Category: Tattoos

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Dragon tattoos: Interview with tattoo artist Intat

Tattooist Intat creates mythical blackwork dragon tattoos at Yasaeng tattoo parlour in Seoul. We chatted to the artist about his style and how he’s working to change how tattoos and tattooers are thought of in South Korea...

How long have you been tattooing and how did you get started in the industry? I started tattooing about eight years ago in 2015. At that time I didn’t have any contact with the tattoo world or tattoos, but coincidentally I came across the fine line genre of tattooing and became fascinated by it. So much so that I dropped out of university and immediately entered into the tattoo industry.

What inspired you to become an artist? I would say that I was inspired by the time I have spent with different types of people who were firm in what they wanted to do, they were free and happy. I longed to be like them.

Above all else my will to do what I wanted to do was the main reason I became an artist.

Do you have a background in art? I started painting when I was four years old and I majored in art at university, before I left to become a tattoo artist.

How would you describe your style? Among my works you’ll see representations of dragons, other animals and plants. If I have to choose a style or genre of tattooing I’d say I fit in the blackwork genre.

I express my own black and white art with a naturally toned arrangement that harmonises with my clients’ skin tones. My tattoos have a stable balance of composition and delicate and complex expressions.

Why did you choose to work mainly in black ink? I think the delicate and heavy atmosphere that can be expressed through black ink is really attractive. The use of dark and bright is simple and easy to interpret.

My favourite colour is black, but that doesn’t mean I only use black. If the design appears to me as being an interesting experiment then I am open to using various colours.

What inspires your designs? I’m affected by everything I see and experience. I only work in my own set style, but if you look closely you can see subtle differences in all of my works.

I think that this is the reason why what I see and feel in real time and real life is directly, or perhaps indirectly, incorporated into the tattoos and paintings I do at that very moment.

Does your heritage influence your art? For me, it’s always interesting to deal with traditional symbols and images from my heritage that have a unique feel to them. However it’s also very difficult.

I’ve been dealing with all sorts of oriental gods (such as dragons and haetae) and the experiences I have with these ideas and creatures have a huge impact on me.

Can you tell us about the process behind your tattoos? I actually have an obstacle that makes pulling off the complicated and difficult style I do difficult. During my military service, I had an accident involving my fingers and I had to have surgery. This incident means that the fingers that hold the tattoo machine are actually numb.

It has taken me a long time to overcome this problem but eventually I have learnt to create tattoos as I do now.

What do you like to tattoo and what would you like to do more of? I like to tattoo anything that I can express in my style. But I especially like to tattoo my signature material – dragons and snakes.

How do you see your tattoos evolving in the future? I think tattooing will stay on the timeline it’s on at the moment. It just feels like it’s continually moving as it always has but when we look back we’ll realise how much change there has been.

Where’s been your favourite place to travel and tattoo? I have worked in a lot of countries and experienced different places. Based on these experiences, I think the best environment is one that follows the rules of sanitation and allows you optimal space to move around and be comfortable.

What was your first tattoo? Do you still like it? My first tattoo is a Darth Vader Star Wars tattoo, it’s a big piece on my shoulder. I love Star Wars, but I didn’t plan on having these designs tattooed on me at the beginning. I got this tattoo because I wanted to know what being tattooed was like, so I knew my customer’s point of view and could learn the technicalities of tattooing. I don’t regret getting it and the experience taught me a lot.

How has your tattoo collection developed since then? After my first tattoo I have only gotten tattoos from my favourite artists. For example I have tattoos from @oozy_tattoo and @zihaes.tale.

Do you have any more travels or guest spots planned? I’m open to travelling to any place but for now I think I’ll be tattooing in Korea for a while.

What’s the tattoo scene like where you are? The tattoo scene in Korea is not particularly pleasant, because tattoos are still outside the bounds of the law.

I am working as an executive at the Tattoo Union, which was established to legislate tattoos in Korea, and I am working for the rights of tattooists.

What do you do when you’re not tattooing/drawing? I spend most of my day doing tattoo-related things. When I finish my tattoo work, I work through my reservations and consultations. I also produce content to upload or draw a design and the rest of the time I’m sleeping.

Some people say that this kind of life is unfortunate, but I’m happiest when I work.

What moment in your career are you most proud of? Although it’s much better now the recognition tattoos and tattooers get in Korea is still very bad. Often though my work breaks people’s preconceived notions of tattoos and some of these people even end up getting a tattoo from me.

