Ready for some new ink? Whether it’s your first or your tenth time, finding a tattoo shop + artist that suits you is important. We’ve rounded up a guide to Lakeland's tattoo shops to help you get started.

Before we get to business, here’s a crash course on some of the most common tattoo styles:

American traditional: Think bold black outlines, simple shading, and limited colors like red, yellow, blue, and gray. Common designs include pin up girls, eagles, anchors + skulls.
New school: Inspired by graffiti, hip hop, cartoons, and pop art, this style is characterized by vibrant color and cartoonish themes.
Geometric: Made popular in the 21st century, this style incorporates repeating patterns, basic geometric shapes, and symmetry.
Realism: Wait, is that a real photo? Nope, just the work of shading, fine lines, contrast, and 3D shapes.

Now that you're up to speed, here are seven shops worth checking out.

Atomic Tattoos, 2405 S. Florida Ave. | These local artists have been active in Lakeland for 20+ years and offer custom designs.
Beyond The Veil Tattoo, 5313 S. Florida Ave. | Color us inspired. We’re here for this Lakeland-inspired tat.
Black Swan Tattoo, 1119 S. Florida Ave. | This shop's five artists bring a combined 70+ years of experience to the table across all styles.
Gaslight Tattoo Company, 509 S. Florida Ave. | Roll the dice if you dare to get a surprise custom tattoo at this Dixieland shop.
Holy Grail Tattoos and Piercing, 121 E. Alamo Dr. | These award-winning tattoo artists specialize in tats that look just like the real thing.
Lyons Den Tattoo Company, 6635 S. Florida Ave. | This shop owned and operated by tattoo artist Craig Lyons offers new school, geometric, and realism-style tattoos.
The Emporium Lakeland, 4035 S. Florida Ave., Ste. 6 | Looking for something unique? Some of The Emporium’s artists specialize in combining styles to form a unique and cohesive piece.

Have a go-to shop we didn’t share? Tell us all about it, or better yet, send us photos of your own Lakeland-inspired tattoos. We might just get one ourselves.