Nick Amaya — Psychedelic & Surreal Tattoo Artist in Tampa
Nick Amaya is a tattoo artist at Tuff Tattoos, from Bogotá, Colombia, tattooing since 2014. His work is psychedelic, surreal and custom abstract, much of it in vivid full color: fully custom pieces that mix tattoo and painting techniques into dreamlike images.
You'll confirm your preferred artist inside the request form.
Selected work by Nick
Custom, painterly work
He builds large-scale work, including full sleeves, back pieces and chest pieces, and is accepting appointment requests through Tuff Tattoos.
Nick mixes tattoo and painting techniques into abstract, surrealistic and colorful pieces.
Nick does not normally repeat custom designs, and he does not work from generic flash. The exception is flash made for events.
What Nick draws from
Faces and female figures
Portraits pushed into the surreal.
Eyes and altered perception
Third eyes, multiplied eyes and shifted ways of seeing.
Spirituality and transformation
Themes of change and inner worlds.
Eastern and Hindu imagery
Ganesha and third-eye imagery appear in his work as part of his artistic vocabulary.
Reinterpreted artworks
Famous paintings, such as the Mona Lisa, rebuilt in his own language.
Music and album artwork
Imagery drawn from music. His influences include Alex Grey and Tool.
Large-scale work
Nick builds full sleeves, back pieces and chest pieces, with bodysuit-scale projects as a longer-term goal.
Nick Amaya at Tuff Tattoos
- Studio
- Tattoo artist, Tuff Tattoos, Tampa
- From
- Bogotá, Colombia
- Experience
- Tattooing since 2014 (12 years)
- Specialties
- Psychedelic, surreal, custom abstract, color
- Scale
- Full sleeves, back pieces, chest pieces
- Conventions
- 100+
- Awards
- Multiple convention awards
- Languages
- Spanish (native), English
- Booking
- Currently bookable through Tuff Tattoos in Tampa
How a piece comes together
1. Conversation
Nick starts by listening: your references, your story and the feeling you want.
2. Photos and measurements
He photographs and measures the placement.
3. Anatomy and flow
He marks the body with markers to study how the design should move.
4. Research and composition
Drawing, painting and digital composition on an iPad, with research behind it.
5. Stencil and sessions
The stencil goes on once the composition is set. Larger pieces take multiple sessions.
A calm, listening-first session
Sessions are calm and music-led, with listening first. Clients are encouraged to trust his process and give him artistic freedom, in a nonjudgmental space.
Bogotá to Tampa
Nick was born and raised in Bogotá and began tattooing in 2014. Nick has attended more than 100 tattoo conventions throughout his career and has earned multiple awards across Colombia, Ecuador, Mexico and the United States, including recognition in Full Color, Freestyle, Freehand and Trash Polka. Outside the studio he paints and plays guitar and drums.
Questions about working with Nick
Does Nick work in color?
Yes. Much of his psychedelic and surreal work is vivid full color, and he has won awards in the Full Color category. For color realism, Tiko Fuentes, Alejandro Terrero and Tiago Carrero are the studio's specialists.
Can Nick work from my idea or reference images?
Yes. Every piece is designed from scratch around your idea, your references and your placement. Send what inspires you with your request and he will build a composition for your body.
Does Nick do flash designs?
Not normally. Nick designs custom pieces and does not usually repeat designs or work from generic flash. The exception is flash made for events.
Can Nick do a full sleeve, back piece or chest piece?
Yes. Large-scale work is central to what he does, including full sleeves, back pieces and chest pieces, with bodysuit-scale projects as a longer-term goal.
How do I request an appointment with Nick?
Use the request form and choose Nick as your preferred artist. Include your placement, approximate size and any references. The studio reviews every request and follows up with next steps.
What kinds of ideas suit Nick's style?
Psychedelic, surreal and abstract ideas: altered perception, dreamlike portraits, spiritual and cosmic imagery, and reinterpreted artworks. If your idea needs photographic realism, the studio will point you to a realism artist.
Ready to work with Nick?
Request an appointment with Nick. The studio reviews every request and follows up with next steps.