Black Hive Tattoo — Local services in Jacksonville

Start with the pro's...

Great shop. Super clean. Ample parking. All the artists are courteous and pleasant. The air you get at other tattoo shops (i.e. like they're doing you a huge favor by giving you a tattoo) does NOT exist here. They're all extraordinarily pleasant. I did a substantial amount of research in Jacksonville to find someone to do a tattoo for me and, while each of the artists here have a different style they all do fantastic work. I decided to go with Colbey Joyce.

Which leads me to my next pro... They actually work with you to get what you want vs. trying to force feed their own ideas down your throat. Colbey was great at pointing out what would work and was happy to make changes without making a big deal about it.

Cons.... None. Seriously. None. Each artist has different pricing... so, I'm not going to speak to all of them in this regard as I'm not sure what the others are. I can say though, Colbey charges are VERY reasonable for the quality you get.

Finally, I was so happy with the first tattoo he did I went back to see if he could do a coverup of a previously poorly done tattoo (by another local and popular Jacksonville tattoo shop). He had a few ideas, I picked one - he drew it up and, bingo. Done. Awesome work.

Can't say enough good things about this place, their work and,...

I want to recommend them, but I have some level of reservations in doing so. My experience was fraught with consistent collaboration that sometimes lead to my own ideas simply being dismissed. There was one particular session where I spent the better part of an hour, talking the Tattoo Artist back into my original design or what I was seeking. I was under the impression they were a custom tattoo parlor. Sadly this does not seem to be the case. I will not go into great detail, but I will suggest, that with the name or job title of "Tattoo Artist" I somewhat expected an Artist Mindset or Perspective. So, if you are seeking an experience, that is a simple templated tattoo design or pattern, with an overly basic color scheme, one where you yourself have little to no input in the end result, then BlackHive Tattoo is your parlor. 20231002 - Addendum. Thank you for responding. Im not going to go into detail, but I must admit the first tattoo was not exactly what I wanted either. So you will have forgive me, but the overall result and experience was negative. Now I am left with a second tattoo, that I must now figure out how to salvage. This is why I left the...

Walking into Nick Wagner’s Black Hive studio is less “tattoo shop” and more “private gallery” where the art happens to move, breathe, and occasionally complain about shading. For over two decades, he’s been the only person I trust to turn skin into a canvas—because he combines surgical-level professionalism with a personality sharp enough to keep you laughing while he’s permanently etching your story.

The space itself is high-end and intimate: no chaos, no walk-in circus, just an atmosphere that reminds you you’re commissioning art, not picking something off a menu. He’s direct—he’ll tell you what works and what doesn’t—but that’s what makes the results flawless. If you’re looking for cheap thrills, this isn’t your place. But if you want to wear a masterpiece, this is where you go.

After all, anyone can give you a tattoo—but only he can give you a collector’s piece you’ll never be able to hang on a wall.

I’ve also come to know the rest of the artist as well and let me tell you they are all no short of amazing. He has chosen the best of the best to represent his brand. They all have such unique styles. I plan on getting a work of...