Category: Tattoo Studios

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That’s how magic happens: The tattoos of Blvck Mamba

Liam Blvck (@theblvckmambatattoo) crafts contemporary blackwork tattoos at Bebop Ink in Vancouver, Canada. Liam combines their heritage of Chinese and European culture into dark, fantastical artworks which straddle the line between the above and the below, much like the lines Liam tells us they have existed between throughout their career and life…

What inspired you to become a tattoo artist? Did you complete an apprenticeship, if so what was this like? I’ve been fascinated by tattoos since I was young when I saw all of my favourite band members covered in tattoos, it really intrigued me. I remember thinking “can I just wear my favourite art on my skin forever?”

I was the only arty child in my family, and my family thought I would pass that phase as I got older, but I didn’t. I didn’t really think about being a tattooer until I was 16. When it really struck me how I was extremely into body modification and that I would love to do anything related to art, but at the same time I’m wasn’t interested in just painting on a canvas and selling my art in a gallery. After high school, I ended up going to art school which really reinforced the idea of becoming a tattooer. It took me years to find a proper apprenticeship, but I managed to find one at a street shop.

Luckily my mentor was willing to guide me through the process, even though it was a learning curve for both of us. I was his first apprentice ever. Most of the people who worked there were apprenticed under another boss, and I was the exception which kind of made me the black sheep. I was taken through extreme ups and downs when it came to my learning, because I wasn’t taught the way my boss was as an apprentice. I felt like I needed to learn faster and work harder to prove myself.

Can you tell us about your own tattoos, and the process behind these – how do you settle on a design or choose an artist? I’ve collected a handful of tattoos from different artists around the world; each of the pieces represent my growth as a person, and what I was going through at that time. Most of the tattooers I find are from tattoo magazines I’ve purchase, word of mouth, tattoo conventions and artists of the late 90s/early 2000-esque from a website hosted on Angelfire. I was on more of a scavenger hunt for tattoos back then, instead of just going on Instagram like you do now.

I used to believe every tattoo had to have a meaning in order to get it permanently on my body, and I was told if they didn’t I’d regret it for the rest of my life. Surprisingly, some of my most meaningful tattoos have now been covered. The older we are, it seems that we look back on things and the feelings we had have changed. Nothing stays the same forever, every day we grow as a person. I came to the realisation that it’s okay to just simply appreciate something in the moment, overthinking it would make things complicated.

Most of my tattoos at this point don’t have any meaning, rather I loved the work the tattooer had put out. I simply want what they’re good at, not just the styles, but the subject matters they’re interested in too.

Do you have a favourite tattoo either on your own body or one you have created? Every tattoo I’ve created I’ve loved in different ways, that’s pretty much asking someone to pick their favourite children!

But I would say my favourite tattoo on my own body would be my black-out arm. It was a cover up of a sleeve I’ve got when I was between 18 and 20. It showed how much I had changed as a person, and I realise back then I was still exploring my self identity, as a woman at that time, and as a non-white. Underneath layers and layers of black is a super colourful sleeve that even had an owl with neon pink wings! The black-out took me two to two and a half years to finish, each layer was done by a different coworker that I trusted. The experience of a black-out arm is so different than that of getting a design, it’s a different level of commitment, and it’s something that’s hard to describe until you’ve experienced it on your own.

How would you describe your work? Do you think your experiences have shaped the tattoos you create? Although I was born in Canada, the majority of my childhood was spent in Hong Kong. Hong Kong was colonised by the UK at that time and so I was exposed to European culture along with my own people’s culture. European art was always my favourite because I’m obsessed with how humans can achieve such levels of details in their craft or artwork. Also I was into heavier music and often old European art would be featured on album art and merch.

My work is a fine line between European-esque art, and my life experiences of living on the line between Western and Chinese culture – my identity, my skin, gender, mental health collides with European occult imagery. It’s abstract and complicated.

What kinds of tattoos do you love to do, what designs get you excited? Is there anything you’d like to create or a particular concept you’d like to explore? I would like to continue with the occult aesthetic in my work, but take it more into a surrealism direction. Loving what you do and taking it to another level is the truest growth of oneself.

