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TATTOO.CD
INK • BLOOD • ART • KINSHASA
Book Session
Tattooed arm blackwork
Kinshasa • Tattoo Studio & Art Lab • Since 2016

YOUR SKIN
IS THE CANVAS
WE INK LEGENDS

tattoo.cd is Congo's most awarded tattoo house. 12,400+ tattoos, 4 resident artists, 0 compromises on sterility. Blackwork, fine line, dotwork, neo-traditional, cover-ups — custom design in 48 hours, vegan inks, single-use needles.

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★ 4.98 — 1,240 reviews Sterile • Licensed
BLACKWORK ✦ FINE LINE ✦ DOTWORK ✦ TRADITIONAL ✦ COVER-UP ✦ PIERCING ✦ BLACKWORK ✦ FINE LINE ✦ DOTWORK ✦ TRADITIONAL ✦ COVER-UP ✦ PIERCING ✦ BLACKWORK ✦ FINE LINE ✦ DOTWORK ✦ TRADITIONAL ✦ COVER-UP ✦ PIERCING ✦ BLACKWORK ✦ FINE LINE ✦ DOTWORK ✦ TRADITIONAL ✦ COVER-UP ✦ PIERCING ✦ 
01 / WHO WE ARE
ABOUT THE STUDIO

Not a street shop. A gallery where skin meets contemporary art. Hospital-grade sterility, museum-grade artistry.

Tattoo artist working in studio
Manifesto

“We don't copy Pinterest. We translate your story — ancestors, music, struggle, love — into lines that will live with you for 60 years.”

Founded in Kinshasa, tattoo.cd grew from a one-machine garage to Central Africa's reference studio. Our artists trained in Brussels, Johannesburg and Paris. Every project starts with an anthropology interview: who are you, what do you carry, what do you want to forget or remember?

0Tattoos done
0Years of ink
0Resident artists
100%Sterile
2016First studio in Matonge, one chair, huge dreams.
2020Best Blackwork — Central Africa Tattoo Convention.
2024New Art Lab: gallery, guest artists, laser cover-up consulting.
Meet artistsHow we work
02 / SPECIALTIES
PICK YOUR POISON

Six signature styles. All custom-drawn. No flash off the wall unless you want it.

Blackwork tattoo

Blackwork

Bold geometry, tribal futurism, full sleeves, back pieces. High contrast that ages beautifully on melanin-rich skin.

from $80
Fine line tattoo

Fine Line

Micro-script, botanical, single needle. Delicate, minimal, poetic. Perfect first tattoo.

from $50
Dotwork tattoo

Dotwork

Mandalas, stipple shading, spiritual symmetry. 3-6 hours of meditation in dots.

from $90
Traditional tattoo

Neo-Traditional

Thick lines, vivid color, Congolese masks meets old-school. Covers scars like magic.

from $70
Cover up tattoo

Cover-Up

Regret? We transform old ink, scars and stretch marks into masterpieces. Free laser consult.

free diagnosis
Piercing

Piercing & Care

Titanium only. Nose, helix, septum. Plus aftercare kits and touch-ups within 3 months free.

from $25
04 / THE HANDS
RESIDENT ARTISTS

Choose your artist by style, not by availability. Portfolios updated weekly.

Artist Djo
Blackwork / Tribal Futurism

DJO MBUYI

9 years, 4k tattoos. Master of large-scale blackwork on dark skin.

BlackworkSleevesScar cover
Artist Aline
Fine Line / Minimal

ALINE KABONGO

Single-needle poet. Botanical, script, micro-realism. Gentlest hand in town.

Fine lineScriptFloral
Artist Yves
Dotwork / Neo-trad

YVES ILUNGA

Color alchemist & mandala architect. Cover-up killer, guest in Paris 2024.

DotworkColorCover-up
05 / RITUAL
FROM IDEA TO HEALED
01

Consult

Free 20 min talk. We listen, measure, photograph, advise on placement & size. Sketch in 48h.

02

Design

2 revisions included. You approve final stencil. No surprises on D-day.

03

Ink Day

Sterile station, single-use needles, vegan ink, numbing options. Playlist yours.

04

Heal

Second-skin film + aftercare kit. Free check at 3 weeks, free touch-up within 3 months.

06 / HONEST PRICES
NO HIDDEN COSTS

Minimum $30. Final price fixed before we start. Deposit $20 deducted from total.

Mini

$50+

First tattoo, script, small symbols

  • Up to 5 cm
  • 30-60 min session
  • Aftercare kit included
  • 1 revision
Book mini

Custom ★

$120+

Most popular — palm size to half-sleeve

  • Custom design 48h
  • 2-4h session
  • Second-skin + kit
  • Free touch-up 3 months
Book custom

Masterpiece

$300+

Sleeves, back, bodysuit, cover-ups

  • Multi-session project
  • Priority booking
  • Laser consult if needed
  • Photo shoot included
Book consult
07 / HEALED WORDS
LOVE ON SKIN
★★★★★

"Covered a 10-year-old scar I hated. Cried when I saw mirror. Djo is not a tattooist, he's a healer."

— Divine M., Kinshasa
★★★★★

"Sterile like a clinic, vibe like a studio in Berlin. My fine-line flowers healed perfectly, zero blowout."

— Sarah L., Gombe
★★★★★

"Came for one small script, left with a full forearm. Best line work in Central Africa, period."

— Jonathan K., Lubumbashi
08 / JOURNAL
INK CHRONICLES

Aftercare bibles, pain charts, style guides, cover-up diaries. Written by artists, not copywriters.

How to Prepare for Your First Tattoo: Pain, Food & Sleep

How to Prepare for Your First Tattoo: Pain, Food & Sleep

Everything nobody tells you before needle touches skin. What to eat, what to wear, how to choose placement for low pain and perfect healing.

Soon →
Blackwork on Dark Skin: What Really Works

Blackwork on Dark Skin: What Really Works

Contrast, negative space and needle choice. Why bold lines age better and how we design for melanin-rich skin.

Soon →
Tattoo Aftercare: The 14-Day Healing Bible

Tattoo Aftercare: The 14-Day Healing Bible

Second skin vs cling film, when to moisturize, what to avoid. Day-by-day plan to keep your ink crisp for decades.

Soon →
09 / REAL TALK
QUESTIONS & TRUTH
Tattoo equipment
Does tattoo hurt?

Depends on placement. Ribs, feet, inner arm = spicy (7/10). Forearm, thigh, shoulder = easy (3/10). We use numbing cream on request and take breaks. Most clients say: “less than expected”.

Is it sterile? Single-use needles?

Yes. Hospital-grade autoclave, single-use needles opened in front of you, vegan inks, nitrile gloves, disposable beds. Licensed and inspected.

How much does it cost?

Minimum $30. Small script $50-80, palm-size custom $120-200, half-sleeve $300-600, full sleeve from $900. Price fixed before start, deposit $20 deducted.

Can you cover old tattoos & scars?

Yes, it's our specialty. 40% of our work are cover-ups. Send photo via booking form, we give free diagnosis: cover with blackwork/color or lighten with laser first.

How do I book?

Fill form below or walk in Tue-Sat 10-20h. Deposit $20 to lock sketch. Design ready in 48h, 2 revisions free. Under 18 only with parent + ID.

● BOOKING OPEN — OCTOBER

READY TO GET INKED?

Free consult • Custom sketch in 48h • Sterile & pain-aware. Leave your idea, we call back in 2 hours.

📍 Gombe, Kinshasa🕙 Tue-Sat 10:00-20:00
Tattoo example

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