Portraits · People, pets and memorial · Chapeltown, Sheffield
Portrait Tattoo Artist in Sheffield
I'm Liam. I tattoo portraits of people and pets in black and grey realism, worked from your own photographs, at a private one-room studio in Chapeltown. One artist, one client: I design it, I tattoo it, and nobody else touches it.
A single A5 portrait is one 4-hour sitting at a flat £350.
People, Pets and Memorial Portraits
A portrait is the piece people think about longest before booking, because it has to be right. It's a face you know better than anyone: a parent or grandparent, a partner, a child, a dog who was family. The job is getting them right. A likeness you recognise straight away, done so it still looks like them in twenty years.
Black and grey is made for portraits. Skin, the shine in an eye, fur, a beard, the way light falls on a face: it all comes down to getting the light and dark right, and that's what lasts in skin. It's the only style I work in, and it's why people come from all over the country, and from Europe, to get one done here.
Pet Portraits →
Dogs most often, but any animal with a good photo. Fur texture, eyes and the exact expression you remember, with the pet's name if you want it.
Memorial Portraits →
Remembering a person or a pet, worked faithfully from the photos you have, in a completely private one-to-one room with no pressure at any stage.
Portraits of actors, musicians and film characters work the same way and go through the same 4-hour session; the film and TV gallery has examples.
What Makes a Portrait Tattoo Work
The photo decides most of it. I work directly from your photograph, so the likeness in the tattoo can only be as good as the likeness in the picture. The best references are sharp, with the face filling the frame and the eyes in focus, lit by natural daylight rather than a flash or an indoor lamp, and without filters. Resolution matters too: a screenshot of a screenshot loses the detail I need in the eyes and the skin. If you only have one photo and it's not perfect, send it anyway; part of my job is telling you honestly what will hold up. There's a longer guide to choosing the right photo for a lifelike portrait on the blog.
One subject per session. The 4-hour portrait session is built for one face, person or pet, at A5 size with no extra design work. That's what lets me give a single portrait the time it needs. If you want two people together, a portrait with a clock, roses or praying hands, or a face inside a larger scene, it's a 6-hour full day sitting and I plan the whole thing out first.
Approved before the day. You see a digital mock-up of the portrait on your placement before your date. Minor changes are included; a complete redesign is £50. With the design agreed, we start tattooing as soon as you sit down.
Size and Placement
A5 is the size the 4-hour session covers: a single face, roughly the size of a paperback cover, which suits the outer bicep, the forearm, the outer calf or the thigh. Those large, flat areas are where a portrait works best, because the face sits flat rather than wrapping or warping around the muscle. The chest holds a larger portrait well, and bigger pieces with more than one subject are planned as a full day.
A5 portraits on different placements: the size and style a 4-hour portrait session covers.
What a Portrait Tattoo Costs
- 4-hour portrait session£350
One person or one pet, A5 size, no extra design elements
- 6-hour full day sitting£480
Two subjects, or a portrait with a clock, roses or a scene
The price is the same for everyone and it's the sitting you pay for, not a per-design quote. The deposit is £50 for the portrait session and £100 for a full day, paid through Stripe when you book and taken off the total; the balance is paid on the day in cash or by bank transfer. Move your date with 72 hours' notice and the deposit moves with you.
Every sitting price is on the pricing page, and there's an honest look at what portraits cost across the UK in the guide How much does a portrait tattoo cost?
Portraits From the Studio
People and pets in black and grey realism, each worked from the client's own photograph.
Who Tattoos It, and How It Heals
For a portrait, the artist matters more than the studio name over the door. Here there's only one: I choose the reference with you, draw the design and tattoo it myself, with no guest artists and no handover. The studio is one private room, appointment-only, with no walk-ins, so you're the only client in the building for the whole sitting. You can bring one support person, which for a memorial piece people often do. The studio is rated 5.0 on Google from 64 reviews (read them here).
