Tattooing professionally since 2007, Derek has worked in various styles over the years. Over the past decade Derek has put a greater focus on black and  grey illustrative tattoos primarily using stippling to create images that have an almost antique textured feel. When designing he likes to pull from nature using, floral, animals, landscapes as well as the human face or form sometimes incorporating geometric elements to create one of a kind tattoos. To keep things fresh Derek also likes to take on the occasional Traditional and Neo-traditional tattoo. Outside of tattooing he primarily creates using pencil and paper which translates to his illustrative tattoo work.

       For Derek, tattooing has kept art at the forefront of his  career and the opportunity to continue growing as an artist. The design process is his favorite part of the job outside the tattooing itself. He loves working with each client to understand their vision, translating it into a permanent piece of art they can carry with them.​​