How to find good tattoo artists: tips for not making mistakes when choosing a professional

Getting a tattoo is a way of eternalizing something important or externalizing some inner feeling or characteristic.

Before making a decision to get a tattoo, you should think carefully and take some points into consideration as it is a very difficult and painful brand to remove.

In addition to being sure what you want to tattoo, looking for a good professional is essential to getting your tattoo the way you dreamed. Thus, the outcome is more likely to be legal and you will not regret it.

4 Tips for Finding a Good Tattoo Artist

Deciding where or with whom to get your tattoo is no easy task, especially if it's your first one. But, I say that the best option is not to choose the studio closest to your home, but the one that gives you the most confidence.

Here are some factors to consider and attitudes you can take when trying to identify a good tattoo artist:

Read also: 20 curiosities you probably didn't know about tattoos

Set the tattoo style you want: Knowing which type of tattoo you want to make it easier to find good professionals, after all the style of design serves as a filter. Look for names that have experience or do work that pleases you, in the style you want.

Consider the studio environment: The studio is, in a way, a reflection of the tattoo artist's work. Looking at the studio's décor, service, and audience can help you understand more about the style of tattoos you have done there, and whether it's a space that gives you confidence in getting your tattoo done. The environment should also suit you, because depending on the size of the tattoo, you will spend a few hours in this place.

However, more important than these "indirect" questions, is to analyze the cleanliness and hygiene conditions of the space, how is the sterilization process of the equipment and also if the products used are of quality.

Talk to the pro: Nothing better than a conversation to feel if the tattoo artist gives you confidence or not. By scheduling a visit you can get to know the studio, see some tattoo artist's work in person, discuss your ideas and get all your questions answered!

Search directions: Friends and other trusted people are also great sources for good tattoo artists, after all they can tell you in detail how the tattoo artist is, whether the experience was cool or had a negative point, and questions about pain and values.

Read also: Delicate tattoos combine femininity and subtlety

48 Brazilian tattoo artists to know, follow and inspire

To help you in the process, we've selected tattoo artists who are reference in every style and maybe if they are from your city, they might be a good bet for you!

If the list does not have a name for your city, the selected tattoo artists are also good sources of inspiration, both for those who are passionate about the art of tattooing and those who are crazy about making one.

If you want a watercolor tattoo

Watercolor tattoos are charming and perfect for those looking for a more organic painting style. In this technique, the paint is diluted in water, gaining different shades and effects of splashes and brush strokes.

1. Victor Octaviano: Victor is one of the names that could not miss the list of watercolor tattoos, after all his stroke and his painting are unique and full of fluidity. He serves in Sao Paulo and has a busy schedule.
2. Felipe Bernardes: Felipe attends at Maori Tattoo Studio, which is in Serra, city of Espírito Santo. He is great at combining watercolor painting with geometric strokes and creates tattoos full of color and attitude!
3. Felipe Mello: The details and the? Scratch? They are present in the style of Felipe Mello, who is from Rio de Janeiro, but with a more punctual presence of color. The result is charming tattoos regardless of the type of design, delicate or obscure. He serves in Rio, but his schedule is full of trips to other capitals, maybe he goes through yours?
4. Paulo Victor Skaz: Paulo is from Recife and has a style that he defines as surrealist and abstract, his watercolors are full of nuances that seduce the eye. Check out his Instagram to check it out!
5. Tavares: With splashes, vibrant colors and personality to spare, this artist from Porto Alegre is a good choice for those looking for an original and exclusive tattoo. In addition to its beautiful watercolors, Tavares also works with the realistic style.
6. Amanda Roosevelt: Amanda is a tattoo artist and illustrator from Fortaleza who does amazing watercolor tattoos. She excels in botanical tattoos and creates amazing designs that depict flowers, leaves and trees.Take a look at her Instagram that you won't regret!

