Category: Features

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Interview with Maksim Twenty Eight

Tattoo artist Maksim Twenty Eight of Gangstas Paradise Tattoo in Moscow, Russia tells us about his journey to become a tattooer and artist, how he strives to keep developing his craft and the ornament-inspired tattoos he creates…

What inspired you to become a tattoo artist? How did you become an artist? I’ve always loved tattoos and at school I became interested in heavy music and rock culture, which only increased my interest in tattooing. Back then I couldn’t imagine that tattooing would occupy such an important place in my life and become my main occupation.

Initially, I showed a great interest in music and dreamed of connecting my life to it. But I’ve always drawn and done art. It just so happened that in the end I received an art and pedagogical education in the speciality – Teacher of Fine Arts. Since then, drawing has taken up most of my time.

At the age of 18, I started getting tattooed in one of my hometown’s tattoo studios. At the time I was already getting an art education and somehow everything coincided so much so that my tattoo artist invited me to start working in his studio. And of course I agreed. It was in that studio that I learnt the basics of tattooing and began my journey.

Have you always tattooed like you do now? I have been tattooing for 11 years and I’m always in search of interesting solutions and new ideas for my work. During my career, I have worked in many artistic styles which has allowed me to gather enough knowledge and experience to develop my handwriting. It’s helped me find a balance between technical and artistic moments in my work.

Now my works are mainly Baroque floral ornaments and stylised realistic objects with the addition of ornaments and various details. These range from all sorts of realistic objects and lettering to cartoon characters and elements of street art culture.

What attracted you to this type of tattooing? It’s the perfect style for my mindset as it allows me to be creative in my work and be free, even within the limits set by my client. Very often, or rather almost always, I allow myself to go beyond these limits when creating a design. I am very glad that there have been no refusals and customers are always pleasantly surprised by what they see. This allows me to work with pleasure, which is very important when creating a good tattoo. 

I love the details! My perseverance helps me to give them a lot of attention. And I see that people like that. I think that sets me apart. 

Can you tell us about the process behind your tattoos? During the first conversation at the consultation, I try to get as much information as possible about how the client sees their tattoo. It helps me understand which direction to take the tattoo and what will suit this person best. If a person wants a certain object, but in my style, I just need to determine the list of details that are possible in the design. Some details I offer myself or add in when I create the design.

Most of the time I scroll through all the projects in my head, looking for new interesting options. This process is very important to me, because it means my brain is constantly working and processing. I develop the design the day before the session, my clients don’t see the design until the moment of the session. This usually adds a little intrigue and excitement – I love seeing their first reaction!

What inspires you? I am very inspired by music! It takes up quite a large part of my life. I create music in my spare time as it helps to relax my brain. I also love to watch detective thrillers – my love of observation and detail works here too. In general, I have a lot of sources for inspiration ranging from a simple smile to grandiose films and events.

What do you like to tattoo and what would you like to do more? Most of all I’m interested in Baroque floral ornaments and combining them with various objects and elements of street art culture. In ornaments and street art there is a certain and very strong atmosphere. They’re completely different, but saying that they do have something in common. The ornaments and street art are both part of the exterior and interior and I’m very interested to see where mixing them will lead.

Can you tell us about your own tattoos? Are you a tattoo collector? I have a lot of tattoos and they all appear on my skin often spontaneously. I never had the goal of tattooing my entire body, but over the years I’ve met many different and very interesting masters and received tattoos from them – as a sign of respect for their work. All my tattoos are like a part of my memory and I think it’s beautiful. I think I can call myself a tattoo collector. 

What is the tattoo scene like where you are? In Russia, modern tattooing, relative to tattooing in Europe or America, began its journey relatively recently. But in a fairly short time gained momentum and gave the world of tattooing a lot of big names. The growing interest in this craft among artists contributed to the rapid growth of the industry in Russia. Tattoo conventions in Russia are held at a very high level too.

It seems to me that the presence of modern and safe technologies as well as strong masters is only half of what is needed for tattooers to develop creatively. The other half being the mentality of the society in which an artist lives. Often new customers talk to me about the fear of accepting something new or something they’ve seen online. This fear of can hinder my development as an artist. To counteract this I’ve travelled a lot to help me develop creatively and communicate with other tattooists from other countries.

