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Rory Somerville

SAN DIEGO — BOOKS OPEN

Rory Somerville / San Diego

Dark work.
Built to last.

Gothic blackwork, dark realism, horror, freehand — built around the body, not dropped on top of it.

San Diego based / LA + NYC guest spots

Black-and-grey horror forearm sleeve with two stacked clown faces and a cracked-glass background, photographed healed about one year after completion.
Horror forearm sleeveForearm sleeveHealed

Follow the work at @rorystats

Gallery

  • Black-and-grey horror forearm sleeve with two stacked clown faces and a cracked-glass background, photographed healed about one year after completion.
    Horror forearm sleeve/ Healed
  • Negative-space blackwork spreading from the shoulder across the chest, with heavy black shapes, red shading and torn organic edges.
    Negative-space blackwork shoulder and chest
  • Black-and-grey gothic castle rendered down the centre of the back, flanked by winged gargoyles and ornamental blackwork.
    Gothic castle back piece
  • Large gothic script lettering laid across the stomach in bold tapered black strokes that follow the curve of the torso.
    Gothic lettering stomach piece
  • Full back tattoo of falling figures and snarling creatures in dense black and grey, built across the whole back and shoulders.
    Full back composition
  • Freehand blackwork running up the side of the neck and out across the shoulder in long tapered strokes, photographed outdoors on a New York street.
    Neck and shoulder blackwork
  • Organic freehand blackwork covering the forearm in sweeping tapered strokes and scattered dots, wrapping with the muscle.
    Organic blackwork forearm
Full back tattoo of falling figures and snarling creatures in dense black and grey, built across the whole back and shoulders.

Large scale

One piece.
Full commitment.

Sleeves, backs, chests, multi-session work — give it room. Send the full idea even if you build it one session at a time.

Get tatted