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✶ MIKE SLEDZ ✶ Chicago Tattoo Artist

@mikesledz

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CHICAGO
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Light glimmering through crystal facets and botanical plant vibes, are pure magic for tattooing✨.Thank you Haley for the fun conversations, your patience, and for introducing me to the raspberry flavor of retro sours, they are straight fire🔥! Can’t wait to add more to this project. If anyone wants something similar let me know, I’d love to create something for you!

Made with:
@empireinks whitewash
@bishoprotary Packer Wand
@mistertroshin 3rl needles

#crystaltattoo #botanicaltattoo #chicagotattooartist #chicagotattooartists #blackandgreytattooartist taken in Chicago, Illinois by @mikesledz

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5 months ago

This tattoo contains the holy trinity of garbage dwelling cuteness. An ensemble of the most adorable animal kingdom outcasts, orchestrating a trash heist for the ages. It’s a race against the clock, but if they stick to the street cans and don’t get greedy with the dumpsters their chances of getting caught are low. But wait, what was that?! I think I heard a noise!! Someone’s coming!!!

Made for my amazing client Dassah. Thank you for being so patient and for your trust with this project🙏🏻

#trashpanda #possumsofinstagram #ratsofig #blackandgreytattoo #chicagotattooartist taken in Chicago, Illinois by @mikesledz

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10 months ago

It’s the best time of year!👻
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Tag a friend who loves Halloween🎃
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Let’s get spooky🦇🌑🧟‍♂️
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#halloweentattoo #ghosttattoo #spookytattoo #halloweentattoos #radtattoo #mikesledz #allhallowseve #halloweenart #tattoohalloween #scarystories #girlswithtattoos #halloweencostume #tb #bestink #trickortreat by @mikesledz

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5 years ago

There’s something undeniably majestic about manta rays. 🌊✨
When my client asked me to create a tattoo that captured their graceful, almost weightless movement through the ocean, I was immediately on board.

For this tattoo, we used soft background shading to contrast the deep values of the rays, creating an airy, floating feeling throughout the design. A school of fish subtly circles toward the light filtering down through the water, while the rays playfully drift through those beams.

A few bubbles add just the right touch of whimsy without overcrowding the composition. 🫧

I really love the balance in this tattoo — deep and dimensional without feeling too dark. Just enough contrast to give it life while still keeping that soft, ethereal underwater feeling.

This one was such a fun piece to bring to life. 🖤🌊 by @mikesledz

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21 days ago

Chicago Tattoo artist Mike Sledz here!👋 bringing you the scenic views with this Waterfall Landcape tattoo. This was so fun to make and I can’t wait to add on to it in our next session. We are working on a full sleeve tattoo that I’ll reveal soon! Who else likes nature tattoos?🙋🏻‍♂️

#chicagotattooartist #naturetattoo #chicagotattooartists #blackandgreytattoos #sleeveinprogress

Made using: @empireinks @bishoprotary @jconly_official taken in Chicago, Illinois by @mikesledz

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2 months ago

I’M ALIVE! Sorry I haven’t been posting much lately🙏🏻 Instagram can feel like such a drag sometimes. Happy to share this fun dragon tattoo with you though! I’m so lucky to have the best clients:)

#chicagotattooartist #dragontattoos #gameofthronestattoo #swordtattoo #blackandgreytattoos taken in Chicago, Illinois by @mikesledz

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2 months ago

Tiger Style🐯 if you could get any animal tattooed on you what would it be?🐯🦁🦇🦖🐙

I’ve been doing tons of Animal portraits lately and I’ve been loving it! Thank you Jeven for flying out to see me in Chicago and collecting this tattoo from me. Excited for our future projects!🙌🏻

Made with:
@empireinks
@bishoprotary
@jconly_official taken in Chicago, Illinois by @mikesledz

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4 months ago

Last time I tattooed my client Billy we did a tattoo of David Bowie as the goblin king from the movie labyrinth driving a powerboat through a lightning storm, while wearing a Wisconsin cheese hat, that’s blowing off in the wind. And this time we got to do his Pug “little guy” as a diver in the ocean. To be continued… next up is a mermaid kitty!!

Made with @empireinks
@bishoprotary taken in Chicago, Illinois by @mikesledz

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4 months ago

Hi I’m Mike Sledz a tattoo artist in Chicago Illinois. Check out this full sleeve tattoo I created! The chain mail section on the inside was so fun to create and really ties the piece together. Follow me if you want to see more work like this!
#chicagotattooartist #sleevetattoo #warriorwoman #blackandgreytattoo #armortattoo by @mikesledz

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6 months ago

Hi I’m Mike Sledz and I create custom tattoos here in Chicago. I specialize in Black and grey tattooing and love to do dog portraits, cat portraits and memorial tattoos of all kinds. Check out my page to see more of my work and follow along on my tattoo journey.

#chicagotattooartist #dogsofchicago #chicagotattooartists #dogsofinsta @pawschicago by @mikesledz

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7 months ago

Which do you like better? Write FRESH or HEALED in the comments👌🏻

This tower tattoo was completed over two consecutive sessions for my awesome client PJ. I wanted to show the difference between how the tattoo looks fresh and how it looks after it has healed. While the fresh tattoo is a bit sharper I personally prefer when the tattoo softens a bit and settles into the skin. But tell me what you think🙌🏻

Also as a bonus I included our original sketch from our brainstorming session so you can see how an idea goes from a scribble to beautiful piece of permanent artwork! taken in Chicago, Illinois by @mikesledz

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9 months ago