Realism Tattoo Artist in Los Angeles

My name is Andrey Kolbasin. I’m a tattoo artist based in Los Angeles, and realism tattoos have always been one of the main directions in my work. I enjoy creating portraits, black and grey tattoos, and large-scale projects like full sleeves and back pieces.

What I like most about tattooing is the combination of art and technical challenges. You can have a great idea and a beautiful reference image, but that doesn’t automatically mean it will work as a tattoo. You have to think about the shape of the body, the composition, the contrast, and how everything will look years later.

That’s something I’ve learned through years of working with different people, projects, and styles.

Tattoo realism, colorful goddess portrait tattoo with blue skin, jewelry and floral details, by Andrey Kolbasin, LA, 122

Tattoo realism, colorful female portrait tattoo with stitched face details and red clothing, by Andrey Kolbasin, LA, 123

Tattoo realism, realistic blonde woman portrait tattoo with vivid color accents and detailed facial shading, by Andrey Kolbasin, LA, 124

Tattoo realism, colorful female portrait tattoo with finger gesture and sugar skull face details, by Andrey Kolbasin, LA, 125

Tattoo realism, realistic female portrait tattoo with dark eye makeup and dramatic expression, by Andrey Kolbasin, LA, 126

Tattoo realism, skull tattoo with red accent details and surreal colorful composition, by Andrey Kolbasin, LA, 127

Tattoo realism, colorful monstrous helmet portrait tattoo with sharp teeth and vivid blue highlights, by Andrey Kolbasin, LA, 110

Tattoo realism, realistic portrait tattoo of a person covering the face with a tattooed hand, by Andrey Kolbasin, LA, 111

Tattoo realism, surreal female astronaut portrait tattoo with red drips and detailed face markings, by Andrey Kolbasin, LA, 112

Tattoo realism, realistic older woman portrait tattoo with glasses and warm facial expression, by Andrey Kolbasin, LA, 113

Tattoo realism, realistic smiling man portrait tattoo with cigarette and detailed facial shading, by Andrey Kolbasin, LA, 114

Tattoo realism, large Japanese warrior back tattoo with sword, waves and detailed black and grey shading, by Andrey Kolbasin, LA, 115

Tattoo realism, realistic woman portrait tattoo with headscarf and layered background details, by Andrey Kolbasin, LA, 116

Tattoo realism, colorful gangster portrait tattoo with gun and dramatic red fabric effect, by Andrey Kolbasin, LA, 117

Tattoo realism, surreal dual face portrait tattoo with mask-like details and dark shading, by Andrey Kolbasin, LA, 118

Tattoo realism, kurt cobain nirvana realistic male portrait tattoo with sunglasses on head and cigarette, by Andrey Kolbasin, LA, 119

Tattoo realism, colorful Egyptian queen portrait tattoo with blue skin and ornate headdress, by Andrey Kolbasin, LA, 120

Tattoo realism, smiling Day of the Dead woman portrait tattoo with playing card details, by Andrey Kolbasin, LA, 121

Tattoo realism, cinematic male and female portrait sleeve tattoo with vivid red accents and layered realistic composition, by Andrey Kolbasin, LA, 254

Tattoo realism, dramatic male portrait tattoo with red abstract elements and high-contrast color realism, by Andrey Kolbasin, LA, 255

Tattoo realism, realistic anatomical hand tattoo with exposed muscle details and vivid red shading, by Andrey Kolbasin, LA, 256

Tattoo realism, realistic bound hands tattoo with detailed skin texture, rope elements and dramatic shading, by Andrey Kolbasin, LA, 257

Tattoo realism, colorful guitar tattoo with warm tones and detailed musical instrument design, by Andrey Kolbasin, LA, 258

Tattoo realism, surreal female portrait tattoo with floral eyes and vivid botanical details, by Andrey Kolbasin, LA, 259

Tattoo realism, realistic female portrait tattoo with hands covering the face and soft black and grey shading, by Andrey Kolbasin, LA, 260

Tattoo realism, colorful female portrait tattoo with braided hair, floral elements and detailed facial shading, by Andrey Kolbasin, LA, 261

Tattoo realism, dark skull warrior tattoo with glowing red accents, armor details and dramatic realism, by Andrey Kolbasin, LA, 262

