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Blog
Contact

Contact Us

LOCATION

4D, 9 Gateway Drive,
Biggera Waters,
QLD, 4216

CONTACT US

Call: 0483 805 574

Email: vanguardtattoo@outlook.com

WORKING HOURS

Monday – Saturday: 9am-5pm

Sunday by Appointment

GET IN TOUCH

Instagram feed

vanguard_tattoo

✷ TATTOO STUDIO ✷
✷ GOLD COAST, QLD ✷
⚔️ AFTER PAY & ZIP PAY AVAILABLE ⚔️
𝘽𝙍𝙊𝙐𝙂𝙃𝙏 𝙏𝙊 𝙔𝙊𝙐 𝘽𝙔: @josh_sara_ @dan_razor
4D, 9 Gateway Dr, Biggera Waters

Stenciling: where the vision starts to come to lif

Stenciling: where the vision starts to come to life. Which part of the process is your favorite to watch? #tattoostencil #tattooprocess #tattooartist #behindthescenes

Last but not least, meet our apprentice, Coco — cu

Last but not least, meet our apprentice, Coco — currently 4 months deep into the tattoo apprenticeship trenches. Not tattooing people just yet, but absolutely carrying the studio with weird Gen Z dance moves initiated at the most awkward of times.

Smoko’s Special skills currently include: • pretending to know where things are when asked • wiping down benches with unnecessary intensity • drawing flash until her hand cramps • nodding seriously during tattoo conversations • and surviving exclusively on caffeine, nicotine and the praise Josh gives her

Style-wise, she’s obsessed with American trad, Japanese trad, and bold stipple work — basically anything tough, timeless, and loud enough to punch you in the eyeballs. Inspired by artists like Shige, Horishin, and Mario Desa, she’s chasing colourful, bold, expressive tattoos that heal solid and look sick forever. So we’re excited to see her begin; keeping the OG tat history alive.

Outside the studio, she spends her time collecting nerdy shit, painting on clothes - instead of buying new ones like the rest of us - and sipping on a vintage vino from the $6 bargain bin at Dan Murphs.

At this stage of the apprenticeship she’s mostly: 
• pretending she’s OK • setting up stations • getting roasted by senior artists  • fighting the dust particles that accumulate in the studio every 24 hours

BUT she’s keen as hell to learn all styles, especially colour traditional work, and eventually wants to create tattoos that make people feel confident in their skin.

Dream project: full Japanese bodysuit. Current project: Surviving Apprenticeship

If you don’t know… you’re about to. Introducing Br

If you don’t know… you’re about to. Introducing Brooke aka The Meat Queen of Trigger — and the mastermind behind the “get to know your Vanguard artists” posts.

She only loves two things more than hyper-realistic tattoos — EMF and eating a tomahawk with her bare hands (apparently both are essential to the creative process).

Since October 2019, she’s been turning skin into storytelling — specialising in black and grey realism with a love for animals, mythology and portraits that hit a little too close to home.

Outside the studio? Lifting heavy inanimate objects, perfecting low and slow meats, or off chasing castles, history and nature like it’s a full-time side quest.

Influenced by heavyweights like Steve Butcher, Hugo Feist, Dom Brown, Kasas Ink, Noah Bissi, but favourites outside her niche like Charlie Darling and Tim Tavaria…

And most importantly Josh Sara (may or may not have been added by the author 👀).

Her vibe?
Dark. Textured. Well researched.
(Trust me, she knows more about mythology than the Greeks — and is already ten steps deeper into your idea.)

She thrives on the deep dive — creating tattoos with real meaning, not just something that looks good, while building connections and constantly learning.

Dream project? Big, mythology-driven pieces — animals, deities, folklore — layered with depth, symbolism and a bit of mystery.

As a born and bred Novacastrian (don’t hold that against her), with a go-to line of “Take a seat, CHAMP,” she is aiming global— tattooing at expos like Gods of Ink and alongside top artists at studios like North of Winter.

If you want a tattoo that looks insane and tells a story… she’s your girl. DM us.

