A Brand Profile for the Tattoo Industry

Linework, a management platform for tattoo studios, was launching in the US and needed a new identity. Nonspace developed the brand story, the concept “The line in work”, logo, visual identity and the user interface for its sales and marketing platform.

Highlights

About the project

Linework is a contemporary tattoo studio based in Oslo, specialising in fine-line, minimalist, and linework tattoo styles. With a strong focus on craftsmanship, hygiene, and client experience, Linework has become a destination for those seeking elegant, subtle tattoos created with precision and care. Founded by industry professionals with a deep respect for artistic integrity and technical excellence, Linework offers a curated space where creativity and professionalism go hand in hand.

Visit the website

With 17 years of experience in the tattoo industry and four operating studios, the entrepreneurs behind Linework wanted to launch their brand in the USA and came to us for help with creating their new identity.

We worked closely with the client to develop an identity with broad appeal, to studio administrators and tattoo artists alike. This included everything from the brand story and visual identity to the UI of the sales and marketing platform. The result is a complete identity Linework can use across all product and communication areas as it scales.

Brand

Visual Identity

Brand messaging

The tattoo industry is a diverse craft with rich traditions, spanning many cultures, styles and techniques. In designing a brand identity that could speak to every part of the industry, we also wanted to unite them. By focusing on the work, process and craft of tattooing rather than specific styles, we could create a professional space that everyone in the industry could relate to and be part of.

By offering a platform designed to simplify administrative tasks, Linework helps tattoo studios and artists focus on what matters: the craft and their clients.

Our concept for Linework was based on its role as a connector in the tattoo industry and on the workflow of the craft. We called the concept “The line in work” and used it as inspiration for the logo, where a line in the letter I refers to Linework’s digital presence in the industry.

We developed a visual language with friendly, approachable typography and an illustration style that represents Linework’s flexible and welcoming attitude. The style is used as a frame for animations and other content.

The primary colour palette is defined by strong, digital colours that capture the energy of the brand, in contrast with a spectrum of skin tones, familiar to tattoo artists as their canvas. The colours are chosen to convey power and creativity, while linking the brand to tattooing’s connection with the human body.

“All of us at Linework are very happy working with Nonspace. We wanted a branding package that could be used for our software as well as our digital communication channels.

The challenge was to hit a very varied target group, while at the same time we wanted an anonymous but still distinctive expression. The tattoo industry consists of many different cultures and parts of society, which can be very typical. Therefore, we saw it as a challenge to create a brand that did not fall under any of those types but which at the same time stands out and is recognisable.

Art, marketing and design have been part of my job for over 18 years, and I was really amazed at how Nonspace solved the challenge.

There were good processes in everything from the workshop to the finished product. We have received very good feedback from the industry on our look in both software, social channels and website.”

Kai Robin Ree, Linework CEO