10 Best Black Tattoo Artists (2024 Updated)

Being a tattoo artist allows you to do some amazing jobs. You get to design creative tattoos and ink other people’s ideas and dreams on their skin. It takes a lot of practice, work, and experience to become a professional tattoo artist, more so to maintain a loyal customer base. Getting on top of your game with expensive equipment and various regulations in the tattoo world can be quite difficult, especially if you’re a person of color.

Many people may be discouraged to learn that their tattoo artist is a person of color, let alone a black person. However, skin color doesn’t decide the hygiene and other standards in the tattoo studio. Moreover, people of color who want to become professional tattoo artists have to go through the same training process as white people.

With that in mind, there’s no reason to judge tattoo artists based on their skin, especially because we discovered some great social media accounts led by black tattoo artists. If you’re interested in learning more about their tattooing style and what they all offer, we encourage you to continue reading through this article and make sure to check their profiles out.

Black tattoo artists may also be the last resort for people of color who want to get tattooed. Black and white minimalistic designs look different on darker skin, which can be extremely difficult for white tattoo artists to bring to reality. Black tattoo artists can be helpful to people of color who also want to get a tattoo, but are worried about them being in the right hands or not.

Lastly, some people would feel more comfortable when inked by a black person to avoid any insults on a racial basis, as well as the rise of eyebrows or looks. This way, it might feel more convenient for a person of color to share their opinion and view on what they’d like their tattoo to look like, in the ambient that is more familiar to them.

10 Amazing Black Tattoo Artists

If you made it this far, enjoy the ride for ideas of 10 amazing black tattoo artists who are open to appointments and will gladly discuss your tattoo idea or design with you.

Book Kevin Laroy: @Bookkevinlaroy

Kevin Laroy is one of the most popular tattoo artists of color on Instagram, but also wider on the web. He had the opportunity to ink many people, including some black celebrities. More importantly, besides tattooing Kevin also makes music, hence his involvement with the show business.

He can make any design look good. He enjoys making children’s portraits or portraits in general. We’ve also seen some great tattoo sleeves that represent portraits and we must say that they took our breath away. Also, shading and colorful tattoos often make an appearance on his profile, breaking the stereotypes connected to tattoos, particularly those colorful ones, and how they look on darker skin.

Kevin currently books tattoo appointments. However, for that to be possible you have to be in Los Angeles, where he works from. We recommend Kevin, his tattoos are here to stay, and you’ll be amazed to see how good they look once they heal.

Atlanta Tattoo Artist (Lotice): @Designerinktattoos

We love the creative Instagram handle that this tattoo artist came up with. It’s great branding for even better and more carefully designed tattoos that the artist promotes. This tattoo artist is based in Atlanta, but the designs are available around the world like you can see in the profile.

Pretty much, this tattoo artist boasts a great variety of tattoo designs and ideas that you can take from. Moreover, the ambient is great and there is a lot of positive feedback gathering about this great tattoo studio. It is an ideal place for both smaller and larger tattoos, as well as simple minimalistic tattoos and those that use a lot of shading.

They also do corrections and touch-ups of old and faded tattoos, as well as poorly designed tats that you may no longer be happy with. Also, the profile is full of creative reels and memes to give you a good laugh while also serving as a promotion of tattoo designs.

Based on the pictures, we can see that the designs are neat, done with utmost detail, and also made so that there is no ink leakage or smushing even after the tattoo has healed through. While animal prints are the most popular, you can also find other smaller and bigger symbols.

Debbi Snax: @Snaxink

This Atlanta-based tattoo artist and painter does an exceptional job at bringing life into the paintings and body canvas infused with fine ink. Various tattoos can show how beautiful her tattooing artistic style is and numerous happy customers who keep coming back to experience the skill and dedication behind her work.

Snax also offers her a selection of custom-made tattoos that you can use to get tattooed. Whether you’re up to a smaller or larger tattoo, she will be happy to make it a reality. Just make sure to email her first before booking an appointment through Instagram or some other social media channel.

You can see the bits of her dedicated work below.

Oba Jackson: @Omoori

Oba Jackson with the nickname Omoori is the owner of Push Tattoo Studio, where he works to bring some beautiful tattoo ideas and designs to life. He also has an online shop where you can find innovative tattoo designs and other forms of art.

It’s also worth noting that there are various beautiful designs on his feed. You can find anything, from small and meaningful quotes and smaller symbols to portraits and portraits made out of photographs. Working with a large clientele of POCs, Omoori developed high skill in tattooing darker skin tones, making them inkstand out and still make a nice shape that will be clear and visible.

