Tattoo studios
Our top ten places for ink-redible designs
Hibernia Tattoo Surry Hills Located in the heritage-listed Hibernian House, this spacious studio features vaulted ceilings, huge windows, plenty of natural light and only the finest of tunes spinning on the stereo. Hibernia Tattoo is by appointment only; the client deals with the artist directly, from start to finish. Their six talented artists cover all styles and the friendly one-on-one atmosphere makes it a great place to consider for large-scale pieces that take several sessions. Ò342 Elizabeth St, Surry Hills 2010. www.hiberniatattoo.com. By appointment. The Darling Parlour Balmain Boasting ten in-house tattooists and a constant flow of prized guest artists, the Darling Parlour caters for a wide range of styles including traditional American and Japanese, fine line and dot work. Set over two storeys, the studio has classic flash and art prints on the walls, which are also sold in-store and online. Business partners Fade Laser offer a laser tattoo removal service on site. Ò4/ 13 Beattie St, Balmain 2041. 02 9555 6316. thedarlingparlour.com. Tue-Sat 11am-6pm. LDF Newtown LDF has a reputation for being serious about quality art. This is no doubt connected to the fact that owner Les Rice is himself a twotime winner of the Doug Moran Prize and three-time finalist for the Archibald Prize. With 12 ink-masters employed across two popular locations (Newtown and Marrickville), they offer a classic street-side tattoo parlour experience, the soothing buzz of the needle running seven days a week. Walk-ins are welcome and LDF is also a registered LGBTQIA Safe Place. Ò26 King St, Newtown 2042. 02 9550 6759. ldftattoo. com. Mon-Sat 10am-6pm; Sun noon-5pm. Authentink Surry Hills On the third floor of a converted warehouse in Surry Hills, this artfilled, open plan studio is a haven for those chasing the very best in traditional Japanese tattoos. Staff also handle neo and American traditional tattooing, as well as dotwork, geometric, girly and comic book pieces, plus black and grey realism. Potential clients are encouraged to pop in for a drink and peruse the portfolios or book for an in-depth consultation. ÒSuite 306, 4-14 Buckingham St, Surry Hills 2010. 02 8399 1973. www.authentink.com. Tue-Sat 11am-7pm. Lighthouse Tattoo Botany Most famous for their large-scale, detailed traditional Japanese pieces, Lighthouse Tattoo make a point of recruiting specialists rather than all-rounders. As a result, they currently utilise a collective of ten artists to cover the full range of styles. Their