Have you got any plans for future tattoo conventions? In the past few years, it has been psychologically difficult for me to tattoo at large events, as my work requires a lot of attention to detail and focus. Tattooing at conventions can affect the quality of my work. That’s why I try to exhibit already existing projects, and devote time at conventions to communicating and demonstrating my work on canvases only.

Do you have any future projects you want to share with us? Currently, I try to devote a lot of time to painting and creating new concepts for myself. I also plan to participate in various exhibitions, including a personal one.

In the last year I have become very interested in graffiti which allows me more of an understanding and way to develop my drawing and tattooing. The attention I receive is very motivating and pushes me to create even more complex and interesting works.

Can you tell us about your own art exhibition? As I said, in addition to tattoos, I spend a lot of time drawing. In my spare time, I paint canvases, experiment with various techniques and materials. I try in every possible way to expand the range of my skills and abilities. 

At the Moscow Tattoo Convention 2021, I presented a series of my experimental canvases and art objects. All works from the exhibition are made in colour, which is rarely present in my work. On these canvases, I tried to show my vision of the problems of a modern person who tries in every way to hide from himself in pursuit of illusions, which leads to negative consequences.

I care about and want to show in my art similar topics, such as loneliness and depression. Unfortunately, there is a lot of this around us, but some do not see it, while others hide it. With my creativity, I want to show that if you listen to yourself, look a little further than you usually would and stop being afraid to accept this world, you can solve many problems and achieve a lot.

What moment in your career are you most proud of? I think for me it’s mostly moments of joy rather than pride that stand out. When you receive an award at the convention, when you read or listen to words of gratitude from colleagues or clients. All this is a reminder that all your trying is not in vain, plus it pushes me to start working even harder. As an artist, I’m not at all interested in getting credit without doing anything. I create because I can and because I like it – if it makes the world a better place then I’m happy.

Make sure to follow Maksim on Instagram for more amazing tattoos.

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Roll flowers and Carrie Metz-Caporusso

Michigan based tattooer Carrie Metz-Caporusso (They/She) is known for her “roll flowers” tattoo project. A collection of tattoos that celebrate diverse bodies and defy the notion that you need to change your body to get tattooed. We chatted to Carrie about how authenticity and inclusivity have a space, not just at Lucky Monkey Tattoo studio, but in the world of tattooing…

What inspired you to become a tattoo artist and how did you become an artist? It wasn’t until my best friend mentioned that I should be a tattooer that the notion even crossed my mind. But once it did, I couldn’t stop till I got there. After going from shop to shop around the Tampa area with no luck, I finally broke into tattooing when I met my partner. I had a whirlwind romance and apprenticeship. It was such an exciting time in my life. I did my first tattoo on myself in 2011 and started professionally tattooing in 2013. 

What inspires your work? My work is inspired by what I want to see in the world, or how I’m feeling. My “not a girl flash” came out of being misgendered and it was therapeutic to get it out of my head and onto paper. Same with the roll flowers. I design what’s on my mind and it’s a bonus that people feel the same way and they resonate with me and what’s in my heart.

It seems the more authentically me I am the more people seem to like my work. It’s a beautiful thing.

How would you describe your tattoos? I describe my tattoos as whimsical black and grey illustrations. I’ve tattooed like this most of my career, although I did start off learning American traditional, because it’s a strong base for most styles of tattooing. This is how I drew since before I started tattooing so it was only natural to find my way back once I had the basics down.

What do you love to tattoo and what would you like to do more of? I love tattooing anything nature inspired, I’m a plant collector so drawing plants and flowers makes me happy.  I’d love to do more tiny tattoos. I love trying to find the balance between making a small tattoo and designing something that will last a life time.  It’s a fine balance and I like the challenge.

We love your beautiful pieces which celebrate the body of the wearer, what inspired you to start creating ‘roll flowers’ and what’s the process behind your pieces? I had personally felt a sense of ownership over my fat body once I started decorating it. I heard other fat folks wishing they could get tattoos on their backs and tummy etc. but had to wait till they were thinner.  I knew if I could come up with something specifically for us, that would highlight and work with our bodies, I could change some minds.  So I sat myself down and brain stormed until I came up with roll  flowers.