Tattoo realism, surreal female portrait tattoo with red eye detail, jewelry elements and distressed facial texture, by Andrey Kolbasin, LA, 263

Tattoo realism, realistic skull shoulder tattoo with warm color shading and detailed bone structure, by Andrey Kolbasin, LA, 264

Tattoo realism, realistic chrysanthemum flower tattoo with layered petals and deep black and grey shading, by Andrey Kolbasin, LA, 265

Tattoo realism, colorful floral sleeve tattoo with realistic flowers, leaves and soft botanical shading, by Andrey Kolbasin, LA, 266

Tattoo realism, realistic little girl portrait tattoo with curly hair and detailed facial features, by Andrey Kolbasin, LA, 267

Tattoo realism, roaring lion portrait tattoo with vivid color shading and intense facial expression, by Andrey Kolbasin, LA, 268

Tattoo realism, realistic Harry Potter portrait tattoo with glasses and detailed cinematic shading, by Andrey Kolbasin, LA, 269

Tattoo realism, surreal female portrait tattoo with facial symbols, ornamental details and dark realistic shading, by Andrey Kolbasin, LA, 270

Tattoo realism, colorful surreal female portrait tattoo with curly hair, facial lettering and red neck details, by Andrey Kolbasin, LA, 271

Realism Tattoo Portfolio

Here you can see a selection of my realism tattoos, from individual portraits and animal tattoos to full sleeves and larger compositions.

I work with different subjects and techniques, but I always pay attention to the same things: proportions, contrast, placement, and how all the elements fit together.

Tattoo realism, realistic male portrait tattoo with dark cinematic shading and intense expression, by Andrey Kolbasin, LA, 145

Tattoo realism, realistic elderly Sikh man portrait tattoo with turban, glasses and detailed white beard, by Andrey Kolbasin, LA, 128

Tattoo realism, colorful hummingbird and flower tattoo with detailed feathers and botanical elements, by Andrey Kolbasin, LA, 129

Tattoo realism, realistic female portrait tattoo with short dark hair and soft facial shading, by Andrey Kolbasin, LA, 130

Tattoo realism, colorful male portrait tattoo with dramatic lighting and expressive facial details, by Andrey Kolbasin, LA, 131

Tattoo realism, Viking helmet and skull sleeve tattoo with Nordic ornament and realistic shading, by Andrey Kolbasin, LA, 132

Tattoo realism, skull tattoo with red flower petals and dramatic realistic shading, by Andrey Kolbasin, LA, 133

Tattoo realism, realistic red bird tattoo with detailed feathers and natural branch elements, by Andrey Kolbasin, LA, 134

Tattoo realism, realistic Harry Potter portrait tattoo with glasses and detailed cinematic shading, by Andrey Kolbasin, LA, 135

Tattoo realism, realistic dog portrait tattoo with warm brown tones and detailed fur, by Andrey Kolbasin, LA, 136

Tattoo realism, realistic elderly woman portrait tattoo with headscarf and emotional facial expression, by Andrey Kolbasin, LA, 137

Tattoo realism, kurt cobain nirvana realistic male portrait tattoo with long hair and dramatic black and grey shading, by Andrey Kolbasin, LA, 138

Tattoo realism, colorful cinematic portrait tattoo with red car and detailed male character, by Andrey Kolbasin, LA, 139

Tattoo realism, colorful lynx portrait tattoo with detailed fur, intense eyes and botanical accents, by Andrey Kolbasin, LA, 140

Tattoo realism, dark animal wolf skull tattoo with deep realistic shading and dramatic texture, by Andrey Kolbasin, LA, 141

Tattoo realism, colorful forearm tattoo with realistic animal portrait and layered landscape details, by Andrey Kolbasin, LA, 142

Tattoo realism, realistic female eye tattoo with vivid red accents and cinematic composition, by Andrey Kolbasin, LA, 143

Tattoo realism, realistic female portrait tattoo with natural skin tones and detailed facial features, by Andrey Kolbasin, LA, 144

Color Realism and Black and Grey Tattoos

I enjoy working in both color and black and grey realism. They create different results, and I don’t think one is necessarily better than the other.

With black and grey tattoos, I can focus on contrast, shadows, and the overall atmosphere of the image. Sometimes removing color makes the composition stronger.

Color realism gives me other possibilities. I can work with different skin tones, textures, lighting, and details that wouldn’t have the same effect in black and grey.

