Northland Ink

Town Basin, Whangārei · By appointment only

Your story, your skin, your design.

Northland Ink Studio is a custom tattoo studio in Whangārei's Town Basin. No walk-ins, no flash walls — every piece is designed from scratch in a private booth with hospital-grade sterilisation.

Start your design

01 · Our styles

Five disciplines, one standard.

  • Tā moko-inspired contemporary

    Polynesian forms and patterns adapted for contemporary placement and personal narrative. Always a conversation about whakapapa and meaning first.

  • Blackwork botanical

    Native ferns, pōhutukawa, kōwhai — hand-drawn botanical illustrations rendered in solid black and fine dot shading.

  • Illustrative colour

    Full-colour illustrative work: animals, landscapes, portraits. Rich saturation on lighter skin, adapted palettes on darker tones.

  • Fine-line minimalist

    Single-needle line work, geometric shapes and tiny script. Clean, precise, often placed on wrists, collarbones and behind the ear.

  • Japanese-influenced

    Waves, koi, chrysanthemums and wind bars in a style that blends traditional irezumi composition with a looser Aotearoa sensibility.

02 · The artists

Three artists, three thousand hours each.

  • Lead artist · Tā moko & blackwork

    Aroha Henare

    Twelve years tattooing, trained under Derek Lardelli in Gisborne. Aroha specialises in Tā moko-inspired contemporary work and large-scale blackwork botanical sleeves. She leads the studio's cultural advisory process.

  • Senior artist · Illustrative & Japanese

    Jake Mercer

    Ex-Melbourne, eight years in the industry. Jake's work is colour-dense and narrative — animals, landscapes and Japanese-influenced compositions. He is known for rich gradients on medium-to-dark skin tones.

  • Artist · Fine-line & minimalist

    Maia Tūhoe

    Five years tattooing, Whitireia graduate. Maia works exclusively with single-needle machines — precise geometric forms, delicate script and micro-botanical detail. Bookings run two months ahead.

03 · How it works

From idea to ink in four steps.

  1. Free consult (30 min)

    Tell us your idea, placement and any reference images. We discuss size, style and the artist best suited to the piece. No commitment — you can think it over.

  2. Design phase (1–2 weeks)

    Your artist draws the design and sends a digital proof. Up to two revisions are included. Large pieces may need a stencil fitting appointment before the tattoo day.

  3. Tattoo session

    Private booth, hospital-grade autoclave sterilisation, single-use needles and ink caps. Sessions run up to five hours with comfort breaks. A $100 deposit secures the booking.

  4. Heal & touch-up

    We send aftercare instructions on the day and follow up at two weeks. One free touch-up is included within twelve months if any lines need reinforcing.

04 · Aftercare

Look after the ink.

05 · Portfolio & testimonials

What our clients say.

  • "Aroha spent an hour understanding my whakapapa before she picked up a pencil. The result is the most meaningful thing on my body."
    — Hēmi Rangi, Kamo, Tā moko-inspired forearm, 2024
  • "Jake turned a blurry photo of my late grandmother's garden into a full-colour half-sleeve. I cry every time I look at it."
    — Sarah Dawson, Whangārei, illustrative sleeve, 2025
  • "Maia's fine-line work is absurdly precise. Three tiny kōwhai flowers on my collarbone — people think they're a transfer."
    — Ani Wells, Paihia, fine-line, 2026

Build your package

Choose a tier and add extras.

Tier
Extras
Small tattoo$250
Total$250

06 · Book a consult

Start your design.

Fill in the form below or email book@northlandink.co.nz with your idea, placement, rough size and any reference images. We will reply within 48 hours to arrange a free 30-minute consult.