Features Archives - Page 10 of 153

June 7, 2023June 7, 2023

Catching up with tattoo artist Owen Paulls

We last chatted to Owen Paulls (@owenpaulls) in 2017 (read his first interview) when he was tattooing on the road. We caught up with the black and grey tattoo artist, who now works out of his private studio (Owen Paulls Tattoo) in Brighton, to find out what he’s been up to for the last six years...

How have you been since we chatted in 2017?

Great thank you! Hope you have all been good too. I’ve been traveling all over and seen some cool things…and ink!

You’ve been tattooing for almost 10 years, how does it feel to look back on where you started?

I don’t really know to be honest! I’m certainly more involved with the industry than I imagined was possible when I started, and there’s so much to learn along the way. The perimeters are always shifting and evolving in the tattoo world, so I guess I feel humbled to think of surviving it for 10 years!

Where do you hope to be in another 10 years?

I hope to be in the same creative mind space and to be focused on how I can keep improving. I really hope I never lose the drive to improve my artwork, in tattooing or painting!

What tattoo projects have you been working on?

There’s been more larger scale work in my diary as of late. I think the last time we spoke I was on the road, so I was mostly doing tattoos that had to be completed in one or two days max! Since then I’ve been able to play the role of a resident artist in a few studios and take on larger pieces over a wider time scale.

It’s been really challenging but a great push in learning how to construct legible sleeves, front and back pieces.

What’s really been getting you excited?

Well firstly, the progression of our industries artistic side over the past, I think three years or so? It’s amazing to watch such rapid evolution of an ancient thing. On a more personal note, I’m so excited and thankful for the trust in creating more surrealism and Disney mashup tattoos.

You mentioned in our last catch up that you were going into a more surrealism style, has this been the case?

I always wanted to do a little more realism that wasn’t so routed in real life or just a copy from a photo. I really enjoy being asked for portraits too, don’t get me wrong, but I love sci-fi or adding a little element of whimsy, flow and direction where I can. I’m still developing this style and trying to learn from other artists, who do this mix really well. At the moment I’m working on a few Disney projects which will see the characters collide with the real world in some way. So super excited for that!

You also mentioned you would ‘probably make the move to colour work’, how has this gone? What changed?

Honestly nothing really changed, apart from the brief pause we all took in 2020! I’m still interested in adding some colour elements but I’d have to stay somewhere long term to really polish this aspect of my work. Right now with traveling and shows, black and grey is the better choice for me and allows me to showcase the desaturated Disney work that has helped me carve a bit more of a tattoo identity over the years.

You were on the road, where’s been your favourite place to travel and tattoo?

It’s hard to pick just one place! I spent nearly two years traveling full time on the road and saw so many amazing places. I really love Italy and Florence especially. It’s so beautiful and relaxing there and in the same breath, I love Colorado for the mountains and nature. Probably because it’s a wilder, more rugged version of where I grew up! NYC and LA of course are beasts of their own, and I do love the busy hustle of city life. I’m tattooing in Germany later this year so maybe that will be added to the favourites list too! Who knows!

Any experiences or stories that stand out?

I remember being in literally the coldest weather I have ever experienced in Ottawa, Canada a few years ago. I thought I liked snow until then! There was a storm and snow stacked against the buildings around four feet. Every pavement and road was pure ice! I was there working a tattoo show and spent nearly the whole thing inside a set of three interlocking buildings with sky bridges, to escape the cold! You’d have to be tough to live there I think!

Oh and almost getting hit by lightning in Florida! I was walking to the shop in the rain when it struck the traffic lights two metres in front of me, taking out the whole block. The loudest sound I’ve ever heard in my life, I’m very lucky to not have been crispified!

How’s the tattoo scene changed since we spoke in 2017?

Change wise, aside from the rapid artistic boost that 2020 seemed to inspire, I’m thankful to see the industry start to become more inclusive. I know there’s still a way to go just like every industry, but we have started the journey and it’s nice to see artists becoming more comfortable to express themselves in their art and/or tattooing.

What’s been your proudest moment in the last six years?

One of my proudest moments has been recently, when I was asked to attend a few tattoo shows, based on my paintings alone. I’ve been working hard on my paintings for a few years on my days off and it’s very validating to be recognised for this. I’ve also had the chance to be part of some really progressive and highly talented teams, like the Empire Inks crew and the FYT artist line up. Not trying to push anything when I say they have the best approach to artist sponsorships and give back at every opportunity. I’m very grateful to be involved with them!

