Instagram story viewer> @chuyphoto> Posts

CHUY

@chuyphoto

18.9K

followers

428

following

photographer | storyteller | tattoo artist
✨your experience matters, make it a permanent one
🩸: @tattoosbychuy
🎨: @thefunkpalace

POSTS STORIES REELS TAGGED

as soon as my funkers presented me with their vision of having their engagement session on a basketball court — i dusted off my sneakers, laced them the funk up, and headed straight to the court!🏀💍📸

i love seeing the faces of my funkers light up when we talk about vision and planning for their masterpiece. planting little seeds during our call to help grow and expand their creativity of what truly makes their masterpiece, 1000% uniquely tailored to them.

that’s why it is very rare for you funkers to see things being replicated throughout my art. there may be similarities in some things but, the vast majority have such a lovely way of how their love is displayed.

this was truly a first for me and absolutely loved being invited to step onto the court with my funkers — a basketball court in which they love to spend countless afternoons with family for quality time.

it’s nothing but an honor when my funkers let me inside of their worlds and allow for my funkyness to come and play!🎨🖕🏽❤️‍🔥

the mixture of energy between playfulness and competitiveness that filled the space when these two stepped onto the court was so beautiful to witness and document. there was tons of steamy, intense love all mixed in with laughs, dancing, and occasional passionate stare downs (a let’s get it on, it’s time to cook sort of thing). 😮‍💨🔥

congratu-funkin’-lations to my funkers on their engagement! 💍🏀 wishing you both nothing but funkin’ happiness, love, and success together! i call rematch soon!🗑️⛹🏻‍♂️ taken in Los Angeles, California by @chuyphoto

3

12

a month ago

been going through years and years of the funkin’ archives for a special project i have in mind this year.

in a weird, alternate-universe-blessing kind of way, having this new account has really forced me to dive deeper into all of the masterpieces i’ve created throughout the years.

why did i do that? what was going through my mind? how the funk did i do it?!

are just some of the questions that have come up as i sit here digging through piles and piles of hard drives.

i don’t look back at my art wishing i was in the past again. if anything, it comes from a place of honoring the journey (the ideas, the risks, the funky weird experiments that somehow worked, and every masterpiece that has gotten me to where i am today.

this masterpiece, “fun in the funkin’ sun,” was photographed four years ago, back when workshops were all that and a bag of chips (or, in my case for this video, the glizzy🌭😂)

the concept was simple, and the list of things we needed was even simpler:

a blow-up mattress. a water hose with a connector. the outdoors. and a beautiful couple in love.

“i’ll take care of the rest!” i said. hahaha.

and somehow, we made a whole lot of funkin’ magic. ✨

i do miss being surrounded by incredible artists, all photographing the exact same masterpiece unfolding in front of us, yet somehow walking away with something completely their own.

the angles. the compositions. the editing styles. the way one person sees something that nobody else in the room sees.

each artist’s photograph can make you feel something entirely different (and that has always been one of my favorite parts about creating alongside other creatives).

but seeing those beautiful faces light up with that little “ahhh haaa… i get it now!” moment?

single-handedly one of the best feelings in the world as an educator.

i miss it very much.

and maybe digging through all of these old hard drives has reminded me just how much. taken in Austin, Texas by @chuyphoto

3

20

2 months ago

darth muthafunkin’ maul!

this iconic character has been on my bucket list of tattoos i’ve always wanted to bring to life on skin! I’m thankful for such an awesome funker who now gets to proudly wear this forever! 🖕🏽🔥

we’ve been working on a star wars sleeve and cannot wait to show you all that we have planned!🥵 taken in The Funk Palace by @chuyphoto

3

14

2 months ago

funkers, meet ziggy, the zebra!

the start of a safari themed leg sleeve! cannot wait to bring you funkers along the journey of building this masterpiece with such an awesome funker!

done using:
@inkjecta
@tattooproton
@sharpie
@dynamiccolor
@revolution__ink
@hustlebutterdeluxe taken in The Funk Palace by @chuyphoto

3

4

2 months ago

“don’t drop the soap!” - prison mike 🧼

the start to an office themed leg sleeve! this project masterpiece has been one of my absolute favorites!

would love to continue creating more pop culture tattoos this year! reach out with all of your ideas and let’s get funky!🖕🏽🎨

done using:
@allegoryink
@inkjecta
@thecreepycaps
@hustlebutterdeluxe
@_numb_skulled
@tattooproton taken in The Funk Palace by @chuyphoto

3

5

2 months ago

the start of the sandlot leg sleeve has begun! what better way than to kick it off with scotty smalls🧢⚾️

this sleeve masterpiece idea has been on my tattoo wanna do’s list ever since i started my apprenticeship. it finally found its way forever home to my funker and cannot wait to bring you funkers along for the journey!

i rarely ever post progress photos/videos but i was just to giddy about this masterpiece not to share with you all! this is as far as we got on smalls and will be resuming pt. ii very soon!

and to think…all it took was choking on the glizzy to bring this masterpiece sleeve to life 🌭🔥

done using:
@allegoryink
@kwadron
@inkjecta
@thecreepycaps
@revolution__ink
@sharpie
@tattooproton taken in The Funk Palace by @chuyphoto

