lettering and script
tattoos in NYC

Script and lettering carry meaning that abstract work does not, which puts the pressure on precision: a wobble in a letterform is far more visible than a wobble in a leaf. We work in fine line for this, from delicate cursive and single words to dates, coordinates, signatures and short quotes. Handwriting from a letter or a note can be traced and rebuilt as a tattoo, which is one of the most requested pieces in the studio.

Very small lettering asks the skin to hold detail it cannot always keep, and over time tight letters can close up. The smaller the text, the simpler the letterform needs to be. Your artist will show you the size at which your chosen script still stays open and legible years from now, and will suggest a different typeface if the one you picked is too intricate for the placement you want.

Forearms, collarbones, ribs and the upper back suit text because the skin there stays relatively flat and stretches little. We proof every piece of lettering with you on the skin before starting: spelling, spacing, accents and line breaks. If the text is in a language or alphabet the artist does not read, bring it written out exactly as it should appear.

Tattooing a note, a signature or a line in someone else's hand is one of the most personal pieces we do, and it needs the original. A photograph of the actual paper, taken flat and in good light, gives the artist the real letterforms including the pressure and the hesitations that make it recognizable. A typed reproduction in a script font is not the same thing and everyone who knew the handwriting will see the difference.