If you want an old / new school tattoo

The old and new school styles are characterized by their striking contours, intense shade colors and a more retro, retro look. This style is classic and timeless, never goes out of style. Bet on this style if you are afraid of getting sick of the tattoo in the future.

1. Cesar Malnova: Directly from Ribeirão Preto, in São Paulo, Cesar has a very characteristic feature of the old school style, and stands out for it, but also works with other styles such as the fine stroke and blackwork.
2. Grandson Wolf: Neto fits the traditional new style more, as it combines aspects of old and new school and produces more stylized works. He serves in Curitiba, but travels to tattoo in other cities.
3. Luiza Fortes: With a very rich work, Luiza walks between the neo traditional and the new school, as well as the fine line and pointillism, that is, it has so much for those looking for personality or delicacy. She attends at the Art Line Tattoo Studio in Rio de Janeiro.
4. Maria Fernanda : Maria's work combines the power of the old school style with a certain softness. Your tattoos are colorful and charming! Check out Maria's Instagram and write her name on the calendar if you live or go to São Paulo.
5. Dionel Orona: What draws the most attention in the work of Dionel, a tattoo artist from Rio de Janeiro, is the accuracy of his stroke in old and new school designs. The colors have very well defined contours, which makes his work a true work of art.
6. Ana Mendes: Ana Mendes is a tattoo artist from Belo Horizonte who rocks the old school style. She also works with other styles and rocks them all. It's worth checking out her work.

If you want a realistic tattoo

The realistic tattoo is undoubtedly the hardest to perform. The level of detail of this style is extremely high and nothing can go wrong, especially when the design chosen is a person's face. In this case, the choice of the professional should be made carefully and carefully. You must be very sure of your choice so that the result does not disappoint you. Choose an experienced tattoo artist, ask to see photos of other works and talk to those who have already tattooed with the professional. With such care, your tattoo has everything to look amazing!

Also read: Get Inspired by the Most Beautiful Blogger Tattoos

1. Fernando Souza: Fernando is a São Paulo artist who also works with the realistic style and is very faithful in the portraits. In his Instagram he shows several tattoos next to the original photos, the result is amazing!
2. Chico Morbene: Gaucho Chico Morbene's tattoos impress with extreme realism. Some eye-design tattoos are so faithful that they even have the sparkle of real eyes.
3. Thiago Silva: Thiago Silva is a tattoo artist from Curitiba who attends studio Immortal Tattoo. It reproduces real images in extremely faithful tattoos, ideal for those who want to eternalize a memory.
4. Aline Pinheiro: Aline goes through a variety of styles (and does very well in all, by the way), but does an impressive realistic job. She grips the faces of famous people and also rocks blackwork. Its shading further enhances the impression of three-dimensionality.
5. Led Coult: Led Coult is a tattoo artist from Santa Catarina who has impressive portraits. On his Instagram, he posts photos of the tattoos alongside the original photos and the reproduction is very faithful. It's worth checking his work!
6. Alexandre Veríssimo: From Maringá, Paraná, Alexandre Veríssimo is an artist who performs tattoos that are a masterpiece. He uses and abuses colors to make his work as true to reality as possible.

If you want a written tattoo

Tattoos with words and phrases are becoming increasingly common and can express a memory, a feeling and even the name of a loved one. Also called lettering, this style can come in many different fonts and even the lyrics of someone special. Many people even tattoo other people's signature.

