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Simple Line Tattoos Inspired by Surreal Artists Like Picasso

surrealist tattoos daisy watson picasso modern art

Artist Daisy Watson designs dreamy tattoos inspired by modern art. Rooted in surrealism, her pieces echo the avant-garde aesthetic of iconic artists like Pablo Picasso, Jean Cocteau, and Jean Arp. Fractured forms, experimental compositions, and curved lines work together to bring these simply-drawn surrealist tattoos to life.

Watson works in a minimalist style, using only thin lines and black ink as her medium. At first glance, each tiny tattoo may look like an understated illustration. However, upon closer inspection, one cannot help but be enchanted by the imaginative iconography and optically perplexing figures. Combining attributes from Picasso's inked portraits, Cocteau's line drawings, and Arp's use of organic shapes, the creations are both entirely original and familiar.

Each quirky creation begins as a sketch, which is then inked onto Watson's clients' skin. In addition to tattoos, Watson's designs also materialize as jewelry, which she sells in her shop, Lazy Does It.

See some of Watson's surrealist tattoos below.

surrealist tattoos daisy watson picasso modern art

surrealist tattoos daisy watson picasso modern art

surrealist tattoos daisy watson picasso modern art

surrealist tattoos daisy watson picasso modern art

surrealist tattoos daisy watson picasso modern art

surrealist tattoos daisy watson picasso modern art

surrealist tattoos daisy watson picasso modern art

surrealist tattoos daisy watson picasso modern art

surrealist tattoos daisy watson picasso modern art

surrealist tattoos daisy watson picasso modern art

surrealist tattoos daisy watson picasso modern art

surrealist tattoos daisy watson picasso modern art

surrealist tattoos daisy watson picasso modern art

surrealist tattoos daisy watson picasso modern art

Daisy Watson: Website | Instagram | Tumblr
h/t: [Design Taxi]

All images via Daisy Watson.

Kelly Richman-Abdou

Kelly Richman-Abdou is a Contributing Writer at My Modern Met. An art historian living in Paris, Kelly was born and raised in San Francisco and holds a BA in Art History from the University of San Francisco and an MA in Art and Museum Studies from Georgetown University. When she’s not writing, you can find Kelly wandering around Paris, whether she’s leading a tour (as a guide, she has been interviewed by BBC World News America and France 24) or simply taking a stroll with her husband and two tiny daughters.
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