I think my proudest moments are when my work contributes to the positively change the way tattoos are perceived.

Follow Intat for more incredible linework dragon and mythical creature tattoos.

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The aesthetic of macabre: Interview with tattoo artist Lina Shuliar

Lina Shuliar creates dark Japanese tattoos at First Class Tattoos in New York, in this interview Lina tells us all about finding her feet as a dark artist…

How long have you been tattooing and how did you get started in the industry? I have been tattooing for 12 years. I started by accident, I never planned to be a tattoo artist. My friends pushed me into it as they wanted me to tattoo all of them. They always believed in me.

At first I didn’t take it seriously, I even flipped a coin to decide whether I should start learning to tattoo. The rest is history.

What inspired you to become an artist? I have been drawing for as long as I can remember. Creativity has always been an important part of my life, even as a child, toys didn’t excite me as much as drawing did.

I went to art school when I was eight until I was 16. After school, I went to university where I studied design and architecture, in the first few years we drew a lot and did everything by hand. At the same time I was learning to tattoo and these subjects went hand in hand to help me develop my knowledge and skills.

You describe yourself as a Russian vampire and macabre aesthetic, can you tell us more about this? Well, “Russian” – since I was born and raised in Russia. “Vampire” – because I have fangs – that’s why I’m a Russian vampire! Besides, one of my clients once called me it – I really liked it and I’ve been using it ever since.

I think my appearance, my work and how I see the world are connected. I think every artist brings a piece of himself into this world through his paintings and tattoos – in my case, the aesthetic of macabre is my philosophy, this is what I am guided by when I make a design.

You used to tattoo in colour, what made you shift to a darker look? How did your dark tattoos come about? I used to do a lot of coloured tattoos. I don’t even remember why I liked them so much. For me, colour tattoos were very easy. I didn’t have to think about them too much, I was automatically guided by the knowledge that I had, like a printer.

Switching to black and grey tattoos was very valuable to me as I realised a lot about myself as a person and tattooer.

I fully allowed myself to do what I had wanted to do for such a long time. Of course, at first I lost all of my clients and starved but I had no doubt that it was the right choice. I never doubted myself.

What inspires your designs? Does your heritage influence your art? Most of my projects are based on my clients’ and my own ideas mixed together. More than half of my clients are as crazy as me and they love the things that I love. I find inspiration in my clients, in what unites us. I love Halloween, American Horror Story, dark folklore and fantasy – all of this creepy and dark stuff is me.

When I create art, I focus on my feelings and emotions, listen to myself and what resonates with me at that time, whether it’s mythologies, Japanese or gothic.

I really started developing myself in Russia, the artists are at a very high level and competition is huge – you have to be a good artist to survive. The black and grey tattoo community in Russia is a big inspiration for me. I also used to work around Japanese and dark artists who taught me a lot.

Can you tell us about the process behind your tattoos? Everything starts with design, it’s the most important step for me. First of all, I have a detailed in-person consultation with the client. Then I create the designs and do a few sketches before selecting the best one to add more detail to. Or I may show these sketches to my client and we choose one together.

When I then tattoo the design I add a piece of myself in every detail.

The process of tattooing is not only about creativity, but also about customer service. I think anyone can make tattoos, you only need 10,000 hours of practice and you become a professional. But the vision and sense of style, understanding of anatomy and how the tattoo will look after 10 years – not every artist thinks about it.

What would you love to tattoo? I enjoy everything that I do. I am serious! I love tattooing clients who have asked for my specific style, when I have their trust inspiration just flows out of me and I create the best projects.

I love doing things related to Japan: dragons, snakes and peonies, even samurai. I love to turn it into my dark style. Something that has a history or is mythical inspires me the most.  

I recently enjoyed doing a couple of tattoos in the theme of Slavic mythology, there was Baba Yaga, her house and Koschei the Deathless. It was something new for me and I liked the challenge. After that project, I realised I wanted to develop myself further.

Most people admire my female characters that I do often, but these are so easy for me – it’s time to take a break and switch to something new.

How do you see your tattoos evolving in the future? I would like to move away from female portraits for a while and go deeper into folklore and mythology. These themes offer endless possibilities with different stories that will look cool on the body.

In any case, I’m not going to deviate too far from my style, everything will be in creepy and dark colors, with an emphasis not on realism but on fantasy.

