10 Best Tattoo Artists in The US That Will Impress You — InkMatch (2024)

Kimberly Duran — The Best Freehand Tattooist

A true improviser and artist at heart, whose tattoo style is more like a work of art on canvas than a traditional tattoo. That’s right, Kimberly Duran goes on our list as the best freehand tattoo artist.

Since she was 17 years old, she has been improving her tattooing skills, trying many styles, and in 7 years she was able to establish herself in a cozy studio in New Jersey, and the title of the best freehand tattooist.

Drawing inspiration from the natural and supernatural world, Kim specializes in botanical, portraiture, realism, and surrealism styles. Her unique approach to tattooing involves a fluid and intuitive technique, not using stencils but painting directly onto the skin.

Marcel Oliveira — The Most Influential Tattoo Artist

Marcel Oliveira, the maestro of ink hailing from the vibrant city of Miami, stands as the best tattoo artist in the United States, a prominent figure in tattoo artistry.

With over 25 years of experience, Marcel has left an indelible mark on the tattoo community, participating in over 50 conventions in Brazil, Argentina, and the United States.

His work has graced the pages of prestigious publications in more than 20 magazines, such as Tattoo Brazil Magazine and Worldwide Ink Magazine, for example.

Marissa Wolfe — The Stipple Shading Wizard

Perhaps the youngest tattoo artist in this selection, but also the most ambitious! In just two years, Marissa managed to grow from a simple flash tattoo padawan to a full-fledged fantasy tattoo artist from Janesville, Wisconsin.

She often uses the stipple technique in her works, puncturing a composition of tiny-tiny dots. This style particularly allows for making a more texturized and mystical look in her designs, perfect for illustrative tattoos.

Her vocation was abstract and fantasy themes for sure, because her very first tattoo was a tiny cute dinosaur made for her friend, and during her studies at the studio she was in charge of the event known as May the 4th, a flash day dedicated to Star Wars.

Eddie Torres — The Best Tattoo Architect

Eddie’s tattoos are a source of pride and reflect his background as an architect. Before becoming a tattoo artist, Eddie was profound in three degrees: Architecture, History, and Gender Studies. Of course, this legacy cannot go unnoticed in his modern works.

The incredible precision and expressiveness of the lines, which seem to have come from a draft, combine with Eddie’s artistic nature to create beautiful illustrations.As Eddie himself has stated, “My goal with my style is to achieve a sense of duality in all my work. Bold but feminine. Technical but organic.”

J. Trip — The Best Cover-Up Artist

Well-rounded in many styles, from tribal to realistic, but J. Trip is best known for his painted floral and landscape tattoos.

What sets him apart is his love for cover-up tattoos and reworkings. He can cover a huge blackwork with a beautiful, colorful night landscape, and bring back faded colors to a new life.

So if you’re looking for someone who can cover your past tattoos, J. Trip is second to none in Philadelphia.

Tina Gilliland — The Best Neo-Traditional Tattoo Artist

Tina Gilliland, also known as ShorTy, is the best tattoo artist in the USA who is a profound neo-traditional enjoyer, and a huge fan of A Day To Remember.

Just like Tina herself, her work contains a mystical and gothic aesthetic, and in her free time, she loves to create her designs based on the songs of her favorite band.

So, all ADTR fans gather around, because you are destined to head to Denver!

David Gray — The Biggest Variety of Realistic Tattoos

David Gray of Davison is a talented tattoo artist in the realism style. His portfolio includes skulls, animals, human figures, anime, fantasy, and portraits.

Although his profile mostly consists of black realism, he doesn’t hesitate to use colors in his realistic masterpieces, too. He is also known to be one of few artists who will take on a head tattoo request.

If you’re interested in a highly detailed representation of your favorite movie character, David is happy to collaborate with you and bring your character to life.

Katie Quirino — Best Tattoo Nights Out

Katie’s work is as sophisticated as it is mesmerizing, especially her geometric mandalas. She is best with floral designs, illustrations, and lettering works.

She is also known in her city for her studio’s tattoo pop-up events and tattoo parties. It’s something similar to flash days, but much better and cozier, we’d call that the world’s best tattoo studio!

This is how she fulfills her wish, offering her clients not just ink, but an incarnation of their memorable stories and personal expressions.

Mattia Bretti — Best Tattoo Sculptures

For connoisseurs of Renaissance art, this tattoo artist will be a real treasure.

He’s one of the best tattoo artists in the US, but in his works, Mattia always puts a piece of his home in Rome. Inspired by the culture of Italy and the classical works of art by Michelangelo and Da Vinci, Mattia has been able to perfectly recreate their works of art in the form of tattoos, over and over.

But be careful not to become a real walking museum, Mattia’s works are so realistic. Mind that even though he used to work in New York, now his studio is located in Miami.

Phil Robertson — The Most Detailed Colored Tattoos

Cyberpunk is becoming a reality with the works of Phil Robertson, the best tattoo artist in America, hailing from Cleveland. His imagination for biomechanical and monster-mechanical designs knows no bounds.

The best and most detailed tattoos that turn you into a futuristic character or even the iconic Doom you can get only from him. Arm sleeves, leg sleeves, full back — he can do anything.