness and real style.

Tato Toby

Thank You Tattoo isn’t only one of the best tattoo shops in Copenhagen; it’s one of the best tattoo shops in Northern Europe. And Tato Toby is one of several reasons why.

Toby is an artist of traditional tattoos, but he’s one with enormous scope. His tattoos encompass all manner of styles and traditions.

If you’re a fan of traditional American tattoos, Japanese yokai, lifelike black and grey tattoos, and anything in-between, Toby can deliver something classy and captivating.

There’s fun in his art; it’s organic and enigmatic. He’s one of the best Copenhagen tattoo artists for a reason, after all.

Sigbjørn

Sigbjørn tattoos out of Death Or Glory, home to some of the coolest Copenhagen tattoo artists around. Sigbjørn specifically deals in traditional old school tattoos, which is an incredibly popular style in Copenhagen.

What makes Sigbjørn stand out against other Copenhagen tattoo artists is his unique colour scheme. He has a way of making a tattoo uniquely his by choosing from a select range of colours that have become something of a signature for his work.

You’ll notice plenty of reds and oranges mixed in with shades of black and grey that give a warm, dark tone to his style.

This colour scheme, mixed with the old school tattooing style, makes his art incredibly timeless. It’s likely that a tattoo from Sigbjørn is going to age incredibly gracefully and in a very satisfying way.

Ron Koupal

As a fan of traditional Japanese tattooing, I’ve been excited to talk about Ron Koupal for a while. Ron clearly has mountains of love and respect for the art of traditional Japanese art, and Japanese tattoo art specifically.

From full sleeves (arm or leg) to enormous back pieces – from cranes to tigers to phoenixes – from yokai to geisha to samurai – Ron is a master of it all. Ever wanted a tengu tattoo? Ron can deliver a fierce one.

His art is so authentic and detailed and luscious. He’s one of my favourite artists of Japanese style tattooing in Europe, and one of the most unique and exciting Copenhagen tattoo artists.

Ester Tarabal

Ester Tarabal might be the most broadly talented Copenhagen tattoo artist on this list. Like photorealistic black and grey tattoos? Check. How about soft colour tattoos with no black lines? Sorted. Or even tattoos that mimic more than one style of painting?

Yup, Ester can deliver.

Seriously, the sheer scope of Ester’s talent is almost too much to belief. She’s a true force in the tattooing world and she deserves to go down as one of the greats.

Her breadth of skill and her eye for detail and, perhaps most important of all, beauty cannot be understated. She’s truly one of the most purely skilled Copenhagen tattoo artists.

Read More: A Bookish Guide to Copenhagen

Kristina Marie Poulsen

We’ve covered old school, neotrad, and traditional Japanese tattoos, but where do you go if you want something black and grey, something photorealistic, and you’re seeking the best tattoo in Copenhagen? You turn to Kristina Marie Poulsen.

Kristina specialises in large pieces of photorealistic black and grey. She tattoos alongside Kinga Ewelina at Iron & Ink, one of the best tattoo shops in Copenhagen.

Looking for animal imagery? Human portraits? Delicate and bold script? Or something else entirely? If it’s black and grey, Kristina can deliver. Her art is a spectacle.

Kasper Rømer Riis

We all have our favourite styles of tattooing. And, while I can love and celebrate photorealistic tattoos and black-and-grey tattoos, my personal favourites are big, bold, colourful tattoos of nerdy things or neotrad designs. And that’s exactly what Kasper Rømer Riis delivers!

Kasper is another artist from Iron & Ink, one of the best tattoo shops in Copenhagen, and his art is all about those primary colours, those big and bold pieces of happy, jolly artwork.

Cartoon characters, bright flowers and kawaii creatures. Though Kasper does also dabble in sombre and sharp black-and-grey tattoos that are a really big mood. In other words, this Copenhagen tattoo artist can do it all.

Mikkel Westrup

Last on our list is another phenomenal Copenhagen tattoo artist from Thank You Tattoo – not only our favourite but absolutely one of the best tattoo shops in Copenhagen. Mikkel Westrup is a powerhouse of tattooing.

Horror and gore, Japanese neotrad, American traditional, and everything in-between. Mikkel is one of the elite tattoo artists in Copenhagen.

If you’re looking for sharp, quality, captivating neotrad tattoos inspired by both Western and Eastern traditions, you can’t do better than Mikkel.

This, of course, includes tattoo artists. It should be no surprise, then, that the Portland tattoo shops and tattoo artists are some of the coolest and most unique in the US. Here, you’ll find some of the best tattoo shops in Portland, OR.

Must-Visit Portland Tattoo Shops

Whether you live in Portland and are looking for new Portland tattoo shops to check out, or you’re just visiting and want to commemorate your trip, these are the best tattoo shops in Portland, Oregon.

Tattoo 34

Perhaps the most important and inspiring of all Portland tattoo shops, Tattoo 34 is a proudly indigenous and Black-owned business that hosts guest artists as well as in-house Portland tattoo artists.

The artists at Tattoo 34 come from a variety of backgrounds, and bring different influences to the artistic output of the shop. Black-and-grey and colour. Modern, neotrad, and old school. Vibrant pop art and subtle, muted tones. There’s a huge variety on display here.

We are huge fans of the ethos, the style, and the community focus of Tattoo 34. We love their emphasis on celebrating art, especially art by minority creators. They are good and wholesome people, and Tattoo 34 is one of the best tattoo shops in Portland OR.

Atlas Tattoo

Atlas Tattoo is a behemoth of the Portland, Oregon tattoo scene, and rightly so! This is one of the absolute best tattoo shops in Portland. It’s not often you’re blessed with this much variety of design and style that is also of outstanding quality.

