Luis Valencia in his workspace at Black Collar Tattoo

Every tattoo I make exists exactly once.

Drawn by hand for the person in front of me, tattooed once, then retired. No stencil sites, no repeats, no rushing you through the chair.

Meet Nimbus

I’m Luis. Most people call me Nimbus.

Mexican, raised in Ogden. My love for art started in church, of all places — I didn’t want to be there, but I couldn’t stop looking at the peaks and the filigree. I drew on the pamphlets, then on skate decks, then on everything. Four years ago I started sketching seriously again, and somebody online said I drew once and thought I was a tattoo artist. That comment did more for me than any compliment has.

Two apprenticeships later I tattoo out of Black Collar in Ogden. Bold and traditional, black and gray, fine line, lettering, the occasional strange little thing somebody’s been carrying around for years — I’d rather be known for taste than for one style. Every piece still starts as a pencil drawing made from scratch for the person who asked for it.

I still get to the shop a couple of hours before anyone else. Quiet room, coffee, everything set up the same way every time. You never see that part, and it’s the part that’s for you.

Where

Black Collar Tattoo
Ogden, Utah

Reach me

DM or text
801·657·1329

Reply time

Within 24 hours,
usually sooner

Selected work

Some of what I’ve made.

Bold, fine line, lettering, color, black and gray — I’d rather be known for taste than for one style. Keep scrolling; there’s more than fits on a screen.

Deer skull

Fine line · Black & gray

Dumplings

Traditional · Color

Peony

Traditional · Color

Que sera sera

Lettering · Black & gray

Astronaut

Color

Sacred heart

Black & gray · Traditional

Mom

Traditional · Black & gray · Lettering

Flower

Fine line

Harley, framed in flowers

Color

Wizard mushroom

Color

Creature

Black & gray

Spider

Black & gray

Crescent moon

Fine line

Guillotine

Black & gray

Popsicle

Color

Candle, framed

Black & gray

Mushroom cupcake

Color

Stitch, with lettering

Color · Lettering

Scissorhand shark

Color

Music score

Fine line

Vase of flowers

Color

Memorial compass

Black & gray

Memorial paw

Black & gray

Dagger, framed

Black & gray

Alien

Color

Sun

Black & gray

Paper crane

Fine line

Sunflower

Fine line

Blue mushroom

Color

Drag or scroll sideways. Click any piece to see it larger.

Available flash · one of one

On the wall.

Each of these gets tattooed once, then it comes off the wall. Open any design for its sizes, prices and where it sits best.

LF-001

Cherry Blossom

From $150

Available

LF-002

Dagger & Rose

From $480

Available

LF-003

Peony in Full Bloom

From $300

Available

LF-004

Lotus, Framed

From $250

Available

LF-005

Bleeding Heart, Vined

From $150

Available

LF-006

Nail & Rosebud

From $100

Available

LF-007

Stair to the Underworld

From $250

Available

LF-008

Daruma

From $400

Available

LF-009

Camp Slasher, Bust

From $400

Available

LF-010

Camp Slasher, Full

From $400

Available

LF-011

Phantasm

From $100

Available

LF-012

Papilio Traditionalis

From $250

Available

Open a design for its sizes and price. A $50 deposit books the appointment and comes off the price.

Open a design for its sizes and price. A $50 deposit books the appointment and comes off the price.

How the work gets made

Every line was on paper before it was on skin.

Send me whatever you have — a reference, a photo of the spot it’s going on, or a description of the thing you’ve been picturing. I’ll ask about size, placement, how much black you want and how much detail will hold there, then draw it and show you before we put a day on the calendar.

From there it’s a pencil pass to get the shape sitting right on the body, colored pencil and marker to work out how it will read once it’s healed rather than how it looks on paper, then traced clean, sized against your skin and laid out on the light table before the machine ever comes on.

Pencil

·

Colored pencil

·

Pen

·

Marker

·

Transfer paper

·

Light table

How booking works

Booking, start to finish.

Five short steps, about two minutes. Pick your own days from my calendar, then choose how you’d like to send the deposit.

Where would you like to start?

A design off the wall

Claim a flash design from the wall and it carries straight into the form.

Already know the number? Type it here.

Start with it

Something of my own

Tell me your idea and I’ll draw it from scratch. This is most of what I do.

Rather talk it through first? DM @nimbus_tattoos or text 801·657·1329 and we’ll start there.

I.

Tell me what you want

A flash design you’ve claimed, or your own idea in plain words. Reference photos if you have them.

II.

Where it goes, how big

Placement and rough size, so I can tell you what it’ll take and what it’ll cost.

III.

Pick your days

Choose up to three days from my calendar, or tell me when you’re usually free.

Open, waitlisted, or closed — you’ll see which is which.

IV.

How to reach you

Name, and whether you’d rather I text, DM, email or call. Plus anything that would make the appointment easier for you.

V.

Send the deposit

$50 by card, Venmo or cash. It holds the design while I confirm the details with you.

Nonrefundable. It comes off what you pay on the day.

I’ll confirm the design, the price and the date with you as soon as I can, and no later than 24 hours. Rather skip the form? DM @nimbus_tattoos or text 801·657·1329.

I’ll confirm the design, the price and the date with you as soon as I can, and no later than 24 hours. Rather skip the form? DM @nimbus_tattoos or text 801·657·1329.