1. Gabriela Droguett: This tip is for Bahians who want to tattoo: Gabriela Droguett, expert in calligraphic style, is a reference in the subject. Her trait is amazing and she is able to work with multiple sources.
2. Rêka Bittencourt: Rêka Bittencourt, who is also from Salvador, gets tattoos written with a clean and fluid stroke. A perfect option for you who want a delicate and beautiful tattoo.
3. Pablo Morysson: Pablo Morysson, in addition to other styles, works with written tattoos. His trait is delicate and he can satisfy all customers from their orders. He currently serves in São Luís, Maranhão.
4. Caio Cruz: Caio's Lettering style is more aggressive, ideal for those who are adept at a heavy, attitude-filled style. He is so competent and professional that he teaches courses in Brazil and is featured in competitions.
5. Tassio Bacelar: Salvador's tattoo artist Tassio owns a fine line that looks great on very delicate written tattoos. He has a very unique style and mixes fonts in the sentences, which makes his work unique.
6. Rhailla Farinna: Serving in São Paulo, Rhailla is an artist who rocks the written tattoos. She does everything from tattoos with fine features to works with aggressive features, meeting the most varied tastes.

If you want a thin stroke tattoo

Fine line tattoos, or also called fineline tattoos, are ideal for you who want a more delicate and discreet design. If you are going to get your first tattoo and are afraid of risking something too grandiose, choose the thin stroke you won't regret! A very important tip: choose the tattoo artist very well for this job. Fine-line tattoos require a lot of firmness and precision so that they do not become crooked.

1. Taís Thorpe: Taís Thorpe is an artist from Rio de Janeiro who has a very thin stroke, ideal for you who wants a tattoo that is stylish but also delicate. The work of Taís is amazing and conveys a lot of personality.
2. Suconic Crisis: From Jaú, in the interior of São Paulo, Criz Suconic is a tattoo artist who impresses with the fine line. Using few colors, she does amazing works that elicit compliments from anyone.
3. Ana Abrahão: With a very fine line and many colors, Ana Abrahão's work is delicate and charming. On your Instagram we can see tattoos of elements of nature such as flowers, leaves and trees. She serves in Brasilia, but also travels to various places in Brazil and around the world to meet.
4. Jessika Campos: Jessika is a tattoo artist from Piracicaba, São Paulo, who rocks the style fineline. His work conveys delicacy and sensitivity, essential features for anyone who wants a thin stroke tattoo. She also serves in other places in Brazil and around the world, to stay on top of her schedule just follow her on Instagram.
5. Luiza Oliveira: From Belo Horizonte, Luiza is a tattoo artist who has her own style. Bringing together fine line and watercolor, his creations are true works of art and seem to have gone straight from nature to the skin of his clients.
6. Daniel Galdino: Daniel Galdino is a tattoo artist from Rio de Janeiro who designs with meaning and delicacy. In addition to the tattoos with the thin stroke, he also rocks the pointillism. It's worth checking his work!

If you want a dotted tattoo

The dotted style is increasingly high and impresses with the high degree of detail. The figures are filled with tiny dots with the tip of the needle, giving the possibility of creating shadows and gradients. If you are very sensitive to pain or are going to tattoo a body part that is usually more sensitive, choosing pointillism may be a great idea.

1. Ricardo Garcia: From Londrina, Paraná, Ricardo is a tattoo artist whose main identity is botany. He does detailed work with pointillism, which makes his work wonderful. If you're not from Paraná and enjoyed Ricardo's work, stay tuned on his Instagram and check out the other cities he travels to tattoo.
2. Dani Bianco: Dani Bianco is a Taubaté artist who rocks pointillism. Her tattoos are full of delicacy and feeling, it's worth knowing your work!
3. Ricardo Wamberg: Owner of an incredible trait, Ricardo Wamberg is a tattoo artist who deserves attention. From Recife, he makes dotted tattoos that delight anyone and his designs are full of personality.
4. Carina Caiê: Carina Caiê is a tattoo artist who does not attend a fixed city. You can keep an eye on her Instagram to see which cities are on your calendar. Its main identity is minimalism and delicate tattoos and of course with an amazing dotted dash.
5. Michaella Schorr: From São Paulo, Michaella is an artist who makes beautiful and attitude-filled copyright tattoos. Her work is marked by drawings full of details that are even richer with pointillism.
6. Luana Xavier: Luana Xavier is a tattoo artist from Rio de Janeiro who also serves in other parts of Brazil and the world. Their tattoos impress with the amount of detail and designs that convey the personality of each client.

