Blackwork, geometric and neon artist Tony Kennedy is an expert in creating bold, bright and intensely black tattoos for his clients!

Based in his own Black Gate Studios in Widnes, Merseyside, Tony’s style work varies from bold blackouts and blastovers to neon mandalas, as well as incredible combinations of the two.

We chatted with Tony about how he developed his signature style, the secret to incredible blackwork saturation, and the essential inks he’s settled on after years of trial and error!

When you were a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up?

When I was a kid I always wanted to be in the army, and once I left school that is exactly what I did as an avionic technician until I dislocated my shoulder boxing. I had two operations to fix it and I was medically discharged.

Who helped you or inspired you the most at the beginning of your career?

My biggest help was Darryn Daggers - I wouldn’t be a tattooist if it wasn’t for him teaching me how to draw and paint traditional tattoo flash, as that gave me a love for tattooing and made me push myself. My biggest inspirations are Chris Jenko and James Craddock; I have loved both of their work from day one, and always aspired to be as consistent as they are at tattooing. They have also been a massive help for me, constantly giving me advice early on in my career.

How do you describe your tattoo art style?

I feel that I have a few different styles at the moment! Firstly I have my geometric, which I would describe as clean and bold; I try to add a few different layers to the pieces in this style to hopefully give them some uniqueness. Secondly, I do a lot of blackouts at the moment and I am super proud of how well they are healing. And lastly I have a style that I call “Neon”, I don’t actually know what it should be called, with my neon pieces I use high contrast to make the tattoo pop.

How long have you worked at Black Gate Tattoo, and who else is there with you?

I have owned Black Gate for about 4/5 years now and there are two locations, we have a number of great artists working with us including Fran Curran, Abbi Nash, Georgina Lynn, Dan Sanders, Nathan West and Vinny Russell.

Are there any styles you’d like to experiment with more?

I am always trying to try new stuff with my current styles and would love to do some more large-scale neon and blackout mix tattoos!

Do you prefer blackwork, colour, or a combination of the two?

I love them all to be honest but black is essential in all tattoos, in my personal opinion.

How do you choose your neon colour ink?

I have gone through a lot of different inks to try and get a contrast I am happy with! There’s been a lot of trial and error but I have finally settled on Radiant and Fusion inks for all my neon work.

How do you get such incredible saturation for blackouts and cover-ups?

It has taken me a long time to get the saturation where I wanted it to be! I have tried numerous machines, inks and cartridges and I have a set up now that I will never change. My machine is either the Bishop Wand Liner or Critical Torque - both amazing machines, I love a long throw and these both have that with great consistency. The ink I use is Panthera XXX - there is nothing better for blackouts and it heals amazingly - and the cartridges I use are KWADRON 39/49 Curved Magnums, hands down the best needles I have used for blackouts.

What is your favourite tattoo that you’ve done in the last year?

My favourite tattoo in the last year is an Alex Grey-inspired neon mandala I have done.

What’s the largest piece of work you’ve ever tackled?

I have one customer and we are covering his whole body, he was completely covered already with traditional tattoos but wanted to change that to blackouts and geometric, so that is exactly what we have done! I would say we are about 85% complete and I am extremely proud of how it is looking.

Can you talk us through your workstation please?

I currently use two machines, one is the Bishop Wand Liner and the second is the Critical Torque. My black inks are Panthera XXX for blackouts and Panthera Black Gold for everything else, the colour inks are a mix of Radiant and Fusion. There are only two types of cartridges I use and they are Stellar 2.0 and KWADRON, both amazing needles.

What would your ideal tattoo session be like?

My ideal tattoo session is someone turning up without numbing and not telling me!

Jokes aside, I love all my tattoo sessions, I am privileged every day to have a job I love.

What are your favourite motifs to work into your pieces?

I am partial to adding some free hand floral into my pieces, especially if we are trying to fill some awkward gaps.

What is your most ordered item from Killer Ink?

Do hugs from Adam count?

But definitely Panthera XXX, I go through a LOT of that ink.

Which tattoo artists are doing amazing work right now?

Bintt is absolutely incredible and his work is something for me to look up to. I’m biased because he is one of my best friends, but Darryn Daggers is absolutely smashing it with his traditional, especially his Warhammer pieces! And finally, Kyle Williams, as always, pumping out that sweet horror goodness.

How many tattoos do you have, and which is your favourite?

I have far too many to count but my favourite is a black lion I have on my hand/wrist from Tom Arnison.

What is the tattoo scene like in Widnes?

Widnes is primarily black and grey. I would say 95% of my clients travel to me and that really means a lot to me.

Do you have any conventions or guest spots lined up for 2024?

Unfortunately I have none for this year, my wife is really poorly at the moment and I just can’t commit to them but in 2025 I am really wanting to push back into the convention scene and start doing multiples like I used to!

What do you enjoy doing outside of tattooing?

I love being a Dad and spending time with my family, that is what I do most, but when I do have time for myself I really enjoy gaming, painting Warhammer/Gundam models, and playing D&D as a DM.

What does the future hold for Tony Kennedy?

Hopefully the future holds more of the same for me - I want to keep improving my tattooing, growing Black Gate, getting back into conventions all with my family and work by my side - and that obviously includes the amazing Killer Ink!

Huge thanks to Tony for taking the time to answer our burning questions! Make sure to check out his work on Instagram or Facebook, or visit Black Gate for yourself!

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