Although Emely’s only been a part of the Vanguard

Although Emely’s only been a part of the Vanguard Team for a short amount of time, she’s been in this industry for 14 years… which basically means she’s seen it all—yes, even that idea you’re thinking about.

Her go-to styles are neo traditional, neo Japanese, with a not-so-secret obsession for animals, flowers and leaves. (If it’s cute, fierce —she’s already excited.)

Outside the studio, she’s living her best life as a new mum—juggling family time, nature hangs, gardening, and squeezing in drawing and painting whenever she can. Sleep? Optional. Coffee? Mandatory.

She takes inspo from artists like Casey Tattoos, Tim Tavaria, and Matt Curzon, plus the OG masters like Da Vinci, Sargent, and Rembrandt… so yeah, your tattoo is in pretty overqualified hands.

At the end of the day, she just loves creating art for people—whether it’s something meaningful, something cool, or something you decided on at 2am (no judgement… mostly).

It’s hard to nail down her tat vibe. Neat and solid come to mind with a little addition of cute and whimsical. Just like her. Either way, something you’ll love forever.

Dream projects? Full back or front pieces, full colour, full creative freedom… the bigger, the better. Go big or go home… but preferably go big.

Got an idea? She’s ready when you are. DM us

We LOVE smaller tats! We might not post them as

We LOVE smaller tats!

We might not post them as often, but the team are slingin smaller tats between big projects every single week!

Did you know… the tiny ones are actually some of the hardest to nail? 😅

Yeah, small tattoos might look simple, but they take serious skill to get crisp, clean, and looking good long-term. That’s kinda our thing at Vanguard.

Going small doesn’t mean boring, or mean we don’t love having you as a client. Fine line, or loaded with detail; little pieces that still hit — we’re all about it.

Thinking of getting something subtle or on the smaller side? Something that doesn’t break the bank, but gives you a little taste of the tattoos you’ve been missing.

At Vanguard, we cater to all manner of jobs. Big or small ✨

#SmallTattoos #FineLine #TattooStudio #flashtattoo #VanguardTattoo

Our little Maki is only 2.5 years into tattooing a

Our little Maki is only 2.5 years into tattooing and she’s already acting like this is a lifelong personality trait. She began her apprenticeship journey with us here at Vanguard; and only a short span in her career BUT has grown exponentially from being a client, to now one our Vanguard fam. *proud tears*

Her works are mostly blackwork, dark ornamental and woodcut/engraving — basically anything that looks like it belongs in a haunted book or on someone with good taste. She prefers tattooing horror, portraits, insects and flames. If it’s a bit weird or mildly concerning, she’s interested. If its flames, she’s more excited than you are.

Outside the studio she can be found listening to True Crime podcasts, whilst eating an unreasonable amount of hummus or sushi with her cat Dion. Interesting fact about Mak is most of the Dreamworld and Movieworld mushrooms were done by her in her Tradie days (pre scab wizardry) and she loves painting murals like she has free time.

Her influences include painters Mark Ryden, Neberra, Salvador Dalí, Audrey Kawasaki and Herakut, and tattoo artists Nazar Stadnichuk, Vox Maeot, Sashatting and Alexis Xol. Yes, she will talk about them if you let her.

Her tattoo vibe is bold, rebellious, and what we would describe as “hot girl shit,” which loosely translates to confident work with attitude. This Flame Queen will have you leaving hotter than you walk in, and slingin a “Slay Diva” on the way out, despite your sexuality.

What she loves most about tattooing is, unfortunately, everything. Which makes this hard to condense. The sense of pride she gets reflecting on progress from where she started, the weirdly wholesome client bonds, the studio environment, and the fact she gets to work with her best friends every day. Editor note: she also loves a good viral reel and roping in any client who is willing.

Maks dream project is a full engraving-style back piece. Preferably on someone committed and emotionally stable.

Want to level up your rating from a 4 to a 10? DM us so Mak can make you over.

Important note: do not wear ugly clothes to your appointment. She will be filming a reel, and you will be in it whether you like it or not.

