Dinosaur Studio Tattoo and Gallery

Seriously, the best place in Chicagoland. I take a train all the way from Chicago just to come here and Chicago has a lot of great tattoo artists/​shops. Mark completed a custom gas mask tattoo on my forearm and it’s better than I could ever imagine.
And for a custom shop, it’s not all that pricey.
Also, if you want to see a lot of their work before coming in I’d suggest checking their Instagram!

My wife, Pat and I have been talking about getting a tattoo for 3 years. Either the time wasn’t right or the place wasn’t…until now. We decided to visit Dinosaur Studio Tattoo on a rainy day to see what it was like. We were immediately impressed with the space as well as Mark, the owner and Chris, his associate. After a consultation with them, we described what we wanted and they sat down at a design table to sketch out original art for our approval. I’ve talked to other artists about my ideas but was never fully satisfied by their drawings. Mark nailed mine immediately. Chris was perfect with Pat’s too. We couldn’t be happier with our tattoos. The details are incredible and the entire experience was totally enjoyable. Dinosaur Studio is a cornerstone in an art renaissance area of Waukegan. It is very highly recommended by both of us.

The studio is fun and has really neat decorations of dinosaurs, definitely should have a Jurassic Park party when the second movie comes out.
Any who… Chris did my tattoo. I gave him a few pictures and ideas of what I wanted and he has great talent, the drawing for my tattoo came out perfect. He did a pretty big piece on my upper arm and it took about three hours which was perfect timing. Prices are great as well, they charge by the hour. I definitely think Chris is a great tattoo artist and definitely will go back soon.

I found this shop doing a google search. It was the only one in Waukegan, and I’m glad I went to check it out instead of going to Libertyville. Mark, the owner, greeted me when I came in, and was extremely friendly and helpful. I showed him what I wanted, he was able to draw it up perfectly, and do the piece right away for a very fair price. We talked about doing another piece in the near future. Mark and his apprentice are both very knowledgable and down to earth. My tatto was done in no time, as Mark and I chatted through the whole thing. I would definitely recommend Mark’s work, and his shop!

Had my tattoo touched up today. Very clean shop and Mark is fantastic. He really loves the community, working with people, and is a great tattoo artist. He also works with local artists and allows them to display their works on his shop. Hats off to Mark and Dinosaur.

A unique gallery and a unique location are my first thoughts on Dinosaur Tattoo Studio. Nestled in the heart of the Renaissance Art District in downtown Waukegan is another Gem that is unique in Waukegan. Mark Hoffman the owner/​artist is unique himself in character and his work. A trained/​educated artist who’s work covers the walls of the clean environment of his studio. Mark is motivated and enthusiastic about his talent and it comes through in his conversation. He is a very genuine and honest person who has a justifiable pride about his work. Since landing his studio in Waukegan he has made an impact on not only his customers but the town. He supports local artists by allowing them to display their work in the gallery which adds to the feel of the gallery. Lacquered wooden floors at your feet with the colorful mural of a giant Dinosaur bleeds the theme from the walls of the gallery. The clients I have sent Mark have all raved of his work and have come back for more while sending others from reference. Stop by the gallery for at least the experience for even if tattoos are not your preference you will enjoy another unique Waukegan experience.

Beautiful studio and great prices for amazing art that will last a lifetime!!! I constantly have comments on my work done from here!!! Thank you guys keep up the amazing work!!!

Mark is a great tattooist. He is a degreed artist and an art lover, so much so that his studio is filled with the work of local artists. Since I got my tattoo from here, his business has grown so much that he’s added another chair. The place is clean, on the artier side of Genessee Street south of Washington near the galleries. Know that Mark does not take walk ins; you should make an appointment to discuss what you want. His prices are fair. Most of all he is an upstanding guy who runs a clean studio and does great custom work. I needed a touch up after my first seating and it was included for my tattoo. I really love my tattoo from Mark.
We chatted for a while when he did the work on my arm; and he told me that when he opened his studio, he was trying to get approved to move into Libertyville but the village council would not approve his business permit because they didn’t want a seedy element added to their town. All I can say is, «Too bad for Libertyville. Their loss is our gain.»
When I’ve stopped next door to the Green Town Tavern since my work and he remembers me, and even though always busy but always chats and says Hi.