top of page
DSC04390.jpg
Life After Whitecliffe: Steve Butcher Leaves His Mark On The World

Since graduating from Whitecliffe in 2010, Steve Butcher has been making a name for himself on the international stage for tattoo artistry. Being in such high-demand globally, Steve only spends 1-2 months a year in New Zealand, the rest is spent travelling and in his words, “leaving my mark on the world.” Although he doesn’t get much in the way of down time, Steve says he wouldn’t have it any other way.

LATimesIssue5Oct20212.png

Los Angeles Times

Issue 5

October 2021

Tattoo their name on your body if you love them. Get their face if you really care

The first time I grasped the meaning of tattoo portraiture was in the mid-2000s, watching “L.A. Ink” on TLC. This was one of the first reality shows that depicted the world of tattooing — launching many of its kind .

OS_SocialPost_Box (1)_edited.jpg
OS_SocialPost_Box (1)_edited.jpg
​Would You Dedicate Your Bun to New Omaha Steaks PureGround™ Burgers for a Lifetime Supply?

 Omaha Steaks is launching PureGround™ Burgers, a selection of new burgers made entirely from single cuts of premium aged steak. And with that, they're calling on burger enthusiasts to put their devotion to the test in exchange for a lifetime supply of the new PureGround™ Burgers...

Untitled-Dt6gNAHuz-transformed.jpeg
Danny Green gets new tattoos as tribute to NBA titles he won with LA Lakers and Toronto Raptors

After splashing it in from the outside, Danny Green is now splashing more ink over his heavily tattooed body. The Philadelphia 76ers player added some tattoos, which pay tribute to the NBA championships he won with the Toronto Raptors in 2019 and the LA Lakers in 2020.

joerogan1336.png
"So weird, don't do that" - Joe Rogan on fans getting his face tattooed on themselves

In episode #1336 of The Joe Rogan Experience (JRE), Joe Rogan praised the talented tattoo artist Steve Butcher for his photo-realistic tattoos.

5KJB2O3SHI7K673QBDTNI6HGMA.jpg
Kiwi tattoo artist Steve Butcher's inking of All Blacks legends so realistic they look like photos

Before you ask, yes it's real.
 

This painstakingly detailed tattoo of former All Blacks captain Richie McCaw could easily be mistaken for a photograph.
 

It took Auckland tattoo artist Steve Butcher nine hours to hand ink every strand of hair and wrinkle on McCaw's bloodied face, on a die-hard fan's lower leg.

USATSI_17159367_168386351_lowres-e1642637604381.jpg
Danny Green unveils incredible Lakers championship tattoo that’s right next to his Kobe Bryant tribute

Danny Green played just one season with the Los Angeles Lakers.

However, his time spent with the Purple and Gold clearly holds special meaning to the veteran player. That is not surprising since he won a championship with the Lakers in 2020.

 

kobegigivanessa.png
Vanessa Bryant Shares Fan's 'Beautiful' Tattoo Tribute to Kobe Bryant and Daughter Gianna

Kobe Bryant and his daughter Gianna‘s legacies continue to live on through art.
 

On Thursday night, the basketball legend’s widow, Vanessa Bryant, shared an impressively detailed rendering of her late husband and daughter, inked onto the calf of one of Bryant‘s big fans.

1184267693.jpeg
Lonzo Ball gets incredibly detailed tattoo sleeve featuring Barack Obama, MLK, Malcolm X, Harriet Tubman and more

Lonzo Ball is set to start a new NBA chapter with the New Orleans Pelicans following the trade that sent Anthony Davis to the Lakers this offseason, but the new uniform won't be the only thing different about Lonzo when he takes the court.

wgstbt (1).png
'Gretzky of Gretzky collectors' gets inked with permanent portrait of hockey hero

Shawn Chaulk has one of the most extensive collections of Wayne Gretzky memorabilia in the world.

Now he has a tattoo to match.

dwight-howard_1d0kwu6i27ugz1cbjn2ocw0uwb.jpg
Howard praises tattoo artist who immortalized Kobe's dunk on him

A tattoo artist's recreation of Kobe Bryant's dunk on Dwight Howard during the big man's rookie season has drawn praise from the Washington Wizards center.

​

The iconic moment was immortalized in tattoo form by Steve Butcher, who's known for hyper-realistic portraits of athletes.

2020-04-03_2278892759924774886.jpg
Michael Jordan Bulls Fan Gets Epic 'Crying Jordan' Tat

The "Crying Jordan" meme will never die ... at least it won't for this dedicated Michael Jordan fan, who got an insanely realistic thigh tattoo of the viral pic!!

lbjwadedunk.png
Iconic Dwyane Wade-LeBron James Photo Turned Into Spectacular Tattoo

On the list of NBA tribute tattoos, this new one is pretty spectacular. 
 

It features the iconic photo of Dwyane Wade going to LeBron James in tattoo form. The real life inspiration comes from a 2010 game against the Bucks shortly after Wade, James and Chris Bosh joined forces with the Heat. Wade dropped a pass to James who then finished with a dunk, and Wade threw up in arms in celebration.

mattbarnes.png
Matt Barnes All Eyez On My Tupac Tattoo!

All eyez are on Matt Barnes' right hand ... 'cause the ex-NBA baller just got the most insane Tupac tattoo!!

conortattoosteve.png
Famed tattoo artist Steve Butcher details 12-hour process of creating Conor McGregor ink

​When a client walked into his shop last week asking for a Conor McGregor tattoo, Steve Butcher had a vision of what he wanted the piece to look like.

russellwestbrooksteve.png
Tattoo artist unveiled the most freakishly realistic Russell Westbrook portrait

New Zealand-based tattoo artist Steve Butcher can turn photos into life-like permanent pieces of art, and it’s truly incredible.

​

While Butcher has attracted NBA fan clientele from across the world, his latest tattoo wasn’t the typical Michael Jordan or Kobe Bryant portrait. This time, he took on Russell Westbrook and the results were unbelievable.

Untitled-slRYuGJeg-transformed.jpeg
An Australian Celtics fan explains how he got this hyper-realistic Bill Russell tattoo

For Alastair McLean, getting his latest tattoo – taken from a famous Sports Illustrated picture of Celtics legend Bill Russell – was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Not only was it a way to mark his Celtics fandom, but it was being done by an artist he never thought he’d have a chance to get inked by.

vice-og.jpg
NBA Fans Fly 36 Hours for These Hyper Realistic Tattoos of Their Idols

When it comes to the NBA, fandom can take many forms. Some people collect their favourite player's jerseys, while others look to make a name for themselves as die-hard sneakerheads. It's all part of the fun of watching basketball, a sport that banks on the marketability of players like no other. 

Untitled.png
Tattoo Artist Steve Butcher Creates Inkings So Detailed, They Look Like Photos

tattoo artist is blowing the minds of Instagram fans with his hyper-realistic designs.

​

Steve Butcher, from New Zealand, creates tattoos so detailed that at a glance they look as clear as photos, or incredible watercolour paintings.

Untitled.png
Kiwi tattoo artist gets global attention for his hyper realistic designs

The hyper realistic work of New Zealand tattoo artist Steve Butcher has recently garnered global media attention, sending social media into a spin. 

0d0dc7a19dd14f5fc0d1999a81059e04_crop_north.png
Fan Gets Large, Detailed Portrait of James Harden Tattooed on Leg

Fear the beard, or tattoo it on your leg.

With the help of New Zealand tattoo artist Steve Butcher, one fan took his affinity for James Harden and his thick facial hair to another level with a portrait of the Houston Rockets star tattooed onto his calf.

bottom of page