Who I am
My name is Nathan Rice and I have been a licensed tattooer since 2019. I’m located in Kansas City in the Westport/Midtown area and I primarily do Traditional and Neotraditional tattoos that have crisp linework, bold color, and are custom drawn. I have an art/illustration background so my passion is creating unique, personalized designs that emphasize and represent meaningful ideas.
Growing up, my imagination was shaped by fantasy stories, primarily The Lord of the Rings and The Chronicles of Narnia. I have also always been drawn to nature: the creek by my childhood home, the woods, mountains, any place where modern life is left behind. These two things, fantasy worlds and nature, heavily inspire my art to this day.
I specialize in color designs that use black to frame in key elements and provide dramatic contrast, with either 1) muted tones paired with a bright, pop color, or 2) bright color throughout while maintaining a strong focal point. I use varying line weights to build the foundation and add details to the design. All my designs are custom drawn so you’ll have the peace of mind that your tattoo is truly unique.
I work with you closely to understand your vision and provide the best possible tattoo. I am quick and efficient and work with a light hand. Getting a tattoo can be intimidating so I make sure to do what I can do help you feel comfortable and welcome at the shop.
Art Background
Even from early elementary school, I’ve always loved to draw. What started as an interest turned into a passion in middle school. I continued taking drawing classes and after high school I pursued an art degree. In 2011 I graduated with a degree in Game Art and Design but I chose not to purse a career in game design because I found digital art unfulfilling. While 3D modeling, animation, rigging, texture mapping, etc were interesting, I much preferred the concept phase: drawing something from my mind by hand that had a story and meaning associated with it.
After working several jobs that I had no passion for, I began studying and drawing tattoo art at home. Each day after work I would spend hours musing over tattooers who still, to this day, inspire me. I built up a large portfolio of designs that became the key that unlocked an apprenticeship. In August of 2017 I began apprenticing under Kody Miller at Hand and Dagger Tattoo in Kansas City. This is where I really began to understand the “how” and “why” to drawing tattoos and in February of 2019 I gained my Tattooer’s license. I have been fortunate to work with many of Kansas City’s best tattooers and have been able to learn from their expertise to develop my own skills and style.
Personal Life
If I’m not tattooing my favorite thing to do is spend time with my wife and two (soon to be three!) kids. Being a small business owner, my wife’s support has been invaluable. While not super artistic, my wife is very creative and has helped me in many ways: from content creation to outside-the-box design ideas. My family inspires me to do the best tattoos possible and if you’re lucky your drawing might even get some help from my kids. We love to go on walks, play at the park, and read books.
I am most at home in nature. I love hiking, tent camping, backpacking and anything else in remote or wilderness areas. I have hiked some of the tallest mountains in the US and my dream is to visit every national park. There’s very few things I love more than mountain air and the sound of nature free from civilization.
I also love sitting around a table with friends to play card and board games. There’s not many games I dislike but my favorite games are story driven and feel like you’re uniquely part of a world. My degree in game design still is part of my life and I am in the process of making two games right now. One I began in middle school and the other is a more recent project.
