Niles, Ohio · Tattoo & Piercing
Blackwater Ink
Northeast Ohio's home for custom tattoos and body piercing. Two studios in Niles, a full roster of styles, and a clean, sterile room for every session.
The studio behind the ink.
Blackwater Ink is an award-winning, full-service tattoo studio in Niles, Ohio, with two studios serving Trumbull County, Mahoning County, and Northeast Ohio. Our team works across every corner of the craft, from black and grey realism and bold American traditional to delicate fine line and full Japanese sleeves. We hold every artist to one standard: clean work, honest advice, and tattoos built to last.
We built Blackwater around the studio and its standard rather than any one name. Artists come and go, but the quality does not: sterile stations, honest consultations, and a room where a first-timer and a heavily tattooed regular feel equally at home. Whatever you bring us, we will help you plan a piece that ages as well as it looked the day it healed.
Services built around the work you actually want.
Everything starts with a conversation. Tell us the idea, the placement, and the budget, and we'll map out the right approach. No pressure, no upsell.
Custom Tattoos
Original, one-of-one designs drawn for your body and your story. Bring a rough idea, a reference folder, or nothing but a feeling. We'll sketch, refine, and stencil until it's right before a single needle touches skin. Small script to full sleeves and back pieces.
See tattoo work →Cover-Ups & Rework
Old ink you've outgrown, a name you'd rather forget, or a piece that didn't heal the way you hoped. Cover-ups are their own craft. We assess what's already there, design around it, and turn a regret into something you're proud to show off. Reworks and touch-ups on existing tattoos too.
How cover-ups work →Body Piercing
Professional piercings with implant-grade jewelry, single-use needles, and a spotless procedure room. Ears, nose, lip, navel, and more, placed with an eye for anatomy and symmetry, and downsized or swapped once you're healed. Walk-ins welcome at our Eastwood Mall studio.
Piercing services →Consultations & Aftercare
Free, no-obligation consultations to price your piece, talk placement, and set expectations. Every client leaves with clear aftercare instructions and a team that's happy to answer questions long after you walk out the door.
Aftercare guide →One studio, every style.
Different artists, different specialties, one standard. Here's the range we cover day to day. Not sure which fits your idea? That's exactly what a consultation is for.
Explore Tattoo Services →Black & Grey Realism
Photo-real portraits and animals in black ink and grey wash.
Color Realism
Lifelike realism in a full, saturated color palette.
Surrealism
Dreamlike, impossible imagery built with realistic technique.
Blackwork
Bold solid black — patterns, blackout, and cover-ups.
Color Anime
Anime and manga characters in vivid, animation-true color.
Black & Grey Anime
Manga-panel and shaded anime art in timeless monochrome.
Neo Traditional
Bold outlines with richer color and illustrative detail.
Traditional
Classic American old-school, built to last for decades.
New School
Loud, cartoonish color from graffiti, comics, and animation.
Ornamental
Mandalas, geometry, and jewelry-like decorative detail.
Japanese
Irezumi tradition — koi, dragons, and flowing sleeves.
Fineline
Delicate single-needle linework for minimal, elegant designs.
Micro
Tiny, highly detailed miniatures — discreet and precise.
Ignorant
Raw, doodle-like, punk-rooted work that breaks the rules.
Lettering
Custom script and typography for names, quotes, and tributes.
Flash & Walk-Ins
Ready-to-go flash, tattooed same day — walk-ins welcome.
Recent work from the chair.
A sample of tattoos out of both award-winning studios. See more and follow us on Facebook and Instagram for the freshest work and guest artists.
Meet our artists
Johnathon Perkins
Alex Vitus
Isaiah Jones
Eli Sterling
Tim Ragozzine
Justin Skrumbellos
Peewee Krueger
Lunden Sexton
Piercings
done right.
Every initial piercing at Blackwater Ink is done with implant-grade ASTM F136 titanium, single-use needles, and a clean, dedicated piercing room, placed by piercers who check your anatomy and walk you through healing before you sit down.
From a first lobe to nostril, septum, navel, and beyond, we cover a full range of ear, facial, lip, and body piercings. Walk-ins are welcome at our Eastwood Mall studio, and we handle downsizing and jewelry changes once you're healed.
A great tattoo is half healing.
The work we do in the chair only lasts if it heals well. Every client leaves with instructions tailored to their piece, but the fundamentals are simple, and following them is the single biggest thing you can do for a crisp, long-lasting tattoo.
- Leave the initial bandage or wrap on as directed by your artist.
- Wash gently with clean hands and unscented soap, then pat dry.
- Apply a thin layer of the aftercare product your artist recommends.
- No soaking. Skip pools, rivers, lakes, the ocean, baths, and long swims while healing.
- Keep it out of direct sun.
- Don't pick or scratch.
If you ever notice signs of infection, like spreading redness, heat, or unusual discharge, contact us and see a medical professional. When in doubt, reach out; we'd always rather hear from you.
Full aftercare guide →Serving Niles & the Mahoning Valley.
Both Blackwater Ink studios sit on Youngstown-Warren Road in Niles, one minutes from downtown, one inside Eastwood Mall next to Boscov's. We are a short drive for tattoo and piercing clients across Northeast Ohio, Trumbull County, and Mahoning County.
Blackwater HQ
815 Youngstown Warren Rd, #15, Niles, OH 44446
Tue to Sat 1:00pm to 8:00pm
Sun & Mon closed
Blackwater East
5555 Youngstown-Warren Rd, Niles, OH 44446 (next to Boscov's)
Mon to Sat 10:00am to 9:00pm
Sun 11:00am to 6:00pm
Proudly serving
Tattoo & piercing FAQ
Ready when you are.
Whether it is your first tattoo or your fortieth, a fresh piercing or a full sleeve, book a free consultation and let us plan something worth wearing for life.
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