Ben Smith

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Ben’s been tattooing since 2012—he started at 18 years old, straight out of school. 

For the first 8 years of his career, he was focused exclusively on the precise details of realism. Over time though, he found himself feeling limited by the restraints of Google images and reference-heavy work. He missed the creative freedom and expression that first drew him to art originally.

That shift shaped the next 5 years. He pushed himself to draw straight from imagination, leaning fully into storytelling and originality. Now, he’s found a balance between the two styles—drawing most of his designs while still bringing in references where they make sense, pulling from the strengths of both approaches.

Every piece is about telling a unique story. Individuality and creativity sit at the core of his process, and no two projects are treated the same.

Since co-founding Umbra in 2020, he’s been just as invested in building a studio that feels welcoming, creatively inspiring, and just a great f*cking time to be a part of—for the team and for every client who walks through the door.