How did you find the lockdowns, were you able to be creative?

I was still in Hollywood during the lockdown, so we really only had one long one over there. It was tough to be taken away from my career plans, mid stride but I understand this was the same for so many creatives and I do appreciate the safety aspect involved there.

I set myself up with a painting and designing schedule, working 10-7, like a regular tattoo day, four or five days a week. I’d just finished a set of classes at LAFFA (LA institute of fine art) and was really keen to get to practice more. Obviously this was more paint time than I had anticipated but I believe it kept me sane and kept the wolf from the door bill wise! I’m aware I have been very lucky though and know this wasn’t the case for everyone around the world.

On a final note I want to say thank you to everyone who supports my art and tattooing. I’m always looking to expand my skill set and learn what I can to improve. I’m thankful to have done a catch up with you and hopefully we can do another in a few years!

You’re more than welcome! Make sure to read Owen Paull’s first interview with us and follow him on Instagram for more incredible tattoos.

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

May 22, 2023May 22, 2023

Tattoo artist Grigorii Butrin’s masterclass on photograhing tattoos

It’s never been more important to get an amazing photo or reel of your freshly made tattoo. Not only are you a tattoo artist but you also need to be a social media manager and photographer too. To help you capture your art in the best way, realism tattoo artist Grigorii Butrin is sharing his top tips…

Black and grey realism is a style that remains one of the most popular trends in the world of tattoo culture to this day. Grigorii Butrin (@butrin.tattoo) is a talented artist, many would say he’s up there with the best tattoo artists working in this style.

Grigorii conquered the world’s tattoo community with his realistic tattoos consisting of striking contrasts, complexity and detail. They bring the image to life so that it looks 3D on his client’s skin. His sense of detail, light and composition makes his work different from others in the industry.

Gregorii’s tattoos are known in many countries, they have been frequently appreciated by judges at international tattoo conventions around the world. Grigorii Butrin is a member of several professional teams and clearly understands how to make black-and-grey realism truly spectacular. It’s this understanding of the craft which has gained him hundreds of loyal clients across the globe, and allowed him to give master classes to other artists. He’s also collaborated with world-known brands and giants in the tattoo industry – he’s a tattooer on the rise.

Looking at photos of his work from a professional standpoint you can see how he scrupulously works on photographing his tattoos. According to Grigorii, “this is very important, because it is not enough to make a high-quality tattoo, it is necessary to present it correctly to the audience.”

“Practice shows that you need to photograph tattoos immediately after the session. The reason for this is very simple: in 90% of cases, the creator will never see this tattoo again, and there is no point asking clients to take photos later, because they will not be able to do it correctly.”

Grigorii Butrin shares his recommendations in photographing tattoos to his colleagues:

Do not turn off the light in the studio completely, dim it. To illuminate the work itself, use a light together with a polarising film – this makes the picture more natural, especially if you are photographing a miniature tattoo. Many tattooers prefer to photograph the work with a single light source, which makes the photos gloomy due to the lack of background.

In the case of using several illuminators, glue the films to them in the same way, in accordance with the instructions. If the lights are not synchronised, then they will have to be turned over in order for them to work correctly. Cut the film according to the size of the luminous surface of the lamp, do not allow non-polarised light to get into your work.

On your phone, use the first three settings for the final edit of the photo: Exposure, Shine, Light areas. They have the least effect on image quality. You can also adjust the Saturation. In order to increase the set of processing tools, I recommend installing photo editing applications.

Remember that the photo will only show what was projected by the lens into the phone’s memory. If the photo is highlighted and if the whole tattoo is flickering with highlights, then it ‘s not possible to restore what did not get into the phone’s memory, when you took the photo no matter what subsequent processing you do. That is why you need to use polarising filters. Processing will only correct some flaws, but will not change the image itself in any way. Take high-quality photos initially.

Find out more about the realism tattoos Grigorii makes in our interview with the tattoo artist.

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

April 14, 2023May 4, 2023

‘Tattoodo’ weekender with FREE tattoos. Yep. See you there?

