Top Tattoo Artists to Watch in 2025
The next wave of ink legends — bold, visionary, and impossible to ignore.
Each year, the tattoo industry evolves — new voices emerge, established names sharpen their legacy, and the creative bar gets raised. This curated list highlights the Top Tattoo Artists to Watch in 2025 — the artists shaping the future of the craft through style, innovation, and undeniable skill.
Featured Artists (Top 10 List)
1. Matt Vaught (Verified) – Orange County, CA
Style: Smooth black & grey, fine detail realism
Why Watch: Vaught’s control and emotional realism make him a silent powerhouse on the West Coast. Collectors seek him out for portraits that actually feel alive.
Instagram: @mattvaughttattoo
2. Cody Austin Montgomery (Verified) – Ohio
Style: Portraits, black & grey realism
Why Watch: Known for impeccable shading and quiet precision, Cody’s pieces hit that perfect balance between photorealism and emotional weight.
Instagram: @codyaustintattoos
3. Seth Holmes – Pittsburgh, PA
Style: Realism, illustrative black & grey
Why Watch: Pittsburgh’s best-kept secret — his texture-heavy, contrast-driven work has collectors lining up. Watch this guy blow up.
Instagram: @sethholmestattoo
4. Brett Herman – Denver, CO
Style: Surrealism, dark illustrative, blackwork
Why Watch: A dark horse in the fine art tattoo world. Brett’s large-scale work feels like you’re wearing a graphic novel panel.
Instagram: @brettherman
5. Codey Doran – Los Angeles, CA
Style: Abstract realism, biomechanical
Why Watch: Codey’s concepts defy traditional tattoo categories. His work looks machine-forged and dream-built.
Instagram: @codeydorantattoos
6. Julia Oravets – Uniontown, PA
Style: Horror realism, dark illustrative
Why Watch: A rising name in horror and blackwork circles, Julia’s work feels like it crawled off the pages of a dark graphic novel.
Studio: Real Ink Tattoo
7. Jake Karamol – Cecil County, MD
Style: Neo-traditional, bold color
Why Watch: Jake brings storytelling into every piece — bold lines, rich saturation, and personality-driven subjects.
Instagram: @jakekaramol
8. Joe Capone – Pittsburgh, PA
Style: Color realism
Why Watch: This Pittsburgh staple is known for jaw-dropping portraiture and saturation that feels nuclear.
Instagram: (Awaiting link)
9. Cameron Scaccia – Belle Vernon, PA
Style: Illustrative realism, painterly technique
Why Watch: A fine art painter turned tattooer — Cam’s ability to translate brushwork to skin is evolving fast.
Instagram: @cameronscaccia
10. Sarah Altamare – Belle Vernon, PA
Style: Fine line, delicate minimalism
Why Watch: A young mom and meticulous technician, Sarah’s micro-detail and soft-touch work is rare in the region.
Instagram: @sarahaltamaretattoos
Top Tattoo Artists to Watch in 2025 (Expanded)
These 20 artists are redefining what it means to create on skin.
11. Travis Brown – Palm Beach, FL
Style: Whip-shaded realism, clean black & grey
Why Watch: A clean technician with a classic eye — Travis is quietly developing a devoted collector base through sleek, ageless pieces.
12. Michael Patrick – Pittsburgh, PA / Honolulu, HI
Style: New school meets illustrative color
Why Watch: High saturation, quirky compositions, and flow that makes full sleeves feel like animated murals.
13. Corey Divine – Los Angeles, CA
Style: Geometric, ornamental, mandala work
Why Watch: Divine’s symmetry and sacred geometry placements turn skin into wearable architecture.
14. David Vega – Texas
Style: Smooth black & grey portraiture
Why Watch: Ultra-smooth blends and emotional compositions — Vega’s pieces often go viral for a reason.
15. Big Sleeps – Los Angeles, CA
Style: Fine line lettering, Chicano script
Why Watch: A lettering godfather whose work influences type across tattooing, fashion, and design. Original and untouchable.
16. Deanna James – Texas
Style: Soft illustrative, feminine fine line
Why Watch: Blending strength and elegance, her work is redefining modern femininity in tattoo art.
**17. Dimitri Vision –
(Location TBD)
Style: Surrealism, biomech, 3D illusions
Why Watch: His work looks like CGI fused with flesh — a master of technical layering and wild depth.
**18. Josh Herman –
(Location TBD)
Style: Color realism
Why Watch: Vibrant, technically sound, and ambitious — Josh is building momentum quickly on social media and in convention circuits.
19. Dmitriy Samohin – Ukraine
Style: Hyperrealism (Color & Black/Grey)
Why Watch: If you’re not following Samohin yet, you’re missing out on one of the most mind-blowing precision artists in the world.
20. Hannah Flowers – Australia
Style: Feminine surrealism, ornamental color
Why Watch: Her work feels like a painting from a parallel universe — soft, haunting, and consistently unique.
Think You Belong on This List?
We’re always watching the underground. Submit your portfolio and tell us why your work stands out.