Tattoo Life March/April 2025

Cover girl: Yatzil

The name of the cover girl of this issue is Yatzil, which in Mayan culture means love. Besides being a model and a tattoo collector, Yatzil is a Mexican tattoo artist based in Ganga Tattoo in Los Angeles and does guest spots around the world. She is passionate, resilient, and a dreamer.

Chat at the top with Gara

The first two things that catch your eye when viewing the work of GARA, the famous and highly popular tattoo artist from Seoul who is now based in New York, are his skulls and his constant use of black ink, which flows like Indian ink down the skin, creating images that evoke the dark in all its mysterious beauty. We’re proud to feature him as a guest in our Chat at The Top, so you can get to know this artist—so well-known yet so fond of staying behind the scenes—a little better.

Lines, labyrinths and vortices by Sebastiano “Peste”

It happens sometimes that you find your true home on the other side of the world and choose to follow your heart in your life. That’s what happened to Sebastiano, who has a rather macabre nickname: Peste – or plague, chosen partly because of his rebellious nature, which always made him feel out of place in conventional lifestyles and, in his case in particular, that grim period of the Black Death, symbolised in Venice by the black mask. Black, like his artistic expression, which found its natural home in Melbourne, Australia. It was there, at the age of twenty-one, that he realized there was room to share his creative vision, composed of lines, labyrinths, and vortices that move in sync with the body.

The Neo Romantical Nature of Krish Trece

Originally from Madrid but now settled in New York, Krish Trace divides her time between Inkology Tattoo Art Gallery in the Big Apple and Karbon Tattoo Gallery in the Spanish capital. Her strength lies in her unique approach—blending Art Nouveau influences, classical compositions, and warm autumnal colors—to give a fresh twist to what we know as Neo Traditional. Give her a chance, and she’s bound to surprise you with her use of orange, golden tones, earthy hues, and endless creative energy.

The fantastic women faces of Delia Brody

Délia Morgane B (with the “B” standing for Brody) tattoo subjects inspired by both ancient and modern themes. She works in the tranquil town of Villeneuve-Loubet, near Nice, France, where she runs a private studio called ‘OceaniCor’. The colors in her tattoos range from turquoise to purple, green, and blue, transporting us to distant, faraway “fantasy” worlds.

Welcome to The Raven and The Wolves Tattoo, Long Beach

We’re in the heart of Long Beach, California, about to step into The Raven and The Wolves, the renowned studio of Carlos Torres, famous for his mastery of Realism. This space is much more than just a tattoo shop—it’s also an art gallery, a venue for workshops, and a place that regularly hosts guests, creating a constant buzz. For Carlos and the artists who work here, however, it’s primarily home—a place where they feel at ease and can create in the best and most inspiring environment imaginable.

The Ying Yang visions of Adrian Desgracia

The interest in Asian culture of tattoo artist Adrian Desgracia takes shape in bold lines and symbols expressing opposites, concepts like life/death, night/day, and animals which in various cultures stand for strength or wisdom, such as the tiger and the snake. On Instagram his name is Desgracia, derived from his surname, Gracia, meaning “The Grace of God.” This name was traditionally given to orphans left at monasteries or orphanages, and it also connects to his grandfather.

Who’s who: The cynical vision of society of Spanish Albert Bonet

His paintings often depict characters on the fringes of society. He accentuates their ugliness through colour or by exaggerating their expression. He also offers a jaundiced perspective on the world around him, using emblematic figures from TV shows. Once upon a time, the Muppet Show was reimagined by Spanish artist and tattooist Albert Bonet.

Tattoo model: Monki. Tattoo is a gift to your soul

Gema Mendez is both a tattoo artist and a tattoo lover from Seville. She introduces herself by sharing her vision of the spiritual side of tattoos, describing them as a way to express herself—a gift to her soul.

Portfolio: My tattoo world, photos by Elvia Iannaccone

In this Portfolio, photographer Elvia Jannaccone tells a visual story of tattoo culture, its changes and the developments within the industry, recorded in photos of tattoos, tattooed people and tattoo artists. In vintage photos and recent ones which capture souls and immortalise pieces of history of this art.

Tattoo Mix: A selection of the best in every style… and much more!