Ratta Tattoo
RSS Twitter Facebook
  • Home
  • Tattoo Articles
  • Tattoo Artists
  • Tattoo Videos
  • Tattoo Designs
  • Tattoo Pictures

Miao-ha-ha! The cute but creepy cats of one tattoo artist’s imaginary world

Daria Rei is a Berlin-based artist who creates black ink tattoos in a style that is unique to her. The style of her tattoo designs is a mixture of contemporary illustrations and Ukiyo-e, an artistic style that has existed in Japan for centuries. Ukiyo-e means “pictures of the floating world” which means that the scene depicted in the painting or woodblock print has been conjured from the artist’s imagination; a world that is not substantial and exists in no physical realm. In this same way, Daria Rei’s tattoo designs are based on the world that exists only in the shadows and corners of her imagination. She paints scenes, animals and people onto the skin of her clients; giving them an eternal portal into her magical, imaginary realm. This imaginary world has a slightly esoteric element to it. Many of her characters are gothic and mystical.

My absolute favorite imaginary friends of Daria Rei’s are her tattoo cats. Like the cats of our world, Rei’s kitty cats are adorable and completely psychotic. They take themselves very seriously and yet somehow always come across as slightly naïve and humorously petty. Because Rei chooses to work in black ink for her cat tattoos, her cats are black cats who carry a lot of symbolism. Black cats have long been considered unlucky in Western culture, and they are often portrayed as being magical familiars to witches and wizards because black cats are supposedly able to cross between the world of the living and the spirit world, where they can converse with the ghosts of deceased people. Many people feel that they can relate to black cats because they feel that they themselves are marginalised in society for something that they can’t change about themselves, such as their race or sexual preference. The stigma that being a black cat carries can be empathised with by many who feel that they are excluded from “normal” society, like those who practice unusual religions, spiritualism or magic systems.

Rei uses a fine tattoo needle to create intricate details in her cat tattoos, which are often fairly small; small enough to fit on the ankle or wrist without wrapping around the joint. She adds in white tattoo ink to add an extra gleam to the cat’s eyes and a shine to their whiskers. While Daria Rei’s colorwork tattoos are also exceptional; there is an elegance to the simplicity of her black and white tattoos that combines well with the dark humor of her cat designs.

Visit Kodiak, the tattoo shop where Rei works from, her Instagram and her Facebook to see more gothic and darkly humorous tattoos that spring from this incredible artist’s mind.

This psychotic cat tattoo by Daria Rei walks across this girl's ribs in a way that is both creepy and cute.

This psychotic cat tattoo by Daria Rei walks across this girl’s ribs in a way that is both creepy and cute. The tattoo artist has used diluted black ink for the cats legs that are furthest away from the viewer to create a sense of distance and depth in the illustrative tattoo.

 

Which cat owner can say that their cat has never stared at them with the same crazy eyes as the ones in this cat tattoo by Daria Rei

Which cat owner can say that their cat has never stared at them with the same crazy eyes as the ones in this cat tattoo by Daria Rei? Daria’s use of fine lines and legible silhouettes means that her cat tattoos are suited to smaller areas of the body such as the ankle.

 

An evil black cat shows its domination over all dog-kind by placing its paw regally on a dog's skull in this creepy cute tattoo by Daria Rei

An evil black cat shows its domination over all dog-kind by placing its paw regally on a dog’s skull in this creepy cute tattoo by Daria Rei. The tattoo artist has used white ink to highlight the glowing cats eyes and the shape of the dog’s skull.

 

Tattooer Daria Rei's sense of humor can be seen in this funny tattoo of a black cat that's freaking out over the mouse it's just killed.

Tattooer Daria Rei’s sense of humor can be seen in this funny tattoo of a black cat that’s freaking out over the mouse it’s just killed.