Something that Omoori also offers with his tattoo studio is white ink tattoos that are often popular with people of color who want to make their tattoos stand out.

Doreen Garner: @Flesh_And_Fluid

Doreen Garner, the personality and tattoo artist behind this profile, will create and infuse the most beautiful tattoos, while also offering body modification services for those who’d like to enhance something about themselves.

Her tattoo process seems quite minimalistic and she knows how to handle ink. With a lot of satisfied customers on her Instagram feed, you can see how carefully and dedicated she worked to bring their tattoos into reality.

We can also see that she used a variety of different techniques and that she isn’t fixed on a particular tattooing style or niche. That being said, after you make an appointment, if you’re based in Brooklyn, you can discuss all the necessities about the tattoo you’re getting to ensure you’ll be getting exactly what you ordered.

BigL or L: @Tattoosbybigl

Tattoos By Big L are owned by a skilled tattoo artist who works in both Los Angeles and Atlanta. It seems that the popularity and demand for his extraordinary tattoo skills are demanded all across the USA, as he operates at two pretty distant locations.

His tattoo skills and dedications are quite diverse. You can see how much skill and dedication he puts into every tattoo that he makes. It’s also worth noting that various tattoo designs may inspire you. Larger and more detailed tattoos prove that making large tattoos is possible even on dark skin, despite it being believed that it’s hard due to dark ink.

He’ll make appointments relaxing and inviting, especially if you’re a person of color looking for a safe harbor and place where they can relax and not worry about anything. We also noticed that besides portraits and small symbols, large landscape tattoo sleeves are quite popular.

LoVanté L. Battle: @Battleartz

Battleartz works on all types of skin to make an amazing result out of every tattoo, regardless if you’re on the run to get a brand new tattoo or correct and touch up the old one. We’re enjoying his tattooing style and how accurate the ink lines are.

If you take a look at his gallery, you’ll see that the customers visit for a great variety of tattoos. There are various floral designs, as well as animal prints, and other types of symbols that you may be interested in. This fine-lining technique is something that will attract a lot of clients to visit him and get their wonderful tattoos done.

It’s worth noting that all these signature tattoos feel quite bold, and look great on darker skin tones, even after healing for over a month.

Father 1st: @Illuminaubrey_

If you’re looking for a talented POC tattoo artist that will make your tattoo look outstanding regardless of your skin tone, look no further than this guy. His great talent is visible through a large following base, as well as masterpiece tattoo designs that reflect various cultural symbols. Besides that, you can also find portraits, pop-culture arts and references, and much more.

This tattoo artist, however, is based on appointments rather than walk-ins, especially given his following base that is more than interested in coming back and have a firsthand look at his work and skill. He does great work at smaller and detailed tattoos. However, it’s the larger sleeve tattoos that tell a much greater story and exceed our expectations. If you just look at the details behind the tattoos, you’ll see how much work and dedication was put into them.

Tattoosbytati: @Tatts_oh_Tati

Finding a skilled and talented tattoo artist that will bring colorful pieces of art on darker or black skin can be extremely challenging and time-consuming. However, wonderful Tatts_oh_Tati does an amazing job in bringing beautiful tattoo designs on skin, and all that with shading.

Shading can be a difficult process for darker skin. However, this amazing tattoo artist proved that it’s possible. Her black and white tattoos are also amazing if you’re looking for a more minimalistic approach towards designing tattoos on darker skin.

Here you’ll find everything, from vivid side and thigh tattoos to full-sized sleeves with outstanding details and amazing stories that they tell. If you’re interested in learning more about this mega-talent, you should pay a visit to her Instagram account. She is based in Houston, Texas, and given her large following base, quite busy.

Appointments are strictly through email, which was left in the profile’s bio.

KrissyTheButcher: @TheXButcher

ThexButcher is one of the talented tattoo artists working at the Bloodline Dynasty tattoos and she’ll make tattoos on darker skin feel more powerful, more attractive and give them a long time without fading. Comparing the pre-and after healing tattoo photos are definite proof of commitment, dedication, and great skill and talent.

She also focuses on larger tattoos, particularly sleeves, giving her level best to make them appear more beautiful, lasting and help you leave a strong impression no matter where you go. Her focus includes adding small touch elements such as flowers and butterflies to make the tattoo look better.

She also offers custom-made designs in case you can’t pick the right tattoo design for yourself, just make sure to contact via email or the contact form to talk about booking an appointment.

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