Category: Tattoo Studios

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Interview with Tattoo Artist: Amanda Rodriguez

Originally from New York, tattoo artist Amanda Rodriguez creates stunningly beautiful nature-inspired floral tattoos. Now based in Brixton, London, we welcomed Amanda to the city by catching up with her to chat all things tattooing…

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You mentioned that you were living in New York, what drew you to London? I grew up in NYC and lived there most of my life. It’s changed quite a bit and the hustle of it grew old for me. I’ve been in love with English culture since I was young. As a teenager I fell in love with Brit-pop. I identify better with English culture, with my sense of humour and interests. I’m also a huge football fan. I’ve visited many times and always wanted to live here but the timing was never right. Over the last year, it became something that had to happen and now I’m here and very happy to be here.

Where can people find you? I’m currently in Brixton but the best way to get tattooed by me is to email me via my website. I generally do all my consultations via email.

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How would you describe your style? I’m terrible with genres but I would say my style is illustrative. I am heavily influenced by both nature and traditional tattooing technique. I love bold linework and muted colours.

What do you love to tattoo and what would you like to do more of? I love tattooing roses and peonies because I’m a total flower nerd but I love anything in nature. I love bugs, especially moths. I’m actually terrified of bugs but I love to tattoo them. So I’d love to do more of that. I would also like to do more lady faces, I grew up drawing portraits and I think they make really lovely tattoos.

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What inspires you? Nature inspires me, which is kind of funny if you know me because I’m not too keen on being outdoors. I just love seeing all the amazing beautiful things that exist in the world. Like a completely black moth that is the size of your head but dies within a week because it has no mouth, and orchids that look like monkey’s faces. I’ve also always been interested in animal bones. I find them to be incredibly beautiful and fascinating objects and it’s amazing to think you only see them after death and decomposition. That’s the kind of stuff that interests me.

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Are there any artists that you admire? There are a ton of artists I admire, too many to really list in full, but in particular I love Tiny Miss Becca (@s6girl). I had the honour of having her tattoo my entire back and I love it immensely. She is so incredibly talented but on top of that she is really lovely and generous.

Have you noticed any differences between the tattoo scene in the UK and the US? Yes, and these are some of the things that made me want to move. For one, tattoo collectors here seem to understand that a tattoo is a luxury and if they want a big one they will take the day off work. Tattoo parlours here tend to have more normal working hours, and the tattoo artists themselves are very down to earth. In the US, I never felt like I fit in with the ‘scene’ as I don’t listen to metal and own a motorcycle or leather jacket. Also, and this may just be NYC culture, but everyone wants to be tattooed on nights and weekends. It got to the point where it completely drained me and I had to turn people down. Overall it’s more laid back here.

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Give Amanda a follow on Insta @amandatattoos and welcome her to London.

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Holly Astral: ‘The Art of Tarot’ Project

After seeing sneak peeks and behind-the-scenes pics from some of our favourite tattoo artists taking part in ‘TAROT the art of Tarot’ we couldn’t help but be intrigued!

We caught up with Holly Astral, the woman behind ‘TAROT the art of Tarot’ and Gravity Tattoo Studio to find out more about the project and how you can get your own piece of it… 

Poster for Tarot, The art of Tarot project by Holly Astral

What inspired you to start the ‘TAROT The Art of Tarot’ project? It just came up spontaneously! Me and the girls in the shop love reading tarot, and one day we started talking about how fun it would be to design some tarot cards between us, and the idea for the show just clicked into place! Since I got the keys to the building that is now Gravity Tattoo Shop I’d always said I’d like to hold an art exhibition in the ground floor reception area, and this seemed perfect!

You’ve taken part in exhibitions at galleries across Europe and America, was this part of your motivation for the tarot project? Totally! Before I was a tattoo artist I was a toy designer, and ran my own line of designer toys. During that time I put on a couple of collaborative art shows in London, and one in LA. Each one showcased toys which has been customised by other designers in the industry and were so much fun to put on. My main motivation for this show and those that I’ve organised in the past is to showcase the talent of those around me – I figured I’d put on the kind of shows I’d like to attend.