Flash days are our absolute fave. We love the excitement of heading to a tattoo studio to see the flash (tattoo designs, FYI, read more about that here) on offer. Picking a small design which is a set price so there’s no drama or anxiety about what you have to pay. It’s one of the most fun ways to get tattooed. But you know what we love more than that? Flash events that offer FREEEEE tattoos. Yep. Tattoos that will cost you absolutely nothing.

We couldn’t believe it when the invite landed in our inbox. Tattoo app Tattoodo is hosting a weekend-long event in Shoreditch, London, on Saturday 22 April and Sunday 23 April. Not only is there free tattoos but there’s also drinks, merch, music and competitions.

We’re lucky enough to be attending the VIP night on Friday 21 April, with FREE tattoos from our from Horror Issue cover Star, tattooist Emily Malice (you can see her flash sheet over on her Instagram) and tattooist Teide. Look out for stories over on our Instagram!

There will be another ten – INCREDIBLE – tattooists tattooing over the two-day event – which is open to anyone…

22 APRIL: Sophie Hunter, Teide, Leti Mortimer, Carlos Zucato, Matty Magee

23 APRIL: Alexander Rufio, Laurel Cummins, Chloe, Gabriel Cardosi, Delphin

Sophie’s flash that will be available for FREE on Saturday

“This is a compilation of my favourite tattoo imagery, inspired by American traditional and Chicano designs through the years,” says Sophie Rose Hunter, who’s tattooing at the event on Saturday.

Flash by Alex Rufio, available on Sunday

“I’m super excited to be joining the team at Tattoodo for their London launch! The platform they have created makes connecting with clients and managing their bookings massively easier. This event will show that it’s easier to access quality tattooing. I drew a range of classic tattoo ideas in a contemporary design so that clients new and old can get timeless tattoos to be proud of. I’m really looking forward to meeting new tattoo fans and tattoo veterans!” says Alex Rufio who’s tattooing on the Sunday.

**Matty Magee** will be tattooing from this flash sheet on Saturday

“These are classic designs to be applied with love and consideration. I’m excited about the event: meeting new people and tattooing are two of my favourite things to do, the perfect recipe for a lovely day,” says Matty Magee who’s tattooing on Saturday.

The event will be open to the public on a ‘walk-in’ basis throughout Saturday 22 April (12pm-7pm) and Sunday 23 April (12pm-6pm). The Tattoodo Flash Weekender is partnering with drinks sponsor Sailor Jerry. To grab a free ticket for Saturday or Sunday, head over to Eventbrite.

Location: 149 Shoreditch High Street London E1 6JQ

April 11, 2023April 11, 2023

Interview with tattoo artist Bongjin Jeon

Bongjin Jeon (he/him) creates bold black work tattoos at Tenderfoot Studio at 199 Cook St #103, Brooklyn, New York 11206. We chat to the tattooer about his journey into the tattoo world, art style and proudest moments…

Black flower tattoo — Tattoo artist Bongjin Jeon

How long have you been tattooing and how did you get started in the industry? I’ve been tattooing for around one and a half years. I’ve always been into tattooing since I was young.

During the pandemic, I approached my favourite tattoo artist and asked if he could be my tutor – he accepted and that was when everything started.

How has your experience of the tattoo industry been so far? Are there any moments or stories that stand out? It’s been great so far honestly. It’s been better than I expected and I’ve not regretted it.

A moment that shocked me the most was when the boss of this huge tattoo shop in our shop’s neighborhood wanted to get a tattoo from me even though I was in an early phase of tattooing. It was a big compliment for me – it convinced me that I’m doing the right thing in the right way!

What inspired you to become an artist? Do you have a background in art? Frankly, I wasn’t into ‘art’ when I was child. I was more of an athletic student. But at the same time, I was interested in something distinctly different in many areas like comics, music, doodles and of course tattoos.

Then I realised I liked fun, goofy and creative tattoos the most. After realising that, I went to art school and learnt how to draw, craftmanship and how to market myself – all of these have been the root of my career.

What’s your first memory of tattoos? My first memory, always cracks me up. I did the tattoo on an old friend after learning to tattoo from my tutor. It was lettering on the clavicle so I had to stand up leaning forward all the way during the whole session. Of course I had practiced on fake skin before that day but still, it was somewhat overwhelming and a lot. Fortunately my tutor was with us so everything was under control. It was a pretty chill and fun time; my friend and I still laugh about that day.

