Keely, Author at Things&Ink

May 25, 2016May 31, 2016

Surface pattern designer, Matt Manson

Matt Manson is a Bristol-based artist and surface pattern designer who draws influence from the world of decorative art. His work integrates techniques and inspiration from his passion for geometric patterns and classic Mughal architecture.

Moving to New York in the summer of 2010, Matt spent time working for Brooklyn’s Flavor Paper before moving to Amsterdam in 2013 to work as an in-house surface pattern designer at Marcel Wanders and Moooi.

At the start of 2014 Matt returned to England to set up a studio in his hometown of Bristol. Having spent the last few years obsessively creating geometric patterns he decided to channel these designs into a collection of bespoke products. His work has been featured in publications such as Vogue Living and have has been given glowing reviews in blogs such as People of Print and Kim Gray. So we thought we should get the lowdown on where Matt draws his inspiration from and what his plans are for the future…

If you could tell us a little bit about what you do and how you began working as an artist?
I work as a surface pattern designer; I make patterns and graphic illustrations to be used across a whole range of objects such as ceramics, textiles and everything in-between. It’s a constantly evolving journey that manifests itself in many ways. Recently my main focus has been developing a collection of polar graph and isometric sketchbooks allowing the user to easily create mandalas and other geometric patterns.

Polar-graph and isometric sketchbooks created by Matt

Shiva moon bed throw and assorted pillows

My career really started at 21 when I moved to Brooklyn NY… I was obsessed with patterns for as long as I can remember and the artwork of Dan Funderburgh had really made a big impression on me. As a result, I contacted Flavor Paper who produce his wallpapers and was lucky enough to be able to move over and get schooled in the craft of hand printing wallpapers. It was an amazing opportunity to be involved in with such a high-end company and has really made a lasting impression on what is possible. After New York I lived and worked around South London for a while and I then went to Amsterdam where I worked in interior design before moving back to my hometown of Bristol.

How did the idea of geometric sketchbooks come about?
Over the last few years more and more people have been asking how I have been creating my patterns. As a result I wanted to create a collection of sketchbooks using the grid systems I use on a daily basis. These grid systems allow the artist to easily create symmetrical imagery such as mandalas.

I have tried to create a product which could be used by everyone from beginners to experts, allowing the illustrator the freedom to develop their work.

Where do you draw influence from for your artwork?
Its a real mix of personal experiences… It’s odd but I feel the free party techno scene has had some part to play in influencing my artwork. I’m from Bristol in England, it’s a city with a very active underground party scene. I used to go to free parties in old warehouses and was always inspired by the harsh black and white op art banners that are normally on display. Artists such as The Porg and also the Spiral Tribe and new age travellers scene was a big draw for me in my early days.

In my late teens I went over to India on my own and spent time travelling around and visiting sights such as the steps at Chand Baori and Meenakshi Amman temple. Visiting these locations really gave me a lasting impression on just how beautiful and powerful pattern and geometry can be.

Does tattoo related art play an important role in your own artwork?
I guess my influences are coming from the same place as many tattoo artists. Mughal architectural, sacred geometry, chemical visions and forgotten angles.

Buddha Anatomy plates designed by Matt

Do you yourself have any tattoos? If so whose work do you have? And any future plans for more tattoos?
Yes I have some bits… when living in Amsterdam I made friends with Martin Robinson (RIP) who introduced me to Fabio Maravalhas who has done most of my work. Since returning to the UK I have been getting tattooed by Fil at Broad Street Studios in Bath.

You can purchase Matt’s work and a variety of homeware products online and he can be contacted via his website, Facebook and Instagram.

May 18, 2016May 18, 2016

5 must-see minimal artists

Five must-see minimal tattoo artists to keep an eye on compiled by our guest writer, Katie Houghton

Tati Compton

(Photo Credit: www.instagram.com/taticompton)

Interviewed by Vice, showered with likes on Instagram and even acknowledged by the dastardly Daily Mail, Tati Compton is a notable name on the London stick-n-poke scene. Hailing from San Francisco and renowned for her delicate, yet symbolically free-hand work, Tati (Tatiana Kartomten) has more than impressed the capital with her blend of ethereal, dotted and intricate designs. The waiting list for her work is all sorts of long, but owing to a friend that has been lucky enough to snag a Compton piece, it’s worth the wait.

