I started out as the one and only Things&Ink intern, fast forward a fair few amazing years and I now run the blog and our social media accounts. You'll more than likely find me scrolling through Instagram (@cupofrosalie) looking for new tattoo artists to share, surrounded by my cats and a cinnamon bun or two.
27-year-old tattoo artist Sion works at Vism studio in L.A. We chatted to the artist about herinfluences, beautiful knot tattoos and desire to follow the natural curve of the body with her tattoos…
How long have you been tattooing and how did you get started in the industry? I was based in Seoul when I first started tattooing, now I’m in LA. It’s been around 10 years. Growing up, I was exposed to tattoo culture through the influence of my tattooist mother. I believe this naturally inspiredd me to start my career as a tattoo artist. Before this, I was a student.
What inspired you to become an artist? Do you have a background in art? Although I didn’t have any art related career or background in art before I got into tattooing, I gained interest in the world of tattoo thanks to my mother. Ever since then, I’ve worked hard to become a tattooist with a unique style.
How would you describe your style? What drew you to colour tattoos? My tattoos hold the story of our daily lives, fond memories, and relationship between individuals. These are all expressed through my work in the style of Korean traditional elements – main being the ‘norigae’. I believe creating the most natural flow that suits each individual’s body and its curves is important.
Each colour holds a different symbolic meaning in Asian culture and as I put a lot of emphasis into the significance, colour tattoos became my signature style as well.
You tattoo a lot of knot tattoos, can you tell us about these? The main elements that I use in my design are traditional knots and strings. Korean traditional knot symbolizes Korea’s native spirit of relationship between individuals (Yinyeon, 인연).
I think knots that are intertwined with flowing strings resemble our lives and their unique stories. I want to express each and every story my clients bring to me by intertwining their special memories and elements that they are fond of with the knots.
What inspires your designs? Does your heritage influence your art? Of course! I grew up very close to Korean culture and its stories, architecture and clothing (Hanbok). I believe this has influenced my style a lot.
Can you tell us about the process behind your tattoos Although it’s important for the tattoo to be made with my own artistic insights (designs, composition and elements etc), it’s equally important for my clients to be fully satisfied with the end result.
To achieve this, I make sure to deep dive into my client’s needs through thorough discussion and also make revisions on the day of the appointment after adjusting the size and the flow of the design on the client’s body.
Precision and hygiene is also key in terms of the actual tattooing, which I believe all tattoo artists also put extra effort into.
What do you like to tattoo and what would you like to do more of? I like tattoos that naturally flow with the placement while maintaining the significance of each element. For this reason, I am working hard on creating designs that are more tailored to the structure of the body and I will continue to do this in the future.
How do you see your tattoos evolving in the future? I want to continue to listen to all my client’s stories and express them in my designs, learn from each other’s experiences, and gain understanding of various cultures.
Where’s your favourite place to travel and tattoo? I personally love traveling to places where there are strong and unique natural and architectural characteristics. One of my goals is to travel to various places around the world as much as possible.
Do you have any travels or guest spots planned? Traveling to various places is a joy of my life! As I’ve recently moved to LA, I don’t have plans for the guest work at the moment but it would be great if I can get the opportunity in the near future.
What was your first tattoo? Do you still like it? How has your tattoo collection developed since then? My first tattoo is from my mother and it’s a word tattoo that includes a phrase of my favourite poem. It’s not in a place where it’s visible but it’s good to be reminded of the poem that I like from time to time! After this tattoo, I have been getting tattoos that encompass the memories I wanted to capture at a certain time, or from artists that I like.
What do you do when you’re not tattooing/drawing? Since I was a child, I have been fascinated by traditional culture. So I watch a lot of historical dramas and movies. I also deep dive into and study the field that I get hooked on. Besides this, I also like playing games to chill my brain!
What moment in your career are you most proud of? Though each and every moment is special, I am most proud of myself when my loved ones, especially my parents who show endless support, are also proud of me and the work I’ve done.