We all know the phrase “jack of all trades, master of none” but what does it look like to have a tattoo shop that really is master of all? Well, it looks like Atlas Tattoo.

The artists at Atlas Tattoo are the best at neotrad. They’re the best at authentic Japanese-inspired tattoo art, and they’re the best at true traditional old school designs. This really is one of the absolute best Portland tattoo shops, hands down.

Scapegoat Tattoo

In terms of its popularity, Scapegoat Tattoo is one of the biggest and best tattoo shops in Portlant OR. Take a quick scroll through their portfolio or Instagram page and you’ll see why that is. It’s justified popularity, that’s for sure.

At Scapegoat Tattoo, you’re getting a true, timeless piece of tattoo art on your skin. Whether you prefer bold colours that pop, or deep but soothing blacks and greys, you’ll be stunned by the quality of artistry on display by the artists at Scapegoat Tattoo in Portlant.

We are particularly big fans of the way they take old school designs and motifs, and blend them into newer, more original designs; truly, this is neotrad tattooing at its sharpest.

Cypress Tattoo Studio

Mickey Warner is a home-grown Portland tattoo artist from a family of artists. His studio, Cypress Tattoo Studio, is one of the best tattoo shops in Portland OR, and he himself stands out as an excellent artist of hyper-realistic black-and-grey tattoos.

Warner excels in the realm of black-and-grey art, especially statuesque portraiture. His tattoo adaptations of Greek gods and warriors are a step above those of most other artists out there.

Cypress Tattoo Studios is one of the absolute must-visit Portland tattoo shops, especially for those ink lovers in search of the finest black-and-grey realism. There are few artists out there with Warners’ chops.

Illuminati Tattoo Parlor

We should make it clear right now that this isn’t actually a Portland tattoo shop. Illuminati can be found across the river/state line in Vancouver WA. But given just how close the two are, it felt almost unfair to not include Illuminati on this list.

It takes just as long to get from Portlant Union Station to Illuminati Tattoo Parlor as it does to get across town to Street Station, so we’re counting it. We also want an excuse to talk about this awesome tattoo shop.

We adore the style and delivery of the custom tattoos done at Illuminati Tattoo Parlor.

There’s a wonderful amount of variety on show at this tattoo shop, but the artists at Illuminati really excel when it comes to bold colours, and especially the contracts between splashes of colour and bold linework.

Ever True Tattoo

Some of the best Portland tattoo artists can be found at Ever True Tattoo. These artists have a real focus on old school and neotrad tattoos — the kinds that never go out of fashion and always look deliciously fresh.

Both black-and-grey and colour tattoos can be found at Ever True Tattoo, as well as both Eastern and Western inspired tattoo designs. This is a real American tattoo shop.

If, like us, you’re a devoted fan of traditional tattoos done with a modern eye and a modern aesthetic, Ever True Tattoo is what you’re looking for. One of the best tattoo shops in Portland OR, absolutely.

New Rose Tattoo

It’s something of a theme in this city that the best Portland tattoo shops are the ones that offer a variety amongst their artists, while also having a clearly defined theme.

New Rose Tattoo, like many of the best tattoo shops in Portland, Oregon, has a penchant for neotrad and old school tattoos, both traditional American and Japanese-inspired. There’s a romanticism to their designs that never goes out of style.

Whether you’re inspired by pop art and popular culture, or the traditional stylings of the great golden age American tattoo artists, you’ll find an artist at New Rose Tattoo that can do your ideas justice.

Martian Arts Tattoo

A Portland tattoo shop with a name like Martian Arts is not going to disappoint. It’s exactly the kind of name you’d expect to find in the city that’s home to The Freakybuttrue Peculiarium.

The art found at Martian Arts is a delightful mix of modern and old school. You’ll find tattoos inspired by geek culture (anime and cartoons, especially), as well as Japanese-inspired tattoo art and old school designs both colour and black-and-grey.

If you’re a fan of old school tattoo art, geeky custom tattoos, and original neotrad designs, pop into Martian Arts Tattoo, one of the best tattoo shops in Portland OR.

Icon Tattoo Studio

Icon Tattoo Studio isn’t only one of the best Portland tattoo shops; it’s also one of the most famous, and for good reason! In true Portland OR style, Icon is a tattoo shop that excels at bringing its clients fantastic old school, neotrad, and black-and-grey tattoos.

The linework on display at Icon is particularly impressive, showcasing clearly that some of the best Portland tattoo artists are working under this roof. These are tight, crisp, bold lines that consistently make the tattoo art of Icon pop and sparkle.

Minimalism is another valuable skill you can see on display at Icon. Some of the best art at this Portland tattoo shop takes a less-is-more approach to design and execution, especially where the old school tattoos are concerned, and we love it.

Grizzly Tattoo

If you’ve read this list in order so far, you’ll be wondering how the hell Portland has so many outstanding tattoo shops that do old school and neotrad so damn well. We don’t have the answer but we’re grateful either way!

Grizzly Tattoo is one of the best Portland tattoo shops when it comes to proper old school tattoo art. The artists at this Portland tattoo shop are masters of the skull, the tiger, the flame, the rose, and the snake.

These are designs as timeless as any, but the artists at Grizzly present them afresh, with originality and plenty of heart. We adore Grizzly to pieces; one of the best tattoo shops in Portland OR.

Tattoos are collected and worn proudly by lovers of cinema, anime, video games, comics, and books alike. And Literary tattoos are fast becoming a normal and celebrated niche in the tattoo world.

The Best Literary Tattoos for Bookworms

We celebrate our love of books, poetry, Shakespeare, and everything else literary in a hundred different ways and one of them, as book lovers, is by etching our favourite characters, quotes, and covers onto our skin.

Let’s take a look at eleven fantastic book tattoos, from Lord of the Rings tattoos to The Handmaid’s Tale tattoos via Alice in Wonderland and all the great literary tattoos in-between.

