CPA TURNED TATTOO ARTIST

Realism Roots.
Artistic Range.

Black and grey realism is where I feel most at home - it’s the style I connect with the most as a charcoal portrait artist on paper. That said, I’m always open to new ideas and happy to take on different styles if it helps bring your vision to life.

BOOK NOW

MY STORY

Services

Consultations

Not sure what you want yet?

Let’s talk it out until your vision comes to life. I offer in-person or virtual consults to plan the perfect piece.

Tattooing

I’m all about soft blends, clean lines, and detail that holds up. Realism is where I thrive, but I love taking on whatever speaks to your vision.

Cover Ups

Feeling tattoo regret?

Trust me, we've all been there. Let’s turn your old tattoo into something

new that you'll love.

Touchups

My goal is for you to have a tattoo that you'll always love. For existing clients, I offer one free touchup within a year of your original tattoo appointment.

A Quick Glance At My Work

MARIA ANNA INK ORIGINALS

To play, press and hold the enter key. To stop, release the enter key.

VIEW FULL GALLERY

Meet the Artist

Hi! I’m Maria - a tattoo artist based in Mesa, Arizona at Ink Hive Tattoo Collective. I specialize in black and grey realism, but I’m always up for exploring new styles and bringing creative visions to life. I started tattooing in 2024 after leaving behind a decade long career in public accounting. It's been the biggest and happiest plot twist of my life and I don't plan on looking back.

READ MY FULL STORY

“This was the best tattoo experience I’ve ever had! All the girls at Ink Hive were so cool and kind. Maria did my tattoo And took the time to make sure that the size and placement was perfect. I will definitely be back!"

Christine P.

A rootin’ tootin’ tattoo for Robert 🤠

Done in May 2025!

Thank you for the trust @noderer.robert 🙏🏼

#tattoo #tattooartist #arizonatattoo #arizonatattooartist #femaletattooartist #ink #inktherapy #tattooideas #blackandgreytattoo #blackandgreyrealism
#colortattoo

A pretty poppy flower for her daughter 🥰

Thank you @eerie_fae 🫶🏼

#tattoos #tattooartist #arizonatattooartist #femaletattooartist #floraltattoos #blackandgreyrealism #realismtattoo

Who’s a good boy? 🙂‍↕️🙂‍↕️🙂‍↕️

Done in May 2025

Thank you @emilysleiman 🙏🏼

#tattoos #arizonatattoo #artizonatattooartist #femaletattooartist #blackandgreyrealism #blackandgreytattoo #petportrait

First time tattooing cherry blossoms in color!

Done in May 2025, which was right after I got to see REAL cherry blossoms in Japan! It was a huge bucket list item for me ever since I was a little girl, so the timing of Amy’s appointment was perfect :)

Thank you @aebevans 🫶🏼

#tattoos #tattooartist #arizonatattoo #arizonatattooartist #colortattoo #floraltattoo #cherryblossomtattoo #femaletattooartist

A handsome little quail for Josie 🥰

Done in April 2025!

Thank you @josie_rosie94 🫶🏼

#tattoos #femaletattooartist #quailtattoo #realismtattoo #blackandgreyrealism #arizonatattoo #arizonatattooartist

My first and definitely not my last Lord of the Rings tattoo! LOTR is the best trilogy of all time and I will DIE on this hill 😤

Done in April 2025 :)

Thank you for the trust @jacobwulfkuhle 🙏🏼

#tattoo #tattooartist #arizonatattoo #arizonatattooartist #femaletattooartist #lotr #sauron #eyeofsauron #colortattoo #blackandgreytattoo

My first anatomical heart! 🫀Done in April 2025 :)

Thank you Jasmine 🙏🏼

#tattoos #blackandgreytattoo #realismtattoo #arizonatattoo #femaletattooartist

Story time: Back in April 2025, I spent all night designing a spine tattoo for an appointment I had the following day. The next morning, my client told me they couldn’t make it after all and unfortunately had to cancel their appointment. I was super bummed about it, but I decided to hang out at the shop anyways. Shortly after, a lovely woman named Toni walked into our shop hoping to get a butterfly tattoo in color. I was happy to take it and super excited because it was only my 3rd walk in ever! We both really liked the way it came out, and apparently so did a lot of people - to date, this butterfly has received the most interaction on social media than any other piece that I’ve done! It also helped me get a BUNCH of new appointments for color tattoos🙏🏼