Devils Detail Tattoo, an eco-friendly tattoo studio has been open since July 2022. Located at 228 Hornsey Road, N7 7LL, the studio on the diverse and busy street is just a short walk from Finsbury park or Holloway road station tube station.
Tattoo by Karen
The inspiration
Karen always had dreams of opening her own private tattoo studio since she began her career seven years ago. Karen’s partner Shane previously worked in the live event industry where he was unfortunately made redundant due to Covid.
Shane, having spent a lot of time getting tattooed always loved the idea of being involved in the tattoo scene, so he took the opportunity to pursue his dreams of working in a tattoo studio. Together, they decided to turn a negative into a positive and decided to open their own family run tattoo studio which would reflect them as people and have the art of tattooing at its heart.
Tattoo by Mia
The studio
Karen and Shane wanted to create a space that was clean, bright, inspiring and welcoming. The studio has a lot of natural light and the walls are decorated with art work from their resident and guest artists.
People can expect a warm friendly welcome when they arrive, plus a professional and caring experience during your visit. The team also offers complementary hot and cold beverages, and vegan treats for clients to enjoy during their tattoo.
Tattoo by Liam
The ethos
Clean, bright, welcoming and eco-friendly. Devils Detail Tattoo aims to deliver a personal, enjoyable and professional experience. The artists work with and carefully listen to their clients to provide them with a unique, custom tattoo that reflects their personality.
We believe that you should be able to achieve a perfect tattoo no matter your demographic.
All the disposables we use are plastic free, this was an easy but important part of our ethos. We want people to know that they are always welcome to come in to our space, whether it’s an enquiry or simply for some advice. We are always happy to help!
Tattoo by Karen
Eco-friendly
We have a keen interest in doing our part to help the planet and reduce plastic waste. We think there should be more of a focus on eco-friendly products in the tattoo industry, choosing to help the planet over cheaper plastic products.
Safe space
We want to let people know that no matter your race, gender, sexuality, disability or inexperience of being tattooed, we are a very welcoming and non-judgemental studio.
We want all of our clients to feel happy and comfortable in our studio and have the best tattoo experience possible.
Owner and resident artist, Karen specialises in a style she likes to call Geo-trad, a mixture of colour traditional and geometric style tattoos. Karen loves large scale pieces which push her artistic skills to the max, carefully customising a personal tattoo or putting her artistic spin on a design you may have in mind.
Junior artist Mia joined our team when the studio opened in July 2022, Mia previously worked with Karen in central London where she was surrounded by incredibly talented artists which has helped shape her into the super star she is! Mia is a perfectionist in clean lines and awesome shading, specialising in black and grey tattoos including nature based/gothic/witchy style tattoos.
As a fan of music, film and pop culture iconography, Liam enjoys tattooing any and all things that fall under this umbrella in his minimalist, black linework style. Besides this, he is always up for collaborating on bold, bright colour work or designing with geometric elements such as mandalas, sacred geometry and ancient Eastern patterns.
Tattoos by Liam
Make sure to follow Devils Detail Tattoo and artistsfor more shop news and amazing tattoos.
Korean tattooist Sodam has 17 years of experience and operates a private studio in Seoul and Anyang. We chatted to the artist about his journey into the industry, creating tattoos that fit his personality and inspirations…
How long have you been a tattoo artist, and how did you start in the industry? With 17 years of experience in the field and reflecting on my journey, I realise I have dedicated half of my life to this profession. Prior to delving into tattooing, I served as an instructor at an art preparatory school where I guided students in the intricacies of pencil sketching. It was during this time that I developed an interest in creating sculptures of Greek and Roman mythology, which has since evolved into a passion for designing realistic statue tattoos.
Balancing my studies and work proved challenging, prompting me to seek an activity that I could pursue solely on weekends. This lead me to explore the world of tattooing. However, at the time, the Korean tattoo market was nascent and lacked educational institutions and supply shops. Undeterred, I serendipitously acquired equipment and embarked on a path of self-study.
