São Paulo is the capital of South American contemporary art. The mega city is famous for its motley aesthetics—graffiti, galleries, and, of course, a vibrant tattoo scene. If you are looking for the best tattoo artists in São Paulo, we’ve got a well-rounded list for you. Here, you’ll find more than 60 impressive designs by 10 tattoo artists from São Paulo, representing a wide range of styles.
Best Tattoo Artists in São Paulo
São Paulo was home to the pioneers of the Brazilian tattoo industry. Knud Gregersen, better known as Tattoo Lucky, is considered the first professional Brazilian tattoo artist. He left Denmark for São Paulo in 1959, bringing the electric tattoo machine with him and kickstarting the development of the Brazilian tattoo school.
Decades later, hundreds of gifted tattoo artists perform in São Paulo, and the scene is flourishing. In our collection, we tried to capture the diverse stylistic palette, from the impeccable photorealism of João Carlos to the intricate ornamentalism of Paolo Contessoto. Without further ado, let’s dive into the world of ink art!
Knud “Lucky Tattoo” Gregersen in his studio. He arrived in Brazil with the motto, “He is not a sailor if he doesn’t have a tattoo.”
Jimmy Moura
We decided to open our collection with one of the best realism tattoo artists in São Paulo—Jimmy Moura. He started his tattooing career in 2012 and is now a member of “Tattoo You,” one of the most reputable tattoo studios in Brazil.
He focuses on black and grey style and has achieved incredible heights with it. The impeccable shading technique allows Jimmy to create a genuine sense of depth in his designs. Outside tattooing, Jimmy does oil paintings and graffiti that are just as good as his ink art.
Matheus Sacom
Unlike Jimmy Moura, Matheus Sacom’s tattoos are all about color mixes and vivid aesthetics. He is a rare gem in the industry—his tattoo experiments are always successful. Matheus has tried almost every style, including black and grey realism, dotwork, American traditional, blackwork, and even trash polka. His trademark styles, however, are color realism, illustrative, and watercolor tattoo designs. On top of that, Matherus also does tattoo cover-ups. Such an impressive artistic toolbox makes him one of the best tattoo artists in São Paulo, and arguably, Brazil.
Mosk
Mosk is one of the tattoo artists in São Paulo whose styles have very distinct features, perfected over years of hard work. His signature tattoo is a black and grey illustrative or even comic-like piece with dotwork shading and striking use of red ink. In the collection below, you can see how he masterfully uses empty space to add volume to his tattoos. Mosk doesn’t shy away from large tattoos, so if you want a full-body piece (like that Naruto back tattoo), he can make it happen.
Murilo “Moris” Calderone
With Murilo Calderone (also known as Moris), we’re changing pace quite a bit. He’s also a member of the “Tattoo You” studio, but he ventures into an entirely different realm of tattooing. Moris is a geometric tattoo expert who has refined his craft over a decade in the industry. If you are fascinated by elegant fine line and dotwork techniques and enjoy the modern minimalistic appeal, Moris is certainly one of the best tattoo artists in SP for you.
Paulo “Pow” Contessoto
Are you looking for a pattern-like tattoo but want smoother lines than in a geometric tattoo style? In this case, Paulo “Pow” Contessoto is the top tattoo artist choice in São Paulo. He mostly works in tribal and ornamentalism styles, sometimes using the blackwork technique. Tribal and ornamental tattoos are known for the sense of spirituality they carry, and Pow can help convey this meaning.
During almost 10 years of his career, he has inked Celtic, Polynesian, African, and many other traditional motives and became very good at it. You can see the proof in the next selection!
Massao
Massao is a member of the “Trip Tattoo” studio in São Paulo, and his tattoo style is defined more by what he tattoos rather than how. Massao is a versatile artist, but his passion lies in mythical themes. In the collection below, you can see his inspirations. Scandinavian, Egyptian, and Indian folklore gods and heroes strikingly emerge from the skin. The tales about them transcend the ages, and if you like their timeless appeal, Massao is the right tattoo artist for you.
João Carlos
João Carlos is well-known for his exceptional skills in portraiture. His career started in 2014 when João was creating tattoo designs at home. Since that time, he has been studying realism and neo-traditional tattooing and has risen to prominence as one of the best portraiture tattoo artists in São Paulo. His meticulous attention to detail makes him a great professional. Impeccable representation of facial features and expressions ensures that each of his portraits is a faithful representation of its subject. Getting inked at João’s tattoo salon is a good way of preserving memories about your loved ones.