Tealeigh

(Photo Credit:www.instagram.com/tealeigh)

Another must-try minimal name, if you’re hopping a flight to Brooklyn any time soon, is Texas born Tealeigh. Offering up designs that flirt with sass and foliage combined, Tealeigh’s artistic structure is both petite and empowering, you need only look at her Instagram of bottomless quotes and floral notes to prove it. From fine greenery and tidy bugs to humble skulls, her lines are neat and her message like a shot of whisky with a tequila chaser and then a beer, to the heart. With a tote that raves of ‘cash poor, pussy rich’… I’m buyin’.

Maddy Young

(Photo Credit: maddyyoung.com)

Melbourne is the next stop for minimal. While Maddy Young herself is not actually a fully fledged tattoo artist, so much of her art has been featured on willing flesh that it would be a shame not to mention her on this list. With a dark stance, somewhat devilish echo and floral edge, Maddy Young fills the gap for those that want to keep their tattoos neat and petite, but don’t want to compromise on added sting. From cobwebs and moths to bold monochrome lines and dotted edges, Young’s work is inky and enticing.

Daisy Does Tattoos

(Photo Credit: http://jackpotdw.tumblr.com)

From botany and chickens, to John Waters and bottles of beer, it doesn’t seem like Berlin based Daisy Does Tattoos has much of a necessitated ‘theme’ to her minimal artistry, other than gnarly and much-wanted doses of black and white for Germany of course. Cartoon-esque, slightly rough around the edges but still able to knock out precise-to-nature greenery should the occasion so rise, Daisy promises throaty and cult-culture tattoos with a tidy, soft and gossamer edge.

Kaiyu Huang

(Photo Credit: thevandalist.com)

Born of Shanghai but now making his name more prominent that ever in urban New York, Kaiyu Huang is a tattoo artist that makes easy work of passionate details and simple yet pow-packing colours. Teasing symbolic black and white pieces with bi-colours and regular doses of red, Huang’s work is pretty damn noticeable where you to see it. While a lot of his main tattoo work consists of bulkier pieces, it’s his minimal work that’s making him stick out like a loveable thumb.

May 10, 2016May 12, 2016

A chat with David Corden at the 2016 Venice Tattoo Gathering

Guest writer Sarah Armstrong takes us through an inspiring weekend at the Venetian Tattoo Gathering that took place on Friday 29th April – Sunday 1st May 2016.

The Venetian Tattoo Gathering saw a private gathering of artists meet under the frescoed ceilings of the Palazzo Ca’Zenobio – a gilded 1690s Venetian Palace hidden away in the labyrinth of Venice’s canals. The Venetian Tattoo Gathering focused on learning, drawing, painting and tattooing, emphasising education for all artists within the tattoo industry and, unlike usual conventions, was not open to the general public.

Paul Booth, Jeff Gogue, Nick Baxter and Steve Butcher were among many of the artists present, and I spoke to realism artist and owner of Edinburgh’s Semper studio, David Corden, on why the educational structure of this gathering was so important to him and other artists.

Jeff Gogue working on Juliet Preston’s sleeve

David Corden stood with Sam Ford and the back piece she worked on this weekend.

David believed that the gathering was able to work like this because everyone involved was taking part because it’s their passion. Unlike a ‘normal’ job, it’s not like a business sending its employees to learn the latest things and sit through seminars they don’t want to be in. David and the other artists put themselves here deliberately because they want to learn more about their craft.

The painting hall was filled with fine artists

Hand poke artist Colin Dale embraced by client

Realism artist Sam Ford tattoos a neck

David, along with many other artists, gave seminars as well tattooing over the weekend. BJ Betts held lettering workshops and there were live collaborations from the likes of Fantasy Artists Boris Vallejo, Julie Bell, Paul Booth and Stefano Alcantara. Panelled critiques of submitted work were also held in front of an audience.

Live collaboration from Boris Vallejo, Julie Bell, Paul Booth and Stefano Alcantara

David Corden panels with other artists on the submitted critique

“We pay our own money to sit through a seminar from people we admire,” David told me, “and sometimes it’s just for a bit of affirmation that we are on the right track or that we are using products that are correct or techniques we have got – it may simply be that we need more experience or practice doing things.”

One of the many panelled discussions tackling the biggest questions in tattooing today

David explained that an artist’s ego can be an incredibly fragile thing… so if they are good on paper it frustrates them that they are not as good on skin or as quick as they would like to be. To hear from someone else that it does take a while and they are on the right track can be very valuable.

“Posing in the same place Madonna filmed Like a Virgin, because… I’m Madonna”

The Venetian Tattoo Gathering was the perfect location for this kind of inspirational event, (if it was good enough for Madonna’s Like a Virgin video) and as David mentioned, the outcome of this kind of event was supposed to help you do better work as an artist and return back in to the studio revitalised and refreshed.