Like many of my peers who started around the same time, I gained knowledge and skills by scouring internet communities, and we progressed together. Over time, we persevered and our passion for tattooing has endured to this day.
What inspired you to become an artist? Do you have a background in art? Since my childhood, I have been enamored with drawing, which was initially sparked by my passion for Japanese comics. I recall spending all of my pocket money from my parents on comic books, attesting to the intensity of my love for them.
During high school, I attended a comic academy and discovered the possibility of studying fine arts as a profession. I then pursued a major in visual design at university, initially intending to specialise in 3D animation or motion graphic design. It was not until my third year of college that my interest in tattooing burgeoned, prompting me to take it up as a minor. I became increasingly engrossed in drawing, ultimately leading me to embrace a career as a professional tattoo artist 17 years ago. Moving forward, my aspiration is to continue pursuing this fascinating profession.
How would you describe your style? What lead you to making colour tattoos? In general, I have a lyrical painting style. I like illustrations of pets, flowers, and butterflies that are cute but not intense. In the past, I used to create works with intense graphics such as black and grey, traditional, neo-traditional, and Irezumi styles.
However, the newer styles of tattoos that I hadn’t seen before began to stand out to me as social media developed. These tattoos felt fresh and new to me, so I started to try them out and I realised that they fit well with my personality. I express tattoos not only in black but also in colour. The feeling is very different between black and colour.
Black gives a calm and subtle feeling, while colour gives a flashy and dynamic feeling to the designs. I make tattoos following the direction that the customer wants, so there is no big reason or motivation behind making these tattoos. It just happened naturally.
What inspires your designs? Does your heritage have an impact on your art? My creative inspiration draws from an eclectic range of sources, such as natural elements, man-made objects, photographs, paintings, and other items that could be beautifully translated onto the skin. Whenever I encounter a striking image online or during my travels, I instinctively save it, contemplating its potential as a tattoo design. By gathering a diverse array of visuals, I am able to generate fresh and varied tattoos, transcending any particular style.
Consequently, I have no singular style that can neatly define my portfolio.
Rather, it is a compendium of diverse images, reflecting my passion for designing personalised tattoos. Engaging in meaningful dialogue with my clients is critical in transforming their vision into a beautiful and unique tattoo.
When fellow artists ask me about my style, I simply respond that my style is what looks stunning on the body.
Can you tell me about your tattooing process? When my clients approach me for a consultation, they usually present their preferred tattoo design, often drawing it themselves and offering a detailed explanation. I engage in an extensive conversation with my clients to fully comprehend their vision and make the design as stunning as possible. This exchange often sparks new ideas, providing me with inspiration to create a distinctive design. Following our conversation, I commence working on the design.
To ensure optimal results, I prefer to separate the design process from the tattoo work. Combining both in a single day can be demanding and compromising my concentration. Thus, I focus on designing the tattoo first, allowing the client to review and provide feedback, and then schedule a different day to commence the tattoo work. This approach offers comfort and convenience for both me and my clients.
What kind of tattoos do you like and what would you like to do more of? While it’s difficult to choose just one, my current favourite tattoo style is frame tattoos. This distinctive style involves creating unique designs within shapes such as squares or circular hearts, resulting in striking and dynamic images. During my recent European tour, I noticed that it was the most popular style amongst my clients. Inspired by this, I have been actively developing this style further.
In addition, I particularly enjoy designing tattoos featuring dogs and cats. As a pet owner myself, the process of drawing animals brings me a sense of tranquility and fulfillment. I’m delighted that many of my clients also request this style of tattoo.
Moving forward, I hope to explore and experiment with landscape frame tattoos. I believe that the exquisite beauty of landscapes and illustrations can be conveyed through tattoos, particularly with the use of vibrant and captivating colours.
What do you think will be the future of your tattooing? In the future, I aspire to participate in numerous conventions and guest spots, both in Korea and internationally, to meet with admirers of my work. Through these events, I aim to establish connections with fellow artists and clients, while further refining and advancing my tattooing skills. By persevering with my hard work and dedication, I am confident that I will create more sophisticated and exceptional tattoos.
