Careers Archives - Things&Ink

October 25, 2024October 25, 2024

“We welcome discussions and opposing opinions, we don’t do ‘cancel culture’ or belittling,” interview with tattoo artists Gemma & Tara Horrors

Gemma and Tara Horrors (yep that’s their legal surname) met 13 years ago and fell in love – with each other and tattooing. They’ve been on quite the journey together, opening up two studios in Darlington, UK, and fighting sexist and outdated attitudes in the industry. Here they tell us all about their studios and what it’s really like to be married and work together…

What inspired you to become a tattoo artist?

Gemma (@gemmahorrorstattoo): My favourite bands as a teenager were all heavily tattooed. I was a typical punk kid, as soon as I was old enough to get tattooed, I did. But I never thought I could be a tattoo artist until TV shows with female tattooers started airing. It was the coolest thing and the ultimate rebellion. I was working on the bank as a health care assistant alongside studying for my adult nursing degree, when I decided to become a tattoo artist.

Tara (@tarahorrorstattoo): I’d started getting tattooed at 15, in a studio next to the takeaway I worked in. I’m guessing the long hours and late-night shifts helped convince the studio owners that I was 18.

It wasn’t until I met Gemma that the idea of becoming a tattoo artist even occurred to me. Between my first tattoo in 1999 and meeting Gemma in 2011, the shift in the tattooing world was monumental, especially with shows like Miami and LA Ink.

I’ve always loved tattoos, getting tattooed and even the smell and feel of being in a studio. But before this new wave, the life of a tattoo artist didn’t look appealing. I changed careers a lot. I was a Prison Officer for three years and heading towards a career change when the idea of being a tattoo artist had become not only appealing, but plausible.

Chicago inspired clown girl by Gemma Horrors

Is there a moment you fell in love with tattoos?

Gemma: It was feeling so much more confident in my own skin. Tattoos have that ability to turn your insecurities into confidence.

Tara: Not one specific moment but rather a period of a few weeks, where I suddenly became obsessed and consumed entirely by tattooing and tattoos. This was just after I’d tattooed myself for the very first time. It wasn’t until I held the tattoo machine and began creating myself that I became enthralled.

Blackout half sleeves, no coverups. Left arm fresh, right arm 2 years healed by Tara Horrors.

You have two studios, we want to know all about them, what’s the vibe?

Gemma: We created our studios to be complete opposites, so customers and artists have a choice.

House Of Horrors Tattoo Company (@houseofhorrorstattoocompany)

Appointment only
All-female studio
The aesthetic is sophisticated Victorian-esque, industrial with a touch of steampunk
The vibe is relaxed and professional

EightySixx

A modern walk-in street shop
Customers can call within the shop’s opening hours and get tattooed with a minimal wait
The vibe can change daily depending on the customers, the tattoos, the different artists and desk staff
It’s fun, energetic, open, friendly and inviting

At the back of the private studio Tara and Gemma have their side by side work stations. Gemma tattoos at the front and Tara at the back. All decor, including resin worktops was built by Tara.

You own a mixed gender studio and a female-only one, why is that so important?

Gemma: Some customers feel more comfortable being tattooed by and being in the company of females. There’s many reasons for this. I personally love working alongside the women in our studio, there’s nothing quite like it. The support and motivation we provide each other is something we all treasure. We have each other’s backs no matter what.

On the other hand, we have all worked with men in the past and do enjoy that too. I love having the guys as part of our team and I wouldn’t change that – they are a crucial part of our team and success.

Tara: This may sound controversial, but from personal experience and through observations of others, it is clear that when men and women do work closely together, it is often in a way that reinforces gender roles. Something so simple as looking over at a female colleague when the phone rings, despite everyone being free to answer it. Secondly, and I think this is just a default in men in general, but unfortunately women are still subjected to having opinions forced upon them by the men they work with. This can be regardless of time served or position held and this can sometimes quash a woman’s motivations and inspirations.

A female-only studio can allow women to explore and develop on their own terms. Don’t get me wrong, the newer generations of men are much more aware of these issues and can be understanding at times. This is exactly how the guys we chose to work with are. Still I think there is a little way to go yet.

Back left to right: Gemma, Tara, Katie, Paulo. Front left to right: Lucy, Stephen, Ellanna.

Do you have any red flags to watch out for or advice you’d like to share with clients?