The humble nature of all the artists present and willingness to learn from each other this weekend was overwhelming. David noted that by the end of the weekend “if you are lucky, you have managed to talk to some of your heroes – and thats the thing, everyone who comes here is star struck over somebody, even the most famous people have heroes here – it was just absolutely incredible and that’s the pull of things like this, they got involved because of the way it is run and the reason it takes place. ”

Writer Sarah can be contacted via her email at: sarah.gillian.armstrong@gmail.com

May 9, 2016May 12, 2016

An interview with PMU technician, Rachel Pitman

Here is the second part of T&I resident make-up artist Keely’s write-up on permanent make-up technician Rachel Pitman. Rachel answers some of the most common questions associated with PMU. (read part one here)

What is permanent makeup?
It derives from tattooing, but the rotary machine I use is extremely lightweight and the application is quite different…it works very slowly and very gently, and I apply a topical anesthetic to alleviate any pain.

What’s the difference between PMU and traditional tattooing?
The pigments I use are produced specifically to mimic make-up and I don’t deposit the ink quite as deep into the dermis, which helps it to gradually fade over time. I’m doing a tattoo apprenticeship and I’m discovering that so many of the techniques and processes are completely different! The face is much more delicate and this really dictates the process. You have a lot more leeway with tattoos to get creative.

How long have you been working with PMU?
I trained with Nouveau Contour almost eight years ago and before that I studied Fine Art for five years, so it was a very different direction for me. But I really wanted to do something that utilised my creativity and my perfectionist tendencies!

What made you want to get into the industry?
I’ve always been obsessed with eyebrows – I had mine tattooed with permanent make-up back when I was at uni. But the technician made a real mess of it, I figured I could do a much better job myself.

What is the thing that people request most regarding permanent make-up?
Eyebrows! I remedy over plucked, lost, or weak brows on men and women. I often treat people with decent hair growth who want to perfect what they’ve got. But emulating hair strokes on clients who’ve lost their brows from chemotherapy or alopecia is really rewarding. It makes such a difference to their confidence to regain something they’ve lost like that.

What have you had done yourself?
Apart from my brows, I’ve got a beauty spot and I’ve tattooed the contour of my upper lip line – just along the cupid’s bow. It gives my lips extra volume and definition. Discreet and well planned permanent make-up is extremely effective!

How do you see the industry evolving?
I think it will evolve as the demand does. Brows are at the forefront right now, so a lot of focus has shifted to creating authentic hair-strokes. Maybe in a few years eyeliner will take precedence and everyone will be obsessed with creating super elegant, feline eyes.

Is there trends with permanent make-up like there are with the make-up industry?
I’m mindful not to overstep the boundaries… for example I’ll create a really thick brow if 1. It genuinely suits my customer and 2. They have a lot of existing hair to ensure it looks natural. But generally, discretion is the aim, and most beauty trends aren’t in keeping with that… so it’s not too much of an issue.

Do you find that you are fixing a lot of botched jobs?
Yes! I correct a lot of work from “cowboy” technicians. These techs are charging low prices cbeause they’re poorly trained, using cheap equipment, and quite possibly unlicensed. Like tattooing, the industry is unregulated, and people need to thoroughly research their practitioner.

Rachel can be contacted via her website: rachel-pitman.com or via Facebook and her Instagram @permanent_makeup_london. Her tattoo apprentice page is @p_i_t_m_a_n

April 29, 2016June 7, 2016

Rachel Pitman permanent make-up

Our Managing Editor and resident make-up artist, Keely, recently got her eyebrows tattooed by the superbly talented Rachel Pitman. She kept a diary of the overall experience of having what technically is a face tattoo and how they healed over a few weeks.

As a make-up artist I have always been interested in permanent make-up and the attraction it has for many people. My mother got her eyebrows tattooed over 12 years ago when it first gained attention in the UK – I always used to think it was quite badass that my mum had got her face tattooed. But as I got older I became wary about tattooing your face with what will be a permanent feature. What if one day you didn’t want to have black eyeliner or drawn-on brows? But all of this changed once I saw the subtle and beautiful technique used by Rachel…

Luckily enough I have been gifted quite full brows, but I was always dyeing them and drawing them in when applying my own make-up, so I thought, why not take away all of that hassle and have permanent brows ‘on fleek?’ (God I hate that term…!) So off I went to meet with Rachel who is based in Soho, London, with slight trepidation and excitement. I had dragged Alice, our Editor, along to kindly take photos and possibly hold my hand… I had also been trying to convince Alice to do it with me but her fear of face tats got the better of her.

