Curated List
The Top Illustrators in Tattooing
Jesse Smith curates illustrators who push tattoo artistry beyond boundaries. Creative passion meets drawing mastery in every piece.
In Collaboration with Jesse Smith
June 17, 2025
About the List
Jesse Smith’s curated selection, The Top Illustrators in Tattooing, honors the Artists whose ideas leap straight from imagination to ink. Jesse handpicked each name on this list for their mastery of illustration, the kind that’s not bound by style, but driven by vision, energy, and mark-making that’s unmistakably their own.
From bold cartoon-inspired designs to intricate dark art compositions, this list spans the broad terrain of tattoo illustration. But what unites them all is a deep-rooted love for drawing. These are the Artists who create not just with skill, but with soul; those who’ve been sketching since childhood, and who now carry that same passion into every line they lay down.
Whether you're into new school, dark art, illustrative realism, or styles that defy definition entirely, Jesse's list offers a treasure trove of talent. It’s a tribute to originality in its rawest form.
About Jesse Smith
Jesse Smith is a tattoo Artist, shop owner, convention organizer, product creator, and lifelong illustrator. Based in Richmond, Virginia, he owns Loose Screw Tattoo and co-hosts the Richmond Tattoo and Arts Convention - one of the longest-running tattoo festivals in the world.
With nearly three decades in the industry, Jesse has become a staple in the tattoo scene not only for his surreal new school work but also for his unwavering commitment to pure, unfiltered creativity. He is also the founder of Method Tattoo System, a modular ink organization tool, and One Trick Pony, a brand showcasing his original artwork on apparel, skateboards, and more.
From sketchbooks filled since he was 12 to a tattoo career launched in 1998, Jesse’s path has always been fueled by a deep love for drawing. That same love guides his curation today. This list reflects the core of Jesse’s creative life: art that flows from the brain to the paper and from the heart to the skin.
Jesse Smith's Curation Criteria:
Pure Illustration
Artists with a lifelong dedication to drawing and a passion for creating original imagery from scratch.
Creative Signature
Work that carries a distinctive hand - unique lines, movement, compositions, and voice.
Diverse Styles, Unified Vision
From dark art to new school to illustrative realism, each Artist brings something fresh while honoring the craft of drawing.
Non-Reproductive Approach
Artists who invent, adapt, and evolve their own styles.
The Curated List
Wall Township, New Jersey
Taynic Tattoos
São Paulo, Brazil
Victor Montaghini
Denver, Colorado
Savannah Leigh
Copenhagen, Denmark +1
Edvin Tedebring
San Francisco, California +1
Maba Bayona
San Diego, California +1
Sydney Dyer
Saint Albans City, Vermont
Francesca Richard
Goldsboro, North Carolina
Zachary Cirocco
Southington, Connecticut
Edouard Duong
Glendale, Arizona
Picasso Dular
Denver, Colorado
Landon Morgan
Denver, Colorado
Oriented Art Teigeiro
Los Angeles, California
Eric Hare
New York, New York
Fiori Lorett
Richmond, Virginia
Jesse Smith
Portland, Oregon
Jason Tyler Grace
New York, New York
Dom Cali
Manhattan, New York
Snuffy NYC
Los Angeles, California
Adam Gibson
San Antonio, Texas
mariana rimoli
View the Full List
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