Gemma: One thing I’m very open about is certain buzz words being used that are misleading to clients. A popular one is: ‘safe space’. I feel like this is sometimes used as a selling point but can have a very misleading meaning behind it. A safe space is what each individual deems it to be. For us, a safe space is a place in which you are free to be yourself without fear or judgement. We welcome this in our studios, we welcome discussions and opposing opinions. We don’t do ‘cancel culture’ or belittling because someone may have an opposing view to us.

However, at the same time, we do not tolerate hateful or disrespectful behaviour either. A lot of studios I see advertising themselves as safe spaces have also openly announced that people with certain beliefs, opinions and political views are not welcome in their studios. I have seen this on a few occasions and it’s pretty hypocritical and misleading for a customer.

So, if you see the term ‘safe space’, drop the studio a message and see what they actually mean by that. You might find they genuinely mean you are safe, free to be yourself and free from judgement. Or you could find yourself in a situation where you are only welcome if you fit a specific set of conditions.

Tara: I don’t think it’s necessary to get too bogged down in listing red flags, as people are pretty good at researching online. I’d just say, get your stalker hat on and go for it. Check out Instagram, Facebook pages and websites. Visit multiple studios, or at least check them out thoroughly on Google Earth and through tags on socials. Check out all the artists who work there, their style and vibes etc. Find a studio that seems right for you and trust your instincts. If it’s your first tattoo, ask questions – avoid studios and artists who aren’t willing to answer your questions or put you at ease.

You opened your shop 12 years ago, and you’re the first women to set up a tattoo shop in your area, what kind of reactions did you get?

Gemma: We had a lot of patronising reactions at the beginning. Most of these reactions came from the fact that we weren’t JUST the only females to set up a shop in the area, we were the first tattoo artists in around 20 years to have the balls to open a studio in the area. There was only ever one other successful studio in Darlington.

People constantly devalued everything we achieved, usually men. We encountered males in the industry telling us that they themselves were afraid to do what we were doing. They were even telling us that maybe we should reconsider opening the studio and tattooing at all.

We also had a lot of jealous reactions. Reactions I doubt men would receive if they were to do the exact same thing. I feel like people don’t like to see others doing better than them, especially when that person is a woman.

Sacred Heart tattoo on calf by Gemma Horrors.

Do you still get those reactions now?

Gemma: The reactions have changed since then. It’s been a long road with people wanting us to fail on the way, but we wouldn’t have it any other way. We are stubborn and petty as hell. Other people’s doubt just fuels us.

There are about 15 studios in Darlington now, which all opened after we made that first courageous move 12 years ago. Honestly though, we personally love healthy competition, it keeps us sharp and inspires us to grow further. It’s crazy to think that two “girls” that “don’t have a clue” potentially opened the door for all of them.

Do you think representation of women is changing in the tattoo world?

Gemma: It’s definitely changing, without a doubt. Women are producing world-class tattoos and showing how far we can go. We do have more respect than we have had before, but there’s definitely more conversations to be had.

A concern for me is the treatment of younger women coming into the industry. We have women in our studio who have experienced disgusting treatment and I continue to hear similar stories.

Tara: It definitely is changing and for the best part it’s going in the right direction. For women who tattoo now is not the time to be complacent and to take things for granted, it’s time to come together to stand up for each other.

Are there any conversations that still need to be had?

Gemma: I’m not so sure these conversations need to be had amongst the women as much as they do amongst the men. We educate our apprentices about how they should/shouldn’t be treated. This should be a standard procedure of apprenticeships but unfortunately it’s not.

I’ve heard about conversations where multiple guys are talking about another male tattooer being inappropriate with younger females in the industry. The conversation ended with them acknowledging his actions were wrong but how he was “a cool guy though”. As if that makes it acceptable to be a groomer? It’s disturbing.

We all need to be on the same page. There are men who will stand up for women and what is right, but others are dismissing these issues because it just happens to be their “bro”. It isn’t enough to just have women calling out predatory behaviour, we need the men witnessing and dismissing it to condemn the behaviour too.

Tara: Far more than I feel there should have to be. Apparently, a local man, with close associations with a male known sex offender, is all set to help fund and set up an ‘all female tattoo studio’ in our local area. That violates everything an all female studio stands for. As an ex Prison Officer I have spent a lot, quite frankly far too much time in the presence of sex offenders and the thought of them having even the slightest involvement of anything that is so treasured by me is vile.

