Kelly Smith works out of Cry Baby Tattoo in Sheffield, England. Kelly mainly does American traditional pieces, but also works in black work and Japanese styles.
Bloody panther head and a deadly looking snake.Some gorgeous pink peony’s paired with solid black filler in a forearm half sleeve.Some old school flowers for a bold neck piece.Badass scorpion ready to sting for this side neck piece.Japanese kitsune, or fox spirit.
Kelly’s work is bright and bold as hell, mixing the traditional themes of Americana and Japan with the bright colours of a Neo-traditional style.
Some classic clasped hands and trad flowers on the collar bone.Traditional geisha wearing a beautiful kimono.Anchor featuring Neck Deep lyrics.Good luck horseshoe and some mountains done in blackwork style.Badass Sailor Jerry inspired piece.
If you’re looking for a banging one off then Kelly is the one to see, but don’t be shy about getting a big piece! A back or torso design will be a brilliant addition to your collection.
Toad getting that zen life.Lots of green in this gorgeous back piece featuring Eve and Lucifer with that dratted apple.A painful spot for a mean looking eagle.Wicked snake head with some bright colours.Very painful looking old school piece featuring a tiger and a snake battling it out.
If you happen to find yourself in the Sheffield area Kelly is one to visit. I know I will!
Blackwork lady and rose.Namakubi hand banger. Gorgeous blue tones in that bloody head.Another peony, featuring a cute old school butterfly.More pink peony’s and solid black. These pieces are great for some heavy contrast.Sick traditional dragon looking ready to get into some mischief.
You can find Kelly on Instagram at @kellysmithtattoos
A bodysuit is the ultimate way for a tattoo collector to show their dedication to the craft. A bodysuit is most often done as one cohesive piece, usually in one style. But some people do start getting tattooed without the intention of having a bodysuit, then end up growing into it.
Japanese bodysuit done by Adam Craft at The Tattooed Heart.The late Rick Genest’s bodysuit done by Frank Lewis in Montreal Canada.Hyper realistic suit completed by Matt Jordan at Ship Shape Tattoo.Brilliant black work/tribal bodysuit done by Samuel Christensen.
Japanese is the most well known style for creating bodysuits. Done by one artist, tied together with background work such waves, clouds, and other nature themes.
Back and legs done by Shige at Yellow Blaze in Yokohama.The recognizable line work of Guy Le Tattooer.Black work and geometric bodysuit done by Nissaco in Osaka.Black work/tribal bodysuit done by Tomas Tomas at Seven Doors Tattoo in London.
More recently black work is becoming more popular for full bodysuits. Either heavy black work or smaller pieces.
Heavy black work torso and arm piece. A collaboration between Gerhard Wiesbeck and Little Swastika.Beautiful black and grey bodysuit done by Jason Butcher at immortal ink tattoo studio.Colourful bio mechanical bodysuit done by Paco Dietz in Santa Clara, Ca.Heavy black work done by Valerio Cancellier.
Similarly people get bodysuits of American traditional pieces. Hundreds of small pieces filling up a body to make it look more or less like one huge suit.
Geometric and dotwork done by Cory Ferguson at Good Point Tattoo in Ontario Canada.Arm, Back, and leg done by Julian Siebert at Corpsepainter Tattoo Munich, Germany.Black/geometric bodysuit done by Pierluigi Deliperi.
Black and grey, neo traditional, and realism styles are also being used for bodysuits now, making for eye popping artwork.
Black work torso and shoulders done by Duncan X in the UK.Full body Japanese suit with lots of black done by Koji Ichimaru.American traditional bodysuit done by Rich Hadley in the UK.
The word bodysuit may make you think of really a full body covered in tattoos, but it also refers to torso pieces that lead onto the arms, and/or legs.
Beautiful and heavy black work nature themed bodysuit done by Gakkin.Heavy black Japanese done by Lupo Horiokami Italy at mushin studio.American traditional mostly black work torso and arms done by Rich Hardy in the UK.
Jack is a black work artist working out of Insider Tattoo in Edinburgh, Scotland.
Peony in the ditch.Back of the neck and across the shoulders in a more Polynesian layout.Two cuffs, leading onto the hand.Heavy black and some dot and linework in this sleeve, featuring mandalas.Lots of flowers!Gorgeous hand and cuff piece.