Alice in Wonderland Tattoo

Danny Elliott at Rebel Muse Tattoo, Texas does some bloody fantastic tattoos. 

The majority of his tattoo art depicts colourful, bold, and vibrant interpretations of characters and details from video games, comic books, and other areas of nerd fandom.

Suffice to say, if you’re in Texas and looking for a comic book tattoo or a video game tattoo, Danny is your man.

Here, he has brought to life through staggering dimensionality and depth the Cheshire Cat and the iconic ‘Drink Me’ shrinking tonic in a clever and captivating Alice in Wonderland tattoo.

Read More: The Best Magical Alice in Wonderland Tattoos

Harry Potter Tattoo

Harry Potter tattoos are, unsurprisingly, the most popular literary tattoos you’re likely to find. Harry Potter has a lively, enthusiastic, passionate, and dedicated fanbase so it stands to reason.

The Harry Potter universe also has a diverse selection of people, places, magical creatures, themes, quotes, items, and ideas that can be turned into awesome tattoo designs.

But no Harry Potter tattoo can beat this original and unique tattoo of Professor McGonagall in cat form. It’s a bright, cartoonish depiction of her in all her feline glory.

We’ve mentioned this tattoo, by Chelsea Shoneck, before and awed at it then as well. It’s a marvellous and original Harry Potter tattoo that we absolutely adore.

Read More: 8 Spellbinding Harry Potter Tattoos

His Dark Materials Tattoo

We’ve waxed poetic about Ellis Arch’s tattoos before and here she has outdone herself once again.

While it may not be to everyone’s tastes having a blade running through the head of beloved fan-favourite character Iorek Byrnison, one cannot argue with the artistry on display here.

Ellis has used traditional tattoo tropes of animal heads, knives, and blood to come up with one of the most unique and delightfully original literary tattoos in the form of this fantastic His Dark Materials tattoo.

You could go for anything when it comes to a His Dark Materials tattoo: an alethiometer, a spyglass, a hot air balloon, but why not go for a badass depiction of Iorek Byrnison, armoured and strong!

Lord of the Rings Tattoo

Konstantin Schmidt (resident artist at Verlorene Jungs in Lüneburg, Germany) does some truly astonishing tattoo art. Neotrad tattoos that pop and burst with heart and colour.

And while there are thousands of Lord of the Rings tattoos out there in the ocean of literary tattoos, unfortunately the vast majority are tacky and poorly executed.

His, however, as you can clearly see, are something truly magical and experimental.

He takes the tone and beauty of the settings – arguably the best thing about both the Lord of the Rings books and films – and transforms them into some truly breath-taking Lord of the Rings tattoos.

Game of Thrones Tattoo

Game of Thrones tattoos (or A Song of Ice and Fire tattoos, if you prefer) are excessively popular at the moment. As such, finding ones that really stand out (as opposed to being some simple script or poorly-replicated portrait of an actor) can be a real challenge!

Here, however, is an original interpretation of beloved character Arya Stark in all her murderous glory, designed and created by Cat No Name at Empty Project in Mexico City.

This most awesome of literary tattoos resembles Maisie Williams just enough to be recognisable, but also clearly takes inspiration from the books as well as being an original design by the artist.

In fact, it has a sort of chibi anime art style to it that we absolutely adore for a Game of thrones tattoo.

Edgar Allan Poe Tattoo

Would you believe us if we said that portrait tattoos of Edgar Allan Poe are surprisingly commonplace? It’s true! Poe tattoos are a favourite amongst us literary types.

And it makes sense: Poe strikes a very unique and recognisable pose.

He’s an author with a face as recognisable as Shakespeare’s.

And his gothic tone and themes make for some creative tattoo art. Here, for example, we have what might be the very best of Poe tattoos with a collage depicting Poe himself, his beloved raven, and a tarot-style moon and stars.

Esme Baker who tattoos in Guildford, UK (my old haunt, in fact), is an absolute legend in her field. Her tattoo art — black-and-grey fine line work in a gothic and woodcut style — is utterly breathtaking. And this Poe tattoo is Esme at her finest. One of our favourite literary tattoos.

Read More: The Best London Tattoo Artists

Franz Kafka Tattoo

Franz Kafka is one of the greats. He’s seen a surge in popularity recently, in the same way that Orwell and Atwood have, as the world grows weary once again of capitalism and our entire way of life seems to be one Kafkaesque joke.

And so what better time to celebrate one’s love of the depressed Czech icon than with a Kafka tattoo? It’s a challenge, of course, since our go-to image when thinking of Kafka is a large insect.

But CrocKat in Berlin has done is very proud. Her interpretation of Metamorphosis and the titular Gregor Samsa as a large insect is positively inspired, and a real treat of a Kafka tattoo.

CrocKat’s work, in general, is unique and captivating.

The Handmaid’s Tale Tattoo

The Handmaid’s Tale is perhaps one of the easier works of literature to be captured in ink, given both its iconic and striking character imagery and an iconic latin phrase adored and repeated by fans the world over.

And here, Amanda Slater (who tattoos at Lakeside Tattoo in Richmond, Virginia) has done that very but of script proud.

Tattooing a quote or piece of script can be a surprisingly creative challenge, and Slater has opted to surround the script with impressive and boldly colourful flowers.

This Nolite Te Basardes Carborundorum tattoo is a real original and beautiful representation of the iconic phrase, and makes for a striking Handmaid’s Tale tattoo.

Discworld Tattoo

Terry Pratchett’s Discworld is one of the most beloved fantasy book series’ in literary history. And many a fan has come and gone to get artistic interpretations of his work etched on their skin forever.

The majority of them, unsurprisingly, are of the Great A’Tuin – the World Turtle who carried the Discworld on its back, supported by four colossal elephants.

