Locate Black-Owned Tattoo Stores Nearby

Many of us use our tattoos as a way to express ourselves. It is an expression of our affection for particular figures, people, and things we value. Black tattoo artists are becoming more common, yet there aren’t nearly as many Black-owned tattoo stores.

People have tattoos that are as unique as the skin they live on, and many people find that the tattoo artist they choose to work with is just as much of a source of pride as the piece of art. Black artists are conspicuously absent from the scene.

But that does not prove they don’t exist. By concentrating on a variety of artistic techniques, many Black artists are leading the way in the tattoo industry. Do you require a little tattoo? An intelligent portrait? An example that honours both your culture and your skin tone?

Whether you’re already covered in ink or the thought of a needle sends shivers through your spine, you’ll be encouraged to try something new after seeing these stunning artists. We’ve covered a few from New York to Miami and everywhere in between.

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Black-Owned Tattoo Shops Located Closer To DC 

1. Fatty’s Tattoos & Piercings

Fatty’s has made a name for itself as the top tattoo and piercing studio in the Washington, DC, Maryland, and Virginia metropolitan regions since 1994. They lead the area in custom tattooing, body piercing, and high-quality body jewelry, and in 2009, 2011, 2013, 2014, 2016, 2017, and 2018 readers of the Washington City Paper selected them as “Best Tattoo Studio.”

Image: @fattystattoosandpiercings

They value the health and safety of their consumers, which is why they only accept appointments. They respect your time as well. In addition to that, they limit the number of individuals entering the store, increasing personal security by keeping the front doors shut. They urge that you not bring anybody else to your appointment unless it is an adult that is there with a small kid to have a piercing.

You may request appointments for piercings and jewelry purchases/installations online at their website by clicking the “Piercing Schedules and Jewelry Fittings” option under the piercings menu. The studio’s walls proudly feature Fatty’s original fine art, which represents their ambition to produce one-of-a-kind body art for each individual.

2. Embassy Tattoo

Embassy Tattoo is situated at 1762 Columbia Road NW in Washington, DC’s thriving and developing Adams-Morgan area. With the help of their highly skilled staff, they can tattoo you in any design you like. Traditional, Japanese, realistic, tribal cover-ups, and anything in between are all acceptable.

Image: @embassytattoo

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At Embassy Tattoo, safety precautions are taken extremely seriously to ensure that both their artists and clients are at ease and receive the level of cleanliness that a tattoo studio demands. In the tattoo industry, there are no quick cuts or space for error; thus, they work to uphold that approach whenever they offer their services in order to keep up their competent and reliable reputation.

Black-Owned Tattoo Parlors In New York

316 Fifth Avenue, Black Fish Tattoo, New York, NY 10001

Black Fish Tattoo, Tattoos, Tattoo, Piercing, Jewelry, Piercings, Jewelries, New York, Tattoo Studio, New York Tattoo Studio, Korean Tattoo Artist, Kevin.

Image: @blackfishtattooinc

Black Iris Tattoo

John O’Hara, Anka Lavriv, and Eve Steuer are the three genre-defying artists who work together under Black Iris to create entirely creative works. The shop is exclusively open by appointment. Nothing that resembles Americana can be found inside, including no binders, vintage flash, or cheery Pinterest print-outs.

Image: @jiotattoo

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Black Iris is known for its intricately detailed, creative tattoos that feature plenty of black line work, organic shapes, and occult symbols. With their amazing work, Lavriv, O’Hara, and Steuer approach every tattoo as a fresh chance for expression. The patrons of Black Iris tend to be feminine, artistic, and irreverent. You’ll feel right at home if you wear black nails and listen to The Cure music.

Black-Owned Tattoo Parlors Los Angeles

Monocle Tattoo

It’s a prevalent fallacy that people with dark complexion can’t have beautiful colored tattoos. James Spooner, an African American tattooist who is vegan and specializes in tattooing people with dark skin, disagrees. He has 10 years of experience in the field and has personally observed how clients and tattoo artists alike make poor decisions when it comes to adapting to dark skin.