In fact, I think having any man involved in this way taints the idea of what we have come to believe an all-female studio means. I do really feel that the women in our industry, especially the younger or certainly more impressionable ones, need to have more guidance, protection and support. This can only happen if it is talked about.

Part of the merchandise collection, which will be expanding greatly in 2025.

How did you two meet?

Gemma: We actually met in the small Yorkshire town in 2011 where we both lived, after being introduced by Tara’s younger brother, who was a friend of mine. We had never met before, despite living in the same town at different points in our lives. We like to think that this is more than a coincidence that we met when we did and that it is how it was supposed to be. Then we got married in 2012.

How was it tattooing each other?

Tara: Here’s the thing, I ‘ve never met a tattoo artist who likes being tattooed, in fact everyone I have met absolutely hates it. When you’re being tattooed by the person you love most in the world, it makes that situation just that little bit worse.

Then to top it off, with us both being tattoo artists, we constantly squabble over the tiniest things like the amount of times someone wipes over the tattoo or how hard they are stretching the skin. They say you should never teach your partner to drive, and I would say the same thing about tattooing them. Unfortunately for us, it makes too much sense to tattoo each other, as we love each other’s styles of work and literally tattoo every day side by side.

What’s it really like working with your wife?

Gemma: A rollercoaster, we opened the studio when we had only been together a year. So we learnt a lot about each other as we grew together. There’s challenges to overcome when you are working with your significant other but it’s certainly made our relationship bulletproof.

I am so proud of how we have evolved together and the team we have spent years of trial and error building. We get to laugh all day, talk all day, with each other and other people. All while doing what we love and with our best friends too. Tattooing is a huge part of our marriage and our lives, I will always be grateful for that and will never ever take it for granted.

Tara: Working with Gemma has its upsides, and its downsides. If I’m being honest the ups far outweigh the downs and I see that as a win. Although we are now at a point where we can really enjoy what we do, with only a fraction of those feelings of worry and anxiety that come with owning our own businesses, it certainly didn’t come easy.

Although we can be chalk and cheese on most things, we learned very quickly that communication, trust, loyalty, and respect would play a massive role in where we are today.

You can find out more about House Of Horrors Tattoo Company on their website. Make sure to follow both tattoo artists for more tattoos and booking information.

July 16, 2024July 16, 2024

“Clients aren’t just a canvas, we sometimes forget that when we focus solely on the tattoo aspect. Marketing is more sophisticated now yes, but it’s ALWAYS been a part of our job,” tattoo artist Kezz Richards talks social media and its impact on the tattoo industry

Social media has undoubtedly influenced the tattoo industry, bringing both advantages and drawbacks. A lot of people have found their favourite tattoo artists and styles through online platforms, and smaller tattoo artists are gaining much-deserved recognition through their social media presence. The benefits are huge, making the tattooing world more accessible than ever before. But, what are the downsides? Is social media shaping or breaking the tattoo industry?

We sat down to have a chat about it with Kezz Richardson, tattoo artist, studio owner and mentor who helps tattoo artists increase their bookings and avoid burnout. With over 20 years of experience, Kezz has seen the influence of social media on the tattoo industry. Inspired by this, she founded ‘Tattoo Smarter‘ and recently launched a new course designed to help tattoo artists master their social media presence and discover personalised strategies that work for them. So, if anyone understands the ins and outs of social media and tattooing, it’s definitely Kezz.

First off, do you think social media has helped or made it more challenging for tattoo artists?

This is such a nuanced question, it’s made some parts harder and others easier. Social media is so dynamic, it’s changing all the time.

I’ll start with the positives: social media has helped so many tattoo artists connect with clients on a much wider scale than before, all with the click of some buttons. Pre-social media, you might have had 50 people walk into your shop every week – then suddenly you can put your work in front of thousands of potential clients just by using your phone.

Another positive is that social media has helped tattoo artists see and be inspired by other artists’ work more easily. We used to rely on magazines and conventions, which have historically been curated and shaped mostly by white cis men (whose platforms were often influenced by industry politics).

Social media has enabled more minority voices to find their place in tattooing and has given a platform to many types of artists for the first time.

Social media has connected artists on a mass scale, and sharing information digitally has pushed both technical tattoo and business standards much further than if we were still progressing at an analogue pace. The rate at which artists are improving is astonishing compared to even ten years ago.

