Welcome to
‘
Making art to last a lifetime.
A modern tattoo boutique in the heart of Berkeley, with deep roots in the Bay Area body art community.
Look no further than Katie Mizuno and the artists at Dark Water.
Looking for your next blackwork, geometric, or illustrative tattoo?
The
Artists
BIOPHILLIC |
GEOMETRIC |
LARGE BLACKWORK |
BIOPHILLIC | GEOMETRIC | LARGE BLACKWORK |
Katie Mizuno
The head artist at Dark Water, Katie Mizuno is a cutting-edge geometric tattooer who draws from the shapes and textures of the natural world. Inspired by biophilia, Katie takes the soft and subtle patterns of flora and fauna and morphs them into abstract ornamental pieces.
She specializes in dot work, blackwork, shading, suminagashi, and blast-overs, and works closely with clients to create designs that flatter the contours of their bodies.
FINE LINE |
FLORALS |
VINTAGE |
ILLUSTRATIVE
FINE LINE | FLORALS | VINTAGE | ILLUSTRATIVE
Story radiates kindness, a trait that translates into her tattoos, which are always crafted with her client’s design requests in mind. Her portfolio is decorated with vintage-style artwork, botanicals, horror and the occult and she excels at both fine-line tattoos and bolder blackwork. During sessions, her connections to her clients are genuine and it’s likely that conversations will include movies, photos of pets, cooking recipes, her love for Colorado and for Oakland. Or, feel at ease during a quiet session with her. Her client’s comfort is a top priority and she warmly welcomes all skin and body types. Fond memories of the tattooing experience are certain to accompany Story’s art on skin as well as confidence and her client’s beauty accentuated.
Story Wilkes
NOIR |
SCI-FI |
EROGURO |
CUSTOM ANIME |
SURREAL |
NOIR | SCI-FI | EROGURO | CUSTOM ANIME | SURREAL |
DUDURU
Born in the Pacific Northwest and raised in Korea + Bay Area, DUDURU comes from a symmetric cultural background of Western and Asian.
His art explores unconventional and contemporary realms within art, specializing in the captivating genres of eroguro, surrealism, and seductive sci-fi.
GEOMETRIC |
LARGE BLACKWORK |
SUMINAGASHI |
GEOMETRIC | LARGE BLACKWORK | SUMINAGASHI |
Inspired by classic geometry, Japanese patterns, suminagashi marbling, and cyberpunk aesthetics, Kevin crafts custom dotwork or solid black tattoos. Excelling in the blackout technique, ensuring minimal skin trauma and gentle healing, Kevin also creates striking suminagashi tattoos with high contrast color gradients. He specializes in large-scale projects like full arm sleeves, legs, back, and torso pieces.
Kevin Ligabue
COLOR |
ILLUSTRATIVE |
CYBER |
NATURE |
COLOR | ILLUSTRATIVE | CYBER | NATURE |
Josaline Green
Josaline Green masterfully fuses large-scale blackwork with vibrant color realism, collaborating closely with clients to manifest their unique visions on skin. Josaline has an eye for designing pieces that flow perfectly with your body's natural shape, blending in everything from nature scenes to cyber and spiritual themes. For her, tattooing is so much more than ink on skin – it's a way to capture a person's identity and dreams in a work of art.
Essie Ligabue
Essie is our talented color and ornamental artist, known for her exceptional work in small, intricate designs. Whether its vibrant color pieces, elegant script, or ornamental styles, she brings each concept to life with precision and creativity. Essie is particularly passionate about crafting designs with various shades of blue ink, a unique specialty that sets her apart.
Essie is always excited to collaborate on custom pieces, ensuring your vision is beautifully realized.
ORNAMENTAL |
FINE LINE |
SCRIPT |
BLUE TATTOOS |
ORNAMENTAL | FINE LINE | SCRIPT | BLUE TATTOOS |
Start your tattoo journey here.
Take the first step towards your next (or first!) tattoo by sharing your idea and preferred artist through our booking form.