HI, I’m Wilfredo Soriano a 22-year-old illustrative tattoo artist from El Salvador based in Ellicott City, Maryland.

Since I was a kid, the worlds and characters of works like Spiderman, Rush Hour, and One Piece have always captivated me! The artistry of these stories inspired me to create artwork of my own.

I’m primarily self-taught; as a kid, instead of going out and doing hood rat shit with my friends, I spent years sketching and painting the fantastical life in my head. I found the paper more captivating than the world around me, that is, until I finally looked up and saw what I was missing out on. Countless bright, colorful characters! Drug addicts, con artists, and pastors. A gold mine of untapped inspiration. And that’s just my family! So, I dove head first into debauchery. Boy, it was a ride. The deeper I went, the more I could drown out the agonizing screams of boredom and sadness. I needed my dose of extraordinary; anything that failed to deliver was worthless. I became worthless.

It took years to realize how damaging that was and even longer to fix. I learned much from that experience; I gained perspective, discipline, and drive. It also taught my overblown ass got some much-needed humility—character development, you could say. Growing up as an artist for me meant realizing that the gold I sought was in the mundane and painful moments of life I wanted to forget. You better start digging. We are all a work in progress and could use some catharsis. I can’t guarantee it’ll help, but I can make you suffer for a few hours and remind you that you’re alive :) Or we can chill and make some dope work. That works, too. Either way, I want to meet you and hear your story and tattoo!

So, what do I specialize in? My work today is an homage to the great illustrators and animators I admired and a blend of Japanese and neo-traditional styles. Subject matter with a balance of natural and fantastical elements is what I gravitate towards. I enjoy capturing a moment or telling a story, whether playful, profound or outright stupid, Juxtaposing light and dark, order and chaos, organic and industrial elements. There’s beauty in a bit of disorder. Just look at me :)

Tattooing is an intimate and collaborative process. YOU have a lifetime of experiences, stories, and ideas. My job is to take those slippery suckers and bring them to life. Engrain them on your body and soul for a lifetime and create a work of art more valuable than the sum of its parts. I enjoy few things more than when a client brings me a work of art or an idea I’ve never seen before. I’ve learned so much from the people I’ve worked with, and hopefully, the next one is you! I am eager to make my mark on the tattoo scene in the following years. If you’re looking for a custom tattoo and think we’re a good fit, I’d be honored to work with you!