American traditional
Originally from Bahia, Brazil, Ricardo Orelha's artistic style is a striking blend of bold blackwork and neo-traditional elements, infused with dark surrealism and folk art influences. He skillfully uses both color and black and grey techniques, showcasing his versatility as an artist.
Ricardo skillfully combines elements of traditional flash, realism, satire, and spiritual themes, demonstrating a unique talent for shifting between different styles while maintaining a consistent visual language in his artwork. His ability to adapt and express his artistic voice remains strong across various genres.
Heavy Blackwork & Contrast
Nearly all designs, whether they are colorful or just black and white, have thick outlines, solid black areas, and strong contrasts. This design choice makes the tattoos easy to read and gives them a striking visual effect.
Neo-Traditional Foundations
Many tattoos take inspiration from traditional tattoo culture, featuring clean lines, stylized body shapes, and meaningful symbols. However, they often incorporate more intricate shading and surreal elements, giving them a modern twist.
Dark Surrealism & Satirical Elements
Pieces like the woman smoking while burning at the stake or the dagger with expressive eyes show a taste for irony, dark humor, and fantasy. The style often blurs the line between mysticism and narrative illustration.
Strong Black & Grey Realism Techniques
Tattoos like the skull on the hand and the skeletal sleeve show confident control of black and grey realism, often merged with illustrative or symbolic designs.
Color Work with Saturated, Graphic Palette
Ricardo uses bold colors and matching shades in his work, drawing inspiration from classic American traditional styles but giving them a fresh, modern twist.