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Portraits

Portrait tattoos

The hardest thing to get right, and the first thing anybody notices.

A portrait is the least forgiving tattoo there is. Everybody looking at it already knows what a face is supposed to do, so a millimeter of error in an eyelid reads instantly as wrong, even to someone who has never thought about tattooing in their life.

The work starts with your photograph. A sharp, well lit, straight-on reference makes a good portrait possible. A dark, low resolution phone picture with a hand across half the face does not, and no amount of skill at the machine fixes a reference that never had the information in it.

Bring the best photo you have and you will hear honestly whether it is enough to work from.

Call (708) 770-2754

What this covers

  • Family and memorial portraits
  • Religious portraits
  • Character and film portraits
  • Black and grey or full color
  • Worked from your own reference photograph
Serving Chicago Ridge, Oak Lawn, Worth, Alsip, Palos Heights, Bridgeview, Burbank and Evergreen Park.

Portrait tattoos in the gallery

15 pieces, all tattooed by Nestor Juarez.

Black and grey forearm tattoo of a woman with half skull face, roses and colored butterflies
Catrina half skull with roses and butterflies, by Nestor Juarez
Thigh tattoo of a woman's face emerging from a lioness head with a cub below, daisies and leaves framing it
Woman and lioness split portrait, by Nestor Juarez
Black and grey upper arm tattoo of a parent holding a newborn above a Roman numeral date banner and pocket watch
Newborn, pocket watch and date banner, by Nestor Juarez
Black and grey forearm sleeve with a cherub archer, storm clouds, a sailing ship and forked lightning
Cherub and storm sleeve in black and grey, by Nestor Juarez
Black and grey realism portrait of a classical statue woman with a leafy crown on a forearm
Classical statue portrait in black and grey, by Nestor Juarez
Black and grey forearm piece with a crying woman's face, teardrops and Loyalty script
Crying woman with Loyalty script, by Nestor Juarez
Black and grey thigh piece with a bearded Greek statue head, a Pegasus and a classical face
Greek statue and Pegasus thigh piece, by Nestor Juarez
Black and grey Jesus portrait with crown of thorns above a kneeling figure praying in light rays
Jesus with crown of thorns, half sleeve, by Nestor Juarez
Black and grey Jesus face framed by palm leaves above a dove with spread wings and lit candles
Jesus, dove and candles half sleeve, by Nestor Juarez
Forearm sleeve blending a woman's green eye with a tiger face, sunflowers and a small ladybug
Tiger and eye forearm sleeve, fresh work, by Nestor Juarez
Color forearm tattoo of an animated Mulan character with a small red dragon and cherry blossoms.
Mulan and Mushu in soft color, by Nestor Juarez
Black and grey upper arm tattoo of a bearded saint holding a candle with a dove below
Bearded saint with candle and dove, by Nestor Juarez
Black and grey upper arm tattoo of a bearded Greek god with lightning bolts, storm clouds and a sailing ship
Storm god half sleeve, upper arm, by Nestor Juarez
Three angles of a hannya mask, pagoda and woman's face tattoo shot through fresh plastic wrap
Hannya mask and pagoda, three angles, by Nestor Juarez
Black and grey forearm tattoo of a woman's face beneath a hand and olive branch leaves
Chicano woman and olive branch, forearm, by Nestor Juarez

Questions

What kind of photo do you need?

Sharp, well lit, straight on or three quarter, eyes in focus, nothing covering the face. A portrait can only hold the detail the photograph holds.

Can you work from an old or damaged photo?

Sometimes, and it is a common request for memorial work. Bring the best copy you have and you will hear honestly whether there is enough in it to work from.

How big does a portrait need to be?

Bigger than most people first want. A face has to carry its features at the size it is tattooed, and shrinking it is what makes portraits go wrong.

Black and grey or color for a portrait?

Most portraits are stronger in black and grey. Color adds a variable that has to be right on skin tone as well as likeness.

Other work

Black & grey Chicano realism

45 pieces by Nestor

Cover-up tattoos

2 pieces by Nestor

Religious tattoos

14 pieces by Nestor

Memorial tattoos

5 pieces by Nestor

Aztec and cultural tattoos

6 pieces by Nestor

Color realism tattoos

11 pieces by Nestor

Tattoo sleeves

17 pieces by Nestor

Find us

Visit the shop

We are on 111th Street in Chicago Ridge, minutes from Oak Lawn, Worth, Alsip and Burbank.

Anointed Ink
5920 W 111th St
Chicago Ridge, IL 60415
(708) 770-2754
anointed.ink29@gmail.com

Get directions

Serving
Chicago Ridge, Oak Lawn, Worth, Alsip, Palos Heights, Bridgeview, Burbank, Evergreen Park, Hometown, Palos Hills, Hickory Hills, Chicago's Southwest Side.

Hours

Opening hours
Monday12:00pm to 7:00pm
Tuesday12:00pm to 7:00pm
Wednesday12:00pm to 7:00pm
Thursday12:00pm to 7:00pm
Friday12:00pm to 7:00pm
Saturday12:00pm to 7:00pm
SundayClosed

Plus code M6RM+72 Chicago Ridge, Illinois

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