Many of these tattoos, however, suffer from an excess of detail that can ruin the effect. Stefanie Mader in Aschaffenburg, Germany has struck just the right balance here, though.

She has interpreted the World Turtle and adapted it into a gorgeous Discworld tattoo that’s recognisable, charming, beautifully executed, and something Sir Terry would be proud of.

Read More: A Tour of Hay-on-Way, Britain’s Book Town

Wheel of Time Tattoo

The internet is flooded with Wheel of Time tattoos, most of them depicting the fantasy book series’ iconic symbol, and almost all of them really badly done.

Not true of this stunning Wheel of Time tattoo by Vera in Seattle, WA. In fact, this is one of the most heavy and striking literary tattoos we’ve seen. What a piece of art!

The sheer size of it is impressive, but the way in which Vera has run with the design to create something with colour, vibrancy, and dimension is a real sight to see.

This is how you show your dedication to a beloved book series!

Coraline Tattoo

Of all the world’s authors, Neil Gaiman might be the one with the most dedicated and enthusiastic fanbase. As such, tattoos of his characters and quotes can be found on the skin of thousands of people the world over.

Especially his masterpiece comic book series: The Sandman. But here we have a fantastic, exquisite depiction of Coraline.

A bold, defining statement of love for a creator’s work, and an incredible piece of Coraline tattoo art by Michelle Maddison in Edinburgh, Scotland.

Books Tattoo

Our bonus tattoo isn’t from any author in particular, but rather something more general.

If you want to show your love of reading, and of books and literature in general, but you don’t want to focus on one author in particular, why not just get a tattoo of books?

It’s a difficult thing to pull off and make look good, but of all the many books tattoos we’ve seen, Marilou Legault-Mercier in Quebec, Canada has done it the best.

She has taken a stack of books, chosen the right colour scheme, moulded them perfectly to the skin, and added a few extra flourishes like the Deathly Hallows tattoo to make it something original and playful.

A fantastic way to show what books can mean to a person, and absolutely the best books tattoo we’ve seen.

We might also think about Japanese tattoo art. But tattoo artists in South Korea represent some of the most creative in the tattoo industry today.

Just like with so much Korean literature and Korean cinema, tattoo artists in Korea are pushing the tattoo industry in exciting new directions. Korean tattoo artists are thinking outside the constraints of traditional tattooing to bring us work that is wholly new and dynamic.

Before we dive into the best tattoo artists in Korea, here’s a quick history lesson.

History of Tattoos in South Korea

Korea has had a turbulent history with its tattoo culture. Similar to the views amongst the older generation in the West and attitudes which persist in Japan, tattoos have been associated with crime and general ‘untrustworthy types’.

Any actors and performers visiting and working in Korea have often had to, in the past, cover up tattoos while on stage to avoid offending anyone.

While having tattoos in Korea isn’t illegal, there’s still the issue of the law stating that actually getting a tattoo illegal if not performed by a licensed medical practitioner (this law is the same the same in Japan, though on the verge of changing).

Obviously, this makes it very difficult for talented artists to become licensed tattoo artists in South Korea (though far from impossible, as this list demonstrates).

The history of tattoos in Korea actually goes back to the 4th century when fishermen would get tattoos to ward off evil spirits. During the 19th century, however, things took a more negative turn when criminals were branded with tattoos.

Later, in the 20th century, tattoos in South Korea became associated with organised crime, much like how they still are in neighbouring Japan.

Additionally, there’s the issue that it goes against traditional Confucian values, which is similar to the religious argument in other countries, that you shouldn’t change the body your parents (or God) gave you.

Thankfully, tattoos are very quickly becoming de-stigmatised in Korea (compared to how they’re seen in neighbouring countries) and it’s not unusual to see young people on the Seoul subway with tattoos these days.

During our time living in Seoul, having tattoos ourselves has led to many conversations with curious locals that we just wouldn’t have had otherwise.

Check out our lists of other outstanding tattoo artists in Tokyo , Osaka, and Taiwan.

The Best Tattoo Artists in South Korea

Here are some of the best tattoo studios and tattoo artists currently working, and thriving, in South Korea. Scroll to the bottom for tips about getting a tattoo in South Korea.

85tattooer

The artist known as 85tattooer is one of the most unique tattoo artists in South Korea. They have a very specific style that makes their work instantly recognisable.

Almost every tattoo they do depicts either a grinning tiger (a modern take on an icon of Korean culture and mythology) or a grinning red devil with a gold tooth.

The devil can take many forms, from impersonations of recognisable characters from comic books and anime to dressing up as certain people or in certain roles, poses, and uniforms.

Cartoonish and bright, these wonderfully bold and inventive tattoos make 85tattooer one of the most exciting and original tattoo artists in South Korea today.

Dokhwa

Based in Seoul, Dokhwa is easily one of the most stand-out tattoo artists in South Korea working today. Her art is both hyper-realistic and adorable. This is because she mostly focusses on pets.

Not entirely, however. Dokhwa occasionally tattoos portraits and even characters from pop culture. But the majority of her tattoos are of dogs and cats looking both irresistibly cute and hypnotically realistic.

In spite of the realism on display here, Dokhwa still injects a unique sense of personality into her tattoos, through a recognisable and consistent colour palette.

This means you can spot one of Dokhwa’s tattoos easily, but also gasp at the sheer photorealism of them. She’s an incredible Korean tattoo artist.

Roha

Roha is a sensational Busan-based tattoo artist who specialises in a unique approach to portraiture (mostly women).

While her tattoos have a realistic quality to them, she almost always cleverly overlays the busts or entire bodies of women with natural imagery (ocean waves, sunsets, etc).