Poster for the Tarot Tattoo Project

What message do you hope to spread? I’m interested to get the conversation going about tarot cards, and how people view them. I am relatively new to the concept, having dabbled a little as a teenager. I had a very rough start to this year and got into it as I was looking for answers. I don’t believe in divination or mediums, rather my take on tarot is that whatever you latch onto within a reading is your subconscious trying to tell you about a part of your life you need to look a little deeper at, or maybe an answer that you already know and need permission to bring to the surface. We all have the answers to our problems inside of us and activities like tarot reading can help us to bring the answers to the surface.

The Tarot project aims to raise funds for Hula Animal Rescue, does that charity mean a lot to you? Absolutely! We raise money for them throughout the year, and last year put on a flash day to fund raise for them. Gravity is a vegan tattoo shop and animal welfare is important to us, Hula are a wonderful small charity doing great things for animals.

Sneak peak at the Tarot Project Exhibition

You’ve brought together 78 individual artists for the tarot project – how did you pick them? Well at first we were going to do just the 22 major arcana from the tarot deck, so we asked some friends if they’d like to design a card for the show and it just got bigger and bigger! Before I knew it we had the entire deck being created, we were just blown away by the response.

Is there a wide variety of styles, mediums and interpretations? It has been incredible seeing all the artwork come back for the show! We left it up to the artists how they wanted to create their cards – any medium was okay, the only proviso being that it needed to fit in an A4 frame for the show layout. We have paintings, drawings, digital artworks and even a couple of embroidered pieces in the show. Seeing how everyone interpreted their card’s meaning has been so fun to see, with so many unique and interesting designs coming back to us. All the pieces they’ve created for the show were available to purchase for £100 each (a steal!)

Will they only be available to purchase at the show? First dibs on purchasing artwork from the show will be given to everyone who attends on the night of the party (August 24th 6-9pm) with any remaining artworks sales being opened up to the internet in the weeks after the show.

Sneak peak at the Tarot Tattoo Project

Will tarot sets be available to purchase too? We can’t wait to do a reading with them! Yes! Pre-orders are now closed but were available through our big cartel: gravitytattoo.bigcartel.com/product/tarot-cards.

Celebrating the art, design and creativity of tattooing will the tarot project be exhibiting anywhere else before the pieces go to their new owners? Nope! Tarot is a one night event!

Holly Astral - The Art of Tarot Tattoo Project

You used to create your own plush toys ‘Cavey’ and even exhibited at ToyCon, was this integral to deciding to create a physical product from the exhibition? My background in product and the toy industry definitely helped, and I also recognised that not everyone can afford £100 for an artwork and wanted to make an item that everyone could afford, so they can still contribute to the charity. Making the deck of cards seemed like the perfect idea, and a great way to showcase all the great art from the show! We enlisted the help of a local printers to help us make the cards as fab as possible.

This is your first exhibition at your studio Gravity Tattoo Shop, has doing the Tarot project given you a taste for curating tattoo art exhibitions again? Absolutely! We’ll be doing another, different show, next year!

Tarot Tattoo Project Poster

Don’t miss the launch of ‘TAROT The Art of Tarot’ on August 24th at Gravity Tattoo Shop in Leighton Buzzard from 6pm- 9pm or follow over on Instagram for more information!

Interview by Amber Carnegie originally posted on the Barber DTS Tattoo Supplies blog. 

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Tattoo dilemmas with Blue

When Things&Ink was in print, we asked shop mama at (now closed) Into You in London, Blue, to answer your tattoo woes and problems. We are posting some of our faves here as an ode to Blue and her wisdom. Blue now runs The Blue Tattoo in west London. 

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Dear Blue,
I’m writing to you as I am having a little tattoo dilemma. I have just turned 60 and I have two daughters who are huge tattoo collectors. Every time they come to visit me, they have new tattoos – which seem to keep getting bigger and covering more of their bodies. At first, I was apprehensive about it all, but I am becoming increasingly drawn to the world of tattoos.

