Bold line, solid color, and a design that holds together from across a room. It’s the oldest way to tattoo and it’s still the most reliable — done right, a traditional piece looks as good in thirty years as it does the week it heals.
How I work it
I draw it in the traditional vocabulary: thick outline, limited palette, no fine detail that will blur. If you bring me a reference from a hundred years ago, I’ll draw you something new in the same language rather than copy it.
What to bring me
A rough idea and the spot it’s going. Traditional works best when you let the design fill the space properly, so come open to the size conversation.
Good for
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Daggers, roses, hearts, banners
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Anything you want legible at a glance
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First tattoos — they age the best
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Pieces you want to keep adding to
Time in the chair
Most traditional pieces are a session — four hours or so. Small ones are an hour.
Price
By the piece, by the session, or a full day — whatever the work needs. I’ll tell you the number before you commit to anything. A $50 deposit books the appointment and comes off the price.
Traditional I’ve done
Some examples.
Dumplings
Peony
Sacred heart
Mom
Flaming sacred heart