What advice would you give anyone who is worried about getting tattooed because of their body? My advice is take the plunge! When I started viewing myself as art, that’s when my confidence grew. With that being said, the world of tattooing is still very fat-phobic, sexist, racist, ableist etc. so be sure to work with someone who represents you. And don’t be afraid to ask thing such as “do you have photos of work on fat folks” or “have you tattooed people with melanated skin”. If you don’t see yourself represented, they may not be the right artist for you. 

How can the rest of the tattoo industry be more inclusive, especially towards fat bodies? I think one of the biggest things tattooers could do is share photos of diverse bodies. Representation is so important. Worry less about trying to curate a “perfect” aesthetic by posting the same thin/white bodies with desaturated pics and show your range. It hit me hardest when in my comments people mentioned they’ve never seen themselves represented in tattoo photos before.

Can you tell us about your own tattoos? Are you a tattoo collector? Since I am married to a tattooer, most of my tattoos are by him. Although Tony is my teacher I still can see how he’s  grown and changed over the years on my own skin. I love to see where we’ve started and where’s he’s at now. Tony is a constant source of inspiration and it’s an honour to be covered in his work. 

Have tattoos helped you to see your body differently or changed how you see your body in any way? For me getting tattooed is absolutely magical, with every tattoo I add I feel more and more like myself. Tattoos have helped me to see that I am living art, and art should be appreciated, loved and admired. 

Follow Carrie on Insta for more celebratory and illustrative tattoos.

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Stretch marks and tattoos

Stretch marks, scars, stretchies, tiger stripes… whatever you call them, most of us have them, and that’s okay. But what about when you want to get a tattoo where you have a stretch mark or a scar? Can you tattoo over them, will the tattoo look alright? We spoke to a couple of tattoo artists to find out…

Hannah Gehrke, Red Tattoo and Piercing, Leeds

As someone who is absolutely riddled with stretch marks (which hindered me a lot in my teenage years, thanks, puberty), I am absolutely unbothered by them and I fully empathise with those who aren’t so comfortable with having them. 

If you do have concerns about them and are looking to get tattooed, the best thing to do – if you feel comfortable – is to send over a photo of the area so I can have a look, and we can further discuss the best way to make a tattoo that’ll look good and last a lifetime!

When someone is looking to cover up stretch marks or scars, I firstly like to make it clear that putting a tattoo over them does not remove them. The tattoo is a distraction – no one will primarily notice stretch marks or scars when there’s a fun tattoo over them!

I’d also say, with scars especially, make sure they are completely and totally healed before getting a tattoo over them. It’s a lot safer and you’ll have a more pleasant experience. Otherwise, as I say to all of my customers, get into a routine of moisturising the area a week or so before your appointment! The more soft and supple the skin, the easier it is to work with, but I feel that’s just a general rule for life though. Get on that daily moisturiser, folks!

Notes for artists:

There’s no particular dos and don’ts when it comes to tattooing scars, but the style of tattoo does have to be taken into consideration depending on what the individual’s skin is currently like, and I do like to have a thorough consultation before going ahead with anything so we can get a good end result.

Scars, especially those that are raised, do tend to be a little physically tougher to tattoo, but that doesn’t mean you can just hammer anything into them; you still have to be careful especially when it comes to doing line work. Go slightly too hard and you’ve got yourself a ticket to Blow Out City, somewhere we want to avoid!

Stretch marks tend to swell and raise quicker as the skin is thinner and more delicate, which can sometimes make them a little tricky. As long as you’re not too heavy handed and it’s applied correctly, line work and colour/shading usually heal and last well. They can sometimes take longer to settle back down to normal during the healing process though, and do need to be babied a little more.

Katherine Alexander, Perseverance Tattoo, Inverness, Florida

I promise you, any good artist will not care about your stretch marks or scars. You don’t need to be scared, worried or self conscious. We’re here to help you feel good and make you some beautiful art! If you are ever uncomfortable in an artist’s chair for any reason, please speak up! For any reason at all. Tattoos are a very personal thing and your comfort always matters first and foremost. We are at YOUR service, don’t forget that!