Moral of the story: when life gives you no shows, shake it off and make cool tattoos :)

Thank you for the trust, @gonzohunters2 ! 🫶🏼

#tattoo #tattoos #tattooartist #arizonatattoo #arizonatattooartist #femaletattooartist #colortattoo #butterflytattoo

Started this sci-fi/fantasy sleeve for Josh back in April! This was my first official “professional” tattoo the day I graduated my apprenticeship :)

Thank you for the trust @taco_josh00 🙏🏼

#tattoos #tattooartist #arizonatattoo #arizonatattooartist #femaletattooartist #finelinetattoo #fantasytattoo #scifitattoo #blackandgreytattoo #stargatetattoo

My first portrait tattoo! I did this piece as an apprentice in March 2025 but I wanted to post it separately because it was a milestone tattoo for me. Portraits and faces are my favorite thing to draw, so I hope I can do more of them in the future!

Shoutout to my mentor @xavierpricetattoo for sitting with me during this tattoo to guide me through it even though we fought about me chasing the stencil half the time 😂

And shoutout to @malicemadetattoo for always letting me practice on him 🙏🏼

#tattoos #apprenticetattoo #blackandgreyrealism #portraittattoo #femaletattooartist

Finally posting still photos of my tattoos, starting from the very beginning :)

Apprentice Tattoo Dump: Black and Grey Realism (December 2024 - April 2025)

MY FAVORITE STYLE!!!!!!! I’m mostly a charcoal portrait artist on paper, so this style feels like home to me. Learning how to work a drop system felt like using different hard/black pencils, so it wasn’t too difficult for me to pick up on. Details are my jammmm 🙂‍↕️ I always get extra excited when a black and grey realism piece comes my way, but that doesn’t mean I won’t stay open to all styles. I just hope I can call myself a specialist in this area one day!!

#tattoos #apprenticetattoos #blackandgreytattoo #blackandgreyrealism #femaletattooartist #arizonatattooartist

Finally posting still photos of my tattoos, starting from the very beginning!

Apprentice Tattoo Dump: Medium Sized + Coverups (December 2024 - April 2025)

After my first 2 months of tattooing small designs, I started getting more comfortable with medium to larger sized pieces. My pace was pretty slow at first, but I could feel myself picking up speed with every tattoo. Honestly I still think I’m pretty slow, but I’d rather take my time and do it right than rush through and not do my best. Everyone tells me that speed will come more with time, so for now I’ll follow my mentor’s advice and not worry about speed - I just wanna do really good tattoos :)

#tattoos #apprenticetattoos #arizonatattoo #femaletattooartist #coveruptattoo

Finally posting still photos of my tattoos, starting from the very beginning :)

Apprentice Tattoo Dump: Illustrative Color (Nov 2024-March 2025)

It’s so funny how I initially didn’t plan on doing any color tattoos since I rarely use color on paper. Black and grey was my comfort zone, but I told my mentor I was open to everything, so he agreed to teach me the basics. After learning how to pack and blend color, I realized how fun it actually is! I’m glad I kept an open mind - some of my favorite tattoos have been my color projects and I’m excited to keep doing more :)

#tattoos #apprenticetattoos #colortattoos #arizonatattoo #arizonatattooartist #femaletattooartist

Finally posting still photos of my tattoos, starting from the very beginning!

Apprentice Tattoo Dump: Fineline (January - March 2025)

Let me tell you, linework was my absolute ENEMY during my apprenticeship 😂 My mentor knew that as a realism artist on paper, linework would be my toughest learning curve (and he was completely right). He knew shading and realism would come naturally to me, so he wanted me to lean heavy into linework first to make sure I didn’t shy away from it. And I’m so glad I followed his advice. Fineline is extremely challenging even though it seems so simple - there’s no where to hide and no room for error. But practice makes progress, and I’m excited to continue developing my fineline skills :) Shoutout to @xavierpricetattoo for being an amazing mentor - thanks for making me better, Coach! 🫶🏼

#tattoos #apprenticetattoos #finelinetattoos #fineline #tattooartist #femaletattooartist

Finally posting still photos of my tattoos, starting from the very beginning!