Meet our girl Milly - aka Millatron, Milhouse or M

Meet our girl Milly - aka Millatron, Milhouse or Mildew.
Milly’s been tattooing for about 3 years now and has been a part of the Vanguard family since August 2025.

She’s barely scratched the surface of her journey and still finding her signature style, but is definitely leaning towards realism/surrealism with a darker twist. Love.

Smil has a soft spot for anything animal-related, and has been known to rip a sick Trad Eagle or a Neo Jap design whenever she can. She has been dabbling in some black and grey big cats and more recently some colour pieces to build her portfolio.

Millatron is strong in the fundamentals, which allows her to move between styles with tight precision and confidence - if we’re honest is probably the Roman numeral Queen of the GC with the amount she’s stamped on the youth of today (18+ of course)

Outside of the studio, Millimetre hangs with her pack of snag dogs and loves to paint and sip on a schooie or pub grade margarita.

She draws inspiration from everyone she meets in the industry — each artist bringing something unique, and she loves taking it all in. Apparently her favs are our Boss Men, Josh and Dan, which just makes us think she’s fishing for a raise… but another couple of favourite artists of SawMill are Niomi Luker and Freddie Albrighton, in which she will get no financial benefit from naming.

Her tattoo vibe? Dark, weird, but still cute. Much like how she operates in and around the studio. Lol.

Her favourite part of tattooing is bringing clients’ visions to life and ending up covered in purple stencil stains every time.

Millificents dream project of would be a full horror Japanese sleeve. Would you like to look like a multiMILLionare? DM us

⚔️Welcome to Vanguard Tattoo ⚔️ Meet our team, se

⚔️Welcome to Vanguard Tattoo ⚔️

Meet our team, see what we’re about, watch us fail miserably when it comes to being on camera.

Located on the Gold Coast, we’re all about bold ideas, clean work, and tattoos that get you pulled up in the street for all the right reasons.

Whether you’re chasing fine line detail, heavy blackwork, or something completely custom — our artists are here to bring your vision to life. No cookie-cutter designs, no shortcuts — just solid, high-quality tattoos in a professional, laid-back space.

Experienced artists and good vibes all round that will keep you coming back.

⚔️ Custom tattoos
⚔️ Experienced artists
⚔️ Clean & safe studio
⚔️ Bookings + walk-ins welcome

Ready to start your next piece? Hit the DMs or drop by the studio.

Gold Coast, Australia

Afterpay & Zippay Available

#GoldCoastTattoo #VanguardTattoo #TattooAustralia #InkLife #CustomTattoo TattooStudio Blackwork FineLineTattoo GoldCoastInk TattooArtists

Everybody knows a “that guy” BUT we actually have

Everybody knows a “that guy” BUT we actually have THE “ThatGuy”!

Originally from Sydney, Guy started tattin in 2009 (when majority of the shop staff were infants) where he spent most of his time doing script and oriental tattoos. Ahhh the good old days.

He spent years learning the ropes the old-school way and it’s reflective of his work ethic. Do it right, don’t fuck around and GET IT DONE. In fact, his favourite thing to say to his coworkers is “still going” when they’ve literally just put a stencil on and he’s rolling out the door.

In 2012 he graced the Gold Coast, where he’s been working in various shops and adding another decade-plus of experience to the tally and has made apprentices cry all the way, we’re sure.

After more than 15 years in the game, Guy is a proficient all rounder. He’s known for doing relatively quick, solid tattoos and is comfortable across a heap of different styles — to us, he’s also known for his 2010s playlist and a consistent flow Monster Mango Loco.

These days he mostly leans towards custom work, especially realism and darker style pieces, but he’s always keen to mix things up. One of his favourite things to do is mash completely different styles together — like realism with traditional or cartoons. Somehow it works… and usually looks pretty sick.

