Fresh — day 0
Documented
Cross, eye, and skull mapped with soft grey wash; highlights left open. Single long session with Joshua Cole.
← Healed tattoo gallery · Realism guide
Reviewed & maintained Reviewed by Joshua Cole, Tattoo Artist · Last updated: June 2026 Expert section label: Joshua's Studio Notes
Real client proof · Joshua ColeReal Client Timeline — One Tattoo, Every Stage
Cross, eye & skull forearm stack — black & grey realism by Joshua Cole at Work of Art Las Vegas. One client. One piece. Honest heal documentation — not stock photos.
Fresh → 2 weeks → 3 months → 1 year → 3 years
2 weeks
Coming soonPhoto update in progress.
Peeling complete; grey steps separated without blowout. Client used desert aftercare — saline, no sun, no picking.
3 months
Coming soonPhoto update in progress.
Contrast settling; cross bevel and iris detail still crisp. Same client, studio check-in — no touch-up required.
1 year
Documented
Full forearm stack from multiple angles — eyelash detail, skull teeth, and cross beveling still read clearly. No touch-up before documentation.
3 years
Coming soonPhoto update in progress.
Long-term documentation scheduled — this page updates as we publish multi-year healed photos of the same piece.
We add stages as we photograph the same client — this is a living reference, not a one-time SEO page.
