As tattoos continue to permeate cultures, tattooists are innovating their designs and techniques like never before. Sydney-based artist Jonny Hall is using ultraviolet light to add a blue glow to his realistic body art. He’s dubbed the approach UVealism—a clever portmanteau of UV (ultraviolet) and realism. The unique UV ink enhances elements of the tattoo to make it come to life when under a blacklight.

Hall’s UVealism subject matter runs the gamut from dramatic angel wings to a panda portrait on skin. In each piece, UV ink is used as an accent, such as a border around the overall design or as glowing eyes on a human or animal face. The resulting effects are both amazing and surprising; we don’t expect elements embedded in the skin to glow. It’s like something out of a science-fiction story.

Hall explains his use of luminous ink in his tattoos. “UV ink is different to regular black tattoo ink,” he says in a short documentary, “[it’s] more difficult to work with and it’s a lot thinner.” He admits that he’s not the first to use this special material in his designs, but he did push the envelope in its use. “My brainchild was to mix realism tattoos with UV ink.”

Check out Hall’s body art below.

Sydney-based artist Jonny Hall is using ultraviolet light to add a blue glow to his realistic body art.

He’s dubbed the approach UVealism, and the unique ink enhances elements of the tattoo to make it come to life when under a blacklight.

In each piece, UV ink is used as an accent, such as a border around the overall design or as glowing eyes on a human or animal face.

It’s like something out of a science-fiction story.