Mirna
Illustrative and blackwork
@mirnarzoombie
Styles
Illustrative tattooing in Barcelona
Illustrative is the style where the artist’s hand shows the most. It does not try to copy reality or follow a traditional canon: it starts from drawing and from a visual language of its own, with its texture, its palette and its way of solving things.
If you like a specific artist’s work more than a style in the abstract, illustrative is probably what you are after. Here it pays to look at portfolios and choose by affinity.
Original design
We do not replicate other people’s tattoos: we start from your idea and the artist’s style.
Creative freedom
The more room you give the artist, the better the piece usually turns out.
Collections
Many clients build up pieces from the same visual universe.
Illustrative: work from the studio
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What counts as illustrative tattooing
Illustrative is a broad umbrella: tattoos that look as if they came out of an illustrated book, an engraving or a sketchbook. They may or may not use colour, bold or fine lines, dotwork or pencil-style shading. What they share is that you can feel the drawing behind them.
Unlike styles with strict rules, such as traditional or Japanese, illustrative work depends above all on each artist’s personal language. Two illustrative artists can resolve the same idea in completely different ways.
How to choose the right artist
In this style, the best way to get it right is to look at portfolios. If you love the way someone draws, their version of your idea will most likely please you more than the one you had in your head.
Tell them the concept, the feeling or the story you want to carry, and give them room to interpret it. At the studio we help you find the artist whose work best fits what you are after.
An original design, made for you
Every illustrative piece is drawn from scratch. We do not copy other people’s tattoos: we use your references as a starting point and the artist creates a design of her own, adapted to the size and placement.
That is why these pieces usually need a little more design time, and also why they are unique. Many people end up building collections with the same artist over the years, adding pieces that live in the same visual universe.
Send us your idea and we will tell you which artist fits best and what it would cost.
Popular themes in illustrative
Artists working in this style
What our clients say
Me tatué con Mirna, y solo puedo decir cosas buenas. El sitio es súper bonito y acogedor, ultra limpio y todos muy agradables. La buena vibra está en cada rincón. No es la primera vez que me tatúo con Mirna, pero he podido ir viendo su recorrido porque llevo varios años tatuándome con ella, teniendo tres piezas maravillosas. Con cada tatuaje ha ido mejorando, y es un placer y todo un honor poder llevar en mi piel su evolución.
FAQ: Illustrative
Can I ask for an illustrative design from a vague idea?
Yes, and that is often where the best pieces come from. Tell us the concept, how it makes you feel and a few visual references, and the artist will propose a design.
Does illustrative work age well?
It depends on how it is built. Firm lines and clear contrast hold up very well; very small detail and soft gradients lose definition sooner. The artists take this into account when designing.
Can I see the design before getting tattooed?
Yes. The design is reviewed with you before we start, and size, placement or details are adjusted until you are happy.
Can illustrative work cover an old tattoo?
In many cases it works very well, because it can play with textures, shading and organic shapes that absorb the old design. Send us a photo and we will tell you whether your tattoo can be covered.
Sagrada Familia · Barcelona
Got an idea in mind?
Send it over on WhatsApp with a reference, the placement and an approximate size. We will reply with a quote and availability.