The end result is a piece that feels ethereal, calming, and yet also entirely captivating. Her line work also has a scrawling quality that sets it apart from other tattoo artists in South Korea.

Her approach to human form through her art is a breath of fresh air, and she has captured many hearts through her technique.

Krystal tattooer (크리스탈)

For more than ten years, the most popular growing trend and style in the world of tattooing is that of neotrad tattoos.

Neotrad is a style that takes old school traditional tattoo art and beefs it up with modern quality standards and, often, a more imaginative and playful approach.

Of all the tattoo artists in South Korea, it’s Krystal who represents the best neotrad tattoo art of the bunch. Her art is a consistent wave of beauty. Her colour palette leans heavily on shades of red and deep blacks, greys, and yellows.

Taking cues from traditional tattoo designs of old — skulls, ships, anchors, copasses, and other nautical tropes — Krystal not only imbues this style with new energy, she also does so with jaw-dropping skill and techniue.

If you like your tattoos bursting with colour, popping with depth and texture, and inspired by histories most iconic tattoo themes, Krystal represents the best of South Korea’s tattoo artists.

피타 – Pitta

Here is a Korean tattoo artist who really shows what it means to bring originality and style to your work as an artist. While, at the same time, drawing on your own heritage and local artistic traditions.

Pitta uses gorgeous traditional colours from Korean paintings, including classic reds, greens, pinks, and golds (the gold is stunning), to create scenes from Korea, Korean-inspired art, bold animals, and even Japanese anime-themed tattoos.

He often works in block shapes so his tattoos are instantly recognisable, without much background shading or even thick black line work.

Pitta is one of the best tattoo artists in South Korea if you want a traditional design in a uniquely modern style.

For tourists and travellers looking to get a uniquely Korean tattoo, Pitta is the artist you’re looking for.

Read More: Best Fine Line Tattoo Artists Around the World

시온 – Sion

Another one of the great tattoo artists in South Korea whose use of colour will blow you away. From natural florals and birds to beautiful fans and talismans.

Sion leans heavily on shades of pink with soft, delicate black line work to make their art quietly pop.

These are the perfect kinds of tattoos for someone looking for an understated, soft, yet infinitely stunning piece.

These are not loud, proud, intimidating tattoos. They are silky, soft, serene works of art that take their cues from classic crafts and natural elements.

If you’re looking for lush, dynamic, natural beauty then Sion is the artist for you.

시류타투 – Shiryu Tattoo

While Sion is an artist who opts for the soft and quiet approach, Shiryu is an artist who revels in the bold, the loud, and the extreme.

Excelling at enormous torso pieces, inspired by demons and Japanese elements like the phoenix and the peony flower, there is no artist like Shiryu.

One of the most exciting and abrasive tattoo artists in South Korea, Shiryu is all about that intense blast of bold colour, covering ever inch of skin with deep blacks, red, and golds.

These tattoos are metal; they are intense and loud; they are like nothing else you’ll find in South Korea.

홍담 – Hongdam

If you’re s fan of fine line tattoo art, Hongdam is for you. These are some of the most captivating, outstanding examples of fine line tattoo art you’ll ever find.

Hongdam creates fine-lined and whimsical watercolour tattoos and has made a huge name for themselves in the South Korean tattoo scene in recent years.

If you’ve been looking for a floral design or some delicate script tattoos then turning to Hongdam for your tattoo is an excellent choice. Their tiger designs are particularly inspired and, in turn, inspiring.

Sol Tattoo

Delicate fine art, watercolour tattoos. They create highly detailed pictures in the smallest of sizes. Sol tattoo is not only one of the finest artists of fine line tattoos in the world, but one of the best tattoo artists in South Korea.

타투이스트 나나  – Tattooer Nana

Nana specialises in the ever-growing in popularity neo-trad tattoo designs, while also managing to lean a little harder on the old school tattoo side of things.

Beautiful ,bold colours and thick black lines abound. For a striking tattoo in South Korea, this could be the one for you, especially if you’re a fan of the traditional and the real American old school style of tattooing.

타투이스트 바늘 – Tattooist Banul

This is one for delicate, small tattoos that make a statement. Thin lines, high detail, and majestic watercolours make Tattooist Banul’s style so distinctive.

Watercolour has become an increasingly popular style of tattooing in recent years, but quite often it can seem almost too pastel and quiet.

Banul manages to toe that line between bold colour and watercolour just perfectly.

Nobody

One of the best ways to make a name for yourself as an artist in any medium, and especially in the world of tattooing, is to have a specific personal brand or a recognisable style.

Nobody is one of the tattoo artists in South Korea who absolutely nails this.

Almostvery tattoo that Nobody designs is incorporated into a heart shape, regardless of what the content and design of the tattoo actually is. This is a genius move that is as unique as it is memorable.

Ridiculously cute, small heart and cartoon-inspired tattoos with bold lines. Totally unique and fun to simply admire, we absolutely love Nobody’s work!

호리타츠패밀리 – Horitatsu Family Kyu

Based in Busan, this Korean tattoo studio specialises in traditional Japanese designs and tattoo sleeves. Beautiful dragons, waves, and cranes are their signature styles and they do it so very, very well.

How to Get a Tattoo in South Korea

If you’re considering getting a tattoo in Korea I wouldn’t hesitate. The standards are equal to what you’d expect and with some of the most incredible tattoo artists in South Korea are below for you to choose from. You’re bound to come out with something special.

Most Korean tattoo artists have an Instagram page so if these aren’t your thing, that’s the best way to find someone who is. Find the best way to message them and fire over your ideas or visit the store and have a chat.

Most of these tattoo artists are based in Seoul but many of them do guest posts at tattoo conventions and studios around the world. If you need help with booking or want to find more artists, this Facebook page is a huge help.