Juma
Juma is one of the veterans of the São Paulo tattoo scene. He started tattooing in the early 2000s but is still on par with the young talents. Juma’s goal is to keep improving his skillset and bring something new to every tattoo. He specializes in Japanese and tribal styles but can venture into other styles if the tattoo idea is interesting enough. Juma’s most impressive works are large back or chest pieces—you can appreciate the consistency of his performance in the selection below.
Cesar Sabino
If you are looking for an experienced tattoo artist in SP who can ink almost anything—Cesar Sabino is a great choice. With 15 years of tattooing behind his back, he can do black and grey illustrative, American traditional, Japanese, fine line, and other tattoo styles. He also doesn’t limit himself to specific tattoo motives, sizes, or placements. Cesar’s tattoo parlor is a welcoming place for seasoned tattoo enthusiasts, and you won’t regret visiting it.
Abner Pimenta
In 2004, Abner Pimenta switched from graffiti art to tattooing and kept moving forward ever since. His style was heavily influenced by traditional Japanese art, but he also does realism, old-school, and geometric tattoos. Abner is a true artist who has a genuine love for painting and drawing. He creates unique designs, not just for tattoos, but almost everything—from surfboards to sculptures. If you are looking for an artist who would be willing to improve your design idea—Abner Pimenta is a good choice for you.
How To Find a Tattoo Artist You Need
What does it take to find the right tattoo artist in São Paulo? How do you know if the studio you’re going to visit is actually the “right one?” In many cases, tattoo enthusiasts make their decisions based on a reference from a friend or just by stumbling on the artist’s profile on Instagram. But sometimes, it can be hard to find what you need in such a way—it takes a lot of time, plus it is easy to miss good alternatives. Here’s what we propose:
🔍 Narrow down the pool of artists
Most likely, you are choosing a tattoo artist based on several criteria—preferred style, location, and price. You can’t search for all these aspects simultaneously on Instagram (you can only look for one hashtag at a time). In this regard, InkMatch is extremely helpful, as our database can quickly show tattoo artists near you who work in the style you like. And if you are not yet sure about the design you want—try out our gallery feature! Find the tattoos you like and click on them to contact the artists who created them. Both features are growing really fast—we already host more than 5,000 tattoo artists and 35,000 designs on our website.
✅ Check their credibility
After you’ve selected several promising tattoo artists, it is important to verify their credibility. We recommend checking the tattoo studios’ reviews via Google Maps, finding photos of healed tattoos, and asking your friends for recommendations.
📧 Contact the artists you liked the most
The final step is to contact the artist you like. It is okay to message several professionals to ask for a quote because not everyone publishes their price range. You can also use our price estimate tool to know what to expect.
Summary
The São Paulo tattoo scene is flourishing, and you can choose from dozens of skillful artists. We selected 10 tattoo artists in São Paulo whose unparalleled talents look impressive even on an international scale. Fans of black and grey tattoos will certainly like works of Jimmy Moura and Mosk, while those looking for colorful ink pieces can explore tattoo designs by Matheus Sacom.
We hope you enjoyed our collection of the best tattoo artists in São Paulo and wish you to find your creative tandem!
FAQ
🏆 Who Are the Best Tattoo Artists in São Paulo?
We selected the 10 best tattoo artists in São Paulo who have very different styles and approaches to tattooing. If you love colorful illustrative tattoos—you should look into Matheus Sacom’s gallery. Fans of geometric tattoos, however, will like Murilo Calderone’s art. Ultimately, this choice is a matter of taste.
🎨 How To Find the Right Tattoo Artist?
You can start by sorting tattoo artists in São Paulo based on their style. To do it, you can use a convenient “Find a tattoo artist” feature. Then, you should check the reviews of the tattoo salon and contact the artist for further cooperation.
📸 Who Is the Best Realism Tattoo Artist in São Paulo?
Jimmy Moura is extremely good at traditional black and grey realism, while João Carlos is a portraiture specialist.
💰 How Much Does a Tattoo in São Paulo Cost?
The price of the tattoo depends on its size, style, artist’s hourly rate, and location. You can get a reasonable estimate with our tattoo price calculator.
