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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 (206)

A person's shoulder and upper arm feature a solid black blackout tattoo.
Three hands display decorative ring tattoos on their fingers against a plain background.
A forearm with small separate rose, star, dagger, moon, swallow and sun tattoos, bare skin between each piece.
A small leafy branch tattoo sits on the inner wrist of an outstretched arm.
A watercolor dagger tattoo in muted rust and blue sits on a person's upper chest below the collarbone.
A circular ouroboros serpent tattoo on a person's thigh.
A large black-and-red raven tattoo covers a person's side.
An ankle bears an 'In loving memory' tattoo framed by flowers, above a black shoe.
A small moon and branch tattoo on the inside of an ankle.
A person's lower leg bears a cursive 'better days ahead' tattoo.
A person's lower leg with a quote tattoo reading 'Not all who wander are lost.'
A small fine-line pair of angel wings tattooed on the back of a person's lower leg.
Mini Fine-Line Botanical Flash Sheet