It really depends on the idea. Before starting a project, I think about what will work best for the subject, the placement, and the size of the tattoo.

Tattoo realism, realistic young male portrait tattoo with dark hair and soft facial shading, by Andrey Kolbasin, LA, 158

Tattoo realism, colorful elderly woman portrait tattoo with blue headscarf and expressive facial details, by Andrey Kolbasin, LA, 159

Tattoo realism, surreal female portrait tattoo with geometric facial distortion and realistic skin tones, by Andrey Kolbasin, LA, 160

Tattoo realism, realistic blonde woman portrait tattoo with floral details and soft color shading, by Andrey Kolbasin, LA, 161

Tattoo realism, colorful evil clown tattoo with red hair, yellow eyes and dramatic facial expression, by Andrey Kolbasin, LA, 162

Tattoo realism, colorful forearm tattoo with realistic eye, abstract lines and layered graphic details, by Andrey Kolbasin, LA, 163

Tattoo realism, realistic elderly man portrait tattoo with white beard and detailed facial texture, by Andrey Kolbasin, LA, 146

Tattoo realism, colorful Asian woman portrait tattoo with red makeup accents and floral details, by Andrey Kolbasin, LA, 147

Tattoo realism, realistic owl tattoo with detailed feathers, bright eyes and natural color shading, by Andrey Kolbasin, LA, 148

Tattoo realism, realistic young woman portrait tattoo with soft skin tones and detailed facial features, by Andrey Kolbasin, LA, 149

Tattoo realism, surreal female portrait tattoo with red eye, jewelry details and distressed facial texture, by Andrey Kolbasin, LA, 150

Tattoo realism, realistic cat portrait tattoo with detailed fur, bright eyes and natural color shading, by Andrey Kolbasin, LA, 151

Tattoo realism, realistic male portrait tattoo with intense expression and dramatic dark shading, by Andrey Kolbasin, LA, 152

Tattoo realism, Till Lindeman Ramstein realistic male portrait tattoo with dark hair, strong contrast and vivid color accents, by Andrey Kolbasin, LA, 153

Tattoo realism, surreal screaming face tattoo with metal facial piercings and detailed realistic skin texture, by Andrey Kolbasin, LA, 154

Tattoo realism, colorful Japanese pagoda tattoo with architectural details and scenic landscape elements, by Andrey Kolbasin, LA, 155

Tattoo realism, musician portrait tattoo with guitar and detailed black and grey shading, by Andrey Kolbasin, LA, 156

Tattoo realism, red high heel shoe tattoo with decorative foot lettering and realistic color shading, by Andrey Kolbasin, LA, 157

Realistic Portrait Tattoos

Portraits are one of my favorite things to tattoo.

When you work on a realistic portrait, even small differences in proportions can completely change how a person looks. The position of the eyes, the expression, the shadows around the face - all these details matter.

But I don’t think realism is only about getting every tiny detail right.

Sometimes a portrait needs stronger contrast or a simpler background to make the face stand out. What looks great in a photograph doesn’t always translate directly into a tattoo.

I’ve worked on portraits of people, musicians, movie characters, and animals. Each subject comes with its own technical challenges, and that’s part of what makes this kind of work interesting to me.

You can see more examples of my work in my tattoo gallery.

Tattoo realism, Viy, Nikolai Gogol realistic female portrait tattoo with dark hair, soft facial shading and natural skin tones, by Andrey Kolbasin, LA, 164

Tattoo realism, dark skull tattoo with smoky shading and realistic bone details, by Andrey Kolbasin, LA, 165

Tattoo realism, colorful sleeve tattoo with skull imagery, red accents and layered realistic details, by Andrey Kolbasin, LA, 166

Tattoo realism, surreal female portrait tattoo with spider over the face and dramatic black shading, by Andrey Kolbasin, LA, 167

Tattoo realism, realistic skull forearm tattoo with deep shadows and detailed bone structure, by Andrey Kolbasin, LA, 168

Tattoo realism, colorful owl tattoo with detailed feathers, flowers and decorative botanical elements, by Andrey Kolbasin, LA, 169

Tattoo realism, male portrait tattoo with floral elements and soft color realism shading, by Andrey Kolbasin, LA, 170

