Seattle’s tattoo scene is a hub of creativity, offering everything from vivid color tattoos and American Traditional designs to fine-line, folk art, and pop culture-inspired ink. Whether you’re looking for a highly detailed floral piece, a bold neo-traditional tattoo, or a custom design that tells your story, this guide highlights the top 10 tattoo artists and 5 best tattoo shops in Seattle. Explore the city’s finest studios and artists to find the perfect match for your next tattoo.
Top 10 tattoo artists in Seattle
1. PingPing (@inkprick)
PingPing Li specialises in vivid colour tattoos, creating designs that are both visually striking and artistically intricate. Her portfolio showcases a diverse range of subjects, including geometric patterns, floral motifs, and animal imagery, all rendered with meticulous attention to detail and a vibrant colour palette.
2. Lolli (@lollipoptattoos)
Lolli specialises in colourful, illustrative tattoos with a playful and whimsical aesthetic. Her work often features bold lines, vibrant colors, and dynamic compositions, incorporating cute animals, food items, and pop culture references. Known for her fun and lighthearted designs, Lolli’s tattoos bring a unique and engaging artistic touch to every piece.
3. Anna Wall (@annappley)
Anna Wall draws inspiration from both Japanese and American traditional tattoo styles, creating pieces that are timeless and visually striking. Her work is characterised by bold lines, vibrant colours, and classic motifs, often featuring lady heads, floral designs, animals, and pin-ups.
4. Zezi (@zezitattoo)
Zezi is a Seattle-based tattoo artist specialising in fine-line and illustrative tattoos. Her work features delicate florals, intricate linework, and minimalist geometric designs, creating elegant and highly detailed compositions.
5. Bailey Parke (@bailey.parke)
Bailey Parke is known for her playful and vibrant designs. Specialising in colourful illustrative tattoos, her work often features bold lines and dynamic compositions. Bailey's portfolio includes a variety of themes, from food items like donuts to pop culture references, all rendered with a unique artistic flair.
6. Jamie King (@jamiekingtattoos)
Jamie King specialises in American Traditional tattoos, featuring bold lines, rich colours, and timeless motifs like daggers, panthers, and classic floral designs. His work stays true to traditional tattooing principles, delivering strong, clean, and enduring designs.
7. Kelsi Hooper (@kelsi_hooper_tattoo)
Kelsi Hooper is specialising in black ink and fine-line tattoos. Her work draws inspiration from natural elements, particularly plant and animal life, as well as scientific illustrations.
8. Hildur Blom (@hildurblom)
Hildur Blom’s work is deeply inspired by nature, biology, science, heritage, and folk tales. She incorporates subtle symbolism into her designs to create positive omens for her clients.
9. Ylva/Ulf Elhammer (@ylva.tattoo)
Ylva, also known as Ulf Elhammer, is a Seattle-based tattoo artist specialising in folk art and etching-style tattoos. Their work often features intricate linework and designs inspired by traditional folk motifs.
10. Jessica Henry (@promethearising)
Jessica Henry is a Seattle-based tattoo artist specialising in custom designs that blend artistic storytelling with personal symbolism. Her work often features intricate linework and detailed compositions, reflecting a deep engagement with her clients' narratives.
Top 5 tattoo shops in Seattle
1. Dark Age Tattoo (@darkagetattooseattle)
Dark Age Tattoo Seattle is a renowned tattoo studio known for its diverse range of styles, including black & grey realism, neo-traditional, Japanese, fine-line, and illustrative tattoos. With a team of highly skilled artists, the studio specializes in custom, high-quality tattoos, catering to both bold statement pieces and intricate, detailed designs.
2. Slave to the Needle (@slavetotheneedle)
Slave to the Needle is known for its versatile tattoo styles, including American Traditional, Japanese, black & grey realism, fine-line, and neo-traditional tattoos. The studio has a strong reputation for bold, classic designs with clean lines, vibrant colours, and timeless motifs while also catering to modern and custom tattoo requests.
3. Laughing Buddha Seattle (@laughingbuddhaseattle)
Laughing Buddha Tattoo specialises in fine-line, black & grey, neo-traditional, and illustrative tattoos. The studio is known for its clean line work, intricate details, and custom designs, offering both delicate and bold compositions to suit a variety of styles.
4. Side Quest Tattoo (@sidequest_tattoo)
Side Quest Tattoo is a Seattle-based studio specialising in nerd culture, anime, gaming, and pop culture-inspired tattoos. The shop is known for its bold colours, fine-line detailing, and custom illustrative work, making it a go-to destination for fans of fantasy, sci-fi, and video game tattoos.
5. Tattoo Shanky (@tattooshanky)
Tattoo Shanky specialises in fine-line, color, portrait, and cover-up tattoos. The studio is known for its precise detailing, vibrant colors, and custom designs, offering both realistic and artistic interpretations tailored to each client’s vision.
Seattle boasts some of the best tattoo artists and studios, each bringing a unique artistic vision to the craft. Whether you prefer bold, classic designs, intricate fine-line work, or vibrant pop culture tattoos, there’s an artist and shop to fit your style. With renowned studios and highly skilled tattooists, Seattle is the perfect place to get inked. Ready for your next piece? Book an appointment with one of these top-rated artists or studios today!