In the meticulous hands of Argentinian tattoo artist Nano Ponto, skin becomes a canvas for lush gradients and surreal imagery built entirely from thousands of tiny dots. Self-taught and working without machines, Ponto has spent more than a decade refining a distinctive handpoke technique that transforms patience into vivid artistry. His portfolio radiates imagination—from a grayscale eye weeping streams of primary colors to a prismatic beam shooting from a hovering UFO.
Unlike artists who rely on electric tattoo machines, Ponto’s method is meditative and manual. “I just have to layer dots until I reach my desired saturation and look, which varies from skin to skin,” he explains. “I use several kinds of needles to play with dot width, resolution, depth, and ink saturation.” The process may be slower, but it yields a tactile richness and depth of tone rarely seen in modern tattooing.
Based in Buenos Aires, Ponto’s artistic evolution has been shaped by travel. With few peers in Argentina exploring similar techniques, he began journeying abroad a decade ago—to Europe, Mexico, and the U.S.—to exchange knowledge with other handpoke artists. “It was essential for me to start traveling,” he recalls. “There was no one in Argentina I could share this with.”
Now, Ponto is bringing his kaleidoscopic visions to Brooklyn, where he’s a guest resident at Atelier Eva this month. To explore his latest designs and booking details, visit him on Instagram.
