I started tattooing in 1990, and have worked on and off as a professional tattooer since 1994. I’m currently working by appointment in San Francisco, and my work can be found on Instagram at @mistercallaghan.

For me, tattooing is an ideal blend of design, craft, and sheer mechanics. It’s an art form with a dense and fascinating network of cultural iconographies, a strong emotional layer, and a deep technical component. It’s a different challenge each time.

In order to make a permanent mark on someone’s body, it’s really necessary to demonstrate a strong ability to translate a client’s idea into a design that will not only convey what they want, but also work well as a tattoo that will read clearly, balance line and color, hold its form, and age well. The best way to display that ability is by making tattoo flash, which is a compelling visual statement through sketching, drawing, and painting — and by displaying finished work in the most engaging way possible. Below are a few examples of drawings and finished work.

‍