Apprentice Tattoo Dump: Script and Lettering (Nov 2024-March 2025)

These tattoos really challenged me to work on my precision and control. Tattooing different fonts was also super fun and helped me practice different application methods. Roman numerals seemed to be the hardest for me, but it was great consistency practice. Always grateful for script and lettering projects!

#tattoos #apprenticetattoos #scripttattoos #letteringtattoos #femaletattooartist #arizonatattooartist

Finally posting still photos of my tattoos, starting from the very beginning :)

Apprentice Tattoo Dump: Small Black and Grey Illustrative (Oct-Nov 2024)

When I first started out tattooing on real skin, I was so afraid of blowing out lines. I had an extremely light hand and had to work my way towards tattooing more intentionally and confidently. I learned something new with every tattoo, and I was lucky enough to have consistent practice everyday. To all my clients who were brave enough to let me practice on them: I hope your pockets are always full and your WiFi is always strong 🥰

#tattoos #tattooapprentice #apprenticetattoos #arizonatattoo #femaletattooartist

A little about me for anyone who cares to know :)

Omg didn’t see you there 🫢 #femaletattooartist #arizonatattoo #mesatattoo #tattooshop #arizonatattooartist #shortandtall #tattoo #tattoos #ink

Give me your skin 🙂‍↕️ #femaletattooartist #arizonatattoo #mesatattoo #tattooideas #arizonatattooartist #blackandgreytattoo #colorrealismtattoo #colortattoo #ink #tattoos #tattooartist

11 months ago my mentor showed me how to pull lines on fake skin, and now I’m actually tattooing with him?! Will I ever be this cool again?! 😎 You’re the best, Coach! 🙏🏼

And thanks for sitting Liz, you’re a champ 💪🏼

#femaletattooartist #arizonatattoo #mesatattoo #tempetattoo #tattoos #tattooapprentice #tattoolife #arizonatattooartist #ink #inktherapy #howitstartedvshowitsgoing

Ink Island, USA 👀 #femaletattooartist #arizonatattoo #mesatattoo #tattoolife #arizonatattooartist #tattooideas #tattoo #tattoos #ink #inktherapy #blackandgreyrealism #colortattoo #finelinetattoo

My first Friday the 13th flash event! I had to leave a little early for a weekend trip, but I did 13 tattoos total and had so much fun! Looking forward to the next one already :)

#femaletattooartist #arizonatattoo #mesatattoo #tattooshop #tattoolife #fridaythe13th

Did you book with me yet? 🌝 #tattoos #tattooartist #arizonatattooartist #femaletattooartist #arizonatattoo #mesatattoo #blackandgreytattoo #colortattoo #realismtattoo #alsofuckicedontbookwithmeifyousupportthatshit

Didn’t you get my calendar invite? 🥺 #tattooartist #femaletattooartist #arizonatattoo #mesatattoo #tattooshop #tattoolife #noshow #tattooappointment

Let me get you next 😉 #femaletattooartist #arizonatattoo #mesatattoo #tattoolife #arizonatattooartist #tattooideas #blackandgreyrealism #colortattoos #ink #inktherapy

My official Day 1 as a Tattoo ARTIST!!! Your girl finally GRADUATED!!! 🥳🥳🥳 If you let me tattoo you during my apprenticeship, I hope your pillow is always cold and your WiFi is always strong 🥰 and if you’ve watched my journey from the very beginning, I appreciate you sm for being here!

Biggest thank you ever to @xavierpricetattoo for being such an amazing mentor and human. I appreciate you beyond words, Coach. Like you said, you and I were cut from the same cloth, and it’s been an absolute honor and privilege to learn from you. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for being my guide, my hype man, my confidence, and my friend throughout this journey.