3

3

2 months ago

careful what you wish for… dancing chuy may or may not be included in your session with me🖕🏽✨

looking to bring these portraits to life from paper to skin off my tattoo wanna do’s! if any of you funkers are interested, please reach out and let’s get funky! 🎨

come on by and get funky with us at @thefunkpalace today, august 15th for our first ever walk-in flash day!

the whole funk fam will be here from 9am-6pm! taken in The Funk Palace by @chuyphoto

3

5

2 months ago

a little bts of how i made the promo video to @thefunkpalace walk-in flash days.

this will be happening every second saturday of every month starting TOMORROW — AUGUST 15TH!🎨

what i love about our palace so much is, the gift it offers to allow all the artists to feel safe and comfortable enough to explore other art mediums besides tattooing. i’ve never stepped into this kind of light before and had a vision of how i wanted our promo video to go.

and you know me, i’ll NEVER compromise the vision

i couldn’t find anyone to act out the scene in time. so that’s when i made the decision, “funk it, i’ll do it.”

everything you see was done in 1-2 takes. i directed this, lit it, starred in it, edited it.

i think i may have just found what my next wish is going to be🎬✨🖕🏽 taken in The Funk Palace by @chuyphoto

3

7

2 months ago

beginning august 15th, for the first time ever, we’re opening our doors for
🖕🏽✨WALK-IN FLASH DAYS✨🖕🏽

a chance for all of you funkers to wander in, experience the studio, meet the artists, and find a piece of art that’s been patiently waiting for its forever home.

some designs will even be available at a special walk-in flash day rate (here for the day, and the day only👀

truthfully, we’re just soooo obsessed with our funkers. we love creating with you, spending time with you, and watching all of our ideas become something you carry forever.

so we’re making it a tradition.

EVERY 2ND SATURDAY OF THE MONTH. walk in. look around. fall in love with something. leave with a little more funk permanently on your skin🖕🏼❤️‍🔥

this little film scene was directed, shot + edited by our very own artist, 🖕🏾@chuyphoto🖕🏾

with this scene heavily inspired by one of our newest horror obsessions, @obessionthemovie. a film that will absolutely be staying in rotation at the palace so we can collectively share all the “ooo’s,” “ahh’s,” and what the funks together!

art on our hearts. art waiting on paper. art looking for skin.

we can’t wait to get funky with you soon🎨✨ taken in The Funk Palace by @chuyphoto

3

54

2 months ago

the secret is out and my chef hat is off👨🏻‍🍳
introducing to you funkers…mini funkin’ chuy🎨

the legend behind all the masterpieces you’ve seen created! it was only right to have the artist photographed right beside his masterpieces! 🦶🏽💐

if you make it to the end of this post, you will find a rare sighting of the artist in full flesh getting photographed his funkers👀

this is honestly the type of funky fun we have at @thefunkpalace every single day with all of my funkers! we create FUNKIN’ HARD so we can laugh and play even HARDER when we are finally done!

these two funkers have been with me since i started my career as an artist. 10 years later and here we are still creating art and finding all the ways to get funky! much love to you both, ALWAYS 🥹❤️‍🔥🖕🏼🖕🏼

would LOVE to continue doing more color florals! reach out if you’re interested and let’s get funky!!!💐✨ taken in The Funk Palace by @chuyphoto

3

29

3 months ago

yesterday, @thefunkpalace fam made our way out of our little desert and headed to the @longbeachtattooartsfestival!

our very first tattoo convention together and first tattoo convention for many of them 🥹🫶🏼 I’m (chuy) beyond honored to have witnessed their first experience. it was truly, so special.

@starmachinetattoo’s exact first words when he stepped foot in the convention center, “ahhh, the smell of green soap!” 🫠

if you’re a tattooer or collector, you know exactly what he meant by it!

all the memories, laughs, and bonding we have been so fortunate to have in such a short and very productive amount of time is very inspiring. we push each other creatively like no other. we strive to learn something new every single day so that we can take back to all of our funkers (clients) and apply it immediately.

we don’t just want to be the best. we want to be the best FOR YOU!❤️‍🔥

we are beyond grateful for all of us to be in a position where we get to call, “drawing on people permanently” a career.

we always have the best time whenever we are together. so much so that, next year you can definitely catch us creating art at a convention!

until then, we thank every single of you for the love and support you have shown us! time to get back to funkin’ creating with all this newfound knowledge we learned this weekend!🖕🏼🎨

keep it funky,

the funk palace family🖕🏼 taken in Long Beach Convention and Entertainment Center by @chuyphoto

3

15

3 months ago

had SOOOO much funkin’ fun creating this heath ledger, joker masterpiece!

it was created over the course of two different sessions. we first completed the joker’s face and then had my funker come back a few weeks later to finish off the rest of this beautiful masterpiece!

another funker proudly wearing their forever masterpiece after just getting funk’d with some ink!

for tattoo bookings, please follow the link in the bio! would absolutely love to continue doing more movie themed tattoos! 🍿😍

keep it funky,

chuy!🖕🏽❤️‍🔥 taken in The Funk Palace by @chuyphoto

3

5

3 months ago