Published work

The Field Manuals

The theory behind the ink — in print. The Tattooed Theory Field Manuals are written by Javier Antunez, a tattoo artist with over 18 years behind the machine, and they break down the fundamentals most artists end up learning the hard way: how color actually behaves once it is in skin, and how to design a piece that flows with the body instead of fighting it.

Both books are available in paperback on Amazon.

Color Theory for Tattooing

Pigment does not behave in skin the way it behaves on paper. Skin is a living, semi-translucent medium that shifts, heals, and filters everything you put into it. This manual covers how tattoo ink reads through the dermis, why certain color combinations go muddy after healing, how to build saturation that survives ten years instead of two, and how to plan a palette for the skin tone in front of you rather than the reference on your screen.

Get Color Theory for Tattooing on Amazon

Design Theory for Tattooing

A tattoo is not a flat image — it wraps a moving, three-dimensional surface. This manual covers composition for the body: how to read the muscle and movement of a limb, where to place focal points so the eye travels the way you want it to, how to build flow across a sleeve so each session connects to the last, and how to design for the angle a piece is actually seen from.

Get Design Theory for Tattooing on Amazon

Who these are for

Apprentices and working artists who want the reasoning, not just the recipe. Collectors read them too — understanding why a sleeve is laid out the way it is makes the design conversation with your artist a much better one.

Want to talk shop?

If you have questions about the material, or you are a client who wants a piece built on these principles, reach out through the booking form.