 

This posh cat holds a glass of wine while plotting the demise of its enemies in this cat tattoo by Berlin-based tattoo artist Daria Rei

This posh cat holds a glass of wine while plotting the demise of its enemies in this cat tattoo by Berlin-based tattoo artist Daria Rei. This tattoo design is long and thin, so it sits well on the inside of the wrist, which is a naturally long and thin part of the human body.

 

This tattoo by Daria Rei is of a nightmare kitty waking up from a dream in which it probably killed and ate all the mice ever, everywhere

This tattoo by Daria Rei is of a nightmare kitty waking up from a dream in which it probably killed and ate all the mice ever, everywhere. Miaohahahaha!

 

A black cat sits on top of a human skull in this elbow tattoo by Daria Rei

A black cat sits on top of a human skull in this elbow tattoo by Daria Rei. Both the cats eyes and the skulls eye have a spooky, spiritual gleam in them, as thought they know things about your future that even you don’t know…

 

Only tattooer Daria Rei could design a tattoo of two evil kittens this cute

Only tattooer Daria Rei could design a tattoo of two kittens and a skull that is this cute. Rei’s tattoo design style looks like she has drawn her illustrations on to the skin in black pen, but her tattoos won’t wash off. Ever.

 

Miaohaha! This kitty cat tattoo is a portrait of one of Daria Rei's imaginary black cat friends

Miaohaha! This kitty cat tattoo is a portrait of one of Daria Rei’s imaginary black cat friends. May you have sweet dreams while this little guy watches over your soul…

 

Interested in getting a cat tattoo designed for you? Check out these other articles about cat tattoos on rattatattoo.com for more inspiration and ideas for your own cat tattoo. Just remember – don’t copy other people’s tattoos! If you want a Daria Rei tattoo, use one of the contact channels listed at the top of this article to contact her for a tattoo consultation.

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Pinterest
  • Tumblr
November 8, 2019 Catherine Nessworthy Mayhem & Muse

Next

Tattoo artist Leah Moule has added hearts and flowers into this colorful knitting tattoo to add to the feminine appeal of the tattoo design

These knitting tattoos are a yarn lover’s dream come true

Knitting is a craft that has been used to created stretchy fabric for millennia. We know that hand knitting has been around for this long because knitted cotton socks were found in an ancient landfill in Egypt that date back to 300AD. So 1,700 years ago, people enjoyed wearing colorful, stripey, hand knitted socks just […]

November 14, 2019 Catherine Nessworthy Mayhem & Muse

Prev

José Audi’s delicate esoteria tattoos make skin magical

Brazilian street artist José Flavio Audi is mad about mandalas and other esoteric and spiritual designs. He uses mandalas, lotus flowers, jewels and sacred geometry throughout his art, including in his tattoo designs. Audi favours intricate, delicate patterns that are very flowing and organic in nature. His petals seem as soft as real flower petals, […]

October 30, 2019 Catherine Nessworthy Mayhem & Muse
  • November 8, 2019
  • by Catherine Nessworthy
  • Tattoo Artists, Tattoo Pictures
  • afterlife, art, berlin, black cat, black ink, body art, cat, cats, crazy, creepy, cute, daria rei, death, esoteric, evil, good and evil, gothic, illustration, illustration tattoos, imaginary, imagination, ink, japanese, life, magic, mysticism, pet, psychic, small, spirit, spirituality, symbol, symbolism, tattoo, tattoo artist, tattooer, ukiyo-e, witch, wizard