How would you describe your style? My tattooing style is called black work with bold outlines. It’s from solid black to zero for strong contrast. This strong contrast makes tattoos alive and also surreal at the same time. It feels like these tattoos are about to jump or move around and I love that.

What inspires your designs? I always find fun in the paradox and unusual, especially when two different things or styles are put together, like serious and dark drawing styles with silly subjects like a Pikachu.

What are your biggest artistic influences? One of the biggest is from the movies. I draw movie scenes and characters sometimes but also just get influenced by the mood of a movie whether that’s the emotions or sense of humour of it. I mainly take inspiration from comedy movies, like Step Brothers, 21 Jump Streets, The Office, The Hangover…

Another influence is nature. I’m obsessed with going to parks and I get ideas for flash tattoos by watching animals and plants there.

What do you like to tattoo and what would you like to do more of? My tattoo style itself with bold lines is fit for something strong, solid and that stands out. And I believe there’s a charm to these strong subjects being funny and silly with a small twist. So far, my works have been 50/50 serious themes and funny themes. I’d love to work on these silly goofy tattoos with bold lines more by collaborating with clients who have similar tastes with me.

How do you see your tattoos evolving in the future? I’m thinking about adding other line thicknesses, especially thinner lines for more abundant details depending on designs and sizes. I also may start putting some colours in depending on themes.

What was your first tattoo? To be honest, I don’t have any tattoos myself so far. I know some people in this industry will disagree and hate this, but I can take it. In my opinion, having zero tattoos and a bare body is also one kind of body design in the tattoo sense. Not having any can stand for having a cool one.

Where’s been your favourite place to travel and tattoo? I would say New York is a pretty decent city for a tattoo trip. New York is one of the cities that has the most old and also new tattoo artists and shops in the world in smaller areas compared to other big cities. This means each tattoo artist has gotta be competitive. In terms of the city itself, I think New York gets underestimated like people saying New York is overrated.

Another city I’d love to travel to is Madrid. I want to experience working in another atmosphere with New York like weather, people and buildings.

What’s the tattoo scene like where you are? I’m working in Bushwick, Brooklyn. I’d say Bushwick is pretty vibey and has a good atmosphere with fancy bars and restaurants but also calm to walk around at the same time. That’s my favourite part.

Most shops in Brooklyn are new and young so you can find new styles of tattoos easily in this town. Tattoo artists are also young and usually chill. Come through, we won’t bite!

What do you do when you’re not tattooing/drawing? Besides tattooing, I play soccer and tennis for my back and wrist pain from tattooing. Or I love to go to big and small parks in my neighbourhood and lie down. I always say the best part of New York is parks.

What moment in your career are you most proud of? When clients come back and get a tattoo from me again. It always feels like a big credit and I’m so happy about it. And also lots of my tattoo flash designs are designed as patch works. So if a client gets another tattoo or even more from me, it would look better together. This makes me proud and increases my happiness.

Make sure to follow Bongjin Jeon (@telephonepole2) on Insta for more bold tattoos.

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

February 27, 2023March 8, 2023

‘My studio is welcoming, but I make it clear who we don’t want here’ – Paula Castle, tattoo artist

We sat down to have a chat with tattoo artist Paula Castle, who owns Black Sheep Tattoo in Bristol. Paula is one of the most passionate and creative people in the tattoo world. And our chat covered everything from her fave subjects to tattoo to the deep-rooted misogyny in the tattoo world and the importance of safe spaces. Make yourself a cuppa and settle in for the ride…

We absolutely adore your tattoos, tell us more about them, your style and any themes that people love coming to you for…

I did my version of a crying heart as a sticker in 2017. Then in 2020, one of my clients said to me, I want your sticker tattooed on me. I loved doing it. And if I really enjoy doing a tattoo, my favourite thing to do is come up with different themes for that design. It’s just a really fun and interesting way to work. When people give me challenging themes, it’s fun working out how to do it or how to represent something. The crying hearts are especially fun to theme.

**Drag queen, Divine themed crying heart tattoo**

I’ve also done a few tickets, too. I’ve done a couple of those as memorial tattoos. It’s a nice design to incorporate dates into, without it being overtly memorial. I did one recently that was a ticket for a festival that my client had been to with her dad, and she lost her dad during Covid. I put a few important dates into the ticket. The problem with things that are obviously in memory of somebody is they lead to people asking questions. Sometimes that might be welcome, but for some people, they never feel comfortable sharing that stuff. Some people want something that doesn’t scream RIP.

