Realism tattoos
Realism tattoo artist in Port Kembla, NSW
Dylan Weber has tattooed black and grey and colour realism for seventeen years. Every piece is drawn from scratch and tattooed over full days at Atlantis Tattoo Studio, ten minutes south of Wollongong.
14 years
tattooing
Since 2015
Atlantis Tattoo Studio
Full days
$2,000 per day
7.2M
views on his top five reels
What realism is
Tattoos that read like a photograph.
Realism builds an image from light and shadow instead of outlines. Skin texture, fur, water and smoke are shaded in soft layers until the piece has real depth, so a shark looks wet and a portrait looks back at you.
It takes longer than most styles, which is why Dylan works in full-day sessions and designs every piece for its placement.
Two styles
Black and grey, or colour.
- Black and grey realism uses smooth grey wash and deep blacks. It ages well and suits almost any subject: wildlife, the ocean, portraits and dark work.
- Colour realism is layered and saturated so it settles evenly. It suits landscapes, night skies and anything where colour carries the mood.
How Dylan works
Custom, full days, private studio.
Dylan designs every tattoo himself, from your idea or his. There’s no flash and no walk-ins: Atlantis is a private, appointment-only studio, and you have his full attention for the day.
Bookings open a few times a year. See how booking works.
Size matters
Realism needs room.
Fine detail needs space to hold up as the skin ages, so realism suits forearms, upper arms, thighs, calves, backs and sleeves more than tiny placements. If you’re unsure, read size and placement, or describe your idea and Dylan will suggest a size.
Where clients come from
Worth the drive.
Clients travel from Sydney, Canberra, Wollongong and the Illawarra, Kiama and the South Coast, the Southern Highlands and interstate for full-day sessions.
Most watched · 4.5M views
Colour dragon leg sleeve
A rare full-colour piece: a dragon breathing fire down the leg, for a client who travelled down from Queensland to start it.
Selected realism
Questions
Common questions
A tattoo built from light and shadow rather than outlines, so it reads like a photograph or a painting. It can be black and grey or colour.
Dylan charges $2,000 per full day, with a $300 deposit to secure your date. The total depends on how many days the design needs. See how much a tattoo costs.
Realism designed with strong contrast and protected from the sun holds up for many years. See realism that lasts.
Realism needs some size to hold its detail, so most pieces are forearm-sized or larger. [Dylan: your minimum size, if you have one.]
Join the waitlist. When books open, you apply with your idea, size and placement, and Dylan replies if it’s a fit. See how booking works.
Plan your piece
Have a piece in mind?
Books open a few times a year. The waitlist hears first.