Related Posts

  • Cat Tattoo Designs Guard the Skin You’re In
    June 28, 2012 Catherine Nessworthy Mayhem & Muse
  • Realistic Eye Tattoos Watch over the World
    February 25, 2013 Catherine Nessworthy Mayhem & Muse
  • Tattoo Artist Karolina Bebop reflects the World in Patterns on Skin
    November 20, 2013 Catherine Nessworthy Mayhem & Muse
  • Inspiration and Ideas for Cat Tattoos
    April 18, 2013 Catherine Nessworthy Mayhem & Muse
  • Ed Perdomo’s Cartoon Tattoos aim to Cheer You Up
    November 1, 2012 Catherine Nessworthy Mayhem & Muse
  • Celebrate the Day of the Dead with Sugar Skull Tattoos
    August 1, 2012 Catherine Nessworthy Mayhem & Muse
  • Daniel Meyer Tattoos – Symbols of the Soul
    September 18, 2013 Catherine Nessworthy Mayhem & Muse
  • Guil Zekri turns Fantasy into Realistic Tattoos
    November 6, 2013 Catherine Nessworthy Mayhem & Muse
  • Amanita’s Esoteric Tattoos Showcase Sacred Geometry in Nature
    January 28, 2014 Catherine Nessworthy Mayhem & Muse
  • Wear a Piece of Living Art with a Javi Wolf Tattoo
    July 17, 2014 Catherine Nessworthy Mayhem & Muse
  • Three Tattoo Artists Revolutionize Chinese Tattoo Design
    May 1, 2013 Catherine Nessworthy Mayhem & Muse
  • Animals, Illusions and Dot work Tattoos by Gregorio Marangoni
    April 3, 2013 Catherine Nessworthy Mayhem & Muse
  • Gemma Pariente gives Floral Tattoos a Paisley Spin
    May 27, 2013 Catherine Nessworthy Mayhem & Muse
  • Tattoo Time Lapse: Skull on Shin by Shawn Will
    October 30, 2012 Catherine Nessworthy Mayhem & Muse
  • Tattoos of Owls give Wisdom to Body Art
    September 3, 2012 Catherine Nessworthy Mayhem & Muse
  • Nadelwerk Tattoo Artists Create Mind-Blowing Surrealist Tattoos
    July 24, 2013 Catherine Nessworthy Mayhem & Muse
  • Let these witch tattoos cast a magical spell on you
    October 29, 2019 Catherine Nessworthy Mayhem & Muse
  • Thomas Hooper’s Sacred Geometry Tattoos
    July 31, 2012 Catherine Nessworthy Mayhem & Muse
  • Artistic Tattoos by Self-taught Artist Gene Coffey
    September 24, 2013 Catherine Nessworthy Mayhem & Muse
  • “Ink Me” with Alice in Wonderland Tattoos
    July 2, 2012 Catherine Nessworthy Mayhem & Muse
  • Gorgeous Goldfish Tattoos
    September 14, 2012 Catherine Nessworthy Mayhem & Muse
  • Abstract Tattoos by Peter Aurisch
    July 30, 2012 Catherine Nessworthy Mayhem & Muse
  • Watch Damien Wickham Tattoo a Cute Pin Up Girl Tattoo
    November 18, 2013 Catherine Nessworthy Mayhem & Muse
  • Scratchy Watercolor Tattoo Selection by Sven Groenewald
    April 12, 2013 Catherine Nessworthy Mayhem & Muse
  • Inspiration and Ideas for Peacock Tattoos
    May 8, 2013 Catherine Nessworthy Mayhem & Muse
  • Jukan Tattoos Abstract Watercolor Awesomeness
    April 17, 2013 Catherine Nessworthy Mayhem & Muse
  • Artistic Abstract and Graphics Tattoos by Pietro Romano
    February 12, 2013 Catherine Nessworthy Mayhem & Muse
  • Skull Tattoos give Death Life on Skin
    July 4, 2012 Catherine Nessworthy Mayhem & Muse
  • Vintage Sketch-style Tattoos by Otto D’Ambra
    February 15, 2013 Catherine Nessworthy Mayhem & Muse

Tags

    abstract america animal art artist artistic asian beauty bird body body art cartoon character color creature cute death design dotwork europe feminine floral flower geometric girl guys illustration images ink inspiration life man mandala meaning of men painting pictures spiritual symbol tattoo totem video watercolor wings woman
© Copyright 2012 - 2019 Ratta Tattoo.