Christian's studio at Nova Tribe is a total vibe. The space is artistically set up, with details that reflect care, creativity, and intention. It's visually rich without being overwhelming. Every corner feels curated, like an extension of the work itself. The atmosphere has this calm, slightly gritty edge that feels grounding. It settles the nervous system in a way that's hard to describe. You walk in and feel both safe and creatively inspired. From start to finish, the process was smooth. Communication was easy, booking was clear, and everything flowed without any stress. Christian was incredibly generous with his time. He didn't rush anything and made sure I felt good throughout the whole experience. His energy is focused and intentional. You can tell he is fully present while working, and that makes a huge difference. The price was more than fair, especially considering the quality of the work and the care he puts into it. I am super happy with the entire experience. From the artwork to the environment to the energy in the space, it all felt aligned. I will definitely be back. read more

My experience getting tattooed by Christiän was way more than I expected. He carries out his art like a ritual, and it truly feels like something sacred. He works with intention, and the lines, the detail, and the way he channels energy through his art stays with you. This guy is seriously talented! What stands out for me most is his presence. He is grounded, sincere, and actually just a really good person, which matters when you're lying down for 12 + hours getting tattooed by someone! The whole vibe is really calm and welcoming. There's no ego and no pressure. It's just calm presence. Alina, his assistant, is such a sweetheart. She made everything super easy through email, and from the moment I walked in, I felt her calm and nurturing energy. She brings her warmth and positivity into the space and both of them are just an incredible team. I look forward to getting tattooed by them more in the future! read more

Nova Tribe Tattoo - Blast Over - Tattoo Near Me - Oakland, California

Edit 2: Look up Samkara Collective on Yelp and all the bad reviews make sense. It's been interesting observing the artist trying to twist the narrative so folks perceive me as an unreasonable client. The statements made don't add up. Why would I want an artist to "choose to work with me" as a client when I already said I moved on to another artist? Secondly, how would I give a secondary deposit if there was no way to contact the artist? When I texted, I was told to email instead. I've been an understanding client to the artist and overlooked things because I was excited to work with him. He was late to our appointment and communication was messy, but I'm the rude one for expressing my perspective? I sincerely hope Christian learns to own up to mistakes instead of deflecting. Side note, anyone looking at photos can tell the tattoo isn't finished. Come on, dude. Edit: Christian responding there was a miscommunication is simply to avoid accountability. There was no miscommunication - just disregard. My last message with a response was March 5th and I sent the email that went without response on the 18th. It wasn't even 2 weeks between the emails. Additionally, an old email doesn't cease being active because you get a new one. There's still the ability to login to check for clients that knew you by that email, had actively unfinished tattoos, or for returning clients. Or even for clients that left off on a scheduling conflict while you still had that email. I hate leaving bad reviews, but I'm ridiculously hurt and disappointed. It takes a special kind of person to leave a client with a half finished tattoo on read for over 6 months. I had my first session with Christian at a guest spot in Los Angeles, and he was vocal that he mainly stays in the Bay Area. That was fine with me - I understand things come up and I may need to wait to finish my piece. I had some healing complications and could not make a 2nd session when Christian would be back a month later. He communicated okay during this time, but would not give me a time in the future that he'd be back again. He asked if I could come to the Bay Area, to which I replied no.. and that was where I was ghosted. I understand permanently deciding to stay in Northern Cali. I understand he tried to finish my piece a month later, and I understand he did not anticipate me having a painful infection. He initially communicated fine so I tried to be understanding. However, the full stop of communication has me absolutely baffled. Instead of just replying "I don't foresee being back in LA period" , he left my monthly emails ignored while posting about having spots open on social media for 6 months. I would have tried to sort out going to the Bay Area eventually when possible if I had to, but I guess I didn't matter enough for a response. I can't even describe how awful and low that feels that once an artist doesn't have use for you, you simply don't exist. Especially when you have partial work on your arm. Additionally, I let it go at the time, but he definitely got overly short and irritated with me for feeling unsure about my design once he got to a certain point with it. He had stated at the beginning of the design process that it would be on my body forever, so to take my time. I wasn't aware that that came with a time limit or boundary on when I could speak up. I told him during my initial consult that I wanted a non-feminine tattoo. (Less flowy, nothing floral, no curves for my body shape) He worked on the design for about 2 hours. When he was finished he commented that he wanted the design to look feminine and flow with my arm, which caused me to freeze and second guess my design choice. I was really sweet and shy about my doubts and even opened with "Please don't be pissed but.." He said we had lost 4 hours of tattoo time due to my change (which I, the customer pay for??? Thats free money for you, dude, you charge per day) and he seemed agitated. I suffer from anxiety and as he stated, its going to be on my body forever. Changing my mind about anything should be okay with an artist and met with discussing what caused my change of heart, not frustration. Instead of working with me on what I was unsure about, he shut down on me because of the timing. Lastly, my tattoo black work is solid. Christian has talent. Some of his ideas for my piece were nice. He seemed kind when we went over designs on his iPad. That being said, some of the lines on my piece show that he didn't quite know what to do with my surrounding tattoos, which was the entire point of me coming to someone I felt was capable of tying a cover up piece together with my arm. In photos you can see that some of the lines don't make sense, and I've been walking around with this UNFINISHED on my arm for half a year. I booked with a different ornamental artist to finish this sleeve. It worked out in the end the way the Universe intended it to - but it doesn't change how let down I feel. read more

