Brian Kelly is an American tattooer and cartoonist based in Berlin at RED CHAPEL TATTOO. He tattoos in the New Traditional Style, a modern interpretation of traditional tattoo designs. He creates tattoos that are readable, long-lasting, and follow the principles of good tattooing. Brian Kelly enjoys tattooing in both color and black and grey.

His cartooning is black and white, made in analogue fashion on paper, sometimes with digital coloring.

Brian Kelly’s collections of tattoo flash, THE CUT-UPS: TATTOO FLASH FROM THE THIRD MIND and THE CUT-UPS 2: MORE TATTOO FLASH FROM THE THIRD MIND are available wherever books are found. His comic books/graphic novels, FRANCIS & THE VEGAS TRAMPS, THE VEGAS TRAMPS: RETURN OF THE MOONSTARS, and THE VEGAS TRAMPS: REDEMPTION SONG are available from the BRIAN KELLY ARMY STORE.

Brian Kelly received a BFA from the MINNEAPOLIS COLLEGE OF ART AND DESIGN in 2002. He also began tattooing in 2002, forming the BRIAN KELLY ARMY shortly after. He received a MFA from the UNIVERSITY OF GALWAY in association with the BURREN COLLEGE OF ART in 2006.

Brian Kelly has lived in Berlin for the last two decades.