Have fun getting a tattoo in South Korea, some of the very best artists to date are based there so don’t miss out.

If you like this then you might like: South Korean Films That Aren’t Oldboy, Books to Read Before Visiting Korea or find out Where to Stay in Seoul. For foodies, take a culinary trip around South Korea with us.

Tattoo-lovers travel from the world over to get tattooed by a specific UK-based artist, and for good reason: UK tattoo artists are some of the best. There’s such a healthy, happy, vibrant, and dynamic tattoo industry in the UK; it’s one of the things we’re proudest of these days.

The Best UK Tattoo Artists 2021

Tattoo art in the UK really is art. So, let’s check out a handful of the most fantastic, interesting, and exciting tattoo artists that the UK has to offer. Of course, this list is personal to an extent. These are artists that we at Books and Bao have a real affinity for. We’ve either been tattooed by them or desperately want to be.

There’s a slight bias towards the nerdy side of tattooing amongst the UK tattoo artists in this list, which is all the rage right now (and we’re big nerds, so, of course you’ll find nerd tattoos here). But what you have here is a wide range of styles, each of which is instantly recognisable as their own. Okay, let’s jump in!

Read More: Check out our female-exclusive list of 10 wonderful women tattoo artists in the UK!

Chris Green

Chris Green is a revelation of an artist, not only amongst UK tattoo artists but across the world (which explains why he does so many guests spots). His art crosses so many borders and genres, tapping into old school and neo traditional, and somehow being at once real and surreal. He’s a jack and master of all trades.

Chris excels at big pieces that cover a wide area; bold and striking art that captures your attention and doesn’t let it go. He has a recognisable colour palette and lovely grasp of shape and flow. There can’t be enough good said about the work that Chris Green does as a tattoo artist. His work is smart and powerful, and we love it to bits!

Josh Young

Josh has tattooed both of us at Books and Bao, and has (full disclaimer) become a dear friend. He’s a kind, impassioned, and ludicrously talented artist. Beyond that, he was raised in Botswana and has a sister who is about to become a published author!

Until recently, Josh worked at Stallions and Galleons in Swansea alongside other legendary artists like Ali Burke and Dom Turner, but has now set up his own studio: Highwater Gallery. He is one of the undisputed best UK tattoo artists.

Read More: See more from Josh Young in our Harry Potter Tattoo List

Matt Daniels

Matt Daniels has been building and building and building a reputation across the nerdy tattoo world of UK tattoo artists for the past several years. Almost all of his designs are inspired by anime, video games, cartoons, and other delightfully nerdy media.

His love for the art of tattooing and the designs he comes up with can be seen in his unique take on the source material he draws from. He’s an artist giving tattooing a good and friendly name in this millennial world where the gruff sailor types are out and the sweet nerdy boys are in.

Matt has recently opened up his own studio, Season One Tattoo in Preston, UK. He’s one of the most original and exciting UK tattoo artists around.

Update: I’m happy to say I’ve had the pleasure of being tattooed by Matt myself, and he did me an incredible tattoo from one of my favourite manga: Chainsaw Man, as well as a tattoo from my favourite novel: Frankenstein. You can those here on my Instagram page.

Natália Jiménez

Amongst London-based UK tattoo artists, Natália Jiménez stands out thanks to her unique brand of tattooing. Natália has made a name for herself as an artist of adorable, anthropomorphic animals. Mostly, she does cats, though you occasionally see other cute creatures if you browse her Instagram page.

All of these critters are adorable, sometimes inspired by nerdy and pop culture. Other times, they’re just cute cats doing cute things! Natália Jiménez has an eye for colour, softness, round features, and everything that goes into making her tattoos as sweet and wholesome as possible. She is an absolute treasure and if you’re looking for the cutest possible tattoos, she’s the UK tattoo artist you’ll want to pay a visit to!

Read More: Find Matt on our list of artists of geeky tattoos!

Kolahari

Kolahari operates out of The Circle in Soho, London, and he’s an artist you’ll never confuse with anyone else. He is one of the most unique UK tattoo artists around.

Kolahari’s work is reminiscent of woodcuts (like those of M.C. Escher) and medieval artwork. Much of his art is made from simple lineworks of black and white, with crosshatching and chiselling effects which give his art that distinct Kolahari quality.

Though he does also dabble in colours. Half of his designs are medieval European in style, such as tarot cards, castles, skulls, and axes; and the other half are traditional Japanese in style, such as waves, peonies, cranes, snakes, and anime or video game-inspired designs.

He’s diverse in his influences but very, very distinct in his style. There’s nobody else like Kolahari. If you’re looking for the best London tattoo artist, Kolahari is it.

Read More: 11 Best Berlin Tattoo Artists!

Merry Morgan

There’s no artist in the UK I want to be tattooed by more than Merry. Not only is he based in my favourite English city (Bath), but he also does some of the sickest dark, black, gothic designs you’ll ever see. Deep black, gloomy vibes, and slick designs. There’s nothing else like it. These are the kind of tattoos you just can’t tear your eyes away from.

I’ve spent too long just staring at Merry’s Instagram page, mesmerised by the plague doctors, gothic castles, creepy snow globes, crows, skulls, and eerie creatures. It’s all too easy to become passionately invested in Merry’s work, and nobody would blame you at all.

While you’re in Bath getting tattooed by Merry, don’t forget to pick up some books at some of our favourite Bath bookshops.

Dani Green

Edinburgh-based artist Dani Green is one of the most electrifying and striking UK tattoo artists working right now. Her work is bold, bright, colourful, and playful; inspired by everything from natural landscapes and creatures to more nerdy designs reminiscent of Japanese and western pop culture.

The way that Dani Green sees and implements colour into her tattoos is inspiring, and the imaginative ways that she plays with her inspiration to create something wholly new and entirely her own will stay with you for a long time. Dani Green is one of the UK’s most beloved and celebrated tattoo artists for a reason. You need only glance over her work to see why!

