| Nikko Hurtado | |
| Other Names: | Nicholas, Nick |
| Birth Name: | Nicholas Humberto Hurtado |
| Birth Place: | San Fernando Valley, California |
| Occupation: | Tattoo artist, Television personality |
Nicholas Humberto Hurtado, known as Nikko Hurtado, is an American tattoo artist who specializes in colored portraiture.[1] His signature hyper-realistic color portraits have made him a renowned figure in the tattoo industry with a massive celebrity client list.[2] He has numerous television appearances on shows such as LA Ink, Tattoo Wars, and Ink Master,[3] [4] becoming a judge on Ink Master in 2022.[5] [6] Hurtado is the founder of Black Anchor Collective in Hesperia, California, and Black Anchor Los Angeles in Hollywood, California, both within Black Anchor Worldwide.[7]
Hurtado was born to a Mexican welder and Hispanic housemaker in the San Fernando Valley, California in 1981.[8] Hurtado was drawn to art early[9] and develop his drawing abilities through art classes at Pasadena's Center for the Arts with a friend, tattooer Mike Demasi. It was a visit to Demasi at Art Junkies Tattoo Studio in Hesperia which springboarded him on a tattoo journey where he started apprenticing in 2002. He has tattooed around the globe and given many instructional seminars about the use of his color theory and technique.
Hurtado is married to Joanne[10] and is a father of three.
Hurtado opened his own tattoo shop in 2010, Black Anchor Collective in Hesperia, California. He opened his new location Black Anchor in Los Angeles, California on Melrose Ave in 2017. He has been featured on LA Ink and Ink Master, as well as several instructional DVDs.[11] [12] Hurtado has become known as the go-to artist for color realism tattoos. His celebrity clients include Vanessa Bryant, Sean Combs, Dwayne Johnson, Drake, and Wale.[13]
Hurtado's first gained tattoo recognition in 2003 when a client entered the Pomona Tattoo Portrait Contest and placed first with Hurtado's color rendition of Batman.
In 2012, Hurtado participated as a jury member for the Chaudesaigues Award,[14] [15] an award that recognizes the career and the artistic choices of a tattoo artist.
Hurtado first solo art show in 2013 was titled "Renati" and shown at Corpro Gallery in Santa Monica, California.[16]
Hurtado has appeared on three episodes of LA Ink with Kat Von D.[17]
In 2022, Hurtado became a judge for the 14th season of Ink Master, which began airing on September 7, 2022. Hurtado returned as a judge for Ink Master season 15, which premiered on November 1, 2023.[18]