Silent
Moon.

Illustrative tattoos look drawn rather than photographed: bold black outlines, expressive shading and either rich colour or pure black and grey, closer to a book illustration than a photo. Taking cues from both traditional tattooing and realism while following few fixed rules, it’s one of the most versatile styles in tattooing, and at Silent Moon it’s worked by artists with a strong drawing hand, in our private Bermondsey studio, South East London.

Every illustrative tattoo is custom. We never work from flash. Because the style has so few rules, each piece carries the personality of the person wearing it and the artist drawing it. Your artist designs your idea from scratch and shapes it to fit your body.

Modern and colour illustrative uses bold outlines and saturated colour for an animated, storybook feel, ideal for animals, characters, nature scenes and fairy-tale imagery. Some artists add softer, more realistic shading inside the outlines for extra depth.

Sketch and minimalist illustrative strips things back to black ink: loose sketch lines, cross-hatching, engraving-style shading or a single delicate line drawing. Illustrative work often borrows techniques from dotwork and blackwork too, depending on the artist.

Choose the artist, not just the style. Illustrative work is so personal to each artist’s hand that the best result comes from picking someone whose drawings you already love. Browse our artists’ portfolios below, or ask us to match you at your consultation.

Will an illustrative tattoo age well? Yes. Strong outlines hold the design together as the skin changes, so it keeps its shape for years. Bolder black illustrative pieces can also help cover an older tattoo; bring a photo and we’ll tell you honestly what’s possible.

What to expect. Smaller pieces are usually finished in one session; larger or detailed work is built over several. Your artist agrees sizing, placement and a guide price at your free consultation.