Sydney tattoo artist Mitch Oscar traveled to Perth from March 11–21 for an 8-day guest spot at Five Star Tattoo and WA Ink, tattooing throughout the trip while exploring Rottnest Island, Perth beaches and the local tattoo scene.

Perth Guest Spot — March 11th to March 21st

From March 11th to March 21st, I spent ten days in Perth, Western Australia, with eight of those days tattooing between Five Star Tattoo and WA Ink.

Although I’m based in Sydney, travelling for tattooing has been a big part of my career for years. It’s one of the things that keeps the work fresh and keeps me connected to different people, shops and tattoo scenes around Australia.

This trip was a solid reminder of that.

old school pinup girl head gap filler tattoo

Tattooing at Five Star Tattoo with Ricky Luder

A big part of the trip was spending time tattooing at Five Star Tattoo alongside Ricky Luder.

Ricky is a significant figure in Western Australian tattooing and one of the long-standing names in the local scene. Being around artists who’ve spent decades in the trade always brings a certain perspective with it. It pulls your attention back to the parts of tattooing that actually matter — strong design, clear application, longevity, and work that still holds weight long after trends pass.

That kind of environment always makes for a worthwhile guest spot.

Tattoos from the Perth Trip

Over the eight tattooing days, I worked on a strong mix of pieces across the trip.

The tattoos ranged across:

American Traditional
blackwork
bold custom designs
drawn directly on skin
and a few pieces designed to fit naturally into existing collections

A lot of the work leaned into the kind of tattooing I’m most known for — bold, readable designs with strong linework, solid black, timeless colour and clear composition.

One of the tattoos I enjoyed the most from the trip was the pin-up / girl head with the butterfly, but overall I was happy with the whole run of work. Trips like this are less about one tattoo and more about putting together a solid body of work across the week.

That consistency matters.

WA Ink and the Perth Tattoo Scene

Alongside Five Star Tattoo, I also spent time working at WA Ink.

One of the things I always appreciate about travelling to tattoo is seeing how different cities carry their own version of tattoo culture. Every place has its own pace, personalities and visual language around the trade.

Perth has a strong tattoo history and a more laid-back feel than Sydney, but there’s still a clear respect for bold, lasting tattooing there. That always makes for a good environment to work in.

A Visit to The Tatt Shop

While I was in Perth, I also stopped by The Tatt Shop in the city.

It’s one of the longest-standing tattoo shops in the country and is owned by Noel Wilkinson, another well-known name in Australian tattooing. Shops like that are always worth seeing. They carry a lot of history and remind you that tattooing in Australia has real roots, real personalities, and a much longer story than a lot of people realise.

It’s always good to spend time around places like that when travelling.

Rottnest Island, Snorkelling and Quokkas

Outside of tattooing, one of the highlights of the trip was getting over to Rottnest Island with Adele, who is also a tattooer.

We spent the day:

riding bikes around the island
snorkelling
checking out the beaches
and seeing the quokkas

Rottnest has a completely different pace to the city and was a good reset in the middle of the trip. Clear water, open space and a bit of time off the machine always goes a long way when you’re working back-to-back.

Perth Beaches and Time Between Sessions

I also had a chance to get around a few of Perth’s beaches while I was there.

Perth has a very different feel to Sydney in that regard. The coastline feels wider, quieter and more spread out. It has a slower rhythm to it, which made the whole trip feel balanced rather than just work-focused.

That’s part of what makes travel for tattooing worthwhile. It’s not only about the appointments — it’s also about experiencing the place properly while you’re there.

Rottnest island beach coast line with clear blue water

Why I Still Travel for Tattooing

Travelling for tattooing has shaped a big part of how I work.

Guest spots are important because they keep you adaptable. They push you into different environments, introduce you to different clients, and keep you connected to the wider tattoo community outside your home city.

At the same time, every trip reinforces where I’m based and what I bring back with me.

I’m still primarily working as a Sydney tattoo artist, and every guest spot adds something to the work I’m doing at home.

Booking in Sydney

I’m now back in Sydney and taking bookings as normal.

If you’re looking to get tattooed, you can:

use the contact form on my website
follow me on Instagram
join my broadcast channellinked on my instagram
or get in touch to be added to the email list for future travel dates and booking updates

Freehanded classic traditional centipede colour tattoo

Upcoming Guest Spots in Sydney

I’ll also be doing a couple of upcoming guest spots soon:

Golden West Tattoo, Camden — April 28 & 29
Sydney City Tattoo, Chippendale — April 30 & May 1

If you’re in those areas and have been meaning to book something in, feel free to reach out.

Final Thoughts

Perth was a solid trip.

Good tattoos, good people, a chance to work around some established names in Australian tattooing, and enough time around the ocean to make it feel like more than just a work run.

I’m grateful to everyone who got tattooed, everyone who had me through the shops, and everyone who made the trip what it was.

Perth Guest Spot Recap — Tattooing at Five Star Tattoo & WA Ink