Bio

When Carlos Torres was growing up in Gardena back in the ‘80s and ‘90s, he dreamed of dedicating his life to drawing the superheroes and fantasy artwork that he saw at the comic book store down the street. Originally, Carlos thought the best way to maintain a life full of art would be to become an art teacher — until he learned how many years of school he would need to attend.

Since beginning his tattooing career as a teenager, Carlos has become one of the most recognizable and awarded artists in the industry over the last two decades. Mostly self taught, Carlos spent his early years working in a couple of different tattoo shops before building up both his skills and his portfolio at So. Cal Tattoo in San Pedro, CA. 

These days, Carlos is known for creating black and gray realism and surrealism work that you can recognize from across the room. His custom design process includes everything from hiring and photographing models to editing and eventually painting and/or tattooing each original art piece.

Always striving to get better, Carlos opened his own studio, The Raven and The Wolves, in October 2017 to be able to surround himself with artists who he knew could challenge him to learn and improve. The Downtown Long Beach studio and fine art gallery currently houses several world-class artists, as well as providing a venue for classes and seminars both taught by Carlos and others.

When he’s not tattooing, Carlos enjoys spending time with his family, golfing, painting, sculpting, traveling, photography, and catering to the every whim of his Siberian Husky, Mika.