I also want to thank @alexismarijke.art @malicemadetattoo and @xandratattoos - whether you took the time to show me tips or physically let me tattoo you (shoutout to Drewcifer). You guys were always there to answer my questions and help push me along!

I also have to thank my ugly big sister @stellanspice and my awesome brother-in-law (who I cannot tag) for unknowingly keeping the artist in me alive. The more I lost my way as a corporate workaholic, the less and less I drew. In fact, I stopped drawing all together at one point. My sister and brother-in-law were the ones who gave me reasons to keep drawing, and ironically enough, the realism portraits I gifted to them were the ones that got me my apprenticeship. Love you guys so much!

Last and most importantly, thank you to my amazing boyfriend @dandjesus93 ♥️ Babe, I don’t think I’ll ever be able to repay you for how drastically you’ve changed my life for the better. In another reality, there’s a version of me that never felt brave enough to chase my dreams of being an artist, and it all hinged on meeting you. You gave me a door to walk through by introducing me to Xavier and then confidently pushed me through it. I thank my lucky stars that fate brought us together. I love you more than you know ♥️

Cheers to the next chapter!! 🥳
#tattooapprentice #tattooapprenticeship #femaletattooartist #arizonatattoo #mesatattoo #tattoolife #arizonatattooartist #grad

How’s it going down there? #tattooshop #tattoolife #arizonatattooartist #femaletattooartist #arizonatattoo #mesatattoo #ink #inktherapy #shortgirl #tallgirl

I’ll pay you $1 to yell “LET HER COOK” in my general direction #tattooapprentice #tattooapprenticeship #apprenticetattoos #femaletattooartist #arizonatattoo #mesatattoo #tattooshop #tattoolife #tattooideas #ink #inktherapy #tattoos

Month 8 as a Tattoo Apprentice! 🌝 #tattooapprentice #femaletattooartist #arizonatattoo #mesatattoo #tattooapprenticeship #tattooshop #tattoolife #arizonatattooartist #apprenticetattoos #tattooideas #ink #inktherapy #blackandgreyrealism #realismtattoo #finelinetattoo #colortattoo

Practice spelled backwards is…

Idk I’m too busy practicing 🙂‍↕️

#tattooapprentice #femaletattooartist #arizonatattoo #mesatattoo #tattooapprenticeship #tattooshop #tattoolife #arizonatattooartist #apprenticetattoos #tattooideas

I cried making this 😂 #tattooapprentice #femaletattooartist #arizonatattoo #mesatattoo #tattooapprenticeship #tattooshop #tattoolife #arizonatattooartist #apprenticetattoos #tattooideas #grateful

My mentor says I’m THIS CLOSE 🤏🏼 Booking July and August, DM me with your ideas!

Week 25 as a tattoo apprentice! Narrated by my boyfriend and mentor while we were drunk in a bar in Japan 😂 @dandjesus93 @xavierpricetattoo #tattooapprentice #femaletattooartist #arizonatattoo #mesatattoo #tattooapprenticeship #tattooshop #tattoolife #arizonatattooartist #apprenticetattoos #tattooideas

I BELIEVE IN YOU 🫵🏼✨ #tattooapprentice #arizonatattoo #mesatattoo #tattooapprenticeship #tattooshop #tattoolife #arizonatattooartist #circletattoo #femaletattooartist #tempetattoo

So many fun projects this week! #tattooapprentice #tattooapprenticeship #tattooshop #femaletattooartist #arizonatattoo #mesatattoo #tattoolife #arizonatattooartist #apprenticetattoos #tattooideas

Week 24 as a (sleepy) tattoo apprentice! 🙆🏻‍♀️😴 #tattooapprentice #femaletattooartist #arizonatattoo #mesatattoo #tattooapprenticeship #tattooshop #tattoolife #arizonatattooartist #apprenticetattoos #tattooideas #sourdoughbread

And text me when you get home! #tattooapprentice #tattooapprenticeship #femaletattooartist #arizonatattoo #mesatattoo #tattooshop #tattoolife #arizonatattooartist #tattooaftercare

Practice practice practice :) #tattooapprentice #tattooapprenticeship #tattooshop #tattoolife #arizonatattooartist #femaletattooartist #arizonatattoo #mesatattoo #apprenticetattoos #tattooideas