How would you describe your experience as a queer tattooer in the tattoo industry? Does this influence the spaces you tattoo in? I started out as a cis woman in the industry and I experienced the struggle of being part of the boy’s club. I still notice how I get treated differently compared to white colleagues, and often I get the harsh end of it all. Even the clientele at the beginning of my career treated me poorly because most of the folks that came to me did so because I’m not white, they assumed that they could get a deal on the tattoo they wanted.

I also have experienced male tattooers putting me into uncomfortable situations, such as commenting on women’s appearances, wanting to meet me outside of the workspace for a “consultation” and when I’ve gotten a tattoo from them their arm is positioned in a questionable area.

When I realised that I’m non-binary, and started to dress more queer it was another segregation on top of what I had already experienced. I feel sometimes that the community itself questions my queerness and my right to the space because I’m married to a cis man and therefore I’m not queer and non-binary enough. I was still treated as a cis woman, and my chosen name threw people off and some of them got a bit uncomfortable when they had shown up to their consultation and were expecting to get tattooed by a male tattooer.

All of these experiences, have shaped me. I want to tattoo in a queer friendly safe space where all bodies, race, genders are welcome. Both tattooers and clients give so much trust to each other and vulnerability, in this space judgement and hate is not tolerated. Getting a tattoo shouldn’t be scary and you shouldn’t leave with a traumatic experience.

I’ve read that you’ve explored your craft in a lot of different countries is there a place or moment that stood out for you? I’ve travelled to a few places throughout my tattoo career, I always get inspired by my experiences. Also seeing how other tattooers that I admire love and perfect their craft, gives me the motivation and validation to know that you create your own journey within this craft. There’s no such thing as one art being superior to others, your craft is created by a collection of experiences. The people who come to you do so because they connect with your creation, and that’s how magic happens.

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One is too many

*This article is written from a UK perspective, by Lauren Marina.


**TW sexual assault, rape, trauma.

You’re not overreacting. 
You didn’t bring it on yourself. 
It isn’t just a joke. 
Call it by its name. It is sexual assault.

Last week on Instagram, hundreds of women broke the silence on sexual assault in the tattoo industry. The sharing of personal experiences snowballed and awareness of the problem grew louder than ever. 

As I read each story I felt many emotions. My gut wrenched and churned in disgust and anguish. I had tears of sadness in my eyes that so many women have faced such atrocious behaviour at the hands of someone who should have been a trusted professional. I felt rage; rage that these assaults have happened in an industry so close to many of our hearts. But amongst these feelings, I did not feel surprised. That lack of shock felt heavy and grey in the pit of my stomach.

Why wasn’t I surprised? 

Unfortunately because I deeply resonated. I connected with many of the elements of the stories shared. 

I’m not a tattooer myself, but I’ve been getting tattooed for around 13 years and have visited a wide variety of shops and conventions in different locations. Despite having largely positive, respectful and professional experiences I’ve also felt the vulnerability so many of the women shared in their stories. 

I’ve been the only woman amongst a group of men in a tattoo shop, whilst they share loud and lairy sexual jokes about past clients. Whilst I sit small, waiting for the work to start; unable to speak out for fear of being turned upon. I’ve been unnecessarily topless in the middle of a tattoo convention, my naked body subject to lingering eyes and photographs taken by strange men whilst I’m held down with the tattoo machine; holding back words for fear of being condemned, from fear of being considered an overreaction, my male artist, seemingly unaware of any wrongdoing. 

These are examples of some of the conditions within tattooing that enable disrespectful sexual behavior to exist. These types of conditions and similar, play a significant role in allowing rape culture to cultivate; and I believe the boys’ club is largely to blame. 

‘Boys’ club’ is a term used to describe typically ‘laddish’ behaviour. Perhaps reading this will instantly summon a scenario (or likely many) in which you have witnessed ‘the lads’. In this context I’m referring to the type of behaviour where, in an all-male scenario, a vulgar sexual joke here and there is allowed to slip through in front of friends, for the ‘banter’. This sexual ‘joke’ is not shut down by the audience, but applauded, these are the enablers of the perpetrator, a part of the boys’ club. This normalises and in fact, rewards the content of the joke. This normalisation and reward is the base level that allows rape culture to exist, insidiously – whether that be in one tattoo shop or across the industry as a whole. This habit alone, or alongside other enabling behaviours such as the sexual objectification of women, permits – and can cheer on – the potential escalation from harassment to abuse by the perpetrator. The sheer volume of shared experiences of sexual violence at the hands of male tattooers shared by women in the last week is testament to this. 

