I'm Kimmi Gayle.
A colour realism and surrealism tattoo artist based in Derby. I work large and entirely custom — sleeves, panel pieces, and full-limb compositions.
Approach
Composition and flow shape every decision — placement, scale, the way a piece wraps and settles. I do draw flash, but always with rough composition and the body in mind, and everything is built to age the way it should.
The studio
I work from The Grey Heron Art House on Friar Gate in Derby — a private studio I co-own with my partner, designed for focus. I've been tattooing for 12 years, and these days my focus is large-scale colour realism and surrealism.
What I take on
Bigger projects, mostly — sleeves, panels, and full compositions. If you're not sure whether your idea fits, send it over and I'll tell you honestly.
This year I'm appearing at conventions across the UK and abroad — from Blackpool and Shropshire to Málaga, Langkawi and Brussels — tattooing clients along the way, with more dates to come as they're confirmed. The rest of the time I'm in Derby, booking full-day and multi-session projects.