It’s also provided a huge opportunity to create a more diverse network of artists that may never have met before- going for guest spots meeting up at conventions etc, community & support absolutely make tattooing easier.

Now the downsides: social media has changed at such a rapid pace that some artists that aren’t able (or don’t want) to keep up are feeling completely disenfranchised and lost. They have found themselves with less and less clients because the ability to be visible online is now much harder. I completely get why they feel like this. They wanted to tattoo; the job has lots more moving parts now.

The evolution of social media has especially affected the artists that embraced social media at the start when they found it was so easy to collect followers and followers equalled bookings. Now follower count is mostly irrelevant and lots of artists don’t understand engaged niche followers are much more important now.

Social media has evolved way quicker than our collective education about how to use it.

Those who have always had social media to market themselves are on the whole more adaptable but are still struggling with the changes. I was around well before it and it’s benefitted my career massively. We didn’t need social media before, but we have become to rely on it if we want to be competitive. It was a free tool at the start where the barrier to entry was low – the goalposts have now changed.

Lots of tattoo artists still say we don’t need online visibility and that it’s just word of mouth that’s important but I strongly disagree with this. The first thing clients do after getting a recommendation is to go look online at artists before they make a decision, they very rarely just decide to walk to the tattoo shop without some digital research.

Social media has undoubtedly contributed to more people wanting to become tattoo artists – this means greater competition than before, but this isn’t necessarily a bad thing. There are clients for everyone – different styles, different budgets, different experiences are now catered for. Unfortunately, lots of tattoo artists don’t like the idea of so many newer artists coming into the industry and doing things in a different way or them having to adapt to be competitive.

There are more clients than ever before, but some tattoo artists feel that these new clients aren’t ‘tattoo people’ and are too ‘mainstream.’ This has made gatekeeping more important for those trying to exclude others.

Social media has also allowed clients to think that we owe them our time.

People expect quick responses, and send impatient messages with the expectation of an instant reply, instead of allowing us to focus on the client in front of us or have actual rest days, only adding to our stress. I advocate for professional boundaries, such as forms and digital booking systems, to address this issue. However, tattoo artists as a whole have been slow to adopt these practices, despite my efforts over the past two years to promote them.

Lastly, I believe social media has contributed to a decline in tattooing hygiene – or at least an increase in the number of tattoo artists with appalling hygiene standards. When reels showcasing terrible hygiene practices are shared, it gives the impression that such behaviour is acceptable or normal, leading others to imitate these bad practices. For example, there was a case where a tattoo artist used an actual cat’s paw to apply the stencil onto a client’s skin, with the cat remaining on the client’s legs throughout the entire tattoo session. We’re witnessing more alarming instances where people prioritise views over their clients’ safety. Examples include matching BFF tattoos where open wounds are rubbed against each other, uncovered beds or armrests, artists wearing watches, and hair or sleeves dipping into open tattoos—the unfortunate list goes on.

Phew. So like I said, nuanced as fuck.

Does managing your social media as a tattoo artist feel like a second job?

Absolutely. Tattoo artists have like 25 jobs on top of tattooing and social media is now a huge part of staying visible. There are tons of other jobs we do like admin, customer service, we are our own HR department, accounting etc.

It takes up a lot of time and energy – especially when it’s an entirely different skillset to tattooing. It feels like an extra job because lots of tattoo artists just want to tattoo. When we only focus on the tattoo part though, we are forgetting that connecting with our clients is also a huge part of our job.

Clients aren’t just a canvas, we sometimes forget that when we focus solely on the tattoo aspect. Marketing is more sophisticated now yes, but it’s ALWAYS been a part of our job.

My advice for anyone struggling is to streamline all your off-skin work practices rigorously. For example, admin tasks can be vastly improved with a digital booking system, saving hours each week. You can then use this reclaimed time for marketing on social media, integrating it into your regular workload rather than piling it on top.

Also, educate yourself. Social media becomes more manageable when you understand what you’re doing; there’s no shame in seeking help or striving to improve. This is even more crucial if you work in a private studio where visibility is limited. If your studio has a small following, you’ll need to put in extra effort.

Be cautious with social media “assistants”; many may not be knowledgeable. If you decide to outsource, ensure they have demonstrated significant engagement. There are countless “experts” out there just looking to take your money.

Do you think social media brought more stress than good to tattoo artists?

This answer is artist-dependent. Some artists have thrived using social media, some have become completely disillusioned and some have thrived for a short period and then completely burnt out.

