So Real For That 

Meet Dez McDonald, a tattoo artist and illustrator who specializes in black and white realism portraits. He just opened his first tattoo and art studio called Black Trident Tattoo. Dez grew up in Pinehurst and was interested in art from a young age. “I was always drawing – even on my homework,” he says. 

Before becoming a tattoo artist, Dez built a reputation creating commissioned portrait drawings of people and pets (dogs and horses are among his most requested pieces). Then he realized it would be exciting to bring his artistic style from paper to skin. What once got him in trouble now is his full-time job and passion. For the past five years he has been honing his craft. “Creating art puts me into my own little world. I can spend hours doing it, I just get lost in it,” he says.

Dez has lived around the state the last few years and spent a lot of time finding inspiration in the Boone area. He just moved back to realize his dream of having his own studio. Black Trident Tattoo is open for commissions or ink by appointment and is located in Oak & Ivy Studios in downtown Aberdeen. For booking or to contact Dez about a commission, visit Black Trident’s Instagram page.