Inked Mag Staff
November 2nd, 2022
Art and Sole
Find out what happens when tattoo artists get their hands on shoe leather
Photos by Dylan Schattman
All reputable tattooers know their way around human skin. They know how to work with a client who is living and breathing. They know what colors to use with different skin tones to create the best possible tattoo.
Shoe leather is made out of cowhide, so why shouldn’t tattoo artists be able to replicate what they do on strips of leather waiting to be turned into sneakers? Dominic Ciambrone handpicked some of his favorite tattoo artists and challenged them to tattoo strips of shoe leather with the intention of turning the art into an amazing one-of-one pair of sneakers.
Dmitry Troshin

Andres Makishi

Luke Wessman

Noah Minuskin

Vicente Guizar

BJ Betts

Chaim Machlev

Editor's Picks
Bridging Classical Art and Modern Tattooing
Esteban Rodriguez brings the discipline of classical fine art to the living canvas of skin, creating hyper-realistic tattoos that merge technical mastery with emotional depth.
Show Your Ink Fashions Brings Custom Style to Tattoo Culture
Show Your Ink Fashions creates custom shirts designed to showcase your tattoos as wearable art, blending fashion with personal expression.
The Ultimate “Superman” Tattoo Roundup: Just in Time for Superman’s Return to Screens
With Superman’s big return to theaters, fans are revisiting some of the most iconic ink inspired by the Man of Steel.