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The Tattoos Design
Della Hargrove

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)

A diamond tattoo is shown on a person's upper thigh near denim shorts.
Editorial close-up of a bold Roman numeral tattoo on a forearm
Editorial close-up of infinity tattoo on forearm
Editorial close-up of a forearm displaying a palm tree tattoo with crisp black linework and subtle shading
Editorial close-up of a deer tattoo on forearm, showing crisp linework and shading
Editorial close-up of a single forearm dinosaur tattoo for the feature
Close-up editorial shot of a forearm with a detailed astronaut tattoo and cosmic elements
Editorial close-up of a forearm with a monkey tattoo, showing detailed linework and shading on healed skin
Editorial close-up of a forearm displaying a gorilla tattoo in blackwork, showing linework and shading with skin texture
Editorial close-up of a forearm tattoo during laser removal, showing ink saturation and a subtle laser glow
Editorial close-up of a Samoan tattoo on forearm, bold black geometric patterns
Editorial close-up of a forearm tattoo being concealed with makeup in a soft-lit studio.