Another fun design I’ve done recently is a rear view mirror tattoo – another design that’s good to add themes to.

Do you have a favourite tattoo that you’ve done? Or a favourite by someone else that you can’t stop thinking about?

There’s a tattooer called Josh Todaro who does traditional pieces. He did a portrait of Adam Sandler from The Wedding Singer – and Oh My God. “Somebody kill me please”. And it’s my most favourite tattoo I’ve ever seen. I just love it so much. One of those tattoos I wish was on me. I still look at it all the time.

As for me, it’s such a hard question to answer. But I just did my first ever Muppet tattoo – Miss Piggy from Treasure Island. I just kept giggling the whole way through tattooing it, because I absolutely love The Muppets.

One of the reasons I love tattooing so much is because my favourite tattoo is always the most recent one I’ve done. It just feels like that’s constantly continuing forever – it doesn’t get old.

Do you have lots of regular clients that always come back to you?

I love, love, love building relationships with clients. I enjoy time with people that I’ve tattooed before, because it’s like catching up with an old friend. I’ve got some people that I’ve been working with now for the best part of my career. I’ve seen people move through life in such positive ways – going through beautiful moments like marriages and buying houses and having children. Then likewise, I’ve had long-term clients who sadly lost parents or gone through other stuff and I’ve been able to offer them support.

It’s been interesting, I was diagnosed with ADHD last year, and so many of my clients are also neurodivergent. I’d love to understand if there’s a correlation, whether neurodivergent people gravitate towards other neurodivergent people without really knowing that they’re doing it, you know.

Tell us about your shop, Black Sheep Tattoo in Bristol. We know tattoo shops can sometimes feel like intimidating places if you’ve never been in one before.

I try my best to make the studio safe and welcoming for everybody, but also I’ve taken as many steps as possible to make it really clear who we don’t want here. I think that’s just as important. We’re trans friendly, queer-owned, female-owned – it says female-owned on my sign outside – like I’m very upfront about it. I don’t want people in my studio who are going to make not only my artists, but any other clients feel uncomfortable. And that’s always been of the utmost importance to me. The clients that we have here really reflect that.

We have eight artists and a studio manager and tattooers who do regular guest spots. Then we also have The Tooth Pixie, who does a couple of days a month offering tooth gems. And Amanda who comes one Saturday every month and does brow lamination and eyelash tinting. When it comes to body modification, it it isn’t just about permanence. I love integrating to offer more than one service. Which brings people into a tattoo studio who’ve never thought about tattooing before, and might have a preconceived notion of what a tattoo shop is like.

‘Even now, you open a tattoo magazine and every advert has got a half naked woman in it’

Breaking down those kinds of social barriers is still something that’s really important. We have a responsibility to tattooing – and especially tattooing for women. It’s still an extremely male-dominated industry and it’s misogynistic, from a systemic point of view. Even now, you open a tattoo magazine and every supplier advert has got a half naked woman in it – it needs to stop.

We’re ready for change, why isn’t it happening quicker?

It’s those little micro aggressions of misogyny in advertising and in, you know, the percentage of sponsorships and things that go to men over women in the industry, that leads to inappropriate behaviour with clients in studios, and sexual assault and sexual violence against female clients and artists.

These things can’t be fixed by me opening a studio and not standing for that behaviour in my studio, the only way to fix the problem is to address the people doing the things in the first place. It’s not on us to fix it. But it is the responsibility of the suppliers and the media that work within tattooing to fix the systemic misogyny within tattooing, because it’s not acceptable anymore. And it needs to stop.

It’s been gorgeous to chat, and we loved you getting on your soapbox about the change that’s so needed. Anything else you want to share?

It’s my tenth year tattooing this year. It feels like such a milestone. It’s definitely been a roller coaster. But it’s so hard having your own studio. If I had been able to find a space to work in that was like mine, I would absolutely not choose to be a studio owner. If anybody’s really unhappy where they are, don’t think that the solution is to have your own place. It isn’t always the answer. But yeah, all I ever wanted was to have somewhere that I could truly be myself – like, you know, somewhere not to feel embarrassed all the time. That’s all I ever wanted was to not have that feeling anymore.

Follow Paula on Instagram @paulacastletattoos