Honestly, just do it. There’s nothing wrong with stretch marks, but if you are wanting to redecorate them with some art, don’t be afraid!

It doesn’t feel super different to tattoo, but it depends on the scar and stretch mark. It can depend on depth, how it healed and how old it is. If anything, it may be a little more tender in some areas but it isn’t going to feel any worse than a regular tattoo. It is a little tricky to actually do the tattoo, it can blow out or not take the ink. It just takes a little extra time and care! So make sure you research your artist as well as talk to them about their work with scar tissue! Don’t be afraid to look around until you find someone you trust and would like to work with.

There isn’t much prep out of the ordinary that you need to do before your appointment, but it is always good to use moisturiser. Just keep the area clean and make sure there isn’t any irritated or open scar tissue and you’ll be good to go, just like any appointment.


As far as aftercare goes, just give it some extra moisturising and keep it hydrated and it should heal as normal! It’s always good to apply lotion even after it’s healed to keep it looking nice, and your skin will thank you. The scars may be a little irritated and swollen after the tattoo is done, but that is normal, they will go down once everything is healed!

Have you got a tattoo over scars or stretch marks and would like to share them with us? Tag us in your photo on Insta and we’ll share them in our stories!

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Interview with Hernán Giamberardino

Tattoo artist and founder of Cry Baby tattoo in Palma de Mallorca, Spain, Hernán Giamberardino (best known as “Adamexiste”) tells us about his journey to become a tattooer, his appreciation for his clients and the detailed tattoos he creates…

What inspired you to become a tattoo artist? I got my first tattoo at the age of 15, but what inspired me to become a tattoo artist was actually TV shows. Back then we didn’t have social media, so I was exposed to the tattoo scene by the pictures hanging outside of tattoo shops in my hometown. I never thought about it as an art expression until these TV reality tattooing shows came out and I became obsessed.

How did you become an artist? My grandfather was a musician, my mother is a painter, so I guess art is in my DNA. I knew that if I wanted to become a good tattoo artist I would need more information. I was studying fine arts in Barcelona at the time, but I wasn’t getting what I wanted out of it, so I quit and got into Illustration at the Superior School of Design in Palma. That was game changing for me, I finally got the knowledge I needed and became more confident about tattooing.

My first job as a tattoo artist was in a nightclub, I always say if you can tattoo in a nightclub you can tattoo anywhere! It was a lot of fun and I gained what felt like years of experience in just a couple of months. I’m very grateful for that opportunity, although I would never do it again. I then worked for the same company in downtown Palma and after three years I had gained enough clients that I decided to open my own tattoo shop.

How long have you been tattooing? Ive been tattooing for almost 10 years and hope to keep doing it for a very long time.

How would you describe your work? I would describe my work as “delicate and detailed”. I have some sort of Horror Vacui, so even if it’s a small piece it needs to be full of details. I’m a perfectionist and in small tattoos there’s no space for errors. I think that’s what I love the most about fine line and small tattoos, every piece is a challenge and you need to be focus a 100%. I also love the aesthetic, love to see a sleeve full of small tattoos and think of the story behind each one of them.

Have you always tattooed like this? When I started tattooing I tried a little of every style, mainly because when you work for a company you don’t really get to choose what you tattoo or just do the things you like. You have to do a bit of everything. Instagram and social media really helped me develop the audience and clients that I wanted. I only posted the kind of tattoos that I wanted people to ask me for. Now I’m very grateful that I can decide what I want to tattoo and what I don’t.

What do you love to tattoo and what would you like to do more of? I love tattooing anything related to nature. Now more than ever tattoo trends change so quickly and I find something timeless in nature related tattoos. You can see them 10 years from now and they will still work. Insects and plants are my favourite, and pet portraits too when you see the client’s reaction. I would love to do more portraits of people, I absolutely enjoy it and it’s the biggest challenge for me.

How has the pandemic affected you and your tattooing? I can’t really say the pandemic affected my business in a negative way. I had to close the shop for four months and stay at home and that gave me the chance to work on other projects that I had going on.