Add a ring of accomplices, who have been enabling behaviors, such as looking the other way, denying wrongdoing, participating, or casting the actions off as “that’s just what he’s like” or “boys will be boys”, allows – and in fact loudly endorses – acts of sexual assault towards clients. Individual unacknowledgement of widespread sexual abuse, victim blaming and trivialising rape also contribute. 

Then combine this with the client.

A female client has booked in to see a professional tattoo artist. They arrive, perhaps having travelled for some time, or having booked in months ago, feeling the thrill of anticipation of new work to be added to their skin. Perhaps they have to be in a level of undress. They will likely be in some degree of pain. They will also likely be in an unknown environment, surrounded by strangers. This may also be the first time they have met the artist, so a new rapport may only begin on the day of the tattoo. The collision between the client’s vulnerability and the normalisation of rape culture can be devestating.

Enough is enough. 

This is not a problem with the industry. This is a problem with the individuals who perpetrate this predatory behaviour. Rape culture must be stamped out in the tattoo world. Clients should never have to be in a position of sexual risk. The predators existing in the industry are a minority, but even one is too many. 

One instance of unwelcome sexual advance is too many. One instance of groping is too many. One instance of forced sexual contact is too many. One degrading tattooer is too many. One unsolicited dick pic is too many. One experience of client humiliation is too many. One client feeling scared and vulnerable is too many. 

Raising awareness, education, new legislation and active allyship are all preventative measures that can be taken. Despite there being stigma and fear around shining a light on perpetrators, we can also encourage and support victims to speak out in ways which are physically and mentally safe to do so; and only if they want to. There can be no pressure here. Your experience is yours. Public naming and shaming artists can be unsafe for victims in many ways, for one due to defamation laws in the UK. TattooMeToo are a support group who have mobilised quickly to support victims in a safe and professional manner.

If last week has proved anything it’s that we can unite together and create change. Justice can be achieved. This is the end of the boys’ club.

A collective of women have set up @TattooMeTooRecoveryArtists you can donate via www.gofundme.com/f/tattoometoorecovery.

For additional support follow @tsass_uk or visit rapecrisis.org.uk.

I also have a charity t-shirt for sale at Mercht. All sales (except for Mercht’s printing cost) will go to TattooMeToo Recovery Artists.

Our inbox at Things & Ink is always open, alice@thingsandink.com

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Apprentice love: Heavy Petal

We first shared Stevie’s beautiful tattooed hand print on Instagram back in December, and ever since we’ve known we had to find out more about the artist behind the artwork. Currently in the early stages of her tattoo apprenticeship at Union Street Tattoo in Devon, Stevie is definitely one to watch!

How long have you been apprenticing? How did you get your apprenticeship?
I started my apprenticeship in October 2019. I’ve always wanted to get into tattooing! I originally started building up a portfolio back in 2014 but unfortunately it wasn’t the right time for me. I had a couple of office jobs but I just really wanted to get into something creative. So I started doing a bit of freelance illustration and greeting card designing in 2017 alongside my day job.

But in 2019, circumstances had changed with my job so I started building up my portfolio for an apprenticeship again! I saw that Union Street Tattoo were advertising for an apprentice, so I popped along with my portfolio and had a lovely chat with the owner, Mark Breed, who later introduced me to Forest Lewis and they offered me the apprenticeship! They’ve both been so welcoming and helpful, it finally all clicked into place, I’m still so stoked!

What advice would you give to anyone wanting to start in the tattoo industry?
Really work on making your portfolio the best it can be! Draw lots and include different styles whilst making the portfolio itself super presentable. Do your research on the tattoo industry and it’s history! Ask for help and advice if you need it.

We love the traditional nature of your work, is this a genre you draw inspiration from?
Definitely, I love traditional tattoos and their history. Traditional tattoos look so clean and bold and bright, I love that. Flowers and colours are also a big inspiration!

