01
Fine-line
Delicate single-needle work. Botanicals, script, minimal portraits — precise lines that hold for decades when placed right.
Custom Tattoo Studio · Kreuzberg, Berlin
Skin is the only canvas that ages with you.
A collective of four resident artists. Drawn for you, never copied. Fine-line, blackwork, traditional and realism — held to a gallery standard.
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The collective, in numbers
10 yrs
Marking Berlin
4
Resident artists
100%
Custom designs
no flash copies
11k+
Pieces inked
Our ethos
Custom only. No flash copies.
Ironside started as four artists who refused to trace someone else's tattoo onto a stranger's arm. Every piece that leaves this studio is drawn from a conversation — your story, your reference, your scar, your reason. We will turn work away before we copy it.
We care about three things, in this order: the idea, the hygiene, and the line. Single-use needles, hospital-grade sterilisation, fully licensed and inspected. Serious craft in a room that respects you — it should feel like a studio, not a parlour.
What we do
Four disciplines, one standard
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Blackwork
Bold, saturated black. Ornamental, geometric, neo-tribal and dark illustrative pieces with serious contrast.
03
Traditional
Classic bold lines and a tight palette. Roses, daggers, panthers, lettering — built to read clean from across a room.
04
Realism
Photo-grade black & grey and colour. Portraits, animals, objects rendered with depth, texture and patience.
Who holds the machine
The four residents
Mara Voss
Fine-line · Founder
Botanical and script specialist. Founded Ironside in 2014 on one rule: nothing leaves the studio that wasn't drawn for the person wearing it.
Kasimir Held
Blackwork
Ornamental and geometric blackwork. Heavy saturation, surgical symmetry. Books large-scale sleeves and back pieces by consultation only.
Lena Brandt
Traditional
Bold-line traditional with a sharp colour palette. Roses, daggers, hands — classic imagery built to age beautifully and read for life.
Tomás Reyes
Realism
Black & grey and colour realism. Portraits and animals rendered with depth and texture. Patient, single-session-where-possible approach.
The portfolio
Selected work
From the chair
What they walked out with
★★★★★I came in with a vague idea and a bad reference. Mara redrew it three times until it was actually mine. Two years on it still looks like the day it healed.
Jonas P.Fine-line piece
★★★★★Spotless studio, single-use everything, and Kasimir explained every step. The blackwork on my back is the cleanest line work I've seen in Berlin.
Aylin K.Blackwork back piece
★★★★★They turned down my first idea because it was a copy of a famous flash design — and I respect that more than anything. What Lena drew instead is unbeatable.
Marco D.Traditional sleeve
★★★★★Tomás did a portrait of my grandfather in black & grey. Six hours, barely felt rushed, and it looks like a photograph. Worth every minute and euro.
Sofia R.Realism portrait
The honest answers
Before you book
How does booking work?
Custom work starts with a free consultation — in person or by email with reference images. We discuss the idea, placement and size, then your artist drafts a design and we schedule the session. Walk-ins are welcome for small pieces during open hours, subject to artist availability.
Do you require a deposit?
Yes. A €50 deposit secures your appointment and goes toward the final price. It covers the artist's design time. Deposits are non-refundable but transferable if you reschedule with at least 48 hours' notice.
What about aftercare?
You leave with a wrapped, healing tattoo and a written aftercare sheet. Keep it clean, moisturised and out of direct sun and pools for two weeks. We're always reachable for questions during healing — message the studio any time.
How serious are you about hygiene?
Completely. Single-use needles and tubes, hospital-grade autoclave sterilisation, fresh barriers on every surface, and full licensing under Berlin health inspection. You're welcome to watch us open sealed equipment before we start.
What's your age policy?
You must be 18 or over and bring valid photo ID to your appointment, no exceptions. We do not tattoo minors even with parental consent.
Will you copy a design from Instagram?
No. We don't replicate another artist's work or mass-produced flash. Bring it as a reference for direction and we'll create something original that's yours alone.
Ready when you are
Bring the idea. We'll draw the rest.
Free consultations Tuesday to Saturday. Walk-ins welcome for small pieces. Let's make something that's only yours.