Once we could reopen I think I had even more clients than before. Bars and restaurants were closed, social events were cancelled so people that love tattoos had the time and money. I’m very aware that this hasn’t been everyone’s situation so all I can say is how grateful I am to all my clients that kept on coming to the shop in this hard times.

The bad part of the pandemic for me was the fear. Obviously the nature of our job demands us to take extra care regardless if we are in a pandemic or not. In the beginning it was very unclear what was the best way to keep everybody and ourselves safe.

Can you tell us about your own tattoos? Are you a tattoo collector? Most of my tattoos are handpoke. I’m very lazy on the aftercare, and handpoke doesn’t require a lot of it. I always have to think a lot for my clients, so when it comes to my own tattoos I prefer to go to my friends’ flashbooks and choose the first thing that calls my attention. 

I’m more of a friends’ tattoo collector, I love tattoos that makes me laugh when I see them or remind me of a special person. I have a lot of tattoos that were made by friends that had never done a tattoo before and they’re my favourite. I also have a lot of insects, animals and matching tattoos with people I love.

Plans for the future? I’m currently in the process of opening a second tattoo shop so I can have more artists with me. I love working with people and the inspirational flow it creates so I’m very excited about it. I’m also gonna be participating, for the first time, in a tattoo convention in October and I think that will be an amazing experience.

Give Hernán a follow on Insta for more incredible tattoos and keep up to date with his future plans.

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Interview with tattoo artist Fan Wu

New York based anime tattoo artist Fan Wu tells us about her journey into becoming a tattoo artist and how her love for anime inspires everything she does…

What inspired you to become a tattoo artist and how did you become one? I really love drawing, have done since I was a kid. I’m introverted so I spent most of my time drawing. My major was printmaking in college, which is similar to tattooing as it’s a handmade process. Now I’m drawing on the skin instead of on the paper.

I was so curious about the tattoo process, that at first I started to learn it by myself. The more I got to know about the tattoo world the deeper I fell in love with it. I could, and still can, see lots of different styles and techniques from all over the world. So, I transformed into a tattoo artist instead of a printmaker, after I finished a tattoo apprenticeship.

How long have you been tattooing? Have you always worked in New York? I’ve been tattooing for almost four years now. I started to learn to tattoo when I was in college in Philadelphia. I used to tattoo on myself and my friends to practice, after graduation, I moved to New York and started my real tattooing life.

What inspires your work? What is it about anime that made you want to make it your signature style? I think what inspires my work the most is anime, florals, geometry, and galaxy patterns. I remember during my childhood the main thing I was doing was drawing and watching anime. The anime world is full of magic, craziness, and imagination. I’m always impressed by the characters and the stories. It’s so real, but it’s also not real.

Every time I watch anime I’m encouraged and touched by the spirits of the characters. I can tell how the author wants to express himself to the human world, and that’s the most important and impressive part to me. It’s just so amazing! So, I want to create more anime designs and custom pieces related to anime. Like the authors of the anime I love, I want to show people, who also love anime, the view I can see. I want to express my feelings through anime pieces.

How would you describe your work? Have you always tattooed like this? What drew you to this type of tattooing? My work is all fine line style. When I was an apprentice, I started to learn fine line style. It suited me as I really enjoy doing details and I love to spend time practising thin line. I worked as a printmaker for a while after graduating. Printmaking requires lots of detailed hand drawing and similar techniques, so I transferred these to tattooing. 

Can you tell us about the process behind your tattooing? I like to play my favourite music playlist before I draw., as songs inspire me too. Whenever I get a strong inspiration, I will start the sketch immediately. If I decide to finish a drawing, no matter how late it is, I will finish it.

What do you love to tattoo and what would you like to do more of? I love to do anime work the most. I also like to do custom pieces, like animal portraits, florals, and things that are meaningful to my clients. But I will say anime work is my favourite. I think I will try more coloured work in the future.

Can you tell us about your own tattoos? Are you a tattoo collector? Yes I am a tattoo collector! I’ve done loads of guest spots in different cities and I’ve met lots of amazing tattoo artists. I’ve been so impressed by all the different styles and the artists’ flash work, that I love to collect flash pieces from different artists that I like. I also like to draw the design myself and find the right tattoo artist to do it on my body.

Give Fan a follow on Insta.