When he’s not tattooing (which is not often) Guy’s either spending time with family, or camping with friends somewhere away from civilisation because his biggest pet hates are idiots and loud people. His will to live, however, surprises us all, considering he sits between a row of three of them at Vanguard. *Queues his favourite song Alanis Morrisette’s “Ironic”*

Life outside the shop also looks a bit like a small farm. He’s got goats, chickens, geese, dogs and assorted chaos running around, which is either very relaxing or the start of a rural petting zoo — depends on the day.
Guy works in both greywash & colour, depending on the piece, and draws inspiration from artists like Waler Montero, Mashkow, Harlan Kanter & Deanna James.

So if you’re after some weird custom mash up, and you’re not a loud idiot, he’s your bloke. If you ARE a loud idiot, bring Mango Loco.

Welcome to Vanguard Tattoo - Gold Coast’s premier

Welcome to Vanguard Tattoo - Gold Coast’s premier tattoo studio.

Home to 11 professional artists, each specialising in different styles so you can find the right artist for your idea.

From realism, fine line and blackwork to Japanese, traditional, neo-traditional and full sleeves.

⚔️ Clean professional studio.
🏆 Experienced award winning artists.
⚔️ All styles covered under one roof.

Whether it’s your first tattoo or the next piece in a full body project, the Vanguard team is ready to help you with your next tattoo.

Why people choose Vanguard Tattoo

✔ 11 experienced artists across every major style
✔ Custom designs built with you
✔ Professional, hygienic studio environment
✔ Friendly team that takes the time to get it right
✔ Afterpay available
✔ Gold Coast location with easy access and parking

📍 4D 9 Gateway Drive, Biggera Waters, QLD
📞 0483 805 574
📧 vanguardtattoo@outlook.com
🌐 www.vanguardtattoo.com.au

Ready for your next tattoo?

📩 Send us a DM to book a consult

⚔️Vanguard Tattoo⚔️
Where the Gold Coast gets inked.

Chelsea “The Golden Child” Dagger began her appren

Chelsea “The Golden Child” Dagger began her apprenticeship journey with her beloved Ham here at Vanguard Tattoo in 2020.

Since her beginning she has been quietly (and not so quietly) raising the bar with each tattoo project she completes. Chels is such an OVER ACHIEVER and we are consistently blown away with her ability to make everything she touches turn to gold [insert SLAY QUEEN here].

Specialising in black & grey realism, but catch her owning any black & grey neo-trad, illustrative and fine line, her work lives in the shadows — intricate, high contrast, and dynamic EVERY.SINGLE.TIME. exceeding expectations and keeping the rest of us a little humble in the presence of such tat esteem and excellence. *tips hat*

Give her medieval drama (heavy on the drama), baroque opulence, dark gothic romance, art nouveau curves, sprawling large-scale scenery and she’s in her element. If it looks like it belongs in a cathedral, a gallery or an ancient manuscript, — she’s probably already got a design in the works before you even think to ask.

Influenced by Renaissance painters, gothic architecture, oriental historical art, nature, the New York art scene, and fashion — plus artists like Amber Carr, Jason James, Simone & Alessandro Covallero, Elric, Graycie Bachman, Alex Sorsa, Kasas Ink and Deanna James — her style blends classical depth with modern edge. Just oozing elegance with every step, ya know?

Outside the studio you’ll find her (or litterally won’t find her anywhere) watching films, cooking, drawing or painting for fun, sleeping whenever possible, texting Hannah, or hanging out with her family dog Luna.

What she loves most about tattooing is being able to fully and accurately express her creativity. The clients she is fortunate enough to work with, who make her laugh daily (and there is nothing better than hearing a full volume infectious laugh of Chelsea’s) and the trust people place in her with their ideas and their skin, giving her a sense of pride as to the work produced and the honor of the opportunity that is this industry.

Dream project? A full body suit in her signature dark, detailed, story-heavy style.
Wanna be a picturesque goth baddie? DM us ⚔️

10 deep in the tattoo game, Anuz has been steadily

10 deep in the tattoo game, Anuz has been steadily levelling up, refining his craft, and constantly pushing his artistic limits. With a head full of hair that makes any Pantene ad mediocre, “Lock Daddy” is not here to play it safe; he’s here to create pieces that hit hard and stick with you.