For some tattoo artists, social media increases anxiety about not posting enough or feeling behind compared to others who appear to have everything under control, even when they don’t. Much of this perception is an illusion. To reduce stress, the best approach is to learn how to use and manage your energy online and embrace therapy. Anything related to our income is always going to cause stress to some degree, learning about social media gives back a bit of that control.

Does having an active social media presence affect the number of bookings for an artist?

Absolutely not. You could post three times per day and it won’t get you more engagement from the right people or bookings for a number of reasons.

Understanding your client journey online is huge. I still see tattoo artists with no location in their bio or no directions to their link to book using an enquiry form etc. When you miss out on these simple things you are missing out on bookings because you’ve made it difficult for clients to book with you. Making the client journey as easy as possible gets you bookings.

Understanding your retention is massive too, you might get clients through your door using socials but if you don’t get repeat clientele then there’s something up with your client experience.

You can’t just rely on your socials. It’s one part of the puzzle.

If your content isn’t engaging it doesn’t matter how much you post. The goal for your socials is to know your audience and post quality content that will make people feel something. It also helps to be able to analyse the data around your metrics too. Tons of likes don’t mean anything – a good post with lots of inquiries does.

As I mentioned earlier your socials should be all about connection. Tattoo artists turn their noses up at the world ‘content’ but anything you post online is content, including tattoo photos. It’s just that the majority of clients don’t find tattoo photos engaging anymore. You need to find new ways of repackaging your work in a more palatable format to get you up the rankings, on to the explore page, and actually seen.

Tattoo Smarter With Kezz Richardson

If you’re interested in learning more about Kezz and her services, you can visit her website here. Kezz has recently introduced a new course for tattoo artists on social media marketing here, along with a range of other advice and courses. She is also the founder of the Together Tattoo Network business events, which support women, queer, BIPOC, disabled artists, and other marginalised voices often overlooked in the tattooing industry. For details on their in-person event in October, visit their Instagram page @togethertattoonetwork

May 29, 2024May 29, 2024

“Working on sugar-paste and soft skin feels sort of the same – and a moving person is similar to a spongey stacked cake!” from cake maker to tattoo artist, interview with Laura Raña

From cake decorator to tattoo artist, Laura Raña (@lifeininklr) runs a private, eco-friendly, vegan and woman-led studio and she holds the honour of “Surrey’s best tattoo studio 2023”.

She was a cake artist for 16 years – and she used to teach and write columns for magazines – so Laura came to tattooing late, but her passion shines through. Here she chats all things cakes, tattoos and creating a welcoming studio for all to enjoy. Make a cuppa and settle in for the ride…

Before you became a tattoo artist, you were a cake artist, what inspired you to make that change?

After spending 16 years juggling life as a mum of two daughters (Bella now 16 and Eva 14 ) and being a cake artist, I felt like I had achieved everything that I wanted in the cake world. I was 35 and I wanted to use my artistic flare and creativity for something that wouldn’t get stuffed down the throats of my customers week after week.

After spending so much time perfecting colour blending, modelling and painting on tiers of delicious sponges, I began thinking how I could transfer the skills I’d learnt. I wanted to create something that would last forever and not just briefly as brightly coloured crumbs on the side of people’s mouths.

Tattooing had always been something I was fascinated with. My grandad, who was an antiques dealer in the 50s until the 80s, was covered head to toe – back then, it was very taboo and frowned upon in his industry. I used to glare at the naked ladies and dragons strewn across his back, chest, arms and legs. He was six foot five, both tall and wide, his art work made quite an impression on me as a keen young creative artist in the making. He would definitely be one of my inspirations.

Tell us about your journey to becoming a tattooer…

I started slowly getting covered in tattoos at the very illegal age of 14. I would walk past the only tattoo studio in my town, hoping they wouldn’t notice me in my school uniform. Then when it came to holidays or weekends, I’d try to dress older and strut into the studio beaming with anxious confidence to keep topping up my ink collection. This was when my interest was sparked.

Skip forwards 21 years and after ignoring the narrow-minded warnings from everyone (including my parents) that it was a dangerous industry to get involved in, I began my search for a studio that wouldn’t laugh in my face.

That was the hardest thing – starting a new career at 35. I’m a strong-headed person, so I kept knocking on doors, in the hope someone – anyone – would see my passion. Rejection came thick and fast, but I found a studio, eventually.

