Category: Art

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Interview with Kelly Needles

Kelly creates beautifully nature-inspired handpoke tattoos at Easy Tiger Tattoo in Leeds. We chatted to the artist about handpoke tattoos, planting trees and love of tattooing ears…

My experience as a handpoke artist was a bit tough at first but I could not be happier with where I am now. Handpoke tattooing had a bit of a bad reputation (and sometimes still does) with people buying easily accessible handpoke kits and doing it at home.

When looking for a studio to work from, I found that even though I learnt in a professional environment, handpoking still had a stigma attached to it.  Now though I have the pleasure of working alongside awesome and inspiring artists (machine and handpoke), and it’s more widely known and accepted professionally.

 I was drawn to handpoke tattooing mainly because it’s a lot gentler than the machine and I find it very therapeutic. Most of my clients agree with me on this. 

I have been handpoked by quite a few different artists and found they each have different techniques and ways of setting up. I tend to research the artist first, I’m quite fussy when it comes to getting tattooed. It has to be the right style for me, and I’d want the artist to be into my idea.

When it comes to my own tattooing process I always book in plenty of time for each client so we can go over the design, size and placement together. Whether it be a flash design, a custom piece or something I’ve drawn onto the skin, we have to make sure it’s perfect – I don’t like to rush! My set-up and supplies used are fully vegan and where possible, biodegradable. I also plant six trees for every appointment made to help fight climate change. 

I usually book at least one hour for a tattoo, even if it’s three finger dots! I like to have the time to get settled and for my client to feel settled with me, and with the design. Most of my tattoos like the small leaves, words, animals, ears, and single flowers take between one to two hours.

Most of my inspiration comes from nature; leaves, flowers, animals. I have a silly amount of photographs of plants on my phone that I’ll draw from. I also have a nice collection of reference books that include botanics, patterns and floral art. Sometimes inspiration comes from a leaf on the floor, art exhibitions, or the pattern on an old lady’s skirt!

I love tattooing anything that I would design myself – so any flowers or leaves, yes please. Animals I love too. Handwriting I could happily do everyday. Basically as long as I can have a bit of freedom with the design and it’s my usual style, then I’m a very happy bunny.

I’d love to tattoo more ears and fingers. Every ear is a different shape and size so it’s fun to see what design works best. I usually freehand the design on these places but elsewhere on the body, if we’re doing a flower or leaves, it’s always super enjoyable to draw straight on the skin , especially if it’s an area that’s not flat or easy to put a stencil on to. Also – I’m always, always up for black leaves.

I can’t see myself going back to machine tattooing. I love everything about handpoke, it suits me perfectly. How it’s gentler and calmer. When it comes to tattooing what I do (ears, fingers, tiny animals etc.) I personally can’t imagine doing these with a machine – handpoke makes sense for me.

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Be kind & be wild: Lola Blackheart

East-London based illustrator and artist Lola Blackheart chats tattoos, her journey to self acceptance and the inspiration behind her body positive art…

I grew up with an adoration for very old-school, traditional tattoo work, classic pin-up imagery of the 1940s and 50s, and in my teens I discovered the world of burlesque. The confidence and energy of these professional female performers of all different sizes and shapes, plus the empowerment they bring to their audiences, really resonated with me.

It was the first step in what I guