Dark Horse Tattoos

So I got 3 tattoos done by Cat. She is so amazing. Her lines are super clean and her judgement with shading and freehand is dope. She isn't pushy and listens to what you want. What I enjoyed the most is that she is not heavy handed at all. Oh and for the melanin rich people, she understands how ensure your tattoo will stand out and look it's best. I have some tattoos that looked okay when done but after healing ... pretty much well you know. I love her work!

My artist was Maurice “Reese” James. He was awesome. It was my first tattoo and I was there for 8hrs due to the size and detail. His work was unbelievable. It turned out even better than I could have imagined due to his creativity and artistic ability. Not only that but he made the whole process easy and enjoyable with his chill demeanor. I could not possibly recommend Reese and Dark Horse Tattoos more!

Best experience ever! The tattoo came out even better than I’ve could have imagined! Kat definitely made sure all my suggestions were thought about and very clear of the process! Listened to my ideas and blossomed them on my arm! Thank you so much kat, will definitely come back for more!

Met Jon for a consultation today. Super chill guy and great artwork. He was very informative and his experience was clear during our brief conversation. Definitely looking forward to my first tattoo.

Cat was amazing and I absolutely love the work. Great customer service, easy to get booked in and overall great experience. I will definitely be back!

Dark Horse Tattoo, especially Cat…everything you want from a tattoo session. This is a good example of the customer NOT always being right. And that’s a good thing for anyone getting permanent art on themselves!

I’ve gotten two tattoos totaling nine hours in the last two months. The first was a multi-session original, and the second was a clean-up/add on of a twelve-year-old disaster.

For both, I submitted reference art, pics of the site for the tattoo, and the “why” of the tattoo. All of this was done online. Cat met with me for both in person, and was brutally…BRUTALLY…honest on what was, and WASN’T, possible. This is important. She is very talented, but she’s not a miracle worker. She understands body placement, weight, and value, and can tell you why a tattoo won’t work, but how it CAN work. And, then she designs it so it DOES work. For your skin. For your body type.

Each session was comfortable and focused. She talked to me when she needed to, and then focused on her craft. There was some good conversation, but she was putting something permanent on my body, and she made the environment conducive to ensuring that happened. I will say, she can carry a conversation well. That really helped get me across the finish line on the multi-session.

Finally, tattoos can either hurt a little or a lot. They’re gonna hurt. The pain is part of the experience. Your first tattoo is for the art. Every one after that is also for the endorphins. Cat was very light-handed, understood how long a session should last to preserve the skin, and moved frequently enough that the art got done while minimizing discomfort and not over-working the surface. This resulted in clean lines, great gradient shading, and color that exploded. Despite what she said, she turned a bad tattoo into a new, bold, bright, fantastic tattoo, and an original piece that went beyond what I was hoping for.

I’m sixteen tattoos in, and I wish I’d come here sixteen tattoos ago! I will definitely be back, and I’m looking forward to working with them for my next piece. If I move, I’ll come back to DHT for the express purpose of getting work done.

Cat was absolutely incredible. The space was very clean and I always felt comfortable. I will be booking here for my next tattoo.

I visited Dark Horse for my first tattoo experience after spending significant time researching shops and artists across Virginia. I worked with Cat, and found her artistry and professionalism to be exceptional. The shop was extremely clean, well managed, and the details regarding the tattoo process itself as well as aftercare were all very clearly explained. Highly recommended, and I’ll definitely visit Dark Horse again for any additional work.

Came in for a walk-in and was presented with wonderful and kind service. Was able to hold conversations with everyone there. They’re all kind and wonderful. Their tattoo artist are definitely a different breed. Deussy is such an amazing artist and I was lucky to have him. I am definitely coming back for more and will share my experience with my friends and family. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS PLACE

I had a great experience getting my first tattoos. Excellent customer service, good service provided.