Apprentices make zero money, well at least I did. I had lots of people offering their skin but trying to throw myself into this amazing new career was not financially viable. So I’d work four days at the studio, then balance part-time work and cake making around that.

What was it like being a cake maker? And how does it compare to tattooing?

I adored my career as a cake artist, what a dream to have a career in the cake industry. I actually entered Kirsty Allsop’s Handmade Christmas TV show by making a fully decorated Christmas cake in under four hours – I ended up winning. It blew up my career and I began making celebration and wedding cakes, and that led me to teaching. Then I opened my own cake studio – I even had my own little cake column in a magazine. I felt just like Carrie Bradshaw. I began entering cake competitions and I’m very proud to have many gold awards. I was even cast for Extreme Cake Makers on TV. I specialised in chocolate modelling, airbrushing and then painting on cakes – all things I brought through to my tattoo career.

Cake and tattoos although very different, there are some elements that feel similar. The use of colour and blending work is the same in tattooing. Working on soft sugar-paste and soft skin feels the same too. Also a moving person is similar to a spongey stacked cake! It could move at any time…

Can you tell us about your studio?

Everyone is welcome in my little private studio. It’s nestled among the bamboo trees in my back garden. It’s a comfortable, cosy, funky little safe space where no one should feel intimidated. I created a studio I would be comfortable being tattooed in, as I think the more at ease you are, the better the whole experience will be.

Tell us about the award your studio won…

Having spent seven years building up my (very) little business, I was stunned to be nominated for England’s Business Awards in 2023. I was even more taken back when I won the title of “Surrey’s best tattoo studio”.

I’ve never claimed to be the most sought after artist – and there are thousands of artists around Surrey that are phenomenal – but these awards are about your art and your business. So that includes reviews and customer service, amongst other things. I was even mystery shopped so they could see the kind of service I offer, how I dealt with my client and the overall experience.

My little framed award sits proudly in the studio where all can see.

How would you describe your style, what do you like to tattoo?

My style isn’t just one thing. Tattooing different styles and using different techniques allows me to broaden my work to appeal to a larger client base. I know it’s probably frowned upon in the industry, but I did the same with my cakes.

Learning different things is beneficial for a successful business and it enables me to become a better artist. I don’t want to pigeon-hole myself to just one thing. I don’t want to wake up one morning and be bored of the same old stuff. So, for me personally, variety is most definitely the spice of life.

How do you work with clients, what’s your tattoo process?

I find the industry has changed from years ago when you’d walk into a studio covered wall-to-wall in flash designs and people choose “number 10”. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with that, but now with Pinterest and social media, people find ideas they like and perhaps want to combine a few ideas together. That’s where I come in, to create a design that fits their brief.

My focus is to ensure my clients are well informed, feel heard and understood and happy with their tattoo.

Is there anything you’d love to tattoo?

My “wannados” are based around pop art – bright, bold, almost comic sketches. It’s timeless art that stands out and looks super cool. But I feel like there isn’t much of a place for that as many clients want super fine line delicate pieces. I’d love to continue to tattoo thick lined patterns that are edgy and look amazing on everyone.

Any guest spots or travel plans?

I’m going to start guesting at a few studios towards the end of this year to get myself out there and socialise with other artists. I might attend a few conventions too.

Follow Laura on Instagram for more tattoos and updates on guest spots.

We’re always talking to amazing tattoo artists, check out our latest interviews.

March 19, 2024March 19, 2024

“When I was tattooing, I felt guilty I wasn’t working on my business. When I was doing marketing, I felt guilty I wasn’t tattooing. This inner fight took 10 years, until I gave in to the business side,” tattoo marketer Sandy, from Inksane

Tattoo marketer and artist Sandy (@sandy_inksane) owns Inksane Tattoo in Belgium. Not only does she create amazing art but she’s also developed a digital agenda system for tattoo studios. Here we dive into her tattoo style and how she’s helping other artists in the industry…

First of all, tell us more about your work as a tattoo artist, how did you get into it?

I’ve been asked this question a lot and I still don’t have a fancy story for it. I was young, 24, full of energy (still am), and I just wanted to do it. Being self-employed and making an income with art was appealing to me.

How would you describe your tattooing style?

My style was black ‘n’ grey and colour photorealism. In the last few years, I’ve evolved into bio-organic tattoos. This style has always been more of a hobby for me. I would do it when I was drawing or painting for myself on a daily basis. I would do this type of art more on a canvas rather than on actual clients.