How does the New York tattoo scene differ from the one in Russia? Please tell us about your favourite place to tattoo and/or travel? In America, everything is much simpler.  Most people understand the value of art and I meet clients who share their knowledge and view point of the world with me – it’s invaluable.

In Russia there is a sense of community in the tattoo world, unlike America where it’s perceived as just work. But, America remains one of my favorite places to work, everything is so different it keeps me on my toes! Of course, sometimes I miss Europe, where the industry is completely different.  

What was your first tattoo? Do you still like it? I got my first tattoo when I was 13 years old. It probably wasn’t the best choice, but I don’t regret it. I then became the coolest and most dangerous girl in school!

The symbol on my lower back wasn’t beautiful or neat. I’ve covered it twice, finally with a huge black basilisk and a goat that covers my whole back, butt and part of my thigh, this project is still in progress.

How has your tattoo collection grown since then? I have just a few free parts of my body left as I’ve tried to stretch out getting tattooed and the pleasure it brings. My last tattoo is the start of my full leg made by my husband, he does really good ornaments which I love.

Do you have any travel or guestspots planned? At the end of September we’ll be in Boston for a tattoo convention, I’ve not been to this one before so I’m a little nervous. Then in the fall we’ll be at more conventions in Biloxi (Mississippi) and Richmond (Virginia). In the new year we’ll take a short trip to Miami.  

What do you do when you’re not tattooing/drawing? This is a good question! In the rare moments that I can rest from work, I usually lock myself at home and play console games or watch anime / read manga. I rarely have such moments due to constant trips or work, but they are extremely important to me.

I also like to get out into nature, but I do this less often than I get comfortable on our sofa with a blanket and a mug of tea. 

What moment in your career are you most proud of? There are so many moments. I am proud that I have designed t-shirts with Stay Cold apparel twice. Previously they have paired with only really famous tattooers, so I feel really proud.

I am also proud of the moment when I was first called to be on the jury at the tattoo festival – It was exciting and unforgettable to see so many tattoos in a short time frame. Being a judge at the Empire State Tattoo Show was so cool, there was so much talent on stage it was difficult to judge.

I also want to say that I am proud that I came to America, although I never planned to. I have received recognition here as an artist with a talent visa.

Follow Lina for more macabre designs and book-in via her website.

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Interview with tattoo artist Girin

Tattooist Girin creates dark Japanese tattoos at at 3layer studio in Seoul, South Korea. We chatted to Girin about how he got into the industry and what inspires his work…

How long have you been tattooing and how did you get started in the industry? I’ve been tattooing in Korea for five years. Years ago my cousin opened a tattoo shop and it was there that I first experienced tattooing and tattoos. It was that day that I decided I wanted to become a tattoo artist.

Making my first tattoo was a special experience. My cousin trusted my drawing skills straight away and let me tattoo them.

What inspired you to become an artist? Comic books inspired me to become an artist. I’ve read a lot of comic books and ever since I was young it’s been my dream to become a cartoonist. When I was younger I started painting and I studied cartoons and animation at college.

How did your dark tattoos come about? I learnt how to tattoo on my own and when it came to learning colour tattoos I found them really hard. This style was too much for me to study by myself so I decided to work in black ink and create only black tattoos.

Can you tell us about the process behind your tattoos? I start by thinking about the overall idea then I draw a rough sketch. If I like the rough sketch I make a neater one. After that, I finish the design by drawing the light and shaded parts.

What inspires your designs? I study different designs by watching martial arts comic books and illustrations. In my tattoos I make sure that the details on the armour and helmet, that I’m tattooing, aren’t the same. I always keep trying to design new things.

I get a lot of inspiration from seeing monsters in the martial arts movies and games that I watch.

How would you describe your style? My work looks like Irezumi (Japanese tattoos) but I want to create my own unique style – Girin style.

How do you see your tattoos evolving in the future? I usually get to create big tattoos which I like. In the future I want to continue to engrave really nice tattoos on people’s skin so they can wear them like luxury clothes.

What was your first tattoo? My first tattoo was lettering by my cousin, I didn’t like it so I’ve since covered it. I kept finding problems with the designs and tattoos I chose, I just wasn’t satisfied – I keep thinking about getting better tattoos. Maybe one day I will.

Do you have any more travels or guestspots planned? I’m planning to go to Australia for a guest spot this winter.

What do you do when you’re not tattooing/drawing? I like to spend time watching games, animations, movies and dramas.

