Tattoo artist MR.L (also known as 17) from Beijing creates exquisite body art inspired by traditional motifs, animals and pop culture. His carefully finished designs are so sharp they almost look like stickers applied to the skin.

MR.L achieves this striking Pop Art effect by keeping his drawings to a minimum of one or two characters. This is also achieved by using geometric shapes, as well as bold black line art. By outlining his illustrations with thick outlines, he contains patterns and details within the subject and makes the tattoo stand out on the human body.

In addition to creating flower and paper crane tattoos, he also creates many animal-inspired illustrations. Some of these, such as his playful cat series, feature a floral motif inside the cat. Other pieces have a more cartoonish aesthetic, such as a sword-wielding gecko wearing a cape and a crocodile wearing a belt.

You can keep up to date with MR.L’s latest creations by following him on Instagram.

Beijing-based tattoo artist MR.L creates colorful body art inspired by traditional motifs and pop art references.