Spanish tattooer Charles Huurman tells me he loves the work of Diego Velazquez. Sfumato, chiaroscuro and photorealism techniques were learnt through looking at paintings of the 17th-century artist. Goya, Sorolla and Dali have also inspired Huurman who specializes in Abstract Realism art that may include random paint splashes with photographic portraiture. It is all about finding a balance between the spontaneity of abstractionism with the controlled and thought-out realism. “I also want to incorporate energy into my work. And flow within the body form of my clients,” he explains and goes on: “I also look at tattooing today. And I think there are many good realists. So I basically want to push it to the next level like other inspiring artists. I want to tattoo reality, but also much more.”

All images courtesy and © of Charles Huurman.