The Watercolor Blooms of Samantha Ford

There’s an act in Disney’s Fantasia named Casse Noisette, where hundreds of gilded, enchanted flowers spin and twirl in time to “The Nutcracker Suite”, beautifully suspended above the water in a way that’s utterly surreal. To be honest, we’ve thought about it quite a bit, and there’s not a more fitting comparison for artist Samantha Ford’s work on Instagram @sam_ford_tattoos than that particular scene.

Just like the dancing flowers from Fantasia that seem to effortlessly float and dance in unison, her flowers effortlessly sit atop the skin, evoking a rare sense of fragility. Using elements of watercolor combined with a unique fluidity that can be seen throughout her entire body of work, Ford’s florals are absolutely breathtaking.

Surreal Watercolor tattoo by Samantha Ford


Wheat and Flowers Watercolor tattoo by Samantha Ford


Rose Watercolor tattoo by Samantha Ford

Tattooing out of Silver Needles Tattoo just slightly east of London, Ford’s work is a hybrid of watercolor and realism. Creating incredibly ornate and realistic floral work, the key to her success is the way she somehow seamlessly blends elements together. Perhaps best visible in her pieces which incorporate a realistic watercolor effect, she fuses pieces of flora like berries, petals, and leaves with splashes of color, rendering where the flora ends and the watercolor begins virtually indistinguishable.

Details Watercolor tattoo by Samantha Ford


Bouquet Watercolor tattoo by Samantha Ford


Wild Bloom Watercolor tattoo by Samantha Ford

Pastel and watercolor hues define the majority of Ford’s work while the details she so carefully illustrates punctuate it. Careful to fully develop even the tiniest details, she brings her flowers to life by ensuring that the winding veins of a leaf are perfectly intact, as well as the dewdrops resting on top of them. Ford even goes as far to create individual pollen particles tucked in between the overlapping petals, what’s even more impressive is that she occasionally freehands select pieces.

Flora Watercolor tattoo by Samantha Ford


Peonies and Lilies Watercolor tattoo by Samantha Ford

The rest of her work deals in realistic portraits and pin ups, all of which carry the same “watercolor” style by lacking any real definitive outline. While her subjects may vary from flora to fauna and everything in between, their one defining characteristic is their unwavering quality and depth. Everything from her pin-up’s stockings to the dewdrops on a leaf are highly detailed. If you’re keen on floral work, Ford’s blooming beauties might be right up your alley. Dreamy and surreal in nature, her watercolor work is the closest you can get to carrying a bit of Disney magic with you wherever you go.