With every opportunity that comes my way, I will continue to push the boundaries of my creativity, producing tattoos that resonate with my clients and myself.
What’s your favourite place to travel and to make tattoos? During my travels, I have been fortunate to have visited a range of destinations, including Paris, Lyon, Montpellier, Geneva, Lausanne, Zurich, Karlsruhe, Liege, London, and Melbourne. Each location has left me with fond memories, from the diverse landscapes and friendly artists at guest spots to the amiable customers encountered.
Of all the places visited, Zurich stands out as a particularly impressive location. The guest spot in Zurich was exceptionally well-maintained, surpassing that of all other locations. The captivating view of the lake and the snow-capped mountains of the Alps, visible from a distance, never failed to bring a sense of joy. However, given the high cost of living in Zurich, it is my opinion that visiting for a short period would be preferable to residing there permanently.
Do you have any future travel plans? Since the COVID-19 pandemic subsided, I have been fortunate enough to travel to various locations, where my tattoos have been well-received and I have had the pleasure of meeting new acquaintances. This has opened up new opportunities for me, resulting in an increasing number of shops inviting me to work with them.
While I plan to stay in Korea for some time, I have not seen my family in a while and miss them dearly. If given the chance, I would love to travel with them and showcase my tattooing skills. I hope to provide my children with a broader perspective on the world and demonstrate the excitement and coolness of my profession in the process. In addition to expanding my network, these trips have been valuable experiences, allowing me to connect with people who appreciate my craft and spend time with like-minded colleagues in different settings.
What was your first tattoo? Do you still like it? How has your tattoo collection developed since then? My initial experience with tattoos involved a black and gray angel design, which I personally created and my friend turned into a tattoo during their apprenticeship. It was a generous gesture on their part, as they did not charge me for their services. We carried out the procedure at my home and this occurred 18 years ago, making the tattoo considerably aged. Nonetheless, I have chosen not to conceal it as it was a cherished gift from my friend.
Subsequently, I obtained an old school snake tattoo on one leg, with a sword and skull flower incorporated into the design. On my other leg, an owl tattoo was inked. Although my desire is not for old school tattoos, I intend to accumulate more of this particular style, aiming for a comprehensive coverage of my body with such designs.
What’s the tattoo scene like where you are? The tattoo industry in Korea is undeniably competitive, with a vast number of talented artists showcasing their work. This stiff competition has led to the emergence of numerous exceptional tattooists, and despite the relatively brief history of tattoos in Korea, the status of Korean tattoo artists continues to ascend.
When I first began my career, there were no formal institutions dedicated to tattoo education. However, nowadays, many shops are offering training programmes, making it much easier for new and aspiring tattoo artists to find and develop their skills. I am constantly inspired by these emerging talents, and I continue to work diligently to refine my craft.
What do you do when you’re not drawing tattoos/graphics? During my free time, I enjoy spending quality moments with my family and pursuing my personal hobbies. I particularly relish engaging in active pursuits, but I also savour the occasional relaxation of watching dramas or movies, playing games, and even practicing my DJing skills.
Though I’m a novice DJ, I still feel a bit bashful performing in front of others. Nonetheless, I occasionally yearn for the thrill of being on stage, and I plan to take on this challenge once I feel more confident in my DJing abilities. When it comes to music, I have a wide range of preferences beyond the tattoo style that I specialise in, including hard techno, hard core, hip hop, and other fast and intense genres like trap.
What has been your proudest moment in your career so far? Winning first runner-up in the blackwork category at the second Sabah International Tattoo Convention was a defining moment for me. It was a tremendous honour to be recognised for my work. Winning an award validated the effort and dedication I’ve put into my craft, and it served as a turning point in my career.
