Custom ink.
Your story.
One of one.
Custom tattoos shaped around you. Bold composition, considered detail, and artwork made to live on skin.
ANGELO ART TATTOOSince 2012,
creating body art.
A focused selection of custom work. Explore each gallery below.
Let's make
it personal.
Tell me what you have in mind. Your idea, placement, and references are the starting point for your custom tattoo.
Knowledge.
Beyond the chair.
Practical guides and private mentorship for tattoo collectors and artists ready to move forward.
Tattoo aftercare
A clear, practical guide to caring for a new tattoo from day one through healing.
Getting into tattooing
A chapter-based foundation for aspiring artists: equipment, design, technique, and the professional habits behind the craft.
Photographing tattoos
Lighting, camera basics, angles, and editing. A new guide is coming soon.
THE GOLDEN
TICKET.
A private one-to-one mentorship for tattoo artists ready to sharpen their work, build a stronger portfolio, and create a clear path forward.
Apply for mentorshipI'm Angelo.
Artist, first.
Tattooing is where composition, craft, and personal stories meet. My focus is creating distinctive work with clarity, contrast, and intention.
Tell me your ideaTattoo aftercare / quick answers
TATTOO
AFTERCARE
First tattoo or your next one?
Find your question. Keep the care simple.
WASH. PAT. LIGHT MOISTURE. Small habits. Good care.
01
Start here.
When does the plastic wrap come off?
If you were specifically given the overnight routine: keep the temporary plastic wrap on overnight and remove it the next morning. Then gently wash and pat dry.
Removal timing is individual. This routine is for temporary plastic wrap, not a multi-day adhesive dressing. If the cover leaks, slips or gets dirty, get care advice sooner. Do not repeatedly rewrap by default.
First tattoo? How do I take care of it?
Keep it simple: follow your wrap-removal instructions, then build a gentle daily routine.
- Wash.Clean hands, mild fragrance-free cleanser and water.
- Pat.Dry gently with a clean disposable paper towel.
- Go light.A very thin layer of mild moisturizer, as needed.
Protect healing skin from soaking, direct sun and rubbing. Come back to the questions below as you need them.
02
Your everyday rhythm.
How often should I wash it?
About twice daily is a simple rhythm: morning and evening. Also clean it if it gets dirty. Wash your hands first, then gently wash the tattoo with mild fragrance-free cleanser and water. Rinse and pat dry. No scrubbing.
How much moisturizer is enough?
A very thin layer of mild, fragrance-free moisturizer on clean, dry skin, as needed. You do not need a thick coating or several different creams. Stop a product that causes a rash or persistent burning.
It is itchy and peeling. Can I pick it?
Leave flakes and scabs alone. Mild itching and flaking can be part of healing. Avoid scratching or pulling at the skin. If symptoms are getting worse instead of settling, check the skin concerns section.
It has been two weeks. Am I done?
The calendar is not the finish line. Healing time varies with size, location and your skin. Keep up gentle care while it heals; do not treat a set day as automatic clearance to swim or expose it to sun.
Once healed, protect exposed skin with broad-spectrum SPF 30+ and shade or clothing. Reapply sunscreen as directed, at least every two hours outdoors.
03
Can I do this?
Can I swim, go to the beach or use a hot tub?
Wait until the skin has healed before swimming or soaking. That includes pools, the sea, lakes and hot tubs. A wrap does not make swimming safe. At the beach, healing skin also needs protection from direct sun and sand.
Can I go to the gym?
Take it easy early on. Avoid exercise that rubs, stretches or irritates the tattoo. Sweat and friction may bother healing skin. Return gradually as your skin recovers, taking the tattoo's size and location into account.
What about sun, sauna or intense heat?
Keep the healing area out of direct sun. Use shade and loose clothing that does not rub. Skip sauna and intense heat while the skin heals. Put sunscreen on healed skin, not a fresh tattoo.
Can I have a drink?
Our studio precaution is to skip alcohol in the initial recovery period. This is a conservative practice, not a proven universal number of days. Follow any additional advice that applies to your health or medicines.
I have pets. Anything to watch out for?
Keep animals from licking, scratching or touching the healing area. Wash your hands after handling pets before caring for the tattoo, and keep clothing and bedding clean.
04 / LISTEN TO YOUR SKIN
Healing & warning signs
Some early soreness, mild swelling and clear fluid, followed by itching or flaking, can be part of healing. These changes should settle.
Get medical advice promptly for worsening pain, spreading or darkening redness, pus, new sores, fever or chills. A possible infection needs assessment by a clinician.
Trouble breathing, chest tightness, faintness or intense swelling with a reaction: seek emergency care now.
Black & Gray.
Depth, contrast, and detail. Stories told in black and gray.
Color & custom work.
Bold color. Personal stories. Made for skin.
Original Designs.
Original compositions. Design concepts shaped around the body.
GETTING INTO TATTOOING
The First
Chapter.
Every artist starts somewhere.
Build your foundation with intention.
A chapter-based guide for aspiring tattoo artists, currently taking shape. Explore the tools, creative fundamentals, and professional habits behind the craft.
Explore the chaptersINSIDE THE UPCOMING GUIDE
A foundation.
One chapter at a time.
Here’s a first look at what’s being developed. Open a chapter to explore its planned topics.
01Getting startedFind your direction before your first tattoo.
- Understanding the craft and the artist’s role
- Building a drawing habit and setting learning goals
- Finding mentorship and making a realistic practice plan
02Equipment & your setupUnderstand the tools and what each one is for.
- Machines, power supplies, needles and cartridges
- Inks, disposables and practice materials
- Planning a workstation and a sensible starter budget
03Hygiene & responsible practiceMake professional habits part of your foundation.
- Infection-control training and local requirements
- Cross-contamination awareness and protective barriers
- Workstation hygiene, sharps handling and safe routines
04Drawing & design fundamentalsBuild designs that read clearly and work on the body.
- Shape, proportion, light and shadow
- Composition, negative space and clear focal points
- Reference studies, original ideas and stencil planning
05Technique fundamentalsDevelop control through structured practice.
- Linework, shading and solid fill fundamentals
- Coordination and consistency on practice materials
- Reviewing your work and learning through supervised feedback
06Color, contrast & readabilityLearn to make every element count.
- Value studies and black-and-gray foundations
- Color relationships and a focused palette
- Balancing detail, contrast and readable shapes
07Skin, placement & body flowThink beyond a flat page.
- An introduction to skin and the healing process
- Scale, placement and working with body contours
- Adapting a design and planning a cohesive composition
08Clients, portfolio & next stepsStart building your professional approach.
- Consultations, consent and clear expectations
- Aftercare communication and follow-up habits
- Photographing work, selecting a portfolio and seeking feedback
THE APPROACH
Observe. Practice.
Refine. Repeat.
The aim is to make the early stages easier to navigate: understand the tools, strengthen your drawing, and build a thoughtful practice routine.
These chapters are being developed to support your learning alongside mentorship, supervised practice, and the training required where you work.
NYC learning resource: infection-control trainingPHOTOGRAPHING TATTOOS
Show your
work.
Better photographs.
A stronger portfolio.
A practical guide to photographing your tattoos. Coming soon.
WHAT’S COMING
The essentials.
Lighting.
Bring out the detail.
Camera.
Get the basics right.
Angles.
Find the strongest view.
Editing.
Keep the tattoo true.