Tattoo realism, surreal male portrait tattoo with circular goggles and geometric facial details, by Andrey Kolbasin, LA, 171

Tattoo realism, realistic dramatic male portrait tattoo with intense expression and warm color shading, by Andrey Kolbasin, LA, 172

Tattoo realism, colorful female portrait tattoo with ornate headpiece, jewelry and rich red accents, by Andrey Kolbasin, LA, 173

Tattoo realism, realistic older man portrait tattoo with thoughtful expression and detailed facial shading, by Andrey Kolbasin, LA, 174

Tattoo realism, realistic older man portrait tattoo with red rose and dramatic black shading, by Andrey Kolbasin, LA, 175

Tattoo realism, realistic bearded man portrait tattoo with warm expression and detailed facial texture, by Andrey Kolbasin, LA, 176

Tattoo realism, colorful female portrait tattoo with red rose, decorative face details and vivid shading, by Andrey Kolbasin, LA, 177

Tattoo realism, Vladimir Vysotsky realistic male portrait tattoo with light hair, blue eyes and detailed skin tones, by Andrey Kolbasin, LA, 178

Tattoo realism, colorful squirrel tattoo with natural fur texture, forest elements and vivid botanical details, by Andrey Kolbasin, LA, 179

Tattoo realism, dark female portrait tattoo with long hair, moody lighting and realistic shading, by Andrey Kolbasin, LA, 180

Tattoo realism, colorful male portrait tattoo with glasses, geometric face details and vivid realism shading, by Andrey Kolbasin, LA, 181

Large-Scale Realism Tattoos
and Full Sleeves

I especially enjoy larger projects because they give me more room to develop a composition.

A realistic tattoo sleeve shouldn’t look like several unrelated pictures placed next to one another. I prefer when everything connects and the tattoo feels like one complete piece.

The same applies to back pieces and other large tattoos. You have to consider the body’s natural shape, how the main elements fit together, and how the composition looks from different angles.

One of the biggest projects I worked on was at the Milan Tattoo Convention in 2016. I tattooed my client’s back, buttocks, and the backs of his thighs with a large black and grey composition.

Most of the work was completed in two days, with a little left for the third.

At that time, I was really interested in pushing myself to work faster and on a bigger scale. My priorities have changed since then. Today, I’m much more interested in getting the best possible result than finishing a project as quickly as I can.

That’s especially important with large realism tattoos. Good planning makes a big difference.

Tattoo realism, realistic owl tattoo with detailed feathers, intense eyes and dark natural shading, by Andrey Kolbasin, LA, 199

Tattoo realism, delicate hand and lily of the valley tattoo with soft botanical details and natural color shading, by Andrey Kolbasin, LA, 182

Tattoo realism, colorful fabric tattoo with stars, stripes and realistic folds, by Andrey Kolbasin, LA, 183

Tattoo realism, realistic elderly woman portrait tattoo with warm expression and detailed skin texture, by Andrey Kolbasin, LA, 184

Tattoo realism, realistic Jesus Christ portrait tattoo with crown of thorns and dramatic facial shading, by Andrey Kolbasin, LA, 185

Tattoo realism, colorful hummingbird and flower tattoo with vivid petals and detailed feathers, by Andrey Kolbasin, LA, 186

Tattoo realism, realistic smiling boy portrait tattoo with colorful cartoon character detail, by Andrey Kolbasin, LA, 187

Tattoo realism, realistic smiling girl portrait tattoo with detailed facial shading and hair, by Andrey Kolbasin, LA, 188

Tattoo realism, horror face tattoo with blood effects, sharp teeth and intense red accents, by Andrey Kolbasin, LA, 189

Tattoo realism, colorful female portrait tattoo with graphic face markings and dramatic red accents, by Andrey Kolbasin, LA, 190

Tattoo realism, smiling female portrait tattoo with spiderweb face detail and realistic skin tones, by Andrey Kolbasin, LA, 191

Tattoo realism, colorful red-haired female portrait tattoo with facial lettering and dark ornamental elements, by Andrey Kolbasin, LA, 192

Tattoo realism, colorful male portrait tattoo with flat cap, red facial markings and rose details, by Andrey Kolbasin, LA, 193

Tattoo realism, dramatic male portrait tattoo with intense blue eyes and layered face imagery, by Andrey Kolbasin, LA, 194

