A Guide to Getting Your First Leg Sleeve

— Michael Hollman
A leg sleeve is one of the most satisfying long-term tattoo projects you can take onβ€”and one of the most underplanned. Most people who end up with a cohesive, impressive...

A Guide to Aftercare for Tattoos with a Lot of White Ink

— Michael Hollman
Tagged: aftercare design
A Guide to Aftercare for Tattoos with a Lot of White Ink White ink tattoos demand more from the healing process than almost any other style. The pigment is lighter,...

Do Different Tattoo Styles Hurt Differently?

— Michael Hollman
Tagged: design pain
Do Different Tattoo Styles Hurt Differently? Yes. The amount of pain involved in a tattoo session is influenced not just by placement and the individual, but by the style being...

What Does the Vibration of a Tattoo Machine Feel Like?

— Michael Hollman
Tagged: design pain
What Does the Vibration of a Tattoo Machine Feel Like? The vibration of a tattoo machine is one of the sensations that surprises people most during their first session. Beyond...

Portrait Tattoos: What Makes Them Work, and How to Get One Right

— Michael Hollman
Tagged: artist design
Portrait tattoos are the hardest tattoo style to execute well. They're also among the most personal: a face you carry with you forever, whether it's someone you lost, someone you...

Watercolor Tattoos: The Style, the Risks, and How to Make One Last

— Michael Hollman
Tagged: design
Watercolor tattoos are among the most visually striking work being done in tattooing right now. They're also among the most unforgiving: without the bold outlines that anchor most tattoo styles,...

What to Expect When Getting Your First Black and Grey Tattoo

— Michael Hollman
Black and grey is one of the most enduring styles in tattooing. There are no trendy color palettes to date it, no pigments to fade unevenly β€” just the full...

A Guide to the Different Types of Color Tattoo Ink

— Michael Hollman
Tagged: design
Not all tattoo ink is the same. The type of pigment, how it’s formulated, and what it’s made from all affect how a tattoo looks fresh, how it heals, and...

What Does It Mean When a Tattoo is "Custom"?

— Michael Hollman
Tagged: artist design
"Custom" is one of the most used words in tattooing, and it carries real meaning β€” though not always the meaning people assume. Understanding what custom actually means helps you...

How Do Artists Keep Their Lines So Straight? A Guide to the Art of the Perfect Line

— Michael Hollman
Tagged: artist design
One of the most common things people notice when watching a tattoo in progress is how an artist draws curves and long lines with a vibrating machine and still produces...

What Does It Mean to "Pack" Ink in Tattooing?

— Michael Hollman
Tagged: artist design
"Packing ink" is one of those phrases you hear in tattoo studios without anyone explaining what it means. If you've ever watched an artist work on a bold traditional piece...

Flower Tattoos: Styles, Meanings, and How to Choose the Right One

— Michael Hollman
Tagged: design
Flower tattoos are one of the most popular tattoo choices for a reason: they work in almost every style, on almost every placement, and carry a range of meanings that...