Can you tell us more about what bio-organic tattoos are?

Bio-organic is a style that pays a lot of attention to the anatomy of the to be tattooed bodypart. It follows the muscles. It was first done by HR Giger, who also created the creatures and scenery for the Alien movies. I guess it can be compared to biomechanic, where the mechanic version is mostly insinuating metallic, smooth shapes. The organic version is insinuating ‘organisms’. We use a lot of textures we find in nature in these tattoos. You see a lot of unearthlyy shapes flowing, some would describe it as a horror style.

What’s your studio like and where is it?

My studio is called Inksane (www.inksane.be ), and it’s located in Roeselare, Belgium. It’s been around 13 years since I opened it, and we’ve been growing steadily ever since.

Every time it got too busy or our waiting list per artist was over six months, I’d accept an extra artist or apprentice. It grew to the point where we had 15 artists working on a daily basis. To manage all of that I hired a marketing manager and a shop manager. Also my partner helps with the reception and bookings. Because of the pandemic and the economy we’re now at around 12 artists a day, so we are still a large studio.

Around four years ago, we started expanding the studio to different locations through a franchise scheme. The other two Inksane shops aren’t run by me, but they’re under a franchisee system.

From left to right: Anke (receptionist Roeselare), Michael (owner Brussel), Maxim (owner St-Niklaas), me, Danny (reception Roeselare, my partner).
Photo taken by our marketing manager Tom. For an Inksane promotional campaign.

Where are the two other Inksane shops and who runs them?

We have Inksane Roeselare run by me. Inksane Brussel by Michael, Inksane St-Niklaas by Maxim and Inksane Gent will be run by Cristian.

What’s the tattoo scene like where you are?

The tattoo scene around here is normal, steady, and friendly. Nothing fancy either. There are a few smaller conventions in the area on a yearly basis.

Do you remember what first made you fall in love with tattoos?

The focus. The way you can get sucked in and keep drawing and practising for days and weeks and years. Also the ongoing learning process. It never ends. You can get better every year for the rest of your life.

And what do you still love about the tattoo world now?

I’m not tattooing much these days. I gradually moved into business and marketing. It was not a consious decision.

In the past, when I was tattooing, I felt guilty I was not working on my business. And when I was doing marketing, I felt guilty I wasn’t drawing or tattooing. This inner fight took about 10 years, until I gave in to the business side.

Now with my studio (and the franchise locations) I make sure that our artists can focus on only being creative. We do all the other work for them. Like social media, drawing, managing customers, taking bookings, answering emails, reception and ordering stock etc.

We have the right person in the right place and the right tools – like our agenda system.

What exactly is a digital agenda system? What does it do?

Tattoogenda.com is a digital calendar/CRM (customer relationship management) for tattoo studios. Think Google Calendar, Calendly, Square, but mixed and fine-tuned to the tattoo industry.

It takes digital deposits from clients, sends automated reminders via sms or email, it has consent forms, waiting lists, aftercare emails, keeps track of deposits, etc. You can also use booking forms on your tattoo studio’s website to take consultations or piercing appointments.

Sandy standing and teaching her receptionists & franchise managers some marketing. “We do this on a monthly basis. Every month we have another topic to teach or talk about.”

How does it work for your studio? And are other studios using it? Is it a global thing?

I designed it myself so we could be more organised when running our own studio. When I made it available to my franchise locations, I realised I could also offer this software to other studios, too. Everybody can now take out an easy online subscription at www.Tattoogenda.com/pricing, so indeed it is a global thing.

I have the best development partner that takes care of the engineering part. I do quite a bit of development myself now. I also help other tattoo studios get set up with Tattoogenda and integrate it with their website.

Left to right: Michael (Brussel), Maxim (St-Niklaas), Sandy, Anke (reception at Roeselare), Danny (reception, Roeselare). Photo taken by Tom (marketing), for an Inksane promo campaign on a monthly franchise day.

What are your hopes for the future?

My goal is to work together with more tattoo professionals from around the world on getting their tattoo studio organised. Also improving my software along the way.

At the same time I enjoy running my own Inksane studio and intend to keep it that way. We will be opening a third franchise location next month in Gent. I’m very exited about that. The franchisee (manager) is a tattoo artist that has been working with us for a long time and I’m very proud of him.

