Ornamental and mandala tattooing draws from one of the richest visual traditions in human history. Mehndi and henna bodywork. Sacred geometry. Islamic geometric pattern. Hindu and Buddhist decorative traditions. Folk art from across Central and South Asia. These are visual languages that have been developed and refined across thousands of years, built around a fundamental understanding of how pattern, symmetry and repetition create meaning and beauty. Simon Watkins has spent years studying and developing his own interpretation of these traditions, translating them into permanent tattoo work of genuine quality and ambition.
Simon is one of the most respected ornamental tattoo artists in the UK. His work in this space draws clients from across the country and beyond, and his Instagram following of around 100,000 built on consistent quality in exactly this style reflects a reputation that extends well beyond Worthing.
What Ornamental Tattooing Is
The term ornamental covers a broad range of decorative approaches that share certain fundamental qualities. Pattern over representation. Structure over spontaneity. The relationship between positive and negative space as a design tool rather than an afterthought. Compositions that are built to fill a specific space in a specific way rather than placed wherever happens to be convenient.
Within that broad definition the range is considerable.
Mehndi and henna-influenced work translates the flowing, organic quality of traditional South Asian bodywork into permanent tattoo. Paisley forms, interlocking florals, scrolling vine elements, repeating botanical motifs. The visual language is warm, feminine and ancient, and when executed well in tattoo it has a quality that nothing else in the style quite replicates.
Simon's shin and hand compositions show exactly what this looks like at scale. The paired shin pieces in his portfolio, matching mehndi-influenced compositions running from ankle to knee on both legs, demonstrate how the style builds into something genuinely breathtaking when given enough space to develop.
Mandala work builds radially from a central point, expanding outward through concentric rings of geometric and floral detail.
The central motif anchors the composition and each ring that surrounds it adds complexity and visual interest while remaining in formal relationship with everything else. Done well a mandala composition has the quality of something inevitable, as if it could not have been constructed any other way. Simon's back of hand mandala, a layered circular composition filling the entire back of the hand with bordered rings of pattern and dotwork texture, shows how precisely the style can be adapted to fit a challenging placement.
Sacred geometry introduces a different structural logic, one based on mathematical relationships between forms rather than purely decorative intuition. The flower of life motif, the Metatron's Cube, the Fibonacci spiral, these are patterns that recur across cultures and centuries because they correspond to fundamental structures in nature. Simon incorporates sacred geometry elements into his larger compositions, most visibly in the full sleeve and chest panel in his portfolio where the flower of life sits at the centre of an ambitious geometric composition that covers the entire arm and connects into the chest.
Geometric ornamental work applies the precision and structural logic of geometric design to decorative tattooing. Hexagonal panels. Interlocking angular forms. Sharp-edged geometric shapes used in combination with softer organic elements to create compositions with visual contrast and depth. The upper section of the sleeve and chest piece, with its hexagonal flower and geometric mandala panels, shows this approach at its most ambitious.
Simon's Approach
What makes Simon's ornamental work distinctive is not simply the technical precision, though the precision is extraordinary. It is the way he understands the body as a canvas.
Every large-scale ornamental piece Simon produces is designed specifically for the person wearing it and the placements they have chosen. The compositions in his portfolio are not designs that could have been lifted and placed anywhere. The shin pieces follow the natural taper of the lower leg. The shoulder piece uses the curve of the cap to anchor the upper mandala and let the lower geometric panel drop into the arm naturally. The hand compositions fill the back of the hand as if they were always meant to be there. This responsiveness to placement is the mark of an artist who thinks about ornamental tattooing as bodywork rather than simply as decoration.
His use of dotwork texture within ornamental compositions is another distinguishing characteristic.
Where some ornamental artists rely purely on linework, Simon builds tonal depth into his pieces through careful dotwork fills that create shadow and dimension within the pattern. This gives his work a quality that is somewhere between traditional decorative art and tattoo, a richness that purely linear ornamental work does not achieve.