How would you describe your style and where would you like to take it?
Bold and colourful! I really love experimenting with different colour palettes. I use a lot of pinks! I’ve tried to not always go for pinks but I love it! I’m really looking forward to trying different styles once I’m tattooing properly, though. In particular dot work, fine line botanical pieces and mandalas.

What do you like to tattoo and what would you like to do more of?
I haven’t actually started tattooing properly yet. So it’s hard to say at this stage. I’ve only done just over a handful of tattoos so far, mainly on myself. A lot of flowers though!

The illustrated hand print we shared on our Instagram

Can you tell us about your own tattoo collection. Do you have a favourite or a list of tattooers you want to get work by?
The majority of my tattoos are by the lovely Gem Carter. I got my first tattoo from Gem when I was 18. I often travel up to her beautiful studio, Black Rose, in North Devon for more! I love every single one! I also have one of Kelly Smith’s peonies and one of Chloe O’Malley’s floral bouquets, I adore both pieces! There are so many other tattooers I’d love to get work by in the future. Including Cassandra Frances, Rabtattoo, Rebecca Vincent and Leonie New, to name a few!

Have tattoos altered how you feel about your body at all?
Definitely! I’ve always struggled with my self esteem and body confidence. Having tattoos has helped me feel more confident in my own skin.

The more I get, the more I admire that my body is all mine to decorate.

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Harness your power – Wolfmumma

Based in North Wales Anna Jones (Wolfmumma) conjures witchy vibes and natural powers with her work. With a new studio location soon to be announced we chatted to the tattooer and illustrator about her style and how tattoos have returned her power to her…

We love your witchy women, what inspires these and the rest of your tattoos?
Thank you so much! I like to create protagonists. I love making powerful portraits, creating characters is always fun! There’s definitely a running theme of fortitude in my work, many of my figures are compromised in some way but they are still strong and powerful.

What do you like to create and what would you like to do more of?
Portraits! I also like creating nature inspired stuff and creatures but mostly figures. I love drawing and tattooing figures, never gets old! I’d like to do more of everything! I’m missing tattooing so much right now, as so many of us are. I’m looking forward to getting back to it and developing my work further!

How would you describe your style? What drew you to tattoo and draw in this way?
I think the most accurate way to describe my style would be illustrative blackwork. I draw what I love and in that way my style has developed naturally.

How long have you been tattooing? Where would you like to take your work in the future? I’ve been tattooing for roughly three years. I’m looking forward to guesting at a bunch of studios in the near future including Occult Studio in Worthing, but obviously everything is on hold right now. I’ll be releasing news about my guest spots and my next project once normality has resumed!

What made you want to become a tattooist? Did you do art before?
I did do art before! I’ve always been obsessed with art. I graduated from University College Falmouth with an illustration degree in 2008 and I then worked as a freelance illustrator. I had a break from doing art professionally after getting married and having kids. This was a difficult time for me as I was experiencing domestic abuse/violence which lead to my separation. Art was a huge part of my recovery and I began working as a freelance illustrator again as soon as my youngest started school.

My own tattoos were a big part of reclaiming my power, my body, and sense of self. Becoming a tattoo artist felt like the next logical step. It blows my mind that I can now help others with their own tattoo therapy and experiences.

Can you tell us a little about how tattooing and tattoos make you feel?
Tattoos for me are a self affirmation, they are power and choice. Through my own personal tattoos I have regained power over my body and how I choose to express myself. Tattoos been an important part of my journey as a domestic abuse/violence survivor. To tattoo others as a job makes me happy and it never feels like work. The trust and belief I have from my clients is a dream and I feel extremely fortunate to be on this path.

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Getaway car: getting to know Stella Vlad

As I have mentioned before, I am a creature of habit. But some habits have inevitably been shattered. What I love the most about New York City is its ability to be a port in a storm; in a life that constantly hits unexpected turbulence, I remember the persistence of places in the city to shelter. Think of tattooing that way: they are moments, snapshots, and lyrics on your body, in a way that you have wanted; not something you passively accept as your fate, but an alteration that you know will also alter the way you see yourself. In that I’ve seen tattooing as my own armour, places where skin has been thickened by ink and scarred tissue is more resistant than what inflames in the sunlight.