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Christian is an outstanding tattoo artist that outdid my expectations on this sleeve. I chose one of the designs he drew up for me and mostly let him have creative freedom with it as I trusted his artistic skills. And let me tell you he created an absolute masterpiece that adorns my body perfectly. Christian also made it very easy to schedule sessions and created a very comfortable space for me as a client, which can be difficult with some artists. I always looked forward to the next session with him! I highly recommend booking with Christian if you want the highest quality work that will last the rest of your life! read more

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Christian is so attentive and his attention to detail is what every person wants in an artist . Every piece I've seen of his is so clean including mine . Beautiful space and such a great guy . Thank you Christian for my beautiful piece ‍ read more

I would not recommend this guy to anyone. He specializes in deceiving his clients by doing things like editing photos of his work, using filters and specific angles to make his work look better than it is, and most likely buys Instagram followers in order to look more well known than he really is. He supposedly has 49k followers on Instagram. However when you see his reel posts, some of them only have less than 100 views. If he has so many followers how does his reels have so little views? Obvious sign of having fake followers. Here's my overall experience with him: I got a half sleeve done by Christian/Noah and spent over $5k. The sessions were long and he is pretty slow. So if you do get tattooed by him, expect to pay a lot of money for a small piece. He also didn't ask me about parts of my sleeve, and instead just tattooed what he felt like. When I asked him how he would connect certain parts of the sleeve, he said "I just kind of make it up as I go" I'm all for letting artists have creative freedom, but not when it ends up looking messy and unnatural. At the end of the day it's on my body forever, I think he should at the very least consult with people before making huge decisions about their tattoo. You can tell he is inexperienced, and will overwork the skin. After getting my tattoo fixed with an extremely skilled tattoo artist, the difference is clear in skill and technique. On top of that, the work that took so long and was so expensive with Christian/Noah, ended up being below average. His lines are not straight or even, the stencil was placed incorrectly which led to issues in the finished product, dot work is uneven, geometric pieces were totally unsymmetrical, there were rogue lines that don't make any sense in the tattoo, and some of the tattoo didn't even penetrate the skin fully. When doing geometrical work, details and accuracy is the most important aspect to the tattoo. Nobody wants uneven lines, improperly shaded blackout, and wonky cubic flowers. Which is what I got. I'm writing this review to help people know the truth, I get he is on a path of growing as an artist. However he should not be lying and deceiving his clients into thinking he is something that he's not. Before getting tattooed by him, ask other well known artists in the Bay Area about him. They will either have heard horror stories like mine, or have not heard about him at all. Pretty big red flag. I'm attaching pictures of the work done by him, his fake Instagram followers and low reel views, clearly edited photos of his tattoos that he posts on social media, as well as before and after shots of the work that I had fixed. I really hope this helps anyone considering getting tattooed by him. P.S. there are plenty of other options for great geometrical artists in the Bay Area that are fast, accurate, and experienced. You will thank me and yourself for going with anyone other than this guy. I learned the hard way so you don't have to. read more

