Tim Shaffer Jacksonville Tattoo Artist

Tim Shafer

Nearly two decades in the industry. Tattooing that fits — balanced, properly scaled, and built to last.

Tim Shaffer

Tim Shafer joined Mister Tattoo in 2021 after nearly two decades of building one of the most well-rounded résumés in the Jacksonville tattoo world. His reputation is built on something that sounds simple but isn't: tattooing that fits. Balanced designs, properly scaled, executed with a precision that comes from genuine experience. Tim has been creating tattoos that hold up — visually and technically — for his entire career.

Tim's career began at Tattoos Forever in Fort Walton Beach in 2007, a walk-in street shop where volume and variety taught him more in a year than most apprenticeships cover. He was offered a formal apprenticeship under Mike Scholes and Chris Olson, where he developed the technical foundation he's continued building on ever since.

In 2010 he moved to Ocala Tattoo, refining his ability to create balanced custom work. In 2012 he joined Inksmith and Rogers in Jacksonville — one of the most respected tattoo shops in the country — where he spent nine years working alongside some of the best tattooers in the region. It was there in 2016 that Tim met Travis Costello.

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An American traditional tattoo of a hand holding a rose, a custom piece by Jacksonville tattoo artist Tim Shafer.

A custom tattoo of a skull and flames with the words "Burning question," a custom piece by Jacksonville tattoo artist Tim Shafer.

A traditional moth tattoo with the colors of a butterfly, created by Jacksonville tattoo artist Tim Shafer.

An American traditional tattoo of a skull wearing a bomber cap, a custom piece by Jacksonville tattoo artist Tim Shafer.

A custom Japanese crane tattoo, a custom piece by Jax Beach tattoo artist Tim Shafer.

A custom black and grey tattoo of an alligator head on a shin looking up the leg, with water ripples and rocks around it, a custom piece by Jacksonville tattoo artist Tim Shafer.

An American traditional dragon tattoo crawling down an arm, a custom piece by Florida tattoo artist Tim Shafer.

A custom Japanese-style tattoo of two frogs fighting with sticks as swords in a samurai battle, which wraps around a leg, created by Jacksonville tattoo artist Tim Shafer.

An American traditional tattoo of a butterfly with strong lines and pink coloring, a custom piece by Florida tattoo artist Tim Shafer.

A custom traditional tattoo on a heel, with a tombstone that reads "God Hates a Coward," flanked by a skull and crossbones, and tied together with grass underneath, a custom piece by Jacksonville tattoo artist Tim Shafer.

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An American traditional memorial tattoo of a boxer facing outward in a fighting stance, with olive branches forming a horseshoe or wreath beneath the image, a custom piece by Jacksonville tattoo artist Tim Shafer.

A custom tattoo of a dragon head and dagger, a custom piece by Jacksonville tattoo artist Tim Shafer.

A realism memorial tattoo of a Craftsman wrench, a custom piece by Jacksonville tattoo artist Tim Shafer.

A custom tattoo with foo dog vibes, where the foo dog bites a snake as it wraps around its head, a custom piece by Jacksonville tattoo artist Tim Shafer.

A custom Homer Simpson tattoo reading a book titled "Owning Your Okayness," a fan piece by Jacksonville tattoo artist Tim Shafer.

A custom Japanese tattoo of a Hula frog and bloom, a custom piece by Jacksonville tattoo artist Tim Shafer.

A large, detailed tattoo of a hairy scorpion on a man's stomach with a red sunburst behind it, a custom piece by Jacksonville tattoo artist Tim Shafer.

A custom tattoo mashup of a girl's head upside down above a Krampus-like monster head, with the two heads stacked to share eyes, a custom piece by Jacksonville tattoo artist Tim Shafer.

American traditional tattoo of the Zoltar head and neck with "Zoltar" written in custom tattoo lettering above it, and his hands on each side of a crystal ball, a custom piece by Jacksonville tattoo artist Tim Shafer.

A custom tattoo of a Hot Stuff baby red devil in a business suit with a forked tongue sticking out, a custom piece by Jax Beach tattoo artist Tim Shafer.

custom memorial tattoo on a hand with a horse head surrounded by a horseshoe border and a red color pop background, a custom piece by Jacksonville tattoo artist Tim Shafer.

A custom Japanese half-sleeve tattoo with poppy flowers surrounded by grey wash smoke swirls, a custom piece by Jacksonville tattoo artist Tim Shafer.

A custom tattoo of a rat and skull on a hand, a custom piece by Jacksonville tattoo artist Tim Shafer.

A custom tattoo of a cartoon cowboy rabbit with a hat, gloves, and holster, holding a carrot, in a traditional leaning pose, by Jacksonville tattoo artist Tim Shafer.

A custom tattoo of a green foo dog on the inside of an arm, created by Jacksonville tattoo artist Tim Shafer.

An American traditional memorial tattoo on the inside of an upper arm, with a banner that reads "keeping the memory alive" flanked by roses and leaves, a custom piece by Jacksonville tattoo artist Tim Shafer.

A custom tattoo of a panther rose morph, a custom piece by Jacksonville tattoo artist Tim Shafer.

Working with Tim

Walk-in weekends are the norm here — every Saturday and Sunday, 11am to 7pm — and we can usually take walk-ins during the week too, though that varies by the day and the hour. Appointments are the best way to make sure you get Tim and the time you need. Feel free to drop in either way: if there isn't time to tattoo today, you'll get a quick consult and an appointment on the books. For larger custom work — a Japanese sleeve, an ambitious traditional composition — that in-person consult is where it starts.

See more of Tim's work on Instagram @timshafertattoos.

Explore styles: American Traditional, Japanese, Black and Grey, Fine Line, Portrait, and Jaguar tattoos

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