Kat Von D (Katherine (or Kathy) von Drachenberg) (born March 8, 1982) is an American tattoo artist from California, widely known for her work as a featured artist on the Miami Ink reality television show on TLC.

Kat joined Miami Ink during its first season in 2005 but left the show in 2007 after escalating personal differences with shop owner Ami James. She is slated to star in her own upcoming Miami Ink spinoff LA Ink,[1] a new reality television show on TLC. Besides her tattoo career, Von D has also appeared in HIM's music video for "Killing Loneliness".

Von D's parents, father René Drachenberg and mother Sylvia Galeano, were born in Argentina, but Von D was born in the state of Nuevo Leon, Mexico. At the age of four, she and her family immigrated to the United States.

Von D gave her first tattoo, a Misfits skull, at the age of fourteen. She started working at her first tattoo shop at age sixteen. Tim Hendricks was Kat's mentor.http://tlc.discovery.com/fansites/miami-ink/kat_corner/index.html She is known for portraits and realistic art with an emphasis on black-and-gray. She has tattooed celebrities like Bam Margera and Ville Valo.

Von D lives in Hollywood, California and works at True Tattoo shop[2], which is owned by Clay Decker. Besides Miami Ink, she has also worked at Elm Street Tattoo in Dallas, Texas. She has an active touring schedule and is frequently a featured artist at tattooing conferences in the United States and Canada.

HIM