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First time getting a full sleeve and Noah was very descriptive in explaining the process. He is 110% dedicated to his trade and working with him was a pleasurable experience. 2 sessions back to back with food breaks in between. Will come back to Nova Tribe to finish the remaining sleeve. Noah was able to present some mock ups which helped greatly but in my opinion its best for the client to really dig in deep and save images of tattoo designs before you pull the trigger before getting inked up. (PINTEREST). Noah was very welcoming when it came to changing patterns and on the fly design changes. You cannot go wrong with this artist. read more

Nova Tribe Tattoo - Full arm blackout - Tattoo Near Me - Oakland, California

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Nova Tribe Tattoo is next level and I highly recommend getting your adornments done here! The entire experience is carefully curated, from the artistic space to the energy he sets, and then of course his meticulous work. Noah involves you in the artistic process in a way you don't get by going to a typical tattoo shop. I feel very comfortable with Noah and in his space. Tattooing is a personal and intense experience so I really appreciate that he is friendly, professional, understanding and accommodating. Noah's Art speaks for itself. These pictures do not begin to do the details justice. I have not seen work like this elsewhere in the Bay Area. He matched the style of previous work I have by another artist so everything flows together cohesively. It's worth it. I am planing to finish my sleeve this year and cannot wait to work with Noah again. read more

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Nothing bad to say set up was super clean Christian's very accommodating and the tattoo came out great. Is passion for tattooing is evident and he clearly cares for his clients he was asking if the cleaning solution was too cold and if we should get heating pads for them he wants every client to be as comfortable as possible. Super nice dude and very talented can't recommend more. read more

I reached out to Christian regarding continuing a geometric sleeve in late spring of this year. I had other work started by another artist that included a cover up and I wasn't thrilled with it. Christian responded promptly and was eager to work with me. Based on what I saw on his Instagram I felt confident that he could finish the sleeve in an aesthetic way. The results are amazing. I get compliments everywhere I go. It's difficult to find an artist that will fix another's subpar work but Christian was eager and competent to do so. We spent many full day sessions together and along the way he added extra touches and details to make sure everything was cohesive and flowed well. I would recommend him to anyone looking for geometric, ornamental, and blackout work. I will for sure be going back to him to start in on a new project in the future. read more

Nothing but positive things to say about Christian. I've had lots of work done by him (40+ hours). Each session has been as chill as a 4-8 hour tattoo session can be. Always been responsive to my messages. The design process has always been satisfying and I've never felt unheard or ignored in my inputs. Overall, highly recommend. read more

Christian Nova is a true master in blackwork and geometrical tattoos. He focuses individually with the body, design and placement to ensure an intentional adornment. I am grateful to have received six pieces over the last 3+ years and each session leaves me even more impressed with his quality of work. I will certainly be working with Christian Nova again in the future and cannot wait to see his continued evolution of talent! read more

I first visited his shop when he was located in the Bay Area. I was skeptical at first since I took a flight out there by myself not knowing what to expect, however, I really admired his work on instagram and was really excited to find an artist who was open to my ideas and would take on his own interpretation, it took a lot of research to find an artist like him but I'm really glad I did! He was super professional and made me feel comfortable in his private studio, especially traveling by myself and wanting this specific placement. His prices are super reasonable and he has a gentle hand. Good vibes, good music, great conversation and the time flew! Overall best experience getting a tattoo and he will be my lifelong go to for tattoos (: his name is Noah nova and his dog is super cute hehe read more