Shortly after, I began receiving numerous invitations to guest work at various tattoo shops overseas, something that was more challenging for me in the past. In the past, I used to send emails to various shops, hoping to secure guest work, but I often didn’t receive a response. But now, with more recognition and exposure, I have several shops eager to have me work with them, with some even offering assistance in sorting out visa issues. It’s rewarding to see that my unique tattoo style is not only appreciated in Korea but also overseas, and I’m excited about the prospects of traveling to new places to showcase my work. I’m always ready to explore new destinations that appreciate my style and artistry.
Follow @tattooist_sodam for more incredible tattoos and travel updates.
Tattooist Neil Chetcuti works out of Skinlabel Tattoo Studio, in Malta. We chatted to the artist to find out more about his tattooing style, his love for the craft and the tattoo scene in Malta…
How long have you been tattooing and how did you get started in the industry? I’ve been a tattoo artist for six years now. My passion for art and sports started at a young age and I was mostly committed to football prior to my tattooing career. Back then I used to sketch something every day, however after suffering a knee injury that ended my football career, I had more time to focus on my art. I was posting more of my artwork online and received a lot of positive feedback, leading me to pursue a career in tattooing. I started my training in 2016 and became a professional tattoo artist in early 2017.
What inspired you to become an artist? Do you have a background in art? My passion for art stems from my family’s history of artistic talent. Growing up surrounded by my great grandfather’s paintings, I was always drawn to art and began drawing from a young age.
My interest in tattooing was sparked by watching programmes such as Miami Ink, and my appreciation for the craft grew over time.
During my rehabilitation for my knee injury, I received my first tattoo from one of the most sought after artists, Denis Sivak, who served as an inspiration for me to pursue a career in tattooing.
What drew you to black and grey realism? Have you always tattooed like this? I have always been drawn to black and grey realism because of my love for graphite and fine paper, which I used for creating most of my drawings. The contrast between black and grey creates a soothing effect which I find appealing. During my first year of tattooing, I experimented with different styles to broaden my knowledge and build my client base. Although I am interested in colour realism, I have noticed that people in my region (a warm, sunny island) tend to have tanned skin which is not ideal for colour tattoos.
What inspires your designs? I dedicate a lot of time to creating designs for my tattoos because I believe that the design plays a significant role in the overall quality of a tattoo. I am always seeking inspiration from various sources, whether it be other forms of art such as paintings and movies, or from other artists who have been an influence on my work. Each new project presents a unique opportunity to create something special while still staying true to my style.
What do you like to tattoo and what would you like to do more of? I am currently fond of tattooing skull references but my preferences tend to change over time. I do not have a particular liking for furry references, but it may depend on the photo and the direction the project is taking.
I appreciate clients who are open to new ideas and give me the freedom to unleash my imagination and create unique, one-of-a-kind projects with original concepts, which I thoroughly enjoy doing.
How do you see your tattoos evolving in the future? In 2019, I introduced a new aspect to my tattoos by incorporating wording, calligraphy, and especially graffiti elements. This addition has been a game changer for me as it adds balance to the contrasts in my references and enhances the flow of my work. I am currently feeling confident in my projects and my style, but the future of my art is always unpredictable. I am constantly searching for ways to push the boundaries and create unique pieces.
Where’s been your favourite place to travel and tattoo? I’ve had the privilege of traveling to some amazing places for my work as a tattoo artist. While every place has its own unique atmosphere and charm, my favourite destination so far has been the Milano tattoo convention. It was a truly unforgettable experience to be part of such a large-scale event, surrounded by some of the best artists in the world. The convention offered a wealth of opportunities to learn and grow as an artist, and I will always be grateful for such experiences.
What was your first tattoo? Do you still like it? How has your tattoo collection developed since then? My first tattoo was a statue of the archangel St. Michael, which I got in 2014. Although I don’t regret it because of its sentimental value, I have since filled up my left arm sleeve with various tattoos and come up with better ideas for the theme. My right leg sleeve, which was done by my mentor Matthew @Skinlabel, is a tribute to art and features portraits of famous artists such as Picasso, Dali, Frida Kahlo, and Caravaggio, along with recreations of their works.
