Tattoo Styles We Do
Between them, our artists cover most of the major tattooing traditions, from a delicate fine line piece to a bold traditional sleeve. Which artist you book matters more than which studio, so here are the styles we do and who does them.
Fine Line & Minimalist
Characterised by thin, precise lines and subtle shading, Fine Line tattooing requires an incredibly steady hand. This style is perfect for delicate florals, script, and small-scale illustrative work. Our artist Izzy specialises in this technique, creating elegant pieces that age beautifully without blurring.
Portrait Realism
Realism focuses on transferring an image onto skin with photographic accuracy. This style avoids hard outlines, instead using shading and contrast to create depth and dimension. Senior Artist Squid has spent sixteen years on this work, mostly black and grey portraits.
Traditional American
'Bold will hold.' Traditional American (or Old School) tattoos are defined by bold black outlines, a limited colour palette (red, green, yellow, black), and iconic imagery like roses, eagles, and anchors. Senior Artist Squid keeps this tradition alive, creating timeless pieces that look tough and last forever.
Japanese Irezumi
Rooted in centuries of history, Japanese tattooing focuses on flow and storytelling. Using motifs like dragons, koi, and floral backgrounds, these tattoos are often designed to cover large areas of the body (sleeves, backpieces). We focus on respecting the traditional rules of composition while adapting them to your body.
Illustrative Blackwork
This style uses black ink to create image-based designs that resemble illustrations on paper. Ranging from etching/woodcut styles to dark art, this versatile style focuses on texture and line weight. Senior Artist Dylan specialises in this dark, atmospheric aesthetic.
Watercolor
Flowing, artistic watercolor-style tattoos mimic the look of brushstrokes and paint on canvas. This style creates vibrant, ethereal pieces with splashes of colour and soft edges, perfect for those wanting a more painterly aesthetic.
Geometric & Dotwork
From sacred geometry to intricate stippling, this style relies on mathematical precision and symmetry. Dotwork uses thousands of individual dots to build shading and texture, creating depth and dimension in mandalas and patterns.
Neo-Traditional
Taking the core rules of Traditional American tattooing and expanding them. Neo-Traditional keeps the bold outlines but introduces broader colour palettes, more intricate details, and illustrative depth.
Biomechanical
A futuristic style that blends organic anatomy with mechanical elements like gears, pistons, and metal plates. Designed to look as if your skin has been ripped away to reveal machinery underneath.
Ornamental
Focused on decoration and flow, ornamental tattoos often draw inspiration from jewelry, henna, architecture, and lace. These designs are meant to enhance the natural curves of the body.
Surrealism & Abstract
Breaking the rules of reality. Surrealism creates dreamlike imagery that defies logic, while Abstract tattooing uses form, colour, and composition to express emotion without strictly representational subject matter.
Lettering & Script
From bold gothic calligraphy to delicate handwriting. Custom lettering is an art form in itself, ensuring your meaningful words look legible and artistic.
Cover-Ups
You should not have to live with a tattoo you do not love. A good cover-up takes planning: the old design disappears under a new piece you actually want, rather than under a dark blob.
Not sure which style fits your idea? Book a consultation with us, and we can guide you towards the best approach for your design.
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