Not all tattoos have the meaningful, weighty significance that the general public seems to ascribe to them. We’ve all been asked, “what does this tattoo mean to you?” – and for some of us, they do, in their own way, have meaning. But the process, the artist, and the location can have a much more significant impact on the duration and approach one has to their inked skin once it’s over. After a long and difficult winter, I retreated along the banks of the Hudson River, where world-renowned Patrick Conlon opened his own shop, Speakeasy, at the heart of the gorgeous town of Peekskill, about an hour north of New York. There, a bright, large, airy space covered in murals – including a spot featuring a starry night sky – he hired local artists and talents, gave them jobs, and collected an eclectic, both traditional and modern, group of artists, who in turn elected a queen – Stella Vlad.

Having been tattooed by Patrick several times before, and having taken days to go to Peekskill, enjoy its brewery, coffee shop, and small bookstores, I had seen Stella but never dared to approach her before. It’s a shame, as she is one of the nicest, kindest, and funniest people in this community – someone who is the embodiment of open arms and hospitality. I came with baggage, yet it didn’t matter. I was starting work on my stomach, a body part that causes me anxiety, and at no point was it a problem to accommodate the hills and dips of my body, its swollen curves or the ridges of a ribcage. Stella and I discussed what is a simple script – but one that encompasses my life as a whole – for a while, pondering flourishes, weighing sizes. Every single moment comforted me in knowing I would have the tattoo that I wanted, and as time passed, the little apprehension I still had about a difficult body part disappeared. At each step of the way, Stella explained what she was doing, when and how I should breathe, and in what felt like the blink of an eye, it was over.

Of course, I wasn’t the first client of hers to suffer from anxiety and body dysmorphia. It very much, in facts, pales in comparison to clients who identify as trans or who have been through major surgery, whether wanted or required. And so, Stella’s vision and placement suggestions were informed by an intimate knowledge of the various stages of an individual’s journey and the power of identity, how it can be a tool of suffering or one of empowerment. Her comfort within the shop is also a testament to the work Speakeasy brought to downstate New York: an inclusive, non-discriminating, and welcoming place for people of all walks of life, regardless of their class, ethnicity, gender identity or sexual orientation. Speakeasy maintained a traditional vision of the art of tattooing by allowing modern and realistic creation, and provides a space in which a new generation can work, evolve and experiment safely. For clients, a place such as this one, close to the homiest coffee shop found outside Scandinavia, where other local business owners come say hi, and residents say hello, feels a million miles away from the busy rattle and hum of New York City. Being tattooed by Stella Vlad felt like a privileged moment.

Being an exile has defined my entire life. I had to cross a border into a civil war as a child, I found a home away from home as a late teen, and it wasn’t until very recently that I planted roots – roots I will leave to return to where I come from. The Menzingers’ new album contains themes of forced travel, solitude on deserted islands and the gaping void of separation, but by welcoming it, by accepting it as a fact of life, it had entered my body before Stella tattooed it on me. Every sensation was acknowledged and accounted for; her wonderful fiancé Emily being present added to the sentiment of being welcomed into a fold. I had known Patrick when he worked at Graceland in the early 2010s, and had followed him up on the Metro North. Sometimes it is necessary to be a little far away to appreciate what remains present, in your mind, in your heart, and in this case on your stomach, regardless of distance.

Stella Vlad grew up a punk kid and remained one, playing in a band, listening to music that reminds me of my own high school years, but offers wisdom beyond that – an intuition, that one can only presume has come from travelling through certain paths to find an understanding of the relationship with our bodies. The way our mind sees them, how we want them altered, and that carefully crafted art can inspire change. As the tattoo heals, I will be in three different countries on two different continents, and the sentiment of exile will perdure, but I grow up and create new habits, new locals, and new mindsets. Stella is capable of accommodating an extremely wide range of styles, and I saw on her next client, how the tattoo fits them and every part of what had been done previously showed experience. A well trodden path can sometimes be as exciting and as powerful as exiting a comfort zone. If the saying is true, and what we create can save us – then Stella Vlad added a few months to my life line.

Sarah’s ‘hello exiles’ tattoo by Stella Vlad

Sarah Kay is a very, very tattooed international human rights lawyer living between Paris and New York. Originally from Belfast, Northern Ireland, Sarah has kept its taste for cold rain and the rewards that come from sitting still under pressure. You’ll probably find her in London drinking wine.