Jack Goks

Jack can do pretty much anything, but he particularly excels at bright and bold animal and human portraits that blend cartoon and realism. He works out of Cloak and Dagger in London and he’s without a doubt one of the best London tattoo artists you’ll find. There’s a gravity to Jack’s designs that captures you and reels you in.

It’s like each tattoo is a smooth pick-up line. Perhaps it’s the pure vibrancy and boldness of colour, of the tick and confident lines. Whatever it is, there’s something irresistible to Jack’s tattoos.

Lois Clayton

Based in Essex, Lois Clayton is a bright and colourful artist of bright and colourful tattoos. She specialises in areas of nerd culture — specifically tattoos inspired by the characters and worlds of Nintendo, Pokémon, and sometimes anime (such as the works of Studio Ghibli). Side note: the above tattoo was done on myself by Lois.

Her attention to detail when it comes to mixing colour, light, and shadow really allows her art to pop. And she never settles for just tattooing a character, but rather placing them in a fun and strange situation (such turning a Pokémon into an ice cream, a bowl of ramen, or a milkshake). Lois has a fun and fresh imagination that makes every tattoo she designs and delivers feel entirely original, and utterly beautiful to boot.

RAB (Barney)

The Leeds-based tattoo artist RAB — real name Barney (I don’t know what RAB’s all about either) — is one of the slickest neo traditional UK tattoo artists around! His work harkens back to the best of old school tattooing, but his vision and the little tweaks he infuses into his work really makes it pop in that neo trad way.

Birds and plants are his strong suit, but the guy excels at most things, especially designs that are nostalgic for the old school. We’re big fans of his unique globe designs as well. Barney’s art is incredibly satisfying to behold. He has a great eye for detail and does a great job of blending that with the bold, stark colour palettes of old. Lovely stuff.

Adam Knowles

It’s portraits that Adam really is the master of. He leans away from absolute realism in favour of a bright and vibrant interpretation of real life. Utter realism is a risky business in tattooing that can scare many a client off, so Adam instead opts to blend vibrancy of colour with true life to create something fun and full of flavour.

If you’re in the mood for a portrait of your favourite fictional character or real-life icon, Adam has you covered for sure.

Hattie J Cox

Lichfield-based Hattie J Cox is a big name in the UK tattoo scene and, well, her art speaks for itself. Big, bright, and bold, it is full of shadow and texture and depth. Mesmerising, every piece. Hattie’s themes and designs lean towards the natural, with her excelling and depicting large flowers, forest creatures, and fruit. Birds, bugs, and berries all come alive through her needle.

We are particular fans of large pieces full of colour, and that’s exactly what Hattie is queen of. I can’t get enough of her art, and we’re sure you can’t either.

Kodie Smith

Working out of The Interbellum Tattoo Lounge in Essex, UK, Kodie is easily one of the most diverse artists working in the UK tattoo artist industry today.

With a style that’s hard to pin down – at times eerily realistic, at others very neotrad, and often neither — he’s truly one-of-a-kind. If you love your bright flowers, detailed creatures, colourful scenes, nerd-inspired designs, or traditional call-backs, Kodie can do it all. Seeing his ability to handle almost any kind of design and make it uniquely his own is truly awe-inspiring.

Jack Peppiette

Jack Peppiette changed my mind completely about the more abstract black-and-white style of tattooing. These days the popular trends are bold colours, huge pieces depicting animals and flowers with intricate flowing script. Jack strips all of that away in favour of an intricately simple, precise, intimately beautiful, and mesmerising style of tattooing with a Polynesian and Indian influence.

You can find him at Insider Tattoo in Edinburgh, Scotland, and he is well worth the trip up north. The deep dark blacks and intricate blends of flowers and geometric patterns are hauntingly beautiful, and something that can completely mesmerise you if you’re not careful. I can’t get enough of his designs.

If you happen to find yourself in Seoul, Korea any time soon (although many of them guest tattoo around the world), here are ten tattoo artists there you can also check out!

But when you take a good, hard look and see the sheer quality and beauty of the artwork on show amongst all of these great artists, the mind truly boggles.

New York City is a dream travel destination for many all around the world, and when you see just how high the quality of tattoo art is in NYC, it only fuels the fires more.

The Best New York Tattoo Artists

So, who are some of the best tattoo artists in New York? Where can they be found, and what kind of art do they specialise in?

We’ve put together here a list of ten of the best tattoo artists in New York City for you to browse and enjoy. Next time you visit New York, give them a call (though you may want to book some of them in advance). Here are ten of the best tattoo artists in New York.

Michela Bottin (Soho Ink)

Michela Bottin is one of the most stand-out and original New York tattoo artists working right now.

Her anime and cartoon-inspired tattoos are mesmerising to behold, capturing all of the life and breath and beauty of the artwork they’re based on.

Whatever kind of animation you’re basing your tattoo off, she can emulate it on your skin to a scary degree of accuracy, with all the same electric energy and vibrancy of traditional hand-drawn art.

Take a minute to admire her work and see how it shifts and bends in style. It’s phenomenal artwork. Michela Bottin is, unquestionably, one of the best around.

Nico Negron (Tattoo Afterlife)

If you like your tattoo art to be hyper-realistic black and grey, you have to visit Nico Negron over any other artist in the area.

Nico has an uncanny ability to capture life on skin, and present the darker, gothic side of realism in stark and admirable beauty.

His work is vast and deep and dark; a real treat for the eyes. There’s a focus and a subtlety to it that demonstrates real mastery of the art of tattooing. One of the best New York tattoo artists, without a doubt.