Image: @monocletattoo

He informed us that in order to undertake research and examine portfolios, clients must have enough respect for themselves. If a tattoo artist does not have any Black skin in the portfolio, either they don’t tattoo Black individuals very often, or they have not done any Black tattoos they’re happy enough to include in the portfolio.

New York City-born Spooner, 42, got his start as a videographer. His critically acclaimed 2003 film Afro-Punk examined issues of race and identity in the primarily White punk subculture. 

Image: @monocletattoo

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Eventually, the movie inspired what is now known as the yearly Afropunk festival, which runs from Atlanta to Paris. After leaving the film industry, Spooner changed careers and began tattooing in Los Angeles.

Detroit’s Black-Owned Tattoo Studio

Detroit Ink Spot

Detroit Inkspot is a tattoo shop that is both cutting-edge and up-and-coming. With their efforts, they never let you down. Both male and female artists strive to make you feel at ease during the procedure, and they have been a fixture in the Detroit region for more than ten years.

Image: @detroitinkspot

The fact that Lady L is a well-known musician both locally and nationally makes the situation even better.

Atlanta’s Black-Owned Tattoo Shops

Official Ink

This is the best place in Atlanta to get inked and pierced. In addition to becoming a cornerstone in the local communities, they take pleasure in providing excellent customer service to clients globally.

Image: @officialinktattoo

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A Few of The Most Well-Known Black Tattoo Artists

Miryam Lumpini

Miryam Lumpini is a talented artist raised in Los Angeles but was born in Sweden. She has drawn the attention of famous clientele like Jhené Aiko and Swae Lee because her style combines intense color saturation with magnificent natural inspiration.

Image: @miryamlumpini 

Born in Sweden, Lumpini started getting tattoos at the age of 17. She now resides in sunny Southern California and does amazing work in a variety of techniques. Lumpini will undoubtedly produce an exquisite piece of art unlike anything you have ever seen, whether she uses a tattoo machine, a spray can, or a brush.

Saga Anderson

This tattoo artist from Calgary is making waves in the field by creating realistic illustration tattoos. As one of Canada’s most sought-after artists right now, Anderson is swiftly garnering recognition on a global scale for his wonderfully vibrant style.

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He is renowned for his vivid color schemes, many of which include images of galaxies and well-known sci-fi figures. The Star Wars series clearly has his allegiance, despite the fact that he enjoys a variety of other aspects of popular culture. Anderson has tattooed hundreds of Star Wars characters, including old favorites like Darth Vader and newcomers like BB-8.

Poch

Poch is undoubtedly one of the top realism tattoo artists of his age. He can ink whatever you desire. He started his career in a New York City street store, but he has grown his skill set by working in California.

He claims, “I evaluate my prosperity and success, not by money, but by my drive and resolve to be bigger than yesterday.” “What defines me is my potential to be something more.”

Kevin Laroy

Kevin Laroy has established himself as more than simply a reality TV tattoo artist despite his appearances on the reality series Ink Master, Black Ink Crew, and How Far is Tattoo Far. 

Image: @kevin.laroy

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You can see a tonne of brilliance when the television storyline is removed. Laroy advises prospective black artists to “bust the freaking door down” if they don’t hear them knocking.

Melody Mitchell

Melody, a cast member of Black Ink Crew and How Far is Tattoo Far, has developed a reputation as a creative, multi-talented woman. 

Image: @melodytattoos

She doesn’t shy away from expressing her political views on social media and has posted messages of support for celebrities like Colin Kaepernick and Jussie Smollett.

Anthony Michaels

Anthony Michaels, a tattoo artist, made history in 2016 when he became the first tattoo artist who was not white to win the Ink Master title. And it is easy to see how he won over the judges in season 7 because of his remarkable skill set as a realist and black-and-white artist.

