Tattoo Artist
Keith owns Sink or Swim Tattoo in Niagara Falls, New York, as well as Apparition Apparel Co. He’s been tattooing beautiful work for ten years. After working in the shop as a tattoo artist, he purchased it from the previous owner and moved it from Buffalo to a larger space in Niagara Falls. The shop enjoyed a great reception, with new customers flooding in.
Keith says he’s always been an artistic person. In school, he had trouble staying focused, but art drew him in. He got his start in tattooing by doing work on other kids in his friend’s basement—which the parents were somehow okay with, he marvels.
Keith is most known for his colorwork. He enjoys creating designs in neo-traditional and American traditional styles—where colorwork is highly valued—though he appreciates a broad range of tattoo styles. The neo-traditional style is characterized by dark black outlines, designs that pop and are visible from a distance, and often rich, opulent imagery. You might easily see a neo-traditional tattoo from across the room, rather than having to walk closer to tell what the image is depicting. American traditional tattoos also feature large blocks of color and bold outlines with sharp contrast. Both styles tend to feature striking imagery.
Having laser work done first makes the tattoo artist’s job much easier—which means the end result is what the client wants it to be, Keith says. Working over an existing tattoo creates limitations, he notes. Removal or fading of the original tattoo gives the artist much more freedom to create the exact design the client has decided on. Thus, Keith refers clients to the Removery to have laser work done before he begins their new design. “It’s so worth it in the end. You get what you want,” he says.
Most of Keith’s own tattoos were spur-of-the-moment choices, so he understands why someone might want to get rid of or cover up an old design that no longer resonates with them. In other cases, someone might want to fade or eliminate small tattoos to make room for a larger, more cohesive image. He has gotten laser work done himself to cover up smaller tattoos, making space for a larger design.
Learn more about becoming a Removery partner like Keith here. Partnering with us will help you make sure your clients are fully satisfied with their designs!
Sink or Swim Tattoo Inks Deal for Larger Location
Neo Traditional Tattoos: History, Influences, and Artwork
American Traditional Tattoos Explained: History, Symbolism, and More
We’re on a mission to give you the most straightforward, easy and efficient laser tattoo removal experience. Your estimate will be entirely bespoke to your tattoo; the size, the colors, the ink. It won’t take long and afterwards you’ll have a plan to finally get rid of your unwanted tattoo and get back to being you.