So, for my birthday, my daughters have treated me to a voucher to go under the needle for the first time. This fills me with both excitement and trepidation. I have so many questions, will it hurt? What if I don’t like it? Will it be a scary experience. But, and most pressingly, I don’t know what I want to get.

I have had a few ideas, but my youngest daughter always puts me off them. How can I come up with an idea that really means something to me?

Thanks, Jenni, 60, midlands

Blue: These are questions all first timers ask. Getting your first  tattoo will fill you with all sorts of anxieties. My advice on thisL  take the plunge, no going back, no regrets. Don’t worry about the pain, it will hurt a little but it’s not so bad. Make sure you go to a studio you feel comfortable in. Getting tattooed is not scary at all – in fact it can be a very nice and pleasant  experience. A tattoo does not necessarily  have to have a meaning behind it, if you and your daughters find a design you like, then that is meaning in itself.

Dear Blue,

I’ve met a guy and am thinking of asking him out. He only has one tattoo, which doesn’t bother me, but it’s a quote from a book I really hate. Is this a deal breaker? How can I be expected to get past first base if I couldn’t even get past the first chapter?

Bethany, 32, London

Blue: Oh, that’s only a minor detail, if you like this guy don’t let  a silly quote get in the way. We can’t, and don’t, always like everyone’s tattoos. I say, go for it and just ask him out. If it works out for you, you can always get him to get more tattoos! So get past the first chapter and enjoy getting to first base.

Dear Blue,

My boyfriend insists that I cover my tattoos whenever we meet his parents, who he believes wouldn’t approve. Aside from the fact that I think they’re probably less conservative than he imagines, should I take the easy route to family harmony and keep them hidden, or be both more honest to myself and them by showing them if I feel like it? I don’t feel ashamed of them, so why should  I act as if I am?

Sophie, 25, Kent

Blue: I say keep the harmony and respect his wishes for now. Start up a conversation with his parents about tattoos to gauge their reaction. If they seem cool with the whole tattoo thing, let them know you that you like tattoos and have some yourself, then eventually you may not feel obliged to hide them any more. Good luck.

Dear Blue,

Do you think I should pay attention to people who tell me getting my partner’s name tattooed on me is  a bad idea? We’re thinking of getting ‘bro tats’ and while I do understand the cons, I feel that even if this relationship ends and turns out to be a mistake, it’s still one I’d like to remember. Am I being naïve?

Danielle, 32, Wales

Blue: No you’re not being naïve at all. I think you should listen to yourself, don’t worry about what other people think. Sure the relationship may not last forever, but you will always have the memory of that moment. You can always tattoo an X over the top, or
a line through it. Then there’s always a cover-up, if you decide it really needs to go! I’m actually a big fan of the X over a name! It’s always a funny story to tell…

What do you reckon, shall we revive our problem page? Do you have problems you would like Blue to answer, email hello@thingsandink.com

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Powder Beauty Boutique in Brighton

We had a fun Things&Ink outing to Brighton back in February for Brighton Tattoo Convention. While we were there, we couldn’t resist getting our nails done at the gorgeous Power Beauty Boutique.

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Editors Rosalie Hurr and Alice Snape got their nails did at Powder Beauty Boutique

image2 (1)Behind a discreet door on Duke Street, you will climb some stairs and enter a little haven with warm and welcoming therapists who can do anything from nail art and bikini waxes to make-up and micro-blading.

Excitingly, they now have a room to rent that would suit a professional body piercer or tattoo artist. They already have a licence from the council in place, so are looking for someone who is self-employed to rent the space. We can’t wait to pay them a visit again once they find someone… especially as the room looks like a perfect – and private – sanctuary to get pierced or tattooed in… Just look!

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If you’re interested in renting the room either on a part-time or full-time basis, contact Rachel at rachel@powderbeauty.co.uk or give her a call 07899884170. Visit powderbeauty.co.uk, for more information. Powder Beauty Boutique is an established salon with a large client base situated in the heart of Brighton’s city centre. 

