ABOUT

Kuya is a classically trained fine artist who turned to tattooing during college. After years of encouragement from friends and family to start tattooing, he eventually found himself as a scratcher using an Amazon starter machine. Kuya tattooed throughout college but became a legitimate tattooer after graduating in 2022. 

Kuya’s background in fine art, figure drawing, and painting has been a key influence in the way he designs tattoos. The academic approach to drawing has given him the advantage of being able to draw an expansive range of subjects. In Kuya’s portfolio, you will find dense florals, elegant figures and animals, machines and cars, original characters, and mural-esque compositions — all with a touch of fantastical surrealism. 

Kuya intends to tattoo for decades and feels a strong inclination to tattooing. He often says that when he arrives at the shop for the day, it doesn’t feel like going into work, rather it feels like going to practice — and he loves practice. One of the most pleasant things about tattooing is meeting new people every day, spending hours together, and having opportunities to connect with them on a deeper level through the shared experience of passing time and art-making. Kuya is eternally grateful for every client that gets tattooed by him and hopes that he has made some kind of lasting impression on all of you, beyond the permanent ink embedded in your skin.