What moment in your career are you most proud of? Of course, I feel the most proud and excited when my customers are satisfied with a tattoo I’ve given them.

Follow Girin for more blackwork tattoos and travel updates.

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Striving for fluidity: Interview with tattoo artist Jade Chanel

We chat to Jade Chanel, tattoo artist and owner of Vaporwave Tattoo, in East London, about her passion for tattooing and journey to authenticity…

What inspired you to become a tattoo artist and how did you become one? I’ve always loved creating. From when I can remember, I was making things, crafting, painting and drawing. Being a visual and kinesthetic learner, I’m very expressive and I love using my hands as a tool.

When I was 18 years old, I started getting tattooed because I loved the way they looked, then it all just snowballed from there. I continued getting more and more tattoos and I then fell in love with the craft. I started apprenticing at Lowrider Tattoo in Bethnal green when they first opened in 2015.

Can you tell us about your experiences in the tattoo industry? It’s been challenging at times, especially being a woman of colour. I started tattooing when I was 24 and I was lucky, growing up in the heart of East London where culture is diverse.

I had this idea that I needed to “fit in” to feel safe and to do well in the industry, but I learnt very quickly that the best thing to do was to just be myself.

How would you describe your work? I’d describe my style as fineline, black and grey. I love precision and detail I can focus in on. I also love that my work has a delicate feminine feel and I’m always striving for fluidity.

Have you always tattooed like you do now? When I started tattooing in 2015, I used bigger needle groupings, so my linework was a lot bolder. I also did a lot of dotwork and mandalas.

After using a single needle, I never really looked back. It just felt right for me and what I was trying to achieve.

Can you tell us about the process behind your tattoos? A client contacts me via my website using a form which has all the details needed to spark an idea for a custom design. If it’s an idea I’m happy to work with, I will send over more details and a booking link.

I make tattoos I feel would look best in the space on the body. Aesthetics are everything. Yeah, so I draft my ideas using key words and references, then I start drawing. It seems quite simple but it’s not!

What inspires you? Most of my work is custom based on ideas given to me by my clients. We bounce of each other. Also, being an artist in this social media era, we’re constantly over exposed to stimuli that influences our “styles” as such.

I’m constantly asking myself what inspires me, it’s so hard to say. Too many things.

You’ve done flash designs inspired by music, are songs a big part of your tattooing? Music is a huge love of mine. I literally have a soundtrack for so many moments in my life. Being that it’s another form of expression, they coincide perfectly! I’m always listening to music when creating so that’s how that idea came about.

What do you like to tattoo and what would you like to do more of? I really enjoy tattooing, and this is a question often asked by clients. One of my favourite things about being a tattoo artist is that no day is the same. New design, new client, new energy. New challenges keep my work exciting! I’d love to do a lot more larger scale projects that cover entire limbs.

Can you tell us about your own tattoos? Are you a tattoo collector? I love collecting tattoos! I never imagined I’d ever have this many, but the saying about it being addictive is true.

It’s a transformational journey. I’ve been tattooed by incredible artists, some of which are my friends. It’s special that I get to wear their work on me forever.

You have your own tattoo studio, what’s this side of the tattoo business like? When I decided to open my studio, Vaporwave Tattoo, it was important for me to not run it like a business as such and create a hub for artists to feel free to flourish.

It’s exactly what I needed and what I felt the industry needed. It’s really challenging because I really love my job as a tattooer and that’s what I wish to give all my time to. I’ve always found admin difficult, and it hit me like a ton of bricks when I started this venture.

I’m always having to find balance between being an artist and being a studio owner.

What’s Vaporwave Tattoo like? It’s full of life and colour. It’s a peaceful but vibrant, safe, welcoming and inspiring space. I’m not even being biased, it really is something special.

The choices of colour and the running theme is basically a portal to my soul, my youth, growing up in the 90s! I’ve crowned myself the DIY Queen after this project. All the décor, fixtures, fittings etc. were chosen and installed with my bare hands. It really is a labour of love!

What moment in your career are you most proud of? All of it. There’s not particular moment I can think of as it’s just been an exciting, challenging journey and each part holds such great significance.

It’s a beautiful feeling, knowing that I’ve been trusted by loads people, to decorate their bodies and create ever lasting memories.

Follow @jadechanelp and @vaporwavetattoo for more tattoos and studio news.

