Check out the Sunset Studio merch!

If you’re a fan of the studio, our artists, or just tattoos in general, then check out some of our kick-ass merchandise available now through our website and in the studio.

We’ve got some really sweet prints for you to frame, or unique shirts and hoodies to wear and let everyone know you’re cooler than they are. If you’re buying for someone else and are not sure what to get, then grab a Sunset Gift Certificate, redeemable on the merchandise or on a tattoo!

Check the shop out here and spoil yourself with some Sunset designs. They’re the next best thing to having a tattoo!

Guardian Angel tattoos: symbolism and meaning

Guardian Angel tattoos are some of the most popular forms of tattoo out there.

Loved by both men and women, they can look incredible if done right, with even a minimalist guardian angel in the right spot looking awesome.

The angel motif is very popular because it can have so many meanings, such as protection, strength, beauty, and of course religious symbolism.

Guardian Angels can represent God in your life, regardless of which religion you are. They are also a reminder that God is watching over you and protecting you.

Many Angel tattoos are shown praying, a reminder that peace comes from within.

Often people will have an angel with someone’s name who has passed, as a memorial to their lives and a way to remember them.

Even if you’re not religious, a well-done angel tattoo is worthwhile from a purely aesthetic point of view, like some of the ones below.

As usual, all credit goes to the original artists.

The restaurant that tattoos its employees!

Do you like your job? Love your boss? Truly believe you’re part of a team?

Well, for the employees of the Café Nova in Bozeman, Montana, their dedication goes above and beyond the call of duty.

More than 30 of the café’s current and former employees have gotten a tattoo of a bacon and eggs/skull and crossbones design.

Simple and unique

Each tattoo is quite unique. “We were in the kitchen working one day,” owner Serena Rundberg told ABC Fox Montana, “and two eggs and two pieces of bacon landed on a plate in the exact shape of a skull and crossbones. And we were thinking like, ‘Woah, that would make an amazing tattoo.’”

So amazing that Rundberg had an artist create a design and a number of employees decided to get one. The bacon and eggs/skull and crossbones design became the cafe’s logo, appearing on stickers and shirts worn by employees with the tagline “Killer Breakfast”. The image has become so familiar in the community that customers and children have been getting a temporary version of it to proudly show off to their friends.

But isn’t tattooing your employees asking for a bit too much loyalty? Not to some who work there. “When the tattoo idea came up,” one longtime employee says, “I wasn’t even at all ashamed to be like, ‘Yeah!’ I loved the owners. I didn’t even think twice about it.”

Employees choice

It’s not a pre-requisite to work there, the employees obviously don’t have to get tattooed, but many of them do. And if they choose to, the café will pay for it.

Each tattoo is designed specifically for the person who gets it, with one showing eggs and bacon “flying triumphantly on a pirate ship’s flag” while others include images of waffles, hats, cigarettes, roses and frying pans.

The restaurant owners and its employees have emphasized the team-building feeling and sense of community they get when they share the tattoo.

Whatever the case, everyone there seems to be having fun and entrepreneur Rundberg’s tattoo idea is even spreading to some of the other small businesses she owns. “I never thought that we would create something like that, but we’ve created something that is more than a job,” she says. “More than a career.”

How mastectomy tattoos can help the healing process

Cancer is responsible for 10 million deaths each year around the world, with New Zealand second only behind Australia for new cases.

It’s New Zealand’s biggest killer, responsible for around 1-in-3 recorded deaths in the country.  Breast cancer is the third most common cancer in Aotearoa, taking the lives of around 600 women each year.

The good new is, breast cancer has one of the highest survival rates among cancers, with an with average 5-year survival rate for women with invasive breast cancer at 90%.

That doesn’t mean survivors come through unscarred.

Mastectomy tattoos

For many women, the only option is breast removal. A mastectomy or double mastectomy can leave emotional as well as physical scars, but many survivors are turning to tattoo artists to help.

For some women, getting a mastectomy tattoo gives them the chance to create something beautiful, reclaim their bodies, and can help them move forward after the physical and emotional trauma of breast cancer. 

Many mastectomy tattoos feature feminine designs that follow the contour of the breast, but there are endless design options.

They can be large or small, and feature anything the client wants. Many women create their own designs and find something special to them.

Tattoo artists who specialize in mastectomy tattoos are able to sketch the survivor’s ideas and help design a flattering tattoo that fits their vision and body shape.

Feather Tattoo and traditional tattoo by Shane Wallin

The curvature of this tattoo gives the illusion of volume and depth, even though the chest is flat.

This tattoo has a traditional look with outlined waves, a sunset, and tropical flowers. The inspirational quote is a nice touch.

Colourful Flowers and Butterflies Tattoo

Colorful, vibrant, and feminine, this tattoo features pink flowers and various butterflies.

Check out Samantha Rae's work on instagram: @samrtattoo

New Year! New You! New Tattoo!

So how was your year?

Actually, never mind that, how was your decade?

We’re sure there were highs and lows, and for those of us who collect tattoos, those stories, good or bad, can be added to our collections.

If you’re in New Zealand, then there’s nowhere better to get a tattoo than right here at Sunset studio.

Based in the heart of Auckland City, Sunset has a reputation of excellence, honesty and skill, with a long line of satisfied customers behind us.

Our amazing artists specialise in traditional, blackwork, Maori tribalism, and Japanese tattooing. Our focus is on providing customers with the best possible service in a warm, private, sterile environment.

One of the safest and most respected tattoo studios in Auckland

Sunset tattoo studio is a clean, sterile, private and fun environment, which adheres to the strictest health standards.

We always keep our tattoo accessories in the most sterile condition. Before we start working on your tattoo, our tattoo artist will disinfect and shave the area where you want your new ink.

We do this with disposable razors that we only use once. We will also show you the sealed tattoo needle and open the pouch in front of you.

After we’re finished with your tattoo, we’ll throw the needle out. Each needle is only used once, and you can see this for yourself, putting your mind at rest.

It is likely that your skin will bleed a little when getting a tattoo. That’s why all our tattoo artists are wearing gloves throughout the entire tattooing process. It’s safer for you and for them. You could walk into a hospital and not notice the difference. That’s how clean and hygienic our tattoo studio is!

For a safe, and friendly tattoo experience, visit our Auckland tattoo studio today, or contact us via phone: +64 (9) 376-3423 or drop us an email on: info@sunsettattoo.co.nz