Week 23 as a tattoo apprentice! TRIGGER WARNING 🥲 #tattooapprentice #tattooapprenticeship #tattooshop #arizonatattoo #mesatattoo #femaletattooartist #tattoolife #arizonatattooartist #vegas #RIP

Math is hard #tattooapprentice #tattooapprenticeship #mesatattoo #femaletattooartist #arizonatattoo #tattoolife #arizonatattooartist #arizonatattooartist

@xavierpricetattoo is the best 🫶🏼 #tattooshop #tattooapprenticeship #apprenticetattoos #femaletattooartist #arizonatattoo #mesatattoo #tattoolife #tattooideas

Thankful for all the practice 🙏🏼 #tattooapprentice #tattooapprenticeship #tattooshop #femaletattooartist #arizonatattoo #mesatattoo #tattoolife #arizonatattooartist #apprenticetattoos #tattoos #tattooideas #ink

Would you let an apprentice tattoo you? #tattooapprentice #tattooapprenticeship #apprenticetattoos #arizonatattoo #mesatattoo #tattooshop #femaletattooartist #tattoolife #darumadolltattoo #japanesetattoo

Gah damn you fine 😮‍💨 #tattooapprentice #tattooapprenticeship #femaletattooartist #arizonatattoo #mesatattoo #tattooshop #tattoolife #arizonatattooartist #apprenticetattoos #finelinetattoo #fineline

Week 22 as a tattoo apprentice! 🙆🏻‍♀️ #tattooapprentice #femaletattooartist #arizonatattoo #mesatattoo #tattooshop #tattooapprenticeship #tattoolife #arizonatattooartist #apprenticetattoos

MY 100th APPRENTICE TATTOO!!! 🥳

My boyfriend is the one who introduced me to my mentor, and he believed in me from the very beginning. I honestly don’t think I would have been brave enough to change careers so dramatically if it wasn’t for his encouragement. Every single day I feel extremely lucky with the way the stars aligned for me to be here. This is definitely the happiest I’ve ever been and it’s just the beginning!

Thank you for always being in my corner babe, I love you more than you know ♥️ @dandjesus93

#tattooapprentice #apprenticetattoos #tattooapprenticeship #arizonatattoo #mesatattoo #tempetattoo #femaletattooartist #colortattoo

Oop, didn’t even see you there #tattooshop #tattooapprentice #arizonatattoo #femaletattooartist #mesatattoo #tattooapprenticeship #tattoolife #apprenticetattoos

My first pet portrait! Thank you for the trust @bobthewanderer 🙏🏼

Black and grey realism is what I hope to specialize in since I’m a portrait artist on paper, so I hope to get more projects like this! If you’ve been thinking about a pet portrait tattoo, DM ME RIGHT NOW!!! 🤭🙌🏼

#tattooapprentice #tattooapprenticeship #apprenticetattoos #realismtattoo #femaletattooartist #arizonatattoo #mesatattoo #tattooshop #petportrait #pettattoo #petportraittattoo

.pro-gallery-wix-wrapper {display: block !important;} .pro-gallery-wix-wrapper .gallery-item-container {opacity: 1 !important; display: block !important;}

Follow me on Instagram

@mariaanna_ink

CPA TURNED TATTOO ARTIST

Realism Roots.
Artistic Range.

Services

Consultations

Tattooing

Cover Ups

Touchups

A Quick Glance At My Work

MARIA ANNA INK ORIGINALS

Meet the Artist

Follow me on Instagram

TATTOO ARTIST AT INK HIVE TATTOO COLLECTIVE

FOLLOW ME

kloveyoubye!

CPA TURNED TATTOO ARTIST

Realism Roots. Artistic Range.

Services

Consultations

Tattooing

Cover Ups

Touchups

A Quick Glance At My Work

MARIA ANNA INK ORIGINALS

Meet the Artist

​

Follow me on Instagram

TATTOO ARTIST AT INK HIVE TATTOO COLLECTIVE

FOLLOW ME

kloveyoubye!

Realism Roots.
Artistic Range.