You leave with the portrait wrapped and the aftercare instructions. Keep it covered for the first few hours, then wash gently with lukewarm water and a mild, unscented soap; from 24 hours, a thin layer of fragrance-free lotion three or four times a day. No Vaseline or Bepanthen, and no swimming, baths, tight clothing or direct sunlight for three to four weeks. A portrait is judged on how it settles, so if any area heals lighter than it should, one touch-up within three months is free provided the aftercare was followed. If you'd like to see a sitting from start to finish, the session films are shot in the studio and cut the same day.
Getting Here
The studio is at 3A Station Road, Chapeltown, Sheffield S35 2XE, two minutes from Junction 35 of the M1, with free parking nearby and Chapeltown station on the Penistone Line a short walk away. It's about 12 minutes by car from Sheffield city centre, 15 from Barnsley, 20 from Rotherham and around 30 from Doncaster via the M18. Open Tuesday – Thursday 09:30 – 19:30 and Friday 09:30 – 16:00, by appointment only.
Portrait Tattoo Questions, Answered
- Who will tattoo my portrait?
- Me, Liam. I'm the only artist at the studio, so the person who chooses the reference with you, draws the design and tattoos it is the same person, and there are no guest artists or apprentices. You're the only client in the building for your sitting.
- What photo do I need for a portrait tattoo?
- A sharp, well-lit photograph where the face fills the frame and the eyes are in focus. Natural light is best, with no heavy filters and no motion blur. A phone photo is fine if it's a good one. Send a few options with your quote request and I'll tell you honestly which will make the strongest tattoo, and if none will hold up, I'll say so before you book.
- How much does a portrait tattoo cost in Sheffield?
- A single portrait of one person or one pet at A5 size is a dedicated 4-hour portrait session at a flat £350, booked online with a £50 deposit that comes off the total. Two subjects, or a portrait with background elements, is usually a 6-hour full day sitting at £480. The balance is paid on the day in cash or by bank transfer.
- How long does a portrait tattoo take?
- One face at roughly A5 size is finished in the 4-hour session. Larger portraits, more than one subject, or a portrait with scenery behind it need a longer day, and I'll tell you which sitting fits when I've seen the photo and the placement.
- Can you put two people, or a person and a pet, in one piece?
- Yes, but it's a bigger job than one face. Two subjects together, or a portrait combined with a clock, roses, praying hands or a scene, is usually a 6-hour full day sitting (£480) rather than the 4-hour portrait session. Send the photos through the quote form and I'll plan the layout and the sitting.
- Can you work from an old or low-quality photo?
- Often, yes. Memorial portraits regularly start from older photos or prints photographed on a phone. Send everything you have and I'll pick the reference that will hold up best, and tell you plainly if none of them are strong enough for a faithful likeness rather than guess at someone's face.
- Do you tattoo portraits in colour?
- No. I work in black and grey only. I'm colour-blind and can't read a lot of colour in the skin, so I've specialised in the style I can judge properly, and black and grey portraits keep their contrast and detail best as they age.
- Will I see the design before the day?
- Yes. I send a digital mock-up before your date showing the portrait on the placement so we can settle any minor tweaks, which are included. A complete redesign is a £50 fee. That way we start tattooing as soon as you arrive.
- What if part of it heals lighter than it should?
- One touch-up within three months of your sitting is free, provided you've followed the aftercare instructions you go home with. A touch-up needed because of sun exposure, picking or swimming is charged at the standard hourly rate.
- Where on the body does a portrait work best?
- Large, flat areas: the outer bicep, the forearm, the outer calf or the thigh. On those the face sits flat and doesn't wrap or distort around the muscle. The chest works well for a larger portrait. If you have a placement in mind that isn't on that list, ask and I'll tell you whether it will hold a face.
More on deposits, ID, numbing cream and aftercare on the full FAQ page.
Not a portrait? See black and grey realism tattoos for wildlife, mythology and custom pieces, or single-sitting sleeves.