Tim Beck is undoubtedly the world’s most famous embroidered tattoo artist. His audience is captivated by his creations, with approximately 51.6K highly engaged followers on Instagram. Tim’s inspiring journey to becoming a tattoo artist is all about how he began practicing the Patch style to set himself apart from other tattoo artists. He believes that embroidery-inspired designs are tough to tattoo because they require a mastery of light and shadow—and how to create the illusion of light and shadow by layering various colored inks—in order to achieve a genuine three-dimensional impression.
Tim Beck is well recognized for his tattooing versatility, but even more so for inventing the “patch style” tattoo. The patch style is a process where Beck explains, “The shader needle, also known as a magnum, is turned on its side in a way to achieve the illusion of stitching or embroidery.” There are also effects of shadow and highlight techniques to create a truly realistic-looking patch all over the skin. In 2018, the first tattoo he did in this style went viral on tattoo social media. “The photo I posted went crazy and blew up! I had a couple of TV shows, and different social media outlets reach out to feature it,” – says Beck.
“There have been many tattoo artists since that copied the style and made it their specialty, but I was the first to do it.“
Patch Style Tattooing Is A Thing!
Traditional tattooing involves lining the tattoo with a bold black outline, followed by shading with heavy black, and then boldly coloring the rest of the tattoo. Tim Beck’s ‘patch style’ method differs from the traditional tattoo technique. He follows an entirely different approach. Despite the fact that Beck pioneered this new technique, he nevertheless cautions anyone interested in the patch style about how it will age. They require a little more TLC than a typical tattoo. To give the patch-type tattoo a longer shelf life, it should be done on a flat area of the body that doesn’t get much sunlight. (Over time, sun exposure tears off pigment and skin cells, blurring and lightening tattoos.)
The creative process behind this stunning masterpiece
The variety of colors used in patch-style tattoos makes them stand out. As a result, the more colors you use in your design, the longer it will take to complete. It takes longer with additional colors since you have to constantly wash the needles as you change the color to ensure a crisp, clean design with each new color you add.
The design possibilities are limitless
Because these designs can be customized to meet your specific requirements, you’ll have lots of options to choose from. As you search for ideas, you’ll come across a variety of embroidery tattoos, including floral, a birdie design that appears to have been needles threaded to your skin, and a patch design.
“I will always admit that bold traditional tattooing will always hold up longer in the skin,” says Beck.
“But my patch style, if applied correctly, using a simple, recognizable design, can be a beautiful artistic expression and conversation piece that will last a lifetime!”
Tim Beck Is Best Known For His Versatility, But His Patch Style Art Is A Love Letter To Old School
Tim Beck’s versatility is unrivaled with no limits. Whereas most artists try to specialize in a single style that they are most comfortable with, Beck shines in all of them, never focusing on one for too long. He’s been known to create embroidery-inspired tattoos that would deceive even the keenest grandmother, a realism that would give a camera a run for its money, and vividly illustrated blooms that look picked right from a field in the past. Surprisingly, when it comes to his Patch-style work, Beck likes to stick to one style, never straying or abandoning his commitment to the conventional American style.
Tim Beck’s Fantastic Flash
Beck’s entire portfolio is diverse, touching on every style at least once — and with immaculate talent, to boot — but his Patchwork has always been and will always be a testament to the tattoo community’s heritage now; if you could all bow your heads and show some reverence.
Tim is widely considered one of the best tattoo artists globally, having won multiple honors for his work. Tim believes that learning should never stop. He has attended seminars and continued teaching on sterile fields, cross-contamination, blood-borne and air-borne viruses, and a full, rigorous apprenticeship.
Tim is, without a doubt, one of the best tattoo artists in the world today.