Do you have any travels or guest spots planned? I’m always open to the idea of traveling for work and doing guest spots, it’s a great way to network and learn from other artists. My schedule is quite busy, but I try to fit in as many guest spots and travels as I can. Currently, I have plans to attend the Brighton tattoo convention in a few weeks. I also receive numerous guest spot requests, which are difficult to accommodate due to my busy schedule, but I do plan to visit some studios that I have been to before and maybe even explore some new ones this year.
What’s the tattoo scene like where you are? The tattoo scene in Malta is growing and gaining more acceptance in society. Despite the increase in popularity, there is still some hesitation from certain parts of society and in workplace policies. However, this is changing, as demonstrated by the police force’s acceptance of tattoos. The tattoo industry in Malta is competitive due to the relatively small size of the island, but this is a common occurrence in any industry. The increasing popularity of tattoos has also led to a rise in the diversity of styles and designs being seen.
What do you do when you’re not tattooing/drawing? When I’m not focused on my tattooing or designing, I like to prioritise my well-being by incorporating physical activity into my routine, such as taking walks with my dog or hitting the gym. I also enjoy exploring new food and restaurants with my girlfriend and friends, as well as taking trips to experience new cultures. I often take on new hobbies and am currently reading a book in my free time. Overall, I strive to find a balance between my work and personal life, and make the most of my time outside of the studio.
What moment in your career are you most proud of? It’s been difficult to pinpoint one specific moment as my proudest in my career, but the recognition I receive for my work is what truly makes me proud. Whether it’s at conventions where my work is acknowledged or while guest spotting, when I receive compliments and appreciation from other talented artists in the industry, it’s a fantastic feeling.
It’s not just about winning awards or prizes but knowing that others value my work and see its worth is what drives me to continually improve with each new project.
Over the years, I’ve dedicated myself to perfecting my craft, and these moments of recognition are a testament to my hard work and dedication to the art.
Follow @neil.tattoo for more incredible realisim tattoos.
Shreya is a multidisciplinary artist and traveling tattooist based in a private studio in New Delhi, India. We chatted to the tattooer about her organic textured tattoos, how their purpose is to bring more joy and connecting tattoo communities during the pandemic…
What drew you to hand poking? Can you tell us about your journey into the tattoo world? I first discovered handpoked tattoos at a college house party, and loved how accessible the art form was! I appreciated this new perspective of the intimate experience of getting tattooed by a loved one as the main purpose of the tattoo rather than a perfect piece or some design with deep meaning attached to it. Soon after I taught myself handpoke tattooing by watching YouTube videos, doing an online BBP course and practicing on family and friends.
Since then I have been quite dedicated at spreading the love of handpoke tattoos around India, and helping people take their bodies less seriously by giving their friends n fam’ imperfect but really special tattoos.
Self Portrait (all handpoked tattoos on Shreya done herself
What’s the process behind your tattoos? For me giving tattoos is an extension of my art practice, I have been drawing since I was five or six years old and have kept multiple drawing books for life. So it only made sense for me to do flash tattoos in my style of drawing, which is inspired by my playful childlike-drawings with a heavy dose of colour.
I don’t really attach myself to any style of tattooing, I have been tattooing for almost six years now, and my style has developed maybe eight to nine times since then.
I am constantly experimenting and evolving into my craft and feel like I’m getting closer to my unique voice as a tattoo artist.
I am always drawing flash on paper and making final versions on my iPad (procreate ftw). Once a client picks a flash, firstly I get really really excited and then we start working on an interesting placement for the design. To me, placement is such an important part of the tattoo process and the stencil can take much longer than the actual tattoo! I am quite fast when handpoking and like to give my tattoos a raw feel, with enough creative liberty to make small adjustments to the stencil while tattooing. For me the stencil is a general marker, and not something I am trying to trace.
