# Terry Ribera — Custom Tattoo Artist, San Diego

> Terry Ribera is a San Diego custom tattoo artist and fine artist, tattooing since 2000 and founder of Remington Tattoo (established 2011). He specializes in large-scale custom illustrative tattooing across many styles. Every design is drawn from scratch and original — never copied from other artists and never AI-generated. All work is designed for longevity and body composition, made with a full body suit in mind regardless of size or style. Terry is booked approximately one year in advance.

## Tattoo Styles
- [Japanese & Neo Japanese Tattoos](https://terryribera.com/neo-japanese-tattoo-san-diego): Large-scale custom dragons, koi, hannya, phoenix, and samurai — traditional Japanese and broader Asian iconography drawn through a modern illustrative lens.
- [Neo Traditional & Illustrative Tattoos](https://terryribera.com/neo-traditional-tattoo-san-diego): Drawing-led illustrative realism and neo traditional work with bold color, refined linework, and a painter's depth.
- [Biomechanical & Bio-Organic Tattoos](https://terryribera.com/biomechanical-tattoo-san-diego): Custom mechanical and organic forms built to age for decades; featured in Guy Aitchison's Biomech Encyclopedia.
- [Cover-Up Tattoos](https://terryribera.com/cover-up-tattoos-san-diego): 20+ years turning faded, unwanted, and tribal tattoos into large-scale custom artwork designed around the old ink.
- [Ornamental & Art Nouveau Tattoos](https://terryribera.com/ornamental-art-nouveau-tattoo-san-diego): Ornamental, filigree, and Art Nouveau–inspired custom tattoo work.
- [Black & Grey Tattoos](https://terryribera.com/black-grey-tattoo-san-diego): Black and grey illustrative and realism work built on a strong tonal foundation.

## Services
- [Body Suit & Full Body Tattoos](https://terryribera.com/body-suit-tattoo-san-diego): Full body suits and back pieces; every piece is designed with a body suit in mind so it can grow into a larger composition.
- [Tattoo Drawing Consultations](https://terryribera.com/tattoo-drawing-consultation-san-diego): 2–3 hour in-person design sessions — measurements, tracings, and original custom designs developed live with you in the room.
- [Book a Tattoo](https://terryribera.com/booking): Request a consultation with Terry at Remington Tattoo in San Diego. Booked approximately one year in advance.

## Pricing

- [Tattoo Pricing](https://terryribera.com/tattoo-pricing-san-diego): Terry Ribera's hourly rate, retainer terms, and approximate hours and cost for completed sleeves, back pieces, and bodysuits, with photographs of each finished project. The rate is $250 per hour, billed only for time on skin. A $500 retainer is required to book and is credited toward the work. A full color arm sleeve typically runs about 20 hours across 6-7 appointments (approximately $5,000); a full leg sleeve about 30 hours across 9-10 appointments (approximately $7,500). Back pieces and bodysuits are quoted as ongoing projects. Bodysuit figures shown are cumulative per-client totals, not quotes. All figures are approximate — every project differs, and no exact price is quoted before a design exists.

## Fine Art
- [Fine Art & Pet Portrait Commissions](https://terryribera.com/commissioned-art-san-diego): Original oil paintings, illustration, sculpture, digital work, and custom pet portraits in oil, acrylic, chalk pastel, and colored pencil. Work shown at Modern Eden (San Francisco) and La Luz de Jesus (Los Angeles).

## Sketchbook & Journal
- [Tattoo Sketchbook & Drawings](https://terryribera.com/tattoo-sketch-drawings-san-diego): Original drawings, designs, and studies.
- [Journal](https://terryribera.com/blog): Writing on tattooing, fine art, and the craft behind the work.
- [Why Hours Matter More Than Hourly Rate](https://terryribera.com/blog-tattoo-cost): Why comparing tattoo artists by hourly rate is the wrong comparison — total cost is rate multiplied by hours, and an efficient artist at a higher rate is often cheaper overall.
- [The Best Time of Year to Start a Sleeve](https://terryribera.com/blog-best-time-to-start-a-sleeve): Why fall and winter are the better window to begin large-scale work in San Diego, and how sun and water exposure between sessions affects healing.

## About
Terry Ribera began tattooing in 2000 at Tahiti Felix's Master Tattoo (established 1949) in San Diego, later worked at Avalon Tattoo II under Fip Buchanan, and opened Remington Tattoo in San Diego in 2011. He works predominantly in large-scale custom illustrative styles including illustrative realism, Neo Japanese, neo traditional, biomechanical, bio-organic, Art Nouveau, ornamental, and black and grey — in both color and black and grey. Instagram: @terryribera (artist), @remingtontattoo (shop). Website: https://terryribera.com