His ability to sustain a single decorative language across multiple placements on the same client is perhaps his most remarkable quality. The full body composition shot in his portfolio, hands, shins and knees all carrying mehndi-influenced work in the same visual language, shows what happens when a client commits fully to an ornamental vision and finds an artist capable of executing it coherently across the entire body.
The Scope of Ornamental Work
One of the most common misconceptions about ornamental tattooing is that it only works in certain scales or placements. The portfolio at Broken Puppet demonstrates how wide the actual range is.
Small standalone pieces. A single mandala on the back of the hand. An ornamental panel on the wrist or forearm. A geometric motif on the collarbone. These work beautifully as complete pieces and are a good starting point for clients who are new to the style.
Medium compositions. A shoulder piece. A single shin. An upper arm panel. These are where the style begins to show its full character, with enough space to develop genuine complexity and visual richness.
Large-scale and multi-placement work. Full sleeves. Paired legs. Compositions that span the hand and extend up the arm. Work that builds across the entire body in a cohesive decorative language. This is where ornamental tattooing becomes something genuinely extraordinary and where Simon's work has built its reputation.
The question of scale is worth discussing during consultation. Many of Simon's clients start with a single piece and return to build outward from it. Others come with a complete vision for multiple placements and plan the whole project from the beginning. Both approaches work and both produce exceptional results when the artist understands the style as well as Simon does.
What to Consider Before Booking
Ornamental and mandala work heals and ages exceptionally well. The bold linework that underpins the style holds its shape over decades and the absence of colour means there is no fading palette to contend with. Black and grey ornamental work tends to develop a softer, warmer quality as it ages that many clients find improves the work.
Large-scale ornamental pieces are multi-session projects. The density of pattern and the precision required mean that rushing a piece produces work that is not at the standard Simon sets for himself.
He will give you a clear and honest picture of what a project will involve before you commit to anything.
Skin tone affects the contrast and visual impact of ornamental work in the same way it affects all black and grey tattooing. Simon is experienced working across a range of skin tones and will advise on how to approach a design to ensure the strongest possible result for your specific skin during consultation.
Book an Ornamental or Mandala Consultation With Simon
Whether you have a complete vision or just a feeling that this is the direction you want to go, a consultation with Simon is the starting point.
Book online: https://www.brokenpuppet.co.uk/booking-contact-us/ or click the button below
Call us: 01903 231951
Walk in: 4 Gratwicke Road, Worthing, West Sussex BN11 4BH
We are open Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday 11am to 6pm.
Frequently Asked Questions About Ornamental and Mandala Tattooing
How long does a large ornamental piece take?
This depends entirely on scale and complexity. A single hand or forearm piece might be completed in one session. A full sleeve or paired leg composition is a multi-session project planned from the outset. Simon will map out what a project involves clearly during consultation so you know exactly what you are committing to.
Does ornamental tattooing age well?
Yes, exceptionally well. The bold linework that underpins the style holds its shape over decades and the all-black palette means there is no colour fading to contend with. Many ornamental pieces improve with age, developing a softer quality that suits the decorative character of the work.
Can ornamental work be designed to match existing tattoos?
Yes. Simon regularly works with clients who have existing tattoos and want to build ornamental work around or alongside them. How well this works depends on the placement and character of the existing work and is worth discussing in detail at consultation.
Is ornamental tattooing suitable for a first tattoo?
Yes. It is actually a very popular choice for a first tattoo precisely because it is not tied to specific figurative subject matter. You do not need to decide what image you want. You just need to decide where and how much coverage feels right, and Simon will design something specifically for you.
Can Simon design something completely custom for my placements?
Every piece Simon produces is custom designed for the client and the placement. He does not use pre-made templates. The design process starts with your placements, your skin and what you want the finished work to achieve.
How much does ornamental tattooing cost?
Pricing is based on scale, complexity and time. Simon will give you a clear and honest quote during your free consultation. Larger multi-session projects are discussed and priced as a whole so you understand the full commitment before anything is agreed.
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