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Interview with tattoo artist SOP

Tattooist SOP works in Yeonhui-dong, Seoul where he creates beautifully delicate linework and handwritten tattoos. We chat to the artist about his style and life as a tattooer in South Korea…

How long have you been a tattoo artist? It’s already been six years since I started working as a tattoo artist. Without taking a break, I started this job right after I completed my mandatory military service.

Why did you want to become a tattoo artist? Do you have a background in art? I have studied art since middle school. I majored in sculpture, after I studied art in high school and chose to do the same major in college.

I knew about tattooing before I did fine art, but I never considered it for a career. During high school we had a career counselling day, especially for fine art students, run by the vice principal. He told me that tattooing existed as a job and after that I became interested in tattoo artists. I’m still grateful to the vice principal for giving me that advice.

How would you describe your work? I hope my tattoos look like an accessory rather than a typical tattoo. They’re not noticeable because they’re thin and small, but that makes them more precious and special.

As we wear our favourite accessories all over our bodies, my tattoos are the one and only accessory that’s for the rest of our life.

This is my attitude towards tattooing and I will continue to work with this belief. In addition I think my delicate work is so attractive, so much so that it can have a positive effect on people even if they think tattoos are scary.

You create a lot of script tattoos, what can you tell us about these? The lettering tattoo designs that I make are with my own handwriting, which my clients choose to get tattooed with. I have loved handwriting since I was a kid, so when I started as a tattoo artist, I began making designs using my handwriting.

There are a lot of tattoo artists that work with existing typefaces or ones that aren’t their own, so I feel especially proud of my handwritten tattoos.

What drew you to linework rather than colour? Has your background influenced your style at all? I think black is the most basic and simple colour, and it can be seen for a long time without anyone getting tired of it. That’s why I was fascinated by black in the first place, and started to use only black ink.

As I mentioned earlier, I studied sculpture in art high school. However, during my school life, I enjoyed drawing small pictures, scribbling and handwriting rather than making sculptures. I have always liked the neatness of a black line drawing rather than drawings with colour.

I started tattooing by taking advantage of my strengths, and now I am very happy to be able to work with the things I have enjoyed since I was young.

Your tattoos are super delicate, what’s the process behind these? I think delicate tattoo designs are related to my personality – I enjoy organising and cleaning. People often think I’m a woman because of my work style, but I’m actually a man!

I’ve always admired works like dioramas and miniatures and I’m attracted to small and detailed things – I like to find the details when I look at things.

My tattoos are very thin which makes them special, unlike other tattooists I always use single needles so my work looks delicate and smooth.

It cheers me when my client gets one of my tattoos and says: “I’ve never seen such a thin tattoo before and I love it because it’s so thin.”

What inspires your tattoos and what do you like to create? My work is inspired by the details of things and is a result of me reinterpreting what I see. For example; paintings on signs, small designs on candy wrappers and patterns on clothes. I’m inspired by all of this and connect this with my tattoo designs.

As I like small and delicate things, I also like to make small sculptures or objects out of clay or assemble Lego. I also like to practise my handwriting by writing my favourite phrases. This helps me to evolve my handwriting into something new, especially if I’m tattooing the same words a lot – I think it’s very special.

What’s the tattoo culture like in South Korea? In Korea, older generations perceive tattoos in a negative way – they’re recognised as a part of the gangster culture. These perceptions are changing over time, and I think my cute little delicate work can have a positive impact. In fact, people from older generations have seen my tattoos and now have a better awareness and experience of tattoos. This opportunity makes me feel proud.

Do you have a tattoo experience that sticks out in your mind? I had a client who was a big fan of the legendary guitarist and austronomer Brian May, and at an astronomy lecture in Switzerland he autographed her arm. She wanted to get it tattooed, so she perfectly preserved it as she travelled back to Korea. I was able to tattoo his signature on her arm which was a very special and precious experience.

What’s been your proudest and happiest moment in your career so far? I studied art from middle school to high school and entered college as a sculpture major. But I dropped out of school after a year because I wanted to be a tattoo artist.

When I dropped out of college and told my parents that I would become a tattoo artist, they worried a lot. But now, my parents are more proud of me than anyone else and they show off my Instagram to their friends.

I’m very happy that I turned my parents’ worries into pride.

What do you do when you’re not tattooing/drawing? I like to go camping as I get a lot of inspiration from nature. While I’m quietly meditating complicated things get organised inside my head. Absorbing the sound of nature helps me get myself together especially while I’m working on tattoo designs.

Follow SOP for more incredibly delicate tattoo accessories.