While we may not all be blessed with the courage to ask for a body of tattoos like Rihanna (we're more of the Kendall Jenner "tiny ink dot aaaaaaand we're done" mentality), we're always here for a vicarious glimpse into the lives of the brave souls who do live for ink. Here we browse through the best tattoo feeds on Instagram, from the artist who tats up all our favorite celebrities to the best far-flung artistes around the world.
1. Keith McCurdy of Bang Bang NYC
Keith McCurdy of Bang Bang NYC had an unusual start to his career, buying his first tattoo machine at 18 and inking his first celebrity at the age of 20 (NBD, it was just Rihanna). Now he counts celebrities like Kendall and Kylie Jenner, Adele, Justin Bieber, Katy Perry, and Cara Delevingne among his tatted clientele, who have helped him launch his career as one of the most sought-after artists in the business. Find shots of his latest projects on his Instagram, plus photos of him with his many famous canvases.
2. Tea Leigh
Brooklyn artist Tea Leigh has one of the prettiest feeds on the web and her hand-poked tattoos are some of our favorites to browse online because of the sheer artistry of the B&W designs—from tarot characters to animals and florals. P.S.We're big fans of her "don't f*ck with me" patches, too.
3. Sashaunisex
One ink trend that's been steadily on the rise over the past few years is the watercolor tattoo, a vibrant design in the style of a free-form painting, where colors seamlessly blend into each other. For watercolor styles Sashaunisex is one of the best, specializing in gorgeous colorful renderings of flowers and animals that resemble storybook illustrations.
4. Kerry Burke Tattoos
North Carolina-based artist Kerry Burke does everything from botanicals to Harry Potter tats, but we feel like we need this one tattooed somewhere on our body, especially.
6. Daisy Watson of DaisyDoesTattoos
You would have to take a trip out to Berlin just to get Daisy Watson's quirky cartoon designs inked on your body, but for now her Instagram feed is the gift that keeps on gifting.
5. David Cote
David Cote is a man of details—and for intricate colorful tattoos that resemble paintings, he's one of the biggest talents on the scene. Here, he's illustrated Escher's solar system on a man's forearm in striking detail, making galaxy nails look like child's play.
7. Pony Reinhardt Tattoo
Pony Reinhardt's elaborate designs are mesmerizing to see, and her fine art work has even shown in the Smithsonian. She draws much of her inspiration from the natural world, creating alchemical diagrams and intricate landscapes.
8. Pis Saro of Pissaro Tattoo
The Crimean artist behind Pissaro Tattoo's nature-inspired watercolor designs has one of the most mesmerizing feeds out there. It's half travel diary and half a celebration of her delicate ink designs that often end up on intimate areas of women's chests and thighs. Our favorites, though, are her elaborate back tattoos, that elegantly trail down the length of the spine.
9. Rebecca Vincent of London Parliament Tattoo
Rebecca Vincent of London's Parliament Tattoo masters in subtlety, as seen in the shadow work perfected in her B&W designs of flora and fauna.
10. Ashley Love
For a more retro take on colored tattoos, Utah-based Ashley Love models her designs after vintage folk art, whether capturing pinup girls or the traditional "mom" tattoos of cartoon lore.
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