Tattoo realism, realistic older woman portrait tattoo with worried expression and natural skin tones, by Andrey Kolbasin, LA, 195

Tattoo realism, realistic hands tattoo with detailed skin texture, folds and subtle color shading, by Andrey Kolbasin, LA, 196

Tattoo realism, realistic screaming man portrait tattoo with sunglasses and dark dramatic shading, by Andrey Kolbasin, LA, 197

Tattoo realism, colorful red-haired female portrait tattoo with facial symbols and vivid realistic shading, by Andrey Kolbasin, LA, 198

Tattoo realism, realistic elderly bearded man portrait tattoo with detailed facial texture, by Andrey Kolbasin, LA, 212

Tattoo realism, colorful evil clown tattoo with red hair, sharp teeth and dramatic facial expression, by Andrey Kolbasin, LA, 213

Tattoo realism, surreal female portrait tattoo with vivid blue face paint, red eyes and graphic color accents, by Andrey Kolbasin, LA, 214

Tattoo realism, colorful female portrait tattoo with red face paint, feather detail and realistic shading, by Andrey Kolbasin, LA, 215

Tattoo realism, realistic sinister male portrait tattoo with intense expression and dramatic shading, by Andrey Kolbasin, LA, 216

Tattoo realism, colorful female portrait tattoo with head wrap, facial symbols and detailed realistic shading, by Andrey Kolbasin, LA, 217

Tattoo realism, The Lord of the Rings movie dramatic male portrait tattoo with intense blue eyes and layered expressive face below, by Andrey Kolbasin, LA, 200

Tattoo realism, A wizard from Harry Potter portrait tattoo with natural skin tones and emotional expression, by Andrey Kolbasin, LA, 201

Tattoo realism, realistic clasped hands tattoo with detailed skin texture and soft color shading, by Andrey Kolbasin, LA, 202

Tattoo realism, Ozzy Osbournerealistic screaming man portrait tattoo with sunglasses and dramatic dark shading, by Andrey Kolbasin, LA, 203

Tattoo realism, colorful red-haired female portrait tattoo with facial symbols and vivid realistic shading, by Andrey Kolbasin, LA, 204

Tattoo realism, realistic owl tattoo with detailed feathers, intense eyes and dark natural shading, by Andrey Kolbasin, LA, 205

Tattoo realism, stylized female portrait tattoo with bold red and black facial accents and graphic realism, by Andrey Kolbasin, LA, 206

Tattoo realism, three wise monkeys tattoo across fingers with detailed realistic shading, by Andrey Kolbasin, LA, 207

Tattoo realism, realistic cat portrait tattoo with dark green background and detailed fur texture, by Andrey Kolbasin, LA, 208

Tattoo realism, realistic hands tattoo with dark shading, detailed fingers and chain bracelet, by Andrey Kolbasin, LA, 209

Tattoo realism, realistic skull and dark abstract sleeve tattoo with deep contrast and detailed shading, by Andrey Kolbasin, LA, 210

Tattoo realism, anatomical rib cage tattoo with dark botanical and organic details, by Andrey Kolbasin, LA, 211

Tattoo realism, realistic red rose tattoo with rich petals, soft shading and natural color depth, by Andrey Kolbasin, LA, 218

Tattoo realism, realistic female portrait tattoo with long dark hair and detailed facial shading, by Andrey Kolbasin, LA, 219

Tattoo realism, surreal female face tattoo with dark shading and realistic red apple detail, by Andrey Kolbasin, LA, 220

Tattoo realism, realistic female portrait tattoo with green eyes, dramatic lighting and soft color shading, by Andrey Kolbasin, LA, 221

Tattoo realism, stylized female portrait tattoo with bold red brush strokes and dark realistic shading, by Andrey Kolbasin, LA, 222

Tattoo realism, realistic elderly man portrait tattoo with detailed hands, pipe and warm color tones, by Andrey Kolbasin, LA, 223

Tattoo realism, colorful dog portrait tattoo with multiple pets and playful graphic accents, by Andrey Kolbasin, LA, 224

Tattoo realism, dark hooded skull figure tattoo with dramatic realistic shading, by Andrey Kolbasin, LA, 225

Tattoo realism, detailed religious angel figure tattoo with flowing robes and realistic shading, by Andrey Kolbasin, LA, 226