Related: 8 Incredible UK Tattoo Artists

Giorgia Mae (Grit N Glory)

Originally from Melbourne, Australia, Giorgia Mae is today one of the most beloved and celebrated tattoo artists in the industry.

With a wide breadth of styles from bright and bold neotrad to sombre black and grey and beyond, Mae’s art is a treasure trove all on its own.

She has a particular knack for bringing art to life, making even deep blacks and greys pop with vibrancy and excitement. Her art is a pleasure to behold, truly.

Adam K. Perjatel (Green Apple Tattoo)

As anime fans, we at Books and Bao have been following Perj’s work for some time now. His work is utterly and completely indistinguishable from its influences.

Seriously, have a scan through his Instagram page and behold his ability to capture manga and anime art on human skin. It’s phenomenal, masterful work that never fails to shock and impress.

Perj is unquestionably one of the best New York tattoo artists working today, and if you enjoy anime and tattoos – a venn diagram which is essentially a circle these days – then you owe it to yourself to head to New York and get tattooed by Perj.

Read More: Ten Diverse Indie Bookstores in NYC

Chu (Yant Tattoo Studio)

If you want your tattoos to be nerdy and entirely fresh, Chu is one of the New York tattoo artists you need to check out and visit!

Chu operates out of Yant Tattoo Studio in Chelsea, NYC, and produces a unique style of tattooing that is all their own!

Taking inspiration from pop culture (video games, anime and manga, and cartoons), Chu’s art is cute and adorable, but also unlike anything else you’ll ever see!

Often when we get tattoos inspired by our favourite things, we run the risk of getting a carbon copy of that thing rather than a unique piece of art by an artist with their own vision. That won’t happen here with Chu.

They implement this genius approach to tattooing, inspired by our childhood colouring book scribbles, to create this crayon effect that you’ll either love or hate. I personally love it!

Brandon Schultheis (BlackSails Studio)

Take note: this is how you do neotrad tattooing. This is how you bring traditional American tattooing to the 21st century

Nautical themes, bright and bold colours, thick and defined line work, all brought to bold life with an animated flow that can’t be beat.

There’s such a vigour to Schultheis’ artwork – it’s loud and brash and powerful. There’s a real hypnotism to the colour and depth of it that catches your gaze and holds it.

If you love your neotrad tattoos and you’re looking for the best tattoo artists in New York, this guy is the real deal.

Related: 7 Great Tokyo Tattoo Artists

Joe Friedman (BlackSails Studio)

Another BlackSails artist with serious chops, Joe Friedman has incredibly diversity, able to put his own spin on traditional design, as well as art inspired by cartoons, anime, and video games.

There’s a youthful excitement to his artwork; you can tell that Joe is a tattoo artist who loves what he does, and puts everything into it. His tattoos are fun, exciting, and flavourful.

If you’re looking to get a tattoo inspired by your favourite stories and animation, or are looking for a truly deep and gorgeous neotrad tattoo design with beautiful use of nature and colour, Joe is your man.

A New York tattoo artist who does the city proud.

Read More: Best Tattoo Shops in Portland OR

Virginia Elwood

Brooklyn-based Virginia Elwood is keeping the old school flame of Western tattooing burning bright, and this is what has her standing out amongst New York tattoo artists.

Her work toes that line between old school tattoos and neo traditional; a line that does get blurred sometimes and it feels like Elwood is doing much of that blurring.

Her work is very much inspired by, and looks to be using techniques implemented by traditional American tattoo artists, but she injects a fierce new fury into her work that has you sitting up and paying attention.

She’s burning borders between styles and we love to see it. Yes, Virginia, you’re great.

Brittany Lynn (Empire State Studio)

There’s a cool and soft charm to Lynn’s tattoos. She uses this fantastically unique pastel quality which provides a muted and rich sweetness in her tattoo art which allows her to stand out massively in the oversaturated world of tattooing.

She’s at her peak when she’s tattooing flowers and animals – all things of nature. They live and breathe and take an almost dimensional shape that leaves your jaw on the floor as you explore her works.

Brittany Lynn will surely go on to be remembered as one of the great New York tattoo artists.

Joice Wang (Grit N Glory)

Joice Wang is a legend of the tattoo industry. Her flowers are unlike anything else in the entire world of tattooing, let alone only New York. Just take a look at the soft and subtle lines, colours, and shading on display.

She’s in an arena all her own in the tattoo world, with a very specific niche that she is queen of.

If you’ve been seeking the perfect flower tattoo, and you want something that’s both photo-realistic and all the same uniquely a piece of art, you need Joice Wang, one of the best tattoo artists in New York without question.

Krish Trece (Soho Ink)

Krish Trece isn’t only one of the best tattoo artists in New York, but one of my personal favourite tattoo artists on Earth. Her art speaks to me in an organic way, made with intricacy and pure style, full of bright, bold, fun.

I can’t get enough of her art, honestly. There’s so much talent on display here, it beggars belief.

Krish specialises in neotrad designs that are incredibly modern, fit the curve and shape of your body to an immaculate standard, and seem real enough to be living and breathing.

Her portraits, her animals, her muted tones and dense lines and intricate shading – it’s all perfection. If she’s not the best tattoo artist in New York, she’s at least my favourite.

Marek Pawlik (Inkology)

Originally from Poland, where a ludicrous amount of the world’s best tattoo artists hail from, Marek Pawlik is certainly amongst them. His art is all about large designs of heavy colour and deep, dense boldness.

Animals, flowers, all things of nature are his specialty, and he brings them to life in a vibrant and exciting way. Jungle scenes and underwater vistas that look like a painting you’d be proud to hang over your mantle (if you have one).

Pawlik’s tattoo art is energised and exciting, making him one of the stand-out New York tattoo artists working today.

Related: 10 Incredible Tattoo Artists in South Korea