There are plenty of reasons that people decide to get tattoos. It could be that there’s a certain symbol or image that’s meaningful for them. It could be that they simply enjoy decorating their bodies with art. It might even be because they admire the technique of a certain artist and want the honor of having something original from that person imprinted on their bodies.
A tattoo is forever, and to decide to get one is ultimately a lifetime commitment. That’s why Ivano Natale takes the quality of his work more seriously than perhaps any other aspect of his business.
And it’s clear that there are plenty of people who seek him out specifically; over 90% of his clients fly into his 5,000-square-foot studio in Naples, Italy, in order for him to personally grace their bodies with his artistic interpretation of their visions.
An Unmistakable Style
A look at Ivano Natale’s Instagram page reveals some of those special images that wind up on his clients’ bodies for life. There are statues. There are religious images. There are portraits so lifelike that if someone were to snap a picture of one close-up, it could be mistaken for an actual photograph.
While Natale’s style is unique and specific, he’s up for pretty much any idea for a subject: “I don’t mind the subject people ask me to tattoo on them as long as they trust me as an artist and let me display my vision.” That said, his specialty is greyscale tattoos, and he’s one of the best in the industry, with dozens of awards and mentions in books and magazines to prove it. These, as you might imagine, are the types of tattoos that people ask for, and with good reason: one wouldn’t go to a five-star Italian restaurant and then order nachos, after all.
Natale has won awards specifically in the categories of greyscale, religious images, and portraits. Unafraid of a challenge, he’s created many complete sleeves, full back pieces, and full chest pieces. Work like this, of course, takes time, and he only works with one client a day to ensure that the client receives his undivided attention.
“Ivano Natale + Clients = True Respect”
His customers are also people he clearly cares about—he has a soft spot especially for US military servicemen, complete with a “military special” that he offers—and one of his main goals is to ensure that the experiences they have with him are something that, like the art he imprints on their bodies, will stay with them long-term.
It’s evident, too, that those who have hired him have gotten exactly what they’ve wanted; some of his current customers are ones that he first worked with 20 years ago when he was getting started. He’s says that for them, it’s not just about wanting a tattoo; it’s about wanting an Ivano Natale tattoo, complete with the VIP services he offers.
VIP Service
Nobody goes to “get inked” with Natale simply because they want a tattoo. He believes they go to him for his spectacular and unique style; they go to him for the VIP treatment they’re given when they arrive, complete with airport shuttle, concierge services while they stay in the city, and even the studio gym available for their use. They go for the experience of the studio filled with original works of art. They go because they’re ready to not simply pay for a tattoo, but invest in a work of art. But most of all, he syas they hope for the chance to get what many would call one of the world’s best tattoo artist’s interpretations of their visions permanently painted on their skin.