Dwayne Dixon is not your average-looking tattoo artist. He doesn't have any visible or glaring artwork on his arms or face and he likes it that way.

"I don't look like a tattoo artist," Dixon said. "I like to attract people that look like me."

When people decide to get a tattoo, some know exactly what they want. But according to the local and veteran artist, the problem is finding the right artist to give it to you.

"There are many people becoming a tattoo artist that have no reason to be one," he said. "It's easier to become a tattooist then it is to find a tattoo artist. It's hard to find a good artist out there, and that's the secret to a good tattoo."

Having been in the profession for 24 years, he ought to know a thing or two about giving good tattoos. Dixon began his career in Japan while serving in the military.

"I started tattooing for local artists, and I loved it. But I started tattooing when it wasn't cool."

Little did he know that before long, it would become such a huge part of American culture. In fact, according to a 2006 study done by the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, 24 percent of Americans between 18 and 50 are tattooed. And the survey showed that about 36 percent of Americans age 18 to 29 have at least one tattoo.

Taking his craft with him, Dixon would live in Texas before finding a home in Colorado. And in September 1995, his shop, The Tattoo Shop, 2167 S. Chambers Road, opened, giving him the access and exposure he needed to build a name for himself in Aurora.

It wouldn't be long after that his name became very popular amongst local professional athletes. It started with Denver Broncos and Nuggets like Eric Bieniemy and Antonio McDyess.

"A lot of those guys live(d) around here, and they'd ask, 'who's doing what?'" he said. He also said back in the mid-1990s, there were only a couple of shops in Aurora, and his positive reputation led to those athletes coming to him.

Other pro stars, such as Deltha O'Neal, Dwayne Carswell, and Bill Romanowski were all graced with Dixon's tattoos, something he holds close to his heart.

"Your reputation precedes you. More people think about where they're getting a haircut from then where they're getting a tattoo, and a tattoo lasts a lot longer than a haircut."

His reputation was so good that many years ago, he tattooed a blind man. The man had his ex-wife's name on him and wanted to get his daughter's name tattooed over it.

"I did it. But he would never see it," he said. Besides the blind customer, Dixon also did a nun and an 80-year-old man.

"At this stage of my career, I don't ask questions anymore. I just do it," he said.

Aurora resident Mindy Reed got her first tattoo the day she turned 18. Now 23, she has 15, all done by Dixon.

"I've known Dwayne since I was 8, and he tattooed my ex-stepmom. Basically, I come here because I like the quality of work he does," she said.

Dixon's reputation also drew employee D'Jené Touré to his shop. With three years under her belt at The Tattoo Shop, there's no sense of slowing down for her.

"It's been crazy (in a good way). You gotta kind of take the good with the bad," she said. "It's one of the more established shops. But it's more laid back, which is nice. I love working here."

"I'm only as good as my next tattoo," he said. So, in the end, Dixon has built more than just a name for himself, and now he's establishing his legacy.