Make sure to follow Sandy on Instagram.

We’re always talking to amazing tattoo artists, check out our latest interviews.

May 26, 2022November 19, 2022

Within the algorithm prison, be unashamedly you

Social media consultant and tattoo geek Rebecca Givens has been thinking about how artists are keeping up with Instagram trends, changes and updates.

I can’t take credit for this article title – you have Twin Atlantic to thank and a lyric from their most recent album. When I heard these particular words last week (“algorithm prison that we’re all bred to live in”), they resonated with me. I’ve had quite a few conversations with tattooists lately during which we’ve reminisced over the old pre-algorithm days of apps like Instagram.

What began as a simple photography platform designed to show, within set square templates, the aesthetic vibe of your brand, work or life (to everyone who actually followed you, might I add), has now become something much more complex. Managed by invisible but powerful mechanisms that decide who gets to see you, when, where and how.

In June 2021 when the Head of Instagram officially declared it “no longer a photo sharing app” but an entertainment hub that prioritises video experiences, we said a sad goodbye to the days of taking a photo and clicking publish.

As small business owners, we now find ourselves in a position where – if we’re not playing by the current rules, consistently and creatively – our efforts shoot down the system’s pecking order and we are consequently less and less visible, even to those loyal people who actively clicked ‘follow’.

For industries like tattooing, in which many artists rely almost solely on Instagram for customers, this is kind of a big (and often anxiety-inducing) deal. Many feel like they simply can’t keep up with what they feel they ‘should be’ doing online.

Yes, it is inevitable for content sharing sites to evolve as time moves forward, but that doesn’t change the fact that we now feel differently about the channels we’re glued to throughout the day. In other words, we’re spending a lot of our time doing stuff we don’t love doing. No one wants that.

Tattooists are finding themselves – not just designing art, creating tattoos, setting up, cleaning down, managing businesses and the other million things they have to do, but also – feeling the pressure to create entire social media strategies that showcase the process and the end result in order to get impressions and engagement. A simple post-tattoo photo with a few hashtags doesn’t cut through the noise anymore.

We know that we need to consider higher-performing formats like video, we need to edit and publish in an optimised way, we need to share at the most efficient time of day, equally spreading ourselves across reels, carousels, live and stories whilst also innovatively telling our brand narratives, jumping on tending audio, keeping our highlights neat, branding our bios and much, much more. Overwhelmed yet?

It’s no wonder we feel like we’re stuck in a game, one we didn’t sign up to play, one we’re desperately trying to follow the rules of, but often failing. The reason why we frequently feel like we’re not mastering the sport is because as self-employed individuals, or often as artists who have other ‘day-jobs’, we CAN’T do it all.

The first and most important thing I ask a client to do when working on a social media strategy together is I ask them to have a think about what makes them unique (as this will influence selecting which things they CAN do). Uniqueness is key right now because, as influencers and social media entrepreneurs begin to identify what the algorithm loves, we are seeing a repetition of aesthetics, templates, sounds and styles which users are inevitably becoming fatigued by.

It is becoming more and more important to ask yourself – within your industry, what can make you unique?

There are dozens of ideas, our feeds are clogged up with ‘what everyone else is doing’, but don’t rush into anything just yet – take a step back and think about who YOU are and how YOU want to be seen.

Once you’ve thought about your image and branding you can eventually select two or three ideas to focus on that match up with your values. Incorporate these into a solid and realistic strategy (a list of best-performing formats you are going to do – why, how and when). What things can become ‘your things’, and why? And know that everything is not for everyone and that’s OK – lots of very successful artists don’t ever show their face, they find other ways to shout about who they are and what they do in a vibrant and distinctive way.

What it all comes down to, what is at the heart of any good social strategy for an individual creative is one important thing – you.

Any content plan should be built on the foundation of your individuality and your unique skills, only then can you even entertain the notion of doing something that stands out from everything else churned out in your particular communities.

The end result – you feel less of an algorithm prisoner and more in control and passionate about sharing your work, through content that needs to follow some sort of system, yes, but steers clear of the monotonous compliance of keeping up with social trends. And if there’s any culture in the world that does this already, that is all about breaking the mould and embracing individuality, it’s tattooing. If anyone can shatter the cycle of Insta-clones, it’s us.

Words: Rebecca Givens (RG Arts Marketing) rgartsmarketing.co.uk
Photography: Ally Shipway