Handpoked tattoo in UV ink
What inspires your tattoos and the designs? I am quite a nostalgic person, and still very much obsessed with all the stuff a five year old would be. Flowy organic lines are quite important in my designs, you will almost never see a straight line or a sharp angle! I take a lot of my inspiration from spiritual books and quotes I read on the go, if I see something sweet in nature that warms my heart, cute home decor that I spot at a stranger’s house, or just something simple like fruits and candies and bugs.
The purpose of my tattoos and designs has always been to bring more joy!
Flash sheet inspired by newfound love for handpoke + machine hybrid tattoos
What do you love tattooing and what do you want to do more of? Currently I’m obsessed with American traditional style attoos, but with my own soft touch to it! I love the idea of bold black machine lines with soft textured handpoked colours. I hope to do more pieces like this in 2023 and play around with exciting motifs and symbolism in my work.
Can you tell us about your private studio, the set up, your process, the ethos behind it? For me it has always been really important to make my clients feel at home. I love the idea of my tattoo studio looking like a cute little living room, filled with art by my friends, music that my clients choose and nice smells around the room to set the mood. Allowing someone to tattoo your skin is a very vulenerable experience and in India, there’s very few studios that cater to women and queers, my aim is to provide a space for them to feel totally comfortable in.
Can you tell us about your guestspots and travel plans? Picking up tattooing as my profession has been a blessing and curse for my love for travel, the good thing about being a traveling tattoo artist is that I can always pick up my needlesand ink and visit any city and make a few bucks. The bad part is, I have not taken a single holiday in the last four years purely for pleasure.
My upcoming trip is to London, UK and I will be guesting out of Maria Paradise Studio from 6th to 9th February 2023! We’ll also be doing a flash day on 12th February. I’m quite excited to be able to provide the brown skin toned people in the city with an opportunity to get tattooed by someone who knows how to work those skin shades. This is my second trip to London in the past six months just because I love this city so much, there’s always something to do.
I plan on doing a Europe tour sometime in September/October and Singapore and Vietnam in December as well, which I’m super excited for. Rest of the year I will be spontaneously visiting different cities in and around India and guesting out of studios owned by my tattoo artist friends.
Though this year I had hoped to reduce my traveling it seems like I will be visiting at least one city every month and spending the rest of my time in my private tattoo studio in New Delhi, India.
What have you got planned for the flash day? One of the (few) good things that came out of Instagram was that it allowed me to make creative friends all over the world! During the pandemic Bebek and I really connected, though our art styles are fairly different but our mindset about tattooing ethos, our creative practice and general lifestyle is fairly similar.
We have kept in touch the last two years and are coincidentally going to be in London, UK at the same time this February. So it only made sense for us to mash up our styles and create a collaborative flash sheet where in we both tattoo our client simultaneously. This is going to be a new experience for both us and our clients and we are super excited to make some beautiful forever kind of memories on skin with love and care.
Can you tell us more about teaching other people to tattoo, what does this involve? From my personal experience, teaching other people to tattoo involved a lot of listening and learning from the participants. As a self-taught artist myself I wanted to teach people the basics of tattooing (set up, depth and hygiene). Also part of it was teaching them to ask the right questions on the internet for them to be able to delve deeper into their education of the craft.
What my students valued most was the constant access to directly message me if they ever had any queries after our session! Just having the patience to be present for any small, silly questions and giving them the confidence to tattoo others by teaching them proper tattoo etiquette has been my biggest learning in the last five years of hosting handpoke workshops. I now offer personalised one-on-one sessions in my private New Delhi studio for anyone who is interested in learning the craft on a deeper level.
Hand poked tattoo kits (est. 2017)
What was your first tattoo you got and the first you did? The first tattoo I got was when I was 17. I had wanted to get a tattoo for a really long time and finally convinced my parents. Nervous they might change their mind, I quickly found a cute illustration on Tumblr that I liked and went to the local trusted tattoo shop with my mum, showed the artist the design and he made it on me within 20 minutes, and I held my mom’s hand the entire time!
