Della Hargrove
Tattoo Design Specialist
Tattoo artist and designer with 12+ years working across American traditional, Japanese, and modern minimalist styles. Della writes about design choices, placement, aftercare, and the meaning behind popular motifs.
Della Hargrove has been working in and writing about tattoo design for over a decade, across traditional American, Japanese (irezumi-influenced), and contemporary minimalist work. Della’s writing focuses on the practical decisions behind a good tattoo: design, placement, sizing, and the cultural context of motifs.
Areas of Expertise
- American traditional and neo-traditional design
- Japanese tattoo style and motif symbolism
- Minimalist, fine-line, and single-needle work
- Placement, sizing, and how designs age on the body
- Aftercare and healing through the first 4 weeks
Writing Approach
Della writes the way a tattooer talks across the chair, direct about what works, honest about what doesn’t. Every design article names a real placement, a real size range, and the cultural roots of the motif. Aftercare guidance comes with timelines, not vague “follow your artist’s instructions” platitudes.
Articles by Della Hargrove (125)
Diamond Tattoo Meaning, Placement, Cost, and Aging
0.5-1 cm can still read clean, but fingers blur fast. Learn diamond tattoo meaning, safe imagery, pricing, and healing tips for 2025.
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Roman Numerals Tattoo: Fonts, Sizing, Aging Rules
One wrong numeral is permanent: how to verify a roman numerals tattoo conversion, pick a font that holds at 0.8 cm, and place it where it ages well.
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Infinity Tattoo: Meaning, Sizing, Placement, Cost
Under 1 inch with thin lines, an infinity tattoo blurs into an oval blob within 5 years. Here's the sizing, placement, and cost math before you book.
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Palm Tree Tattoo: Meaning, Designs, Size, Cost
From 2 cm fine-line silhouettes to 15 cm sunset gradients, here's what a palm tree tattoo costs, where it ages well, and where it fades fast.
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Deer Tattoo Guide: Meaning, Placement, Size, Cost
Six motifs, five styles, and the 3-inch antler rule that decides if your deer tattoo still reads cleanly at year ten, from a 12-year tattooer.
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Dinosaur Tattoo: Size, Cost, Styles and Aging
A small dinosaur tattoo runs $80-250, but a detailed skeleton sleeve hits $800-2,500. See which sizes, styles and placements hold up over 10 years.
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Astronaut Tattoo: Line Weight, Size, Cost, Aging
Fine lines under 0.5 mm blur within a decade. See the line weight, placements and $80 to $1,200 pricing that keep an astronaut tattoo crisp.
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Monkey Tattoo: Meaning, Sizing, Placement, Cost
Small monkeys blur fast: keep realism 4+ in and the three wise monkeys 5-7 in. This monkey tattoo guide covers styles and aftercare, updated for 2026.
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Gorilla Tattoo: Size, Cost, Placement, Aftercare
A $500 gorilla tattoo buys a 4-7 inch black-and-grey head, not a sleeve; realism sleeves run 15-30 hours and $1,800-$7,500. Size up before booking.
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Laser Tattoo Removal: Cost, Sessions, Pain, Aftercare
Most professional tattoos need 6-12 laser sessions over 6-24 months. Real laser tattoo removal cost, pain map by placement, and FDA-backed risks.
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Samoan Tribal Tattoo: Meaning, Sleeves, Cost, Ethics
3,000 years old and still rank-coded: samoan tribal tattoo motifs, sleeve sizing in inches, USD pricing and the appropriation line before you book.
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Cover Up a Tattoo With Makeup: 4-Step Pro System
The four-layer system pros use to cover up a tattoo with makeup, plus realistic timing for black ink, weddings and waterproof wear.
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