Image: @waghchauregaurav

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Doreen Garner

Doreen Garner is a Brooklyn-based artist who supports black communities via her work. For Black History Month, she just established a project called “The Black Panther Program,” in which 28 individuals receive tattoos to show their support for black pride.

Image: @flesh_and_fluid

“In the tattoo business, there is a definite need for black artists to be represented and supported. It is essentially part of their sovereignty as black people to practice the customs across the world, particularly in America, where they have been robbed of their identity and pioneers of body alteration. It’s time to commemorate our contribution to the tattoo culture with the same zeal as others who have taken it.”

Teej Poole

Teej Poole was a finalist in the last season of Ink Master. In season 11, Teej, a talented black-and-grey artist, advanced all the way to the final two. He has a long history in the tattoo community and is well-known and well-regarded throughout the business.

It’s not what people name you; it’s what you answer that defines you, he advises when approached for guidance. Poole, a black-and-grey realism artist who works in the European style, has won over tattoo fans worldwide with his skillful execution and thorough comprehension of aesthetic concepts.

Image: @teejpoole 

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His art deftly blends the conscious and subconscious worlds, forever infusing the skin with dreams, anxieties, and desires. Every budding artist should keep an eye on Poole since he is a creative force and an influential figure in this field.

Because there’s no better way to educate the impressionable minds of the future generation on what it takes to be a great tattoo artist than by seeing the astounding creativity that Poole produces on a daily basis.

Anthony Christian

Micro- and fine-line tattooing are two of the most popular types in New York City. And Anthony Christian is the one to turn to if you need a fantastic artist to create anything in these genres. His talents stand out in all complexions, and he is not averse to changing his designs to suit the most recent fashions.

Image: @anthologytattoos

Since blacks have always been marginalized, We believe that the representation of black artists in the business is crucial. “You just don’t see those of them in a variety of fields, including music, athletics, and many others. It’s time for others to start appreciating black artists’ abilities also so that they can advance their art inside their own communities.”

Craig Foster

Craig Foster has had a significant influence on the new school style of tattooing during the duration of his career in the field. He gained recognition after appearing in seasons three and six of Ink Master, where he reached the final four.

Image: @skinwerks

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There were not many black tattoo experts that he was aware of when he started his practice in the summer of 1995, he recalls. A relatively tiny group—less than 10 people—was there. 

When folks planned their appointments without knowing my race, I received my fair share of odd glances. He tried his best to offer them a fantastic tattoo and experience in order to help them get beyond it. These days, those glances don’t come, but his objectives—great artwork and extraordinary experiences—haven’t changed. That is what defines a tattoo as “timeless.”

Darnell Waine

Darnell Waine, an expert in the black-and-grey aesthetic, produces stunning works that pay tribute to his roots. With each piece he creates, Waine demonstrates the beauty of African culture, from Egyptian deities to big-and-bold afroed pinups.

Image: @darnellwaine

Katrina Jackson

The last, and definitely not the least, is Katrina Jackson, a trailblazing entrepreneur in addition to being a gifted artist. She was the first black woman in Beverly Hills to operate a tattoo studio, and she subsequently surrounded herself with a diverse group of gifted artists of color.

Image: @kattatgirl

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She serves as an illustration of what is feasible and how many artists of color are currently making significant inroads in the business.

Conclusion

Black tattoo artists were formerly despised in this field, but things are changing, and I have a part to play in ensuring that change continues. Since it’s more challenging to get into legal shops, many urban tattoo artists have opted to do their work at home. We want to demonstrate what we can do when all of our T’s are crossed, and I’s are dotted, and we work together to progress.

Once it’s more challenging to get into legal shops, many urban tattoo artists have opted to do their work at home. We want to demonstrate what we can do when all of our T’s are crossed, and I’s are dotted, and we work together to progress.