The first time I did a tattoo was on myself when I was 21, I was living in NewYork at that time and had ordered some stick and poke supplies as my birthday present. One night after binge watching all the stick and poke videos on YouTube I decided to just go for it! I spent one hour tattooing this really tiny design, going over it again and again cause I didn’t want it to disappear when I woke up. The next day I went to my job with my supplies and tattooed my boss and the other intern working there. And then my boss tattooed me back!
That’s when I realised the power of a handpoked experience with your loved ones.
Handpoked river
What’s been your favourite tattoo experience? Definitely tattooing my husband one random night during the pandemic! He had gotten a few tattoos from me before, but this session just had some different energy to it. He was on his laptop making music, I was tattooing one of my flashes on his calf. We were just on our bed, the tattooed started around 2am and went on till sunrise, we were in such a comfortable zone with each other, we barely even spoke during that session but were totally in sync.
Machine linework – handpoked textures
What’s the tattoo scene like where you are? Tattoos are not a contemporary concept in India, Gonna a tribal form of handpoke tattoos has existed for centuries. Different tribes in India have tattoo practices of varying styles and for different purposes.
With the rise of machine tattoos and influence from the West, you can see India adapting to the culture and getting big, bold custom tattoos as a form of self-expression. Though tattoos are still a niche and fairly looked down upon in corporate jobs there is a slow but sure acceptance of the art form.
The contemporary stick and poke scene of independent artists that I am part of is slowly gaining respect from the tattoo studios that work with cool/rotary machines. Like the rich diversity of India, the country also offers a wide range of tattoo styles and artists you can get work done from!
Tattooing at a guest spot
You mentioned you want to provide brown skin toned people an opportunity to get tattooed by someone who knows how to work those skin shades. What do you want people to know about tattooing brown skin and how can they work with different skin shades? I think many people are afraid to do coloured tattoos on brown skin tones just because we lack representation on blogs and Pinterest boards. Studying colour theory and drawing flashes on brown toned backgrounds helps a lot with understanding how to make colours pop on POC. But also, experiment, offer free colour tests to clients with darker skin tones so you can better understand how melanin plays a part in the healing of a coloured tattoo.
Machine linework – handpoked colour
What have you been doing since the pandemic? Ahhh, hoenstly a lot on some days and then nothing at all on many. I experienced a massive rise in the sale of my handpoke tattoo kits during the pandemic, which helped me keep afloat and busy with work.
It was interesting to see so many people take up stick and poke as a hobby during the pandemic.
When times were good between the second and third wave we would take the opportunity to host IRL flash days, I even hosted a three city handpoke tattoo festival across India showcasing some of the country’s brightest new tattoo artists. When we were forced to go back into isolation I kept the community strong and alive with virtual flash days and Clubhouse chats with tattoo enthusiasts, which was also great because then we weren’t bound by borders and tattoo artists from around the world could join in!
What do you see for the future of tattooing in India? How do you see yourself in this? Oooh, I think the future for tattooing in India is super bright. We are definitely gaining momentum on the map as a legit place for international artists to come for a guest spot, simultaneously Indian artists travelling abroad for work and getting fully booked out.
India hosts some of the most exciting tattoo conventions, I attended one recently in Mumbai called Kula tattoo convention which was a beautiful coexistence between traditional handpoked tattoos and contemporary tattoo artists from villages of India to the far West.
Is there anything else you want people to know? In 2022 I took the leap of changing my artist name that I built over five years from Tender Pokes to Paradise Tender. I felt like this was an important step in my growth as a multidisciplinary artist, as now in addition to handpoked tattoos I also have machine tattoos and tooth gems in my skills roster.
I am looking forward to what I’ll create this year, with my new found love for hybrid tattoos that involve both handpoke and machine! Also, being the first artist doing colourful tooth jewellery in India, I am excited to see what heights I can take this form of body art in my country to!
Follow Shreya for more hybrid tattoos and guest spots.
