My name is Mitch Oscar, and I’m a tattoo artist based in Sydney. I’ve been tattooing professionally since 2018, and while my work today is grounded in American traditional tattooing, the way I arrived here was shaped by a long relationship with drawing, travel, and traditional art in many forms.

This post is here so you understand who I am before you ever book an appointment or sit in the chair.

Early Years & Drawing Before Tattooing

I started drawing very young — around four or five years old. My mum used to sketch a lot, especially charcoal portraits, and watching her draw was one of the first things that really captured my attention. Drawing was always present in my life long before tattooing became a possibility.

That early exposure to figurative drawing and strong imagery stuck with me. Even now, a lot of what I value in tattooing — contrast, structure, and clarity — traces back to those early foundations.

Apprenticeship & Early Career

I completed my apprenticeship at a shop in Cronulla, here in Sydney. At that time, the shop leaned more heavily toward neo-traditional work and realism, which naturally influenced what I was focused on early in my career. Those styles taught me a lot technically — composition, rendering, and attention to detail — and they still inform how I think about design today.

A couple of years in, I realised something wasn’t fully clicking. While I respected the work I was doing, I didn’t feel completely aligned with it as an artist.

About two and a half years later, I moved into a more traditional-focused shop, and that change was pivotal. It was there that I properly learned about the origins of tattooing, the history behind American traditional work, and why those designs have endured for generations.

That environment suited me far better, both personally and artistically.

Expert Sydney artist working on pharaoh's horses stomach piece — *Tattooing a Pharaoh’s Horse’s on tattooer Nat Patsura’s belly at Newtown’s King Street Tattoo in Sydney, Australia, 2020*

Why American Traditional Tattooing

What drew me to American traditional tattooing wasn’t just one thing — it was everything.

The power of the imagery.
The discipline of the designs.
The history behind the motifs.
The fact that these tattoos are meant to last.

Bold linework, strong contrast, and clear shapes aren’t aesthetic choices for me — they’re functional ones. A good tattoo should still read clearly years down the track. It should hold its presence as the body changes.

While American traditional is my foundation, I don’t box myself into a single lane. I work with influences from Japanese tattooing, folk art, religious symbolism, and other traditional forms. No matter the subject, I aim to apply traditional values so the tattoo works as a tattoo first — not just an image.

Travel, Guesting & Worldview

I’ve guested at many of Australia’s best tattoo shops, including studios across Sydney and interstate. I’ve also tattooed internationally throughout Europe, South America, Asia, and Morocco, working alongside artists and shops I have a lot of respect for.

Travel has had a huge impact on how I think and how I create. When you travel, your perspective shifts. You see how art, religion, symbolism, and ritual exist differently across cultures. You access parts of your mind you don’t always reach when you’re in familiar surroundings.

Some of my most interesting ideas — both artistically and philosophically — have come from being in unfamiliar places, being open to new experiences, and letting ideas find me rather than forcing them.

Cronulla tattooer in the shop with client — *Tattooing an elderly Dutchman at Prik Tattoo in Utrecht, Netherlands, 2024*

What a Good Tattoo Means to Me

A good tattoo, to me, is striking and powerful.

It’s something you can recognise from across the street.
Something that holds presence.
Something that makes the person wearing it feel stronger in themselves.

That’s the standard I aim for, whether the tattoo is small and simple or part of a large-scale project.

How I Work With Clients

I see myself primarily as a guide.

I always want clients involved in the idea and direction of their tattoo — but within a framework I know will work. My job is to make sure the tattoo makes sense on the body, ages properly, and doesn’t compromise quality for the sake of impulse or trends.

I’m comfortable saying no if something is a bad idea. That honesty is part of the responsibility of tattooing.

I enjoy one-off tattoos, long-term collectors, and large-scale projects. If I had to lean one way, I’d say larger projects are the most satisfying when they’re completed — but I value all of it equally when the work is solid.

Sutherland tattooing professional with Jesus on the cross back piece in progress — *Lined Jayden’s back - a good client turned friend - at Thanks Tattoo in Sydney, Australia, 2024*

Booking & Appointments

I work by appointment so each tattoo gets the time and attention it deserves. Walk-ins are sometimes possible, but they’re never guaranteed — booking ahead is always the best option.

If you’re considering working with me, this site and this blog are here to give you a clear understanding of who I am, how I work, and whether my approach aligns with what you’re looking for.

This is the starting point.

More posts will follow, going deeper into tattooing as a craft, decision-making, longevity, and the thinking behind the work you see on my Instagram.

If you’re here, take your time — permanent work deserves it.

Introduction: Who I Am, Where I Came From, and How I Tattoo