How to Choose the Right Tattoo Artist in Fort Collins for Your Style

Picking the right tattoo artist is as important as choosing the right architect to design your forever home (which is really what your body is, if you think about it). 

While all of our tattoo artists here in Fort Collins are versed in every style of tattoo, certain artists do specialize in or prefer certain styles. Luckily, we staff our shop with an incredibly diverse line-up of artists, so no matter your preference, we got your perfect matching tattoo style. This is by intentional design. 

Colorado has a thriving tattoo scene, and we are proud to be one of the top-rated tattoo studios in Fort Collins. Now, let’s talk about style-specific tattoos so you can help narrow down your artist!

Know Your Style: Types of Tattoos

Whether you’re around the world or in Fort Collins, tattoo styles run the full gamut. You’ll find:

Traditional and Classic Styles

• American traditional: Bold lines, bright colors, iconic imagery. Matt, JD, Aiden, Sabrina, and EZ specialize in this type of tattoo. While you see a lot of traditional-tattoo flash (pre-drawn designs), we can also hook you up with traditional custom ink in Fort Collins. 

  

  American traditional tattoo by Matt

• Neo-traditional: Inspired by traditional but with more intricate details and more colors. JD is an expert at neo-traditional tattoos. Also, reach out to Sabrina. 

• Japanese (Irezumi): Mythical creatures, waves, and nature with vibrant colors and flowing compositions. Matt and JD are great options for this style. 

• Tribal: Black ink designs often inspired by Native American, Polynesian, or Maori patterns. EZ, Matt, Aiden, and Sabrina can handle tribal, or check out Liv's work for a slightly different take on it. 

• Blackwork: These are solid black ink, often geometric or abstract. Ask EZ and Matt about blacking out your tattoos. 

Contemporary and Artistic Styles

• Realism: Hyper-realistic tattoos resembling photographs, often in black and gray or color. Igor and Moe specialize in realism tattoos. 

  

  Realistic tattoo by Igor

• Surrealism: Dreamlike, abstract designs inspired by surrealist art movements. Helena and Alyssa would be a great place to start. 

• Watercolor: Tattoos mimicking watercolor painting, with soft, blended edges. Helena, Moe, and JD love this style. 

• Trash Polka: A mix of realism and abstract design with black and red ink, often chaotic and bold. Helena and EZ are excellent at this. 

• Fine-line/minimalist: Simple, clean designs with fine lines and little detail. All of our artists do fine-line tattoos, but Moe, Alyssa, and EZ do a lot of these.

• Geometric: Patterns and shapes with mathematical precision, often symmetrical. Helena is very experienced in this style. Alyssa and Sabrina are also great! 

• Dotwork/stipple: These are tattoos created using tiny dots, often for shading or patterns. Alyssa and Aiden are the resident experts on this style. 

• Illustrative/Anime/Cartoon: Tattoos resembling hand-drawn illustrations, often inspired by comics or books. Igor is excellent at black-and-grey illustrative tattoos, but if you want color, opt for Helena and Alyssa. 

• New school: Exaggerated, cartoonish designs with vibrant colors and bold outlines. Go with Aiden for this style. Also, look at Helena’s work.

Specialized Styles

• Portraiture: Detailed tattoos of people or pets, capturing likeness and personality. For realistic-style portraits, Igor and Moe are experts, or for a unique style of portrait-style custom tattoos in Fort Collins, check out Liv’s work. 

  

  Portrait by Igor

• Biomechanical: Designs blending organic and mechanical elements, often appearing 3D. Aiden, Moe, and Helena are excellent options. 

• Script/lettering: Focused on typography, from cursive to gothic styles. For this, check out EZ and Moe, although all artists do script. 

• Chicano: Bold black and gray tattoos inspired by Mexican-American culture and lowrider art. This is Moe’s bread and butter. EZ is another solid choice. 

• Celtic: Knots, crosses, and other motifs from Celtic history and mythology. EZ does a lot of Celtic tattoos. 

• Ornamental: Decorative patterns resembling jewelry or lace. Moe, Alyssa, and Liv all do excellent ornamental tattoos in different ways. 

• Mandala: Intricate circular designs with spiritual or meditative significance. Liv has done some impressive mandala tattoos. 

• Sticker Tattoos: Tattoos designed to look like peeled-off stickers. Helena is a pro at this.

Your Style Matters – And So Does Your Artist

Tattoo by Helena

If your favorite artist isn’t listed under the type of tattoo you want, don’t worry. We can’t underscore enough how versatile our artists are! Reach out to the artist directly, set up a free consultation, or send us a message and we can talk about options. 

Above all, we want you to match your vision to your artist’s strengths. That’s how to get the best results, so both you and your artist are happy!

How to Pick the Right Tattoo Artist

So you know the style of tattoo you want. And you know the artists who love to do it. Here are some tips to help you narrow down your search even more: 

1. Review portfolios and previous work. Find each artist here. You can click on their face or name to be redirected to their personal Instagram page, which is their ever-evolving portfolio. Here, look for examples of their healed work, composition, shading, line work, and the overall feeling (you are going to have to sit with them for a while – you want to vibe!). You can also find examples of our artists’ work on Solana’s Instagram page. Check the highlight circles at the top of the page and scroll away. 

2. Check reviews and ask around. Browse Google reviews and see what others are saying. Don’t just take our word for it. Ask around. We are proud of our reputation and stand by our work.

   

   

   

   

3. Ask the right questions. At your consultation (or via email), feel free to ask any and all questions. Have they done similar pieces before? Can they adapt a reference image into something custom?  

Meet Solana's Tattoo Artists in Fort Collins

We have more than a dozen artists working at Solana Tattoo Company. Here are just a few to check out: 

Matt

Under this hat, Matt's hair is cut and dyed to look like the outline of a cat

Matt has been tattooing for a decade. We’ve been lucky to have him at Solana since 2023. Today, he is our manager, too, meaning he runs the day-to-day business at the shop. Fun fact: His fiancée, Alyssa, is also a tattoo artist at our shop, and they met at work. He takes walk-ins and appointments. 

Liv

Liv's room is amazingly decorated. You have to go check it out!

Olivia, or Liv, is a respected artist with a degree in painting and print-making. She started tattooing at Solana in 2023 and currently works by appointment only.  

Aiden

Aiden's room is covered in tattoo designs. He's always drawing something.

Aiden started tattooing at Solana in 2023. He takes walk-ins and appointments. 

Helena 

Helena has a great accent to distract you from the tattoo needle.

Helena, originally from Ukraine, has been a tattoo artist for six years and has also done permanent makeup for 10 years. She has traveled and tattooed across Europe with her tattoo artist husband, Igor. She is available by appointment and walk-in. 

Why Fort Collins Locals Trust Us?

As of publication, we have nearly 500 reviews (and more coming daily) with a 4.9-star average rating. We are proud that over the years, so many of our clients return repeatedly (some come every month!) and recommend us to their friends and loved ones. We aim to be the cleanest tattoo & piercing shop you’ve ever visited, with our health and safety standards going far above what the state recommends and the industry norm.

Plus, we keep it relaxing with good vibes and a welcoming atmosphere, whether it’s your first tattoo or you’re a pro. 

If you’re looking for a tattoo artist in Fort Collins, message us here or book a free consultation. You can also book an appointment yourself or walk in! We talk to walk-ins seven days a week.