Tattoo realism, realistic tiger portrait tattoo with detailed fur and warm natural shading, by Andrey Kolbasin, LA, 227

Tattoo realism, ornate Buddha statue tattoo with intricate decorative details and deep shading, by Andrey Kolbasin, LA, 228

Tattoo realism, realistic skull tattoo with dramatic shadows and detailed bone structure, by Andrey Kolbasin, LA, 229

Tattoo realism, realistic military portrait tattoo with cap, sunglasses and detailed hands, by Andrey Kolbasin, LA, 230

Tattoo realism, abstract nature tattoo with birds, organic textures and layered artistic details, by Andrey Kolbasin, LA, 231

Tattoo realism, realistic elderly man portrait tattoo with expressive eyes, pipe and detailed facial texture, by Andrey Kolbasin, LA, 232

Tattoo realism, colorful gorilla portrait tattoo with intense eyes and vivid blue facial shading, by Andrey Kolbasin, LA, 233

Tattoo realism, realistic cat and tiger portrait tattoos with detailed fur and natural color shading, by Andrey Kolbasin, LA, 234

Tattoo realism, large color realism leg tattoo with portrait, abstract textures and layered full-leg composition, by Andrey Kolbasin, LA, 235

Tattoo realism, dark female portrait tattoo with long hair and dramatic realistic shading, by Andrey Kolbasin, LA, 338

Tattoo realism, cinematic male portrait tattoo with helmet, blood effects and dramatic realistic shading, by Andrey Kolbasin, LA, 339

Tattoo realism, dramatic male portrait tattoo with intense blue eyes and layered expressive face below, by Andrey Kolbasin, LA, 340

Tattoo realism, colorful female portrait tattoo with facial lettering, hand detail and vivid realistic shading, by Andrey Kolbasin, LA, 341

Tattoo realism, colorful male portrait tattoo with cigarette, vivid blue and orange tones and cinematic shading, by Andrey Kolbasin, LA, 342

Tattoo realism, realistic female portrait tattoo with ornamental details and dramatic facial shading, by Andrey Kolbasin, LA, 343

Tattoo realism, football tribute back tattoo with player portrait, stadium and fan imagery, by Andrey Kolbasin, LA, 326

Tattoo realism, colorful screaming male portrait tattoo with graphic red and blue accents, by Andrey Kolbasin, LA, 327

Tattoo realism, colorful female portrait tattoo with facial markings and decorative elements, by Andrey Kolbasin, LA, 328

Tattoo realism, colorful female portrait tattoo with botanical elements and vivid realistic shading, by Andrey Kolbasin, LA, 329

Tattoo realism, realistic tiger portrait tattoo with detailed fur, intense eyes and black and grey shading, by Andrey Kolbasin, LA, 330

Tattoo realism, realistic blonde woman portrait tattoo with layered figure detail and soft shading, by Andrey Kolbasin, LA, 331

Tattoo realism, colorful female portrait tattoo with warm highlights and dramatic realistic shading, by Andrey Kolbasin, LA, 332

Tattoo realism, dark male portrait tattoo with expressive face, hands and vivid color accents, by Andrey Kolbasin, LA, 333

Tattoo realism, realistic female portrait tattoo with floral elements and detailed color shading, by Andrey Kolbasin, LA, 334

Tattoo realism, realistic blonde woman portrait tattoo with blue eyes and soft natural shading, by Andrey Kolbasin, LA, 335

Tattoo realism, realistic female portrait tattoo with layered face composition and detailed black and grey shading, by Andrey Kolbasin, LA, 336

Tattoo realism, realistic Harry Potter portrait tattoo with glasses and cinematic color details, by Andrey Kolbasin, LA, 337

Tattoo realism, colorful female portrait tattoo with braided hair, floral elements and detailed facial shading, by Andrey Kolbasin, LA, 344

Tattoo realism, realistic male portrait tattoo with cigarette and detailed black and grey facial shading, by Andrey Kolbasin, LA, 345

Tattoo realism, realistic eye and male portrait foot tattoos with dark detailed shading, by Andrey Kolbasin, LA, 346

Tattoo realism, gothic female portrait tattoo with spiked crown, dramatic makeup and detailed black and grey shading, by Andrey Kolbasin, LA, 347

