Tag: 10 Tattoos

Striking Animal Tattoos That Reveal the Predator Within

As humans, we like to define ourselves by what’s around us. Our belongings, our friends, and our affiliations help us relate to contemporary culture. They also reveal the essence of who we are—or at least who we think we are. The “spirit animal” is one mechanism in which we label ourselves. Whether we’re a tiger, bear, or giant […]

Between the Lines: 10 Tattoo Artists Working in Negative Space

The term “negative space” is one of the first things you learn in art class, but it’s an innate concept. You’ve already seen it—you just needed a name for it. Oftentimes, negative space goes unnoticed. If it’s not adding anything meaningful to an image, then it might as well be invisible. But when this area […]

Breaking the Taboo: 10 Daring Tattoo Artists From South Korea

In the past several years, South Korea has becoming a powerhouse for great tattoo artists. But technically, their practice is considered illegal in the eyes of the South Korean government. Why is this? The reasoning makes sense, but doesn’t reflect the current state of tattooing. Basically, tattoos are seen as a “medical procedure” that should be performed […]

10 Tattooers to Look Out For in 2017

Every year, the tattoo talent pool grows infinitely more diverse. Every art style that has ever existed can be transferred to skin, and clients are more engaged than ever. It’s all about the niche, now. Instead of “what’s in?”, people are asking, “who am I?” Identity-driven tattoos are transcending the fad of the moment. It’s a heartening evolution […]

10 Tattooers from Eastern Europe to Keep Your Eye On

With the soaring popularity of tattoos coupled with increased globalism, the world gets seemingly smaller and smaller—tattooists from across the world are easily inspired by cultures in foreign lands. Likewise, these artists also travel to tattoo shops in different countries and bring their unique style there. Illusion magazine has been an admirer of the work that comes […]

10 Artists Creating Powerful Tattoos Using Only Lines

Tattoos, like fine art, offer another way in which to express ourselves through visual imagery. The line, especially, has had a long history—prehistoric, in fact. Evidence of its existence first appeared in cave drawings in Southeast Asia, and according to researchers, some of them could be around 35,000 years old. Tattooed lines have a long […]

10 Artists Who Create Striking Geometric Tattoos Spanning the Body

Geometric shapes are the building blocks of our world, and their brilliant simplicity makes them a popular choice for tattoos. Their historical acknowledgement reaches as far back as ancient Greece, a civilization that gave the field its name—geo- meaning “earth” and –metron meaning “measurement”—and studied spatial relationships. Geometry was revolutionized by Euclid, the man considered […]

10 Artists Using Dotwork to Create Meticulous Tattoos

The dotwork style of tattooing has a rich history that goes well beyond contemporary culture and is deeply embedded in ancient societies. There’s evidence that the Egyptians used simple stippling to adorn blue faience figurines known as “Brides of the Dead.” The tattooed objects featured geometric patterns that ran in horizontal bands across the figure’s […]

13 Best Tattoo Artists of 2015—Editor’s Picks

No excuses! It is challenging to compile a list of favorite tattooers of the year, but it is going to be done. Our magazine featured a more diverse selection of tattoos in 2015—from biomechanical to photorealistic and minimalistic art. (A lot was done in black ink.) Illusion also published additional works on Google+ and tsū […]