Rachel began by drawing on my desired shape and spent a long time perfecting this until I was 100% happy with the shape and thickness. We then discussed how dark I wanted them to be and agreed on a dark brown with a hint of a lighter brown to take away the edge. I was then treated to a nice surprise of an anaesthetic cream which takes approximately 30 minutes to come into effect. I was not expecting this so definitely helped to calm my nerves! The tattooing then began and I was told by Rachel not to talk due to movements in my face and that the whole procedure would be finished within an hour.

The most uncomfortable part of the whole procedure was the ticklish sensation that Rachel’s gloves made while resting on my nose… the rest was a-ok! There were parts where I could feel the needle so Rachel just added a bit more of the anaesthetic cream and moved onto the other brow but all in all, it was pain-free. She uses the tiniest of hair strokes so that the overall result is very natural and looks like actual hair, rather than a block of colour.

After Rachel finished tattooing, she then paints the ink over the brows so that some of the ink can sink into the open wounds for about 10 minutes.

Rachel then gives me the lowdown on the healing process and is very strict on what I can and can’t do. She recommends keeping my face as dry as possible for the next 5-7 days, which means not wearing make-up over the brows or soaking them in water. She also recommends staying away from any exercise for the next 5-7 days as she believes that when you exercise our skin heats up and this could possibly push some of the ink out. The ink can also be pushed out more easily on people with oily skin, which is my skin type sadly, so I agree to do everything in my power to keep my brows dry, sweat and oil free! Rachel also gives me a balm to apply once a day sparingly with a cotton bud to help with any dryness and flakiness during the healing process.

Unlike traditional tattooing, I booked in to come back in 6 weeks time to have them tattooed again to make sure that the ink holds. This is complimentary with the overall treatment as the technique used for PMU is slightly different to that of traditional tattooing… you can read more about the difference in techniques in an interview with Rachel that we will be sharing in the next week or so. Watch this space!

Before and after the tattooing

I was worried about leaving the clinic with a very red, swollen looking face and having to wear my largest sunglasses for the next few days but surprisingly there was no redness whatsoever and you would never have known I’d just been under the needle on my face for one hour! The next few days of healing were stress free and I stayed away from exercise as promised and only cleansed my face with Bioderma micellar water (which is my absolute beauty must-have, btw) and avoided putting any make-up directly on my brows.

Day two after having my brows tattooed

Day 4 and 5 saw a bit of flakiness but nothing in comparison to the healing of a traditional tattoo and after using the balm this quickly got rid of any dryness. My brows were completely healed after about 10 days and this is when I felt that I could put makeup directly over them… which wasn’t at all necessary as they looked totally made up without having to draw them in… I’m just an obsessive when it comes to a strong brow! Even though I work as a make-up artist, I do spend a great amount of time without any makeup on my face so having my brows look perfectly symmetrical and defined is my dream come true.

Six weeks later and I am back in the clinic with Rachel ready to go under the needle again. Rachel is very pleased with how they have healed and how disciplined I had been with not exercising and looking after them properly (I’m not always the most obedient when it comes to being told what to do.) We discuss whether I want to change anything about them and I decide to go a bit thicker, darker and extend them slightly at the ends. Rachel says this is quite common when people come back for their second round of tattooing, as the first time most people are a bit nervous and don’t want to go too heavy in case of not liking it.

So after having my brows drawn in and the anaesthetic cream applied we begin. The second time around hurt sightly more than the first and Rachel said this may be due to the fact that my skin was still healing hence feeling a bit tender, but the pain was nothing in comparison to a traditional tattoo. After about 40 minutes of tattooing we are finished and I am again over the moon with the result! I am really happy I decided to go a bit thicker and darker as I felt like I was ready for my brows to be a bolder.

The healing process was very much the same as the first time around and I avoided exercise and washing my face with water for the next 7 days which I do think is a must for successful healing.

My healed brows after two rounds of tattooing and 10 days of healing

Overall I could not be happier with the results and I love looking as if my face is ‘done’ without having to wear a speck of makeup. I had a recent spell in hospital which is never an enjoyable experience and I swear my saving grace for not looking like a zombie was the fact that my brows always looked amazing and framed my face. Rachel does say that I will probably want a top up after about five years due to the fact that the technique is different to traditional tattooing and can fade slightly. But without a shadow of a doubt I will be having them topped up if needs be because I could not imagine my face without my spectacular tattooed brows.

Read an interview with Rachel where she explains a bit more about what permanent make-up actually is and the difference in traditional tattooing compared to PMU.

Rachel can be contacted via her website: rachel-pitman.com or via Facebook and her Instagram @permanent_makeup_london and her tattoo apprentice page is also @p_i_t_m_a_n