NICHOLAS TATTOO
Styles
Master of multiple disciplines across a decade of professional tattooing
Black & Grey Realism
Black and grey realism is the art of creating photorealistic images using only black ink and varying shades of grey. This style demands technical precision in shading, contrast, and detail to create tattoos that look like photographs on skin. From portraits of loved ones to dramatic scenes and wildlife, black and grey realism captures life with stunning accuracy.
Nicholas has spent over a decade mastering the subtle gradations and techniques that make black and grey realism one of the most technically demanding tattoo styles. Every piece is custom-designed to work with the natural contours of the body, ensuring the tattoo ages well and maintains its detail for years to come.
Approach
Custom stencil design from reference photos, meticulous shading with multiple needle groupings, strategic use of negative space for highlights, careful attention to skin tone and placement for optimal contrast.
Ideal Placements
ForearmSleeveBackChestThighCalf
Colour Realism
Colour realism pushes the boundaries of what is possible on skin. Using a full spectrum of pigments, this style creates tattoos that are vivid, dimensional, and true to life. Whether it is a pop culture portrait, a nature scene, or a fantasy piece, colour realism demands mastery of colour theory, blending, and layering.
Nicholas approaches colour realism with the same precision as his black and grey work, but with the added complexity of managing colour saturation, complementary tones, and how different pigments interact with various skin tones. The result is work that pops off the skin with vibrant, lasting colour.
Approach
Detailed colour mapping from references, layered application for depth and vibrancy, careful colour matching to ensure longevity, smooth gradient blending between tones.
Ideal Placements
SleeveThighCalfBackChest
Neo-Traditional
Neo-traditional tattooing takes the bold lines and iconic imagery of American traditional and evolves it with a contemporary approach. This style features thicker outlines, a broader colour palette, and more detailed illustrative elements while maintaining the timeless readability that makes traditional tattoos so enduring.
Nicholas brings a refined eye for composition and detail to neo-traditional work. Each piece balances the boldness of traditional tattooing with modern artistic sensibilities, creating tattoos that are both striking and sophisticated.
Approach
Strong, confident line work as the foundation, rich colour fills with smooth shading, illustrative detailing that adds depth without losing readability, designs that age well and hold their form.
Ideal Placements
ForearmThighCalfUpper ArmShin
Japanese
Japanese tattooing, or Irezumi, is one of the oldest and most respected tattoo traditions in the world. Rooted in centuries of artistic heritage, this style features iconic imagery such as dragons, koi fish, samurai, cherry blossoms, and waves, each carrying deep symbolic meaning and telling a story.
Nicholas approaches Japanese tattooing with reverence for the tradition while bringing modern technical execution. Each piece respects the rules of Japanese composition - the flow of the design with the body, proper background elements, and the relationship between main subjects and secondary motifs.
Approach
Traditional composition rules with modern execution, designs that flow with body anatomy, proper use of wind bars, waves, and clouds as background elements, bold colour or black and grey depending on client preference.
Ideal Placements
Full SleeveBack PieceChest to SleeveLeg SleeveTorso
Black Work
Blackwork encompasses a range of styles united by the use of solid black ink as the primary medium. From geometric patterns and dotwork to ornamental designs and bold graphic pieces, blackwork creates high-impact tattoos that are both visually striking and timeless.
Nicholas brings precision and patience to blackwork, whether creating intricate geometric patterns with thousands of individual dots or bold ornamental pieces with smooth, saturated black fills. The simplicity of the medium demands perfection in execution, as there is nowhere to hide imperfections.
Approach
Precise geometric layouts using mathematical principles, patient dotwork for texture and gradient effects, saturated black fills for bold impact, designs that complement body structure and symmetry.
Ideal Placements
ForearmNeckChestHandShinSternum