 

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Hexagon Tattoo Project: Martin Dobson

Martin Dobson is a self-confessed tattoo addict and owner of the incredible hexagon tattoo project. An enterprise that starts life as simple outlines of  hexagons that are then filled by various tattoo artists from around the world.  We caught up with Martin to find out more about his inspiring tattoo collection and the thinking behind it…

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What was your first tattoo and how old were you? I got my first tattoo when I was 17, yes I lied that I was 18. It was a tiny piece of terrible tribal flash on my arm, which has since been covered by a slightly less terrible tribal wrap around which I got a few years later in Thailand.

What inspired you  to get tattooed in the first place? I don’t really remember what inspired me to get a tattoo. I lived in a provincial town in the UK and in 1997 there was no one I knew or anyone I was even at school with that had a tattoo. I think it must have been a rebellion thing but I was just drawn to it. Something that 22 years and over 60 tattoos later I understand was the start of an addition and calling.

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How did your hexagon project come about? I travel a lot with work and a few years ago whilst on a long trip taking in NYC, LA, New Zealand, Oz and Singapore I starting thinking that it would be cool to mark each country or city I go to with a tattoo from a local shop. My first (probably bad) idea, was to get the logo of the shop tattooed in a circle on my leg, like a passport stamp. Whilst discussing with my wife this morphed into what it is today. My wife, Dawn came up with the hexagon shape so that they tessellate.

Do you go to tattooists with a design or let them have free reign with the space? No I give them complete free reign. We usually talk about their options and they ask my opinion. But honestly I love that I don’t know what design I’m going to get when I wake up on the morning of getting a new tattoo or even when I’m walking into the studio – sometimes even when they are starting the tattoo! It’s my experience and I think a universal understanding that you definitely get an artist’s best work if you allow them the freedom to do something they like doing or that challenges them. It’s been fun to see seasoned, highly talented artists freak out about what they are going to do in such a small space. All bar none have completely nailed it too!

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You’ve got some amazing work from some incredible artists, who else is on your list? My list is endless. With Instagram people’s work is so accessible, it’s crazy – my wish list gets bigger everyday. It also gets longer every time I go for a session and the artist I’m working with starts recommending their friends and peers. I’ve had to stop talking about new artists! I put out a post on International Woman’s Day recently asking for recommendations of female artists as I’m embarrassingly low on woman tattoo artists compared to men. I got over 125 comments with atleast 200 artists tagged, it’s taken me hours just to look at their profiles let alone start contacting them.

Some big targets currently are Filip Leu who is up for adding a design next to his friend Tin Tin’s but I need to go to Switzerland – I might just have to turn up on his doorstep! Nikko Hurtardo says he’s up for adding a piece but again he’s hard to tie down. I’d love to get something from Boris, Kahn Tofi. I have a long list of Japanese artists, but I’d like to go to Japan rather than doing it at a convention in London or Europe. There are a load of good artists in Korea that i’d like to get hexagons from too. Lastly I grew up watching Miami Ink, I know it can be derided in the industry but Ami, Chris, Darren and Chris are super talented and their show is how I got introduced to tattooing. Ami and Chris Garver have added hexagons and I have two spaces free next to them. Darren is visiting the UK in the summer and is going to add his – now I just need to get a line to Nunez and hopefully I can have them all together.

Do you plan on covering your whole body?  I’m about to extend to my other leg and do a full sleeve which should give me at least another 50 hexagons – after that it will be a conversation with my wife! She didn’t marry a heavily tattooed guy so I have to respect that. She loves the project and actually came up with most of the ideas but I’m not sure she’s up for a husband completely covered in hexagon tattoos!

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What sorts of reactions does your project get? Amazingly positive – I think I’ve been quite lucky and stumbled on a reasonably unique idea in a tattoo world that doesn’t have much left as far as new ideas on placement or collecting go. It’s even got to a point where there are a few people out there copying the idea exactly!

It’s amazing that pretty much every artist I contact is into the idea and usually fits me in to their schedules at short notice – even when they have long waiting lists. As I say I’m a lucky guy and feel humble that an idea that started off as a bit of a punt has turned into something that a lot of people are truly interested in and want to follow to see the outcome.

Photos by Dan Lowe