Well, I'm not your typical tattoo client. I am older and way too conservative! I just want to write this review because I am so impressed with the many tattoos I've seen done by this very gifted man. Noah used to be a painter. I commissioned him to paint something for me to signify peace and serenity (because I often have insomnia). The painting is beautiful and I have it hanging in my bedroom in Palm Springs. I have witnessed his blossoming into a fabulous tattoo artist and I know how he did all of this on his own. He is a self-taught tattoo artist and I am at in awe of all of his works. He is truly the best black line tattoo artist I have ever seen, and believe me I look at them daily. I come from a family of artists and I'm on many tattoo webpages. I think my favorite is the one of circles that go round and round over this woman's shoulder. I actually have many favorites but that one is simple yet beautiful. I know that Noah stands behind his art and takes every assignment to heart. I would 100% recommend his work! He's epic!!! read more

I am currently getting a full sleeve done and have had 5 sessions so far. Noah is an amazong and meticulous artist. I gave him 100% creative control of my tattoo and so far I am loving every piece that we have been able to get done. He is very communicative and is open and fair about his prices. I still have 2-3 sessions left with him until my tattoo is complete and am looking forward to when it's completed! read more

Great work done over at nova tribe tattoo I love this tattoo and get compliments on it all the time . There is a great attention to detail and alot of skill . I am very happy with the work that was done on my arm it's exactly what I had in mind and there was good communication between me and the artist. Something I will love looking at for the rest of my life and can't wait to get some more work done this year go check him out. read more

Nova Tribe Tattoo - My fore arm super stoked on this. - Tattoo Near Me - Oakland, California

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i had a few emails back and forth with Noah, and found him responsive. i decided to put a deposit down of $500 late at night; less than 8 hours later immediately in the early morning i found some terrible reviews from his previous business, and felt deeply uncomfortable about going forward; i immediately messaged him in a respectful way, and owned my sense of nervousness, explained that i didn't think it would serve either one of us for me to enter the collaboration in a distrustful way, and asked if he could please return my $500, and make an exception to his policy, as it was only 8 hrs later, and i knew he has a waitlist for his work and knowing he makes $250 an hour, i imaged it no sweat off his back ~ ~ ~ he denied that the reviews were about him, said he had no idea what i might have read; (i imagine he closed the business given the very poor yelp reviews ~ it was named in the reviews that he has moved from business to business). i messaged again, naming that i support people starting over and trying to make it right in a new way as life goes on and i didn't want to write a poor review for his new business that he just began with a new name that only has two reviews, could he please team with me and refund my money ~ ~ ~ no response at all ~ ~ ~ his previously closed business was Samsara Collective in Oakland and is on yelp, he went by Christian Nova then, not long ago ~ i have attached the reviews ~ him not being honest with me is in line with these reviews. i mean no harm ~ wish him well ~ ~ maybe he'll still make it right with me, and if so, i'll amend this review ~ ~ read more

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I found Nova Tribe through instagram and reached out through email to get a full sleeve tattoo done. I was quickly contacted and we set up a time. I had some ideas of what I wanted from his previous tattoo pictures and he showed me a bunch of options for each part of my arm. Each section had several different options that he could show me on a picture of my arm on his iPad and we could mix and match and play with the combinations. I loved what he designed but he offered to completely redesign if I didn't like any, which was very generous. Over a few sessions, I got an incredible sleeve that I get stopped daily by strangers to ask who did it. Noah is a great guy, as you know, you end up spending long hours with your artist and he is fun to talk to, really hospitable, great music and was very gentle when laying the ink. I'll definitely get another tattoo with him. If you like black work and geometry, this is as good as it gets. read more