BLACK & GREY · PORTRAITS · MYTHOLOGY
Personal stories.
Written in ink.
Black & grey realism, portraits and mythology. Original tattoos by Zencat, with Sydney appointment enquiries welcome.
Discuss your tattoo ↗
About Zencat
THE PHILOSOPHY
“The needle as brush, skin as paper. Ink settles on rice-white, and flowers.”
Zencat Tattoo Studio (禅猫纹身) brings classical Eastern aesthetics together with contemporary tattooing.
The artist behind it, Yao, holds a bachelor’s degree from the China Academy of Art, where she trained in drawing, form and Eastern aesthetics. She then spent seven years in the games industry, refining digital painting and stylised design, before ten years of tattooing carried that brushwork onto skin. Academic grounding, a game artist’s imagination and a decade of craft meet in every piece.
From fine black and grey realism to quiet Eastern linework, each tattoo is made with careful, clean technique and a purely artistic approach: a mark to live with for life.
— Yao · Founder of Zencat
Sydney guest-spot enquiries are welcome. Zencat does not currently have a permanent Sydney studio. A host studio and dates must be arranged and confirmed before any appointment can be booked. Read the Sydney booking information ↗
SELECTED WORK
Every piece has a beginning.
2022 archive · Surreal botanical
A Hand, a Rose
View the piece ↗
2022 archive · Eye & geometry
An Eye in Geometry
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2022 archive · Sun & storm
Sun, Clouds & Lightning
View the piece ↗
2022 archive · Figure & wings
Falling Wings
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2022 archive · Nape & upper back
Wings Across the Nape
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Chinese mythology · Ink-painting style
Zhong Kui in Ink-Wash Brushwork
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Illustrative · Original characters
Original Characters, Worn on Skin
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Cover-up · Full back · Colour
Large Back Cover-Up
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Black & grey · Chest piece
Angel & Demon
View the piece ↗Mythology · Black & grey
Poseidon
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Classical sculpture · Realism
Perseus
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Portrait · Family
A first-birthday portrait
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Illustrative portrait · Memorial
A grandfather remembered
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Portrait · Scar coverage
Messi, a moment to keep
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Sports portrait · Realism
Allen Iverson
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Music · Realism
AC/DC
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Mythology · Large-scale composition
Pegasus & the Colosseum
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Detail · Realism
A familiar gaze
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Eastern art · Mythology
Manjushri
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Colour · Small tattoo
A small galaxy
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Objects · Realism
Metal in black & grey
View the piece ↗Find your direction.
Black & grey realism
Faces, sculpture and objects, described through light and shade.
↗02Portrait tattoos
The expression you recognise. The memory you want to keep.
↗03Cover-up & coverage consultations
A new composition begins with what is already there.
↗04Chinese & oriental tattoos
Chinese mythology, Buddhist figures and ink-painting brushwork, designed by a Chinese-speaking artist.
↗BEFORE YOU BOOK
A few useful answers.
Can I book a tattoo in Sydney?
Sydney guest-spot enquiries are welcome. Zencat does not currently have a permanent Sydney studio. A host studio and dates must be arranged and confirmed before any appointment can be booked. Please enquire about your preferred dates before making travel arrangements.
Can I discuss my design in Chinese?
Yes. Chinese-language consultations are available by email or WeChat. You can also submit your enquiry in English using the form below.
Which styles does Zencat work in?
The portfolio focuses on black and grey realism, portraits and mythology, alongside Eastern subjects, smaller pieces and coverage projects.
Were all these tattoos made in Sydney?
No. This is a portfolio from different stages of the artist’s practice, including work completed in China. The work is presented separately from current Sydney appointment arrangements.
How do I get a quote?
Send your idea, reference images, placement, approximate size and preferred dates. Pricing, session planning and the studio location are confirmed during consultation.
START WITH AN IDEA
Tell me what
you have in mind.
Sydney guest-spot enquiries are welcome. Zencat does not currently have a permanent Sydney studio. A host studio and dates must be arranged and confirmed before any appointment can be booked.
Email your reference photographs to admin@zencat.art
WeChat: zencattattoo