He’s generally pretty quiet in the studio, concentrating his efforts on the work at hand, but get him in his native tongue and it’s like he’s saved up all the words from the previous days and you can’t shut him up. We’re not really sure what he is saying but we assume it is how much he loves us all individually and we don’t get on his nerves one bit with our shop banter and Guys repeated playlist of early 2010s alternate music.

Specialising in black and grey realism, his work leans into gothic themes, horror, animals, mythology, and portraits. Every piece feels cinematic - pulled from a film you can’t look away from. There’s power in it. Emotion. Depth. The kind of tattoos that don’t just sit on skin—they tell a story. Especially when it comes to weaving spirituality or a deity into the mix.

Outside the studio, it’s travel and music that keep his creativity alive. New places, new sounds, new energy—it all feeds into how he sees the world and how he translates that vision into his work. Deeply proud of his homeland our little Snuzzle supports both his community music scene, and his brothers and sisters in Nepal, recently raising money and awareness through his tattoos and platform.

Inspiration is everywhere, but he’s always had deep respect for artists who raise the bar. Names like Hernan Yepes, Josh Sara (suck up), Thomas Carli Jarlier, and Benjamin Laukis are among his all-time favourites.

If you had to sum up his vibe in three words? Dark. Cinematic. Powerful.

What he loves most, though, isn’t just the art—it’s the connection. Sitting down with someone, hearing their idea, and turning it into something real. That moment when they see the finished piece and it fully hits them—that’s the payoff.

The dream? A full body suit. A long term collaboration built on trust, shared vision and intensity.
Are you the chosen one who will help this come to pass? DM us ⚔️

Tattoo Now, Pay Later! Vanguard Tattoo is proud t

Tattoo Now, Pay Later!

Vanguard Tattoo is proud to offer Afterpay and Zip Pay, making high-quality tattooing more accessible.

• Award-winning studio • Experienced artists • All tattoo styles • Quality work at affordable prices

There is no job too big or too small, our studio can accommodate.

Book with confidence.
 📩 Enquire today!

#VanguardTattoo #GoldCoast #goldcoasttattoostudio #Afterpay #ZipPay QualityTattoo AwardWinningTattoo

Hannah “not her real name” Dahlia, started her tat

Hannah “not her real name” Dahlia, started her tattoo journey here at Vanguard in 2021 under the mentorship of Josh Sara and Dan Razor, while she was still slinging steaks at Hogsbreath Cafe. Not the best job whilst being a vego, but she did what she had to chase her dream and we love her for it.

Hannah’s work lives in the space where elegance meets the dark and a little bit creepy. Her style pulls from realism, ornamental and blackwork, with a love for portraits, mandala and geometric forms. All the while placing floral elements woven throughout. If it’s gothic, expressive, or just a touch unsettling in the best way, she’s probably into it.

Her influences are wide-ranging — from artists like Filouino and Victoria Gloss to horror movies, vintage wallpaper, and the quiet inspiration found in nature, flora, and fauna.
Mentors and mates along the way have also shaped her approach, helping her build a style that feels both intentional and deeply personal.

Outside the studio, Hannah is most at home in nature - smoking nature, getting her hands dirty in the shed, hanging out with Eddy, or wandering TK Maxx for unexpected treasures whilst under the influence of said nature. That balance between the natural world and dark aesthetics shows up clearly in her tattooing.

At the heart of her work is a desire to create tattoos that feel elegant, expressive, and meaningful — pieces that move with the body and tell a story. The best part of the job? Getting to be creative every single day, meeting cool people, and working alongside her mates. We don’t know if you know, but Han and Chelsea have been besties since they were technically pitted against each other as apprentices.

As for goals and dreams: one day, Hannah hopes to create a full-body dark ornamental suit. A girl can dream 🥰 can you help her? DM us.

Josh “Up the Wahs” Sara has been in the tattoo gam

Josh “Up the Wahs” Sara has been in the tattoo game for 20 years, with humble beginnings in Grafton - and the last five spent co-owning and running our beloved Vanguard Tattoo here on the Gold Coast.