Tattoo realism, surreal female portrait tattoo with vivid red abstract lines and high-contrast shading, by Andrey Kolbasin, LA, 348

Tattoo realism, realistic fruit tattoo with pomegranate, white flower and botanical details, by Andrey Kolbasin, LA, 349

Tattoo realism, realistic elderly man portrait tattoo with deep wrinkles and dramatic shadows, by Andrey Kolbasin, LA, 350

Tattoo realism, colorful female portrait tattoo with vivid blue and red face paint and dramatic realism shading, by Andrey Kolbasin, LA, 351

Tattoo realism, realistic elderly man back tattoo with forest landscape blended into the portrait, by Andrey Kolbasin, LA, 352

Tattoo realism, large Japanese warrior back tattoo with sword, armor and detailed dynamic composition, by Andrey Kolbasin, LA, 353

My Experience With Realism Tattooing

Over the years, I’ve participated in international tattoo conventions, competed with other artists, received awards, and had opportunities to judge tattoo competitions.

One memorable experience was a tattoo convention in China, where a full-color Harry Potter sleeve I created received second place in the Large Color Tattoo category.

Experiences like that have helped me grow as an artist. You get to see how other people work, compare different approaches, and discover things you might want to try in your own projects.

You can read more about my professional background on my About page or see my tattoo awards.

Tattoo realism, medieval knight helmet tattoo with realistic metal texture and dramatic black shading, by Andrey Kolbasin, LA, 236

Tattoo realism, large medieval warrior back tattoo with castle architecture, battle imagery and detailed realism, by Andrey Kolbasin, LA, 237

Tattoo realism, surreal female portrait tattoo with hand covering one eye and expressive facial shading, by Andrey Kolbasin, LA, 238

Tattoo realism, colorful abstract forearm tattoo with geometric shapes and vivid realistic accents, by Andrey Kolbasin, LA, 239

Tattoo realism, realistic hands tattoo with detailed fingers, shadows and fine line texture, by Andrey Kolbasin, LA, 240

Tattoo realism, realistic lynx portrait tattoo with forest landscape and natural color shading, by Andrey Kolbasin, LA, 241

Tattoo realism, realistic dog portrait tattoo with detailed fur, collar and natural color shading, by Andrey Kolbasin, LA, 242

Tattoo realism, surreal mouth tattoo with red lips, dark interior and dramatic blood-like shading, by Andrey Kolbasin, LA, 243

Tattoo realism, realistic woman portrait tattoo with wavy hair and detailed facial shading, by Andrey Kolbasin, LA, 244

Tattoo realism, dark full leg tattoo with realistic portrait, ornamental elements and red geometric accent, by Andrey Kolbasin, LA, 245

Tattoo realism, realistic blonde woman portrait tattoo with soft color shading and detailed facial features, by Andrey Kolbasin, LA, 246

Tattoo realism, colorful goddess portrait tattoo with blue skin, ornate jewelry and vivid facial details, by Andrey Kolbasin, LA, 247

Tattoo realism, large back tattoo with roaring bear, mountain landscape and architectural elements, by Andrey Kolbasin, LA, 248

Tattoo realism, colorful leopard portrait tattoo with botanical details and natural realistic shading, by Andrey Kolbasin, LA, 249

Tattoo realism, dark male portrait tattoo with distressed facial details and dramatic contrast, by Andrey Kolbasin, LA, 250

Tattoo realism, colorful flame sleeve tattoo with skull imagery and vivid orange fire effects, by Andrey Kolbasin, LA, 251

Tattoo realism, colorful female portrait tattoo with blue head wrap, realistic facial shading and graphic accents, by Andrey Kolbasin, LA, 252

Tattoo realism, artistic hand tattoo holding paintbrushes with colorful red paint and creative realism details, by Andrey Kolbasin, LA, 253

Planning a Realism Tattoo in Los Angeles?

If you’re thinking about getting a realistic tattoo in Los Angeles, feel free to send me your idea.

It helps if you can include a few reference images, the part of your body you’d like to tattoo, and an approximate size.

You don’t need to have everything figured out before contacting me. We can discuss your idea, look at what might work, and decide how to approach the design.

Whether it’s a portrait, a sleeve, or a larger custom project, I’d rather spend more time planning it properly than rush into something that doesn’t quite work.

You can contact me here to discuss your project or book a consultation.