Jack uses geometric patterns, adding flowers, mandalas, solid bands of black, and sometimes religious icons.
Healed and heavy on the black.Chest piece with laurels.Gorgeous finished Ganesha back piece.Flowers and collar.Matching shoulder peony flowers.Detailed back of the neck piece, all the way up onto the bottom of the head.
Jack has incredible attention to detail, making large pieces filled with incredible line and dotwork.
Ganesha and geometric patterns.Healed full sleeve with sacred geometry.
Jack does do some smaller pieces, but most of them are fairly large. Such as sleeves, backs, half sleeves, and chest pieces.
Beautiful face tattoo.3/4 sleeve with lots of dotwork for the shading.Forearms added to existing pieces leading onto the hands.Mandalas, dots, and lines on the legs, leading onto the feet.
Jack is a must visit artist if you are in Scotland.
According to Greek mythology, Medusa was born a beautiful woman, one of three sisters known as the Gorgons. When she was still human she was a priestess to the goddess Athena. Being a priestess she was sworn to celibacy.
Dark American trad Medusa head done by Aaron Breeze at Life & Death Tattoos Shrewsbury, England.Heavy blackwork Medusa head as a statue done by Gara at Happy Lighthouse Tattoo in Seoul, South Korea.Black and red traditional Medusa head done by Lynn Akura at Tiger Bones, Brighton UK.Full hyper realistic black and grey backpiece done by Zhuo Dan Ting at Shanghai Tattoo in Shanghai, China.
So how did a beautiful maiden turn into the monster we’re all familiar with? Medusa was really a victim, and turning into a monster was not at all her fault, but the god of the sea, Poseidons. Poseidon met Medusa and was immediately infatuated. He tried over and over again to seduce Medusa, who refused each time. Finally Medusa sought refuge in Athena’s temple to get away from Poseidon. Poseidon didn’t care and went after her, following her into the temple of Athena, where he forced himself on her against her will.
Neo trad Medusa head and rose done by Abel Sanchez at Red Dagger Tattoo in Texas.Realistic black and grey Medusa done by Dave Lao at Lone Wolf Studios in Winnipeg, Canada.Black and yellow Medusa piece by Kike Esteras at Black Ship in Barcelona.Neo trad Medusa head done by Shio Zaragoza at Blessed Tattoo in Spain.
To punish Medusa for having relations inside her temple, Athena turned Medusa into a monster. A woman with snakes for hair that could turn any who looked upon her directly into stone. Seeing herself as a hideous monster, Medusa fled, shunned by all, wandering alone. In her despair her character turned into the monster of her outward appearance.
Blackwork decapitated Medusa head done by Alexander Grim.More elegant looking Medusa by Helena Darling in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada.Hyper realistic Medusa piece done by Matias Noble in Valencia, Spain.Neo trad Medusa head and Perseus’ sword done by Teresa Sharpe at Unkindness Art in Richmond VA.
Many warriors tried unsuccessfully to slay Medusa, but all were turned to stone, and her reputation grew with each kill. Until Perseus was sent to collect her head and bring it to the king Polydectes. Perseus was given quite a bit of help to complete this task, which the other warriors did not have. He was given a sword smithed by the god Hephaestus, Hades’ helmet of invisibility, winged sandals from Hermes, and a mirrored shield from Athena.
Realistic black and grey Medusa on the back of the head done by Anderson Luna in New York.Large neo trad thigh piece done by Jake Danielson from Melbourne, Australia.Very bright neo trad Medusa head done by Nik The Rookie.
Perseus was able to slay Medusa by looking at her reflection in the mirrored shield so he could see her coming and not be turned to stone. He decapitated her, and in doing so freed her from Athena’s curse.
Linework Medusa head done by Daniel Teixeira.Dark neo trad piece done by Karlos Lloyd in Australia.Heavy black and good use of negative space in this piece by Oash Rodriguez.
As a tattoo Medusa is often done in black and grey, neo traditional, realism, blackwork, and American traditional. She is most often tattooed as just her head, either visibly decapitated or portrait style.
Lots of red in this neo trad piece by Heath Clifford at Throne Room Tattoo in New Zealand.Black and yellow neo trad piece done by Katie Berlinkey.Lots of green in this neo trad piece by Rodrigo Kalaka in Barcelona.
Who is your favourite mythological Greek character?
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