Charlottesville’s tattoo culture is on the rise, with enough shops
opening in the past two years to nearly double the town’s total. While the saturation of body art doesn’t rival that of neighboring Richmond, which consistently ranks among the most-tattooed cities in the country, Charlottesville does absorb some of that energy and talent.
Tattoo parlors and the artists who work in them all have different approaches. Some go through a lot of flash (the premade designs you’ll see hanging on the shop’s walls), others are highly customized, drawing multiple drafts to match a client’s vision. Traditional style features bold, simple lines, basic shading, and colors that pop; photorealism is clearly more realistic; black and gray is reminiscent of a pen-and-ink drawing; and fine art styles adopt techniques of painting. It’s important to find the style that matches you.
Charlottesville staples
Ben Around Tattoos (below) One of the city’s longest-running parlors, Ben Around was opened by award-winning tattoo artist Ben Miller in 2006. The shop has sustained its reputation for high-end custom artwork, and Miller particularly enjoys black and gray realism and fine-detail work that comes to life.
ACME Tattoo and Piercing Located off 14th Street, ACME can do it all: tattoo,
piercing, custom, or flash. The shop’s colorful atmosphere reflects the traditional
style and punchy pop artwork you’ll see in this space.
Scottyrock’s Twisted Ink With decades of experience, owner Scott Morris aims to give his customers exactly what they want. Father and son run the place, and promise to treat their patrons like family.
Newcomers
Magnolia Tattoo Studio Newly opened by Molly Freeman, a former apprentice of Miller’s, Magnolia fosters an intimate, welcoming environment. With a degree in fine art, Freeman enjoys fine-lined, delicate botanical work.
Spitfire Tattoo In partnership with ACME, this custom-only operation shares an affinity for comic-book heroes, arcade culture, and bold colors, and has experience in large-scale tattoos.
Have Heart Tattoo Recently opened on the Downtown Mall, Have Heart focuses on traditional black and gray stamps with clear, bold lines.