I’ve told my kids that if they grow up and get tattoos like me and their dad, they need to find an artist who does tattoos. Finding someone whose artwork inspires you to choose from their flash is a better way to get tattoos than choosing an idea and finding someone capable of slapping it on you. It’s the difference between rejoice and regret. If Raven Borsi didn’t live halfway across the world from me, I would definitely get his work permanently etched into my skin! He’s a resident artist at Primordial Pain Tattoo Milano, and his work is part horror, part black metal, part manga, part Lovecraft, and all awesome. His blackwork is a beautiful balance of clean solid space and impeccable texture. Some of my favorite pieces from Borsi are his portraits — he captures their forlorn and frustrated expressions in a way that’s almost classic but definitely with his own spin on it. He’s also a painter who works in oils, and you can find his work here, so it’s no wonder his tattoos display such vision and talent. Check out some of my recent favorites from his IG @thegallantcrow below…