He’s the kind of artist who’s seen it all, done it all; notably he’d have 500 southern crosses under his belt, in which he hasn’t gotten any better at, so take it from us and don’t ask him for one.

Josh is all about dark realism with feeling — pieces that carry emotion, weight, and a bit of soul. If it tells a story or makes someone feel something, he’s in.

As an artist, heavily influenced by artists like Benji Rocket Launcher, Elric Gordon, and Harrison, you can see those gritty, expressive notes running through his tattoos.

When he’s not in the studio, Josh is usually out making memories with his family, skating when the body allows it, or chucking a line in the water fishing. Balance is key — even if his home life and studio life is heavily tipped on the female side.
Who run the world, right?

What he loves most about being a tattoo artist is simple but powerful — helping people feel better about themselves. Whether it’s confidence, closure, or just something cool they’ll love forever, that connection is what keeps him going.

As a studio owner, Josh’s favourite part is being there for his tat fam— whether that’s helping dial in a design, sorting stencil placement, or just showing up when life throws us curveballs. Vanguard isn’t just a shop to him; it’s a team, and he’s all in.

Dream project? Total free rein on a full-body suit… preferably on a skinny white boy.
Are you the malnourished, sun deprived canvas of his dreams? DM us ⚔️

Black & grey. Colour. Realism. Traditional. Full s

Black & grey. Colour. Realism. Traditional. Full sleeves or first tattoos — we do it ALL.
Award-winning quality. Affordable pricing. No shortcuts. Just elite work.
📩 DM to book.
Limited February spots.

#tattoo #goldcoasttattoo #tattooartist #australiatattoo #inked

Co-Owner of the Studio, Dan “Razzle-Dazzle” Razor

Co-Owner of the Studio, Dan “Razzle-Dazzle” Razor has 10 years in this beautiful industry we call tattooing.

Originally from Ballina (but we don’t hold that against him) he started out as an apprentice here on the Gold Coast, and has co-owned Vanguard Tattoo now for 5 years.

Known for creating clean, bold, and bright tattoos that are built to last, his favourite styles include anime-inspired work (from DBZ and Demon Slayer to Jujutsu Kaisen), Japanese traditional and neo-traditional, as well as black and grey pieces.

Dan’s approach focuses on strong fundamentals, clear storytelling, and designs that hold up for life.
Influenced by artists such as Akira Toriyama, Russell Moore, JP, Toni Donaire, and Sam Clark — along with a love for medieval aesthetics — Dan’s work blends pop culture with classic tattoo structure.

He thrives on collaborating with clients to create meaningful, long-lasting pieces and reckons getting to sling sick tatts with good people is still one of the best jobs going.
Outside the studio, Dan’s usually found riding motorbikes or hotted-up scooters, gaming, listening to music, enjoying a beer and a solid feed, or whistlin (enthusiast level, but he does love a good vibrato).

A dream project of his is to one day take part in a large tattoo tour across the USA, while closer to home he’s keen to complete a full anime backpiece this year if ya’ll are ready to Dip and Rip ⚔️

We’re excited to have micky @taintedvirgo join us

We’re excited to have micky @taintedvirgo join us for her very first guest spot.
Coming from @inkville with @breakneckbrad she loves doing large scale black and grey, she has the 2nd and 16th of February available.
Don’t hesitate to enquire about a piece from Micky!!

#tattoo #tattoos #tattooartist #tattooart #goldcoasttattoo

🎈HAPPY JOSH DAYYYYY!!!! 🎈 • #foryou #tattoo

🎈HAPPY JOSH DAYYYYY!!!! 🎈
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#foryou #tattoo

🐍Want a epic tattoo like this dm @thatguy_tattoos

🐍Want a epic tattoo like this dm @thatguy_tattoos TO BOOK NOW 🐍
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#unclebobs @the.unclebobs #tattoo #inked #tattooed #tattoogoldcoast #tattoos #goldcoasttattoo #tatsnob #imasnake

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