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1440 Garnet Ave · (858) 291-8833

Black fine-line poppies and small blossoms with leafy stems sit on the side of the abdomen.A black and grey illustrative octopus spreads curling tentacles down a forearm and onto the hand.

Tattoo styles

Illustrative

Tattoos that look drawn: linework, whip shading, hatching and fine line, from storybook pieces to engraving-style work.

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Drawn, not painted

Illustrative tattooing keeps the hand visible: lines you can see, shading built from strokes, dots or hatching rather than smooth gradients. It ranges from storybook and sketch styles to engraving and woodcut looks, and fine line sits at its small, precise end.

A neo-traditional green dinosaur bares its teeth above a bone against orange rays on a cropped limb.
A neo traditional leopard drapes over a green skull on the forearm.A traditional bulldog tattoo wears a green helmet and spiked collar on a calf.

It suits subjects with a story: animals, botanicals, figures, objects, scenes. Because the hand stays visible, each artist's illustrative work looks like them, which is why the portfolios matter more here than in any other style; find the drawing you like and book its maker.

A color lion portrait with feathers, flowers and a butterfly covers the ribs.
A pink and yellow neo traditional flower covers the back of a hand and extends up the wrist.

Fresh off the needle

  • A black linework alchemy circle with symbols and script covers an upper arm.
  • A colorful Japanese-style samurai cat with a teal helmet, hearts and blossoms covers an upper arm.
  • A black and grey illustrative rose with tightly layered petals sits on the back of the upper arm.
  • A black and grey illustrative cowboy dog in a hat, vest and boots holds a revolver on a calf.
  • A colorful illustrative tree grows from a globe in a tattoo on the hip.
  • A black and grey realism owl perches on branches against a moon on the upper arm.
  • A neo-traditional shaded owl with orange eyes and an ornamental pink gem covers the forearm.
  • A color illustrative green eye sits in a pyramid beneath a spiral galaxy and lettered banners on the upper arm.
  • A watercolor-style whale with blue and purple splashes stretches along a thigh.
  • A black illustrative skull, scythe and thorny vines run beside a knee.
  • A black and grey horned devil crouches with clasped hands and a curled tail on the thigh.
  • Black and grey swallows perch on a branch while another carries an envelope above them on the ribs.
  • A color illustrative praying mantis holds a staff amid swirling teal watercolor strokes across an upper chest.
  • A teal neo-traditional octopus tentacle emerges from a yellow banana peel beside mushrooms on an ankle.
  • Fine-line flowers sit among flowing blackwork swirls and dots along an inner forearm.
  • A black and grey realistic woman's face dissolves into flowing blackwork lines down a lower leg.
  • Black soundwave pattern down a forearm, tattooed by Seth Reynolds
  • A black and grey illustrative shark in a cap holds a rifle on a calf.
  • A blackwork pin-up figure with flowers for a head and fishnet stockings stands on an outer upper arm.
  • A pink illustrative peony with yellow stamens sits among floral tattoos on the lower back.
  • A color illustrative stingray, golden trident and curling waves run along the forearm beside a tattoo table.
  • A realistic red, white and blue tattered flag tattoo extends along the arm.
  • An angled view shows a color illustrative stingray, golden trident and waves tattooed on the forearm beside a pillow.
  • Realistic pink flowers and black lettering reading Kindness is the revolution cover an upper back.

Flash from the wall

  • Flash from Redemption InkIllustrative

Linework first

A pink and gold watercolor phoenix with black flourishes covers the ribs beside dandelion seeds.
A red and gold watercolor goldfish sits among floral tattoos near a wrist.

The drawing is the tattoo, so the consultation is about the drawing: how much line, how much shading, how it will hold at the size you want. Fine line pieces have minimums for a reason; lines placed too close blur together over the years.

Stellie works fine line and black and grey; Slaine, Hunter, Madison and Diego each bring an illustrative hand of their own. The consultation is about how much line and how much shading the piece needs to hold at the size you want.

At a glance

Look
Visible linework, stroke shading
Ink
Black and grey, sometimes color
Sessions
Usually one
Fine line
Small, exact, placed with care
Artists
Stellie, Slaine, Hunter, Madison, Diego

Who to ask for illustrative

A color illustrative peacock with a long teal and red tail covers the outer upper arm.A black and grey illustrative raven with a crescent moon and red brush strokes covers the forearm.

Questions people ask

A black and grey illustrative ice pop filled with sliced fruit sits on the arm.

How small can fine line go?

Smaller than most people think, with a limit: lines need space between them to stay separate as the skin ages. The artist will tell you the smallest size that will still read in ten years.

Does fine line fade faster?

Thin lines have less ink, so they soften sooner than bold work. Good placement, sunblock and a touch-up when needed keep them sharp.

A color illustrative jellyfish with a red bell and purple tentacles floats over teal shading on the upper arm.

Can an illustrative piece have color?

Yes. Many illustrative pieces use a single color or a limited palette over black linework.

A black and grey realism sleeve combines a veiled woman, thorn-crowned man and roses.A black and grey realism portrait of Jesus with tears and a crown of thorns covers a forearm.

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