Nick Colella
Owner and tattooer Nick Colella loves tattooing. Since 1994 he has been passionate about developing his craft, learning the history of tattooing, and preserving it. Born and raised in Chicago, he has a proclivity for Chicago tattoo history and has built his collection of original flash, tattoo machines, and ephemera over the years. Traditional American tattoos are some of his favorite to do, but he does designs of all kinds. Nick has always tattooed in street shops, starting at Chicago Tattoo, where he worked for 19 years before opening Great Lakes Tattoo in 2013. He continues the street shop lifestyle and operates by walk-ins only Tuesdays - Saturdays.
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Nick Colella // Great Lakes Tattoo - Chicago, IL
Traditional Chest Eagle
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Nick Colella
Panther Head & Snake
Nick Colella
Wizard Holding a Skull
Nick Colella // Great Lakes Tattoo - Chicago, IL
Black & Gray Baphomet
Nick Colella // Great Lakes Tattoo - Chicago, IL
Cliff Raven Battle Royale
Nick Colella // GLT
Tiger Head with Lighting Bolt & Flames
Nick Colella // GLT
Traditional Diving Eagle
Nick Colella // Great Lakes Tattoo - Chicago, IL
Traditional Eagle with Banner & Stars
Nick Colella
Traditional Cowgirl Head
Nick Colella // Great Lakes Tattoo - Chicago, IL
Ralph Johnstone Panther Head
Nick Colella // Great Lakes Tattoo - Chicago, IL
Traditional Grim Reaper with Scythe
Nick Colella // GLT
Black & Gray Rose, Dagger, & Snake
Nick Colella // Great Lakes Tattoo - Chicago, IL
Nick Colella // GLT
Traditional Cowgirl & Steer Skull
Nick Colella
Ralph Johnstone Design - Crawling Panther
Nick Colella // Great Lakes Tattoo - Chicago, IL
Cliff Raven Design
Nick Colella // GLT
Traditional Chest Eagle
Nick Colella // Great Lakes Tattoo - Chicago, IL
Traditional Dagger, Skull, Banners
Nick Colella // GLT
Traditional Diving Eagle
Nick Colella // Great Lakes Tattoo - Chicago, IL
Nick Colella // GLT
Black & Grey Traditional Scorpion
Nick Colella // Great Lakes Tattoo - Chicago, IL
Gold Chain Chicagorilla
Nick Colella // GLT
Happy Hot Stuff
Nick Colella
Full Color Traditional Ralph Johnstone Design
Nick Colella // GLT
Ralph Johnstone Bulldog Design
Nick Colella // GLT
Traditional Panther Head Blastover
Nick Colella // Great Lakes Tattoo - Chicago, IL
Traditional Johnstone Pirate Woman
Nick Colella // GLT
Spiderweb on our own Chip Douglas
Nick Colella // GLT
Traditional Sailor Ladyhead
Nick Colella // GLT
Traditional Snake Handshake
Nick Colella // GLT
Traditional Cobra & Rose
Nick Colella // Great Lakes Tattoo - Chicago, IL
State Street Back Piece
Nick Colella // GLT
Traditional Full-Body Wolf with Arrows
Nick Colella // GLT
Traditional Nurse Ladyhead
Nick Colella // GLT
Traditional Gorilla - Design by Ed Hardy
Nick Colella // GLT
Traditional Red Rose
Nick Colella // GLT
Traditional Ladyhead with Roses & Dice
Nick Colella // GLT
Borneo Tribal Blastover
Nick Colella // GLT
Traditional Cowboy Skull
Nick Colella // Great Lakes Tattoo - Chicago, IL
Traditional Black & Red Scorpion
Nick Colella // Great Lakes Tattoo - Chicago, IL
Traditional Pharaoh’s Horses, Roses, Cobras, and Chains Back Piece
Nick Colella // GLT
Traditional Black & Grey Cobra, Bright Red Rose
Nick Colella // GLT
Traditional Devil & Winged Raper
Nick Colella // GLT
Traditional Ralph Johnstone Panther Head Blastover
Nick Colella // GLT
Striped Chicagorilla
Nick Colella // GLT
Nick Colella // GLT
Keith Haring Design with Custom Lettering
Nick Colella // Great Lakes Tattoo - Chicago, IL
I’m Sorry I Made You Cry - State Street Flash Design
Nick Colella // Great Lakes Tattoo - Chicago, IL
Traditional Cobra & Rose
Traditional Hong Kong Style Eagle Nick Colella
Nick Colella // GLT
Traditional Eagle vs. Snake
Nick Colella // GLT
Hot Stuff
Nick Colella // Great Lakes Tattoo - Chicago, IL
Traditional Eagle vs. Snake
Nick Colella // GLT
Traditional Cowgirl
Nick Colella // Great Lakes Tattoo - Chicago, IL
Traditional Eagle vs. Snake with Skull & Rose
Nick Colella // Great Lakes Tattoo - Chicago, IL
Traditional Grim Reaper & Hourglass
Nick Colella // GLT
Traditional Johnstone Tiger Head
Nick Colella // Great Lakes Tattoo - Chicago, IL
Traditional Eagle with American Flags & Banner
Nick Colella
Traditional Eagle
Nick Colella // GLT
Traditional Cobra
Nick Colella // Great Lakes Tattoo - Chicago, IL
Traditional Wolf Head - State Street Flash Design by Ralph Johnstone
Nick Colella
Traditional Eagle
Nick Colella // GLT
Traditional Skull with Dagger & Dice
Nick Colella // GLT
Traditional Eagle
Nick Colella // GLT
Traditional Kewpie Boxer
Nick Colella // GLT
Traditional Chest Eagle
Nick Colella
Traditional Crawling Panther vs. Snake
Nick Colella // GLT
Traditional Charging Dog on Chain Leash
Nick Colella // Great Lakes Tattoo - Chicago, IL
Traditional Bert Grimm Sun
Nick Colella // GLT
Traditional Crybaby Palm Tattoo
Nick Colella // GLT
Traditional Black & Gray Gangster Pinup
Nick Colella // GLT
Traditional Eagle with Banner
Nick Colella // GLT
Hong Kong Style Eagle
Nick Colella // GLT
Traditional Girlhead
Nick Colella // GLT
Traditional Hong Kong Eagle
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Nick Colella // Great Lakes Tattoo - Chicago, IL
Traditional Ralph Johnstone Panther Head with Border
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Nick Colella // Great Lakes Tattoo - Chicago, IL
Nick Colella
Traditional Full Body Lion
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Nick Colella // GLT
Traditional Baboon Head
Nick Colella // GLT
Traditional Navy Pinup
Nick Colella // Great Lakes Tattoo - Chicago, IL
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Nick Colella // GLT
Traditional Skull & Dagger
Nick Colella // Great Lakes Tattoo - Chicago, IL