Five Vancouver-based tattoo artists you need to know about

By: Victoria Lopatka, Peak Associate

If you’re living in Vancouver and you want a tattoo, you’re in luck: there’s dozens of parlours and hundreds of artists you can pick from. Whether you’re getting your first tattoo or adding to a collection, any of these artists can help you adorn your skin with a new piece of art.

Below, I list five Vancouver-based artists that I think deserve recognition – specializing in florals, animals, realistic renditions of people, minimalist and abstract designs, and more – as well as all the details you need to book an appointment.

• Diana Lin (@di.polar)
  1. Works at: Liquid Amber Tattoo Parlour
  2. Speciality: realistic florals
  3. Status: Open to booking

Diana Lin’s realistic floral pieces will leave you breathless; her works look like you could pluck them right off the skin. Her Instagram is full of lush succulents, colourful roses, and breathtaking bouquets. She also enjoys doing animals, insects, food, and dark designs.

Diana’s been tattooing for about one year and eight months (though her art looks like she’s been tattooing for much longer) and can currently be found in Gastown. Lin’s hourly rate is $160 per hour, so the total cost of a tattoo will depend on its size and detail.

To get in touch with Diana, email Liquid Amber Tattoo Parlour — I know I’ll be doing so.

• Genevieve Caron (@cockadoodle.doo)
  1. Located at: Imperial St. & Kingsway
  2. Speciality: colourful pieces
  3. Status: Open to booking

If you want something neon and bright, Genevieve is the artist for you. Her Instagram is full of animals and women in beautiful aqua, green, pink, orange, and yellow hues. I’ve never seen bats look so adorable. If you look closely at some of the designs, though, you’ll notice she puts a spin on some classic images, like mixing a chick-a-dee with a gryphon, or . . . is that a vagina on a pineapple?

Caron has been tattooing for several months now. Customers can get in contact with her to find out her pricing and set up an appointment at genevievetattoos@gmail.com.

• Steve Dunford (@stevedunford)           
  1. Works at: Tradewinds Tattoo Co.
  2. Speciality: hyperrealism
  3. Status: Open to booking

Have you ever seen pictures online of horrible “realistic” renditions of photographs of kids, celebrities, and family pets? Those people obviously didn’t go to Steve. His pieces, which range from celebrities to fictional characters to animals, are all perfectly shaded, proportionate, and extremely detailed. You don’t need to read the caption to know the famous faces Steve is tattooing on clients; he’s just that good at what he does.

Steve is the co-owner of TradeWinds Tattoo Co, and can be contacted at tattoosbystevedunford@gmail.com. His hourly rate is $160 per hour, and many of the detailed works featured on his Instagram take upwards of three hours.

Be sure to ask him about his adorable pug, Louis, when you sit down for some fresh ink with him.

• Mackenzie Evanjeline (@indigo_evolution)
  1. Works at: The Northern Tattoo
  2. Speciality: fine and delicate lines
  3. Status: Closed to booking

Miniature and delicate tattoos have been all over social media lately, and some of your favourite ones have probably been done by Mackenzie, otherwise known as @indigo_evolution on Instagram. Her over 8,000 followers follow her page to see her fine-line tattoos of florals, insects, animals, landscapes, and occasionally, a really pretty selfie.

As with many artists, don’t DM her with inquiries. Instead, questions about pricing and booking inquiries can be directed to Mackenzie through the The Northern Tattoo website. Pro tip: bring her a vegan treat when you go to get inked!

• Yi Stropky (@chinatown_stropky)
  1. Works at: in Vancouver for December–February
  2. Speciality: quirky and minimalist ink
  3. Status: Closed to booking

@chinatown_stropky has over 131,000 Instagram followers and for good reason: their style is unlike any other artist on this list. Their tattoos are minimalist and abstract, often a few simple lines, using mostly black ink, but incorporating accents of red occasionally. Some of their tattoos cheekily toe the line of sexuality: a bra hanging off someone’s foot, a delicate red line that looks like two people kissing each other, a bikini bottom, and more.

To get in touch with Yi, email chinatownstropky@gmail.com.