If you want a geometric tattoo

The geometric style is one of the newest styles and tattoo and it keeps on gaining adherents. Along with minimalism, this style enchants with its straight lines that convey organization. Many people also use geometric figures as frames for other tattoos, which makes drawing more expensive than artwork.

1. Brian Gomes: With a very different style from what we see out there, Brian Gomes impresses with his super-colorful tattoos full of geometric shapes. He is from São Paulo, but serves in several cities of Brazil. His schedule is almost always busy, so if you want to tattoo with Brian you have to be patient, but it's worth it!
2. Kadu Antonioli: Also going through other styles, Kadu Antonioli is a tattoo artist from Rio de Janeiro who is very prominent in geometric tattoos. Its trait is original and stylish.
3. William Marin: Also from Sao Paulo, William Marin has an amazing job. It can geometrize any drawing, even the realistic ones. Quite different from what we are used to seeing. Check out his work on your Instagram profile.
4. Tyago Chronos: From Curitiba, Paraná's capital, Tyago is a tattoo artist who has a very characteristic trait. His drawings are free, almost like drafts, which add an even greater touch of artwork. It also combines realistic strokes with over-colored watercolors.
5. André Cast: André Cast is a tattoo artist from Sao Paulo who has a really cool job. Its thick lines form striking geometric figures, full of detail and with a lot of personality. He also serves in other cities in Brazil.
6. Marcelo Scaranari: From Campinas, São Paulo, Marcelo is an artist who goes through various styles and does very well in all of them. Their geometric tattoos have such a precise stroke that they look like rulers. He also serves elsewhere in Brazil and communicates his schedule on Instagram.

If you want a blackwork tattoo

Unlike other styles, the focus of blackwork tattooing is not the meaning. Because it has well-defined black lines, blackwork focuses on the design and figures it forms. Another interesting option is to use blackwork to tattoo over some tattoo you don't like anymore, as it is great for coverings. This style is aggressive and know that if you choose a blackwork tattoo, it will draw attention wherever you go.

Read also: Women's Tattoos: 550 photos of all styles and trends

1. Maxwell Alves: One name that could not be out of this list is Maxwell Alves, a tattoo artist from Curitiba who has an impeccable streak. Their blackwork style tattoos are wonderful, worthy of praise.
2. Ricardo da Maia: Ricardo da Maia is a Curitiba artist who rocks blackwork. He makes shadows that make his tattoos even more charming. Do you want to tattoo with Ricardo? See your Instagram and stay on top of other cities that it also serves.
3. Bernardo Lacerda: From Rio de Janeiro, Bernardo Lacerda is a tattoo artist who has his own work. His designs follow a freer stroke, which makes his tattoos original. On his Instagram, he talks a little about the meaning of each tattoo. Very cool, is not it?
4. Julia Bicudo: Julia Bicudo is a tattoo artist from Sao Paulo who mixes blackwork with old school style. She knows how to use colors and whimsy in the black line, characteristic of tattoo black work. You can check your work on Instagram.
5. Cavera Volf: Cavera is a tattoo artist who rocks blackwork. He does works totally filled with black ink that are beautiful. If you want to tattoo with him, keep an eye on his Instagram because he doesn't answer in a fixed place.
6. Brice Gomes: Brice is a São Paulo artist who also travels to tattoo. Its stroke is flawless and clean, resulting in tattoos that are true works of art. Most of his work is in blackwork, but he also rocks the traditional old school.

Good names are not lacking, besides these there are many others left out, but we hope that the selection has served to know the work of amazing artists and note the amount of good tattoo artists that exist in Brazil.

And if you know an amazing tattoo artist in your city be sure to refer them to your colleagues and friends, so we can guarantee quality tattoos and value the work of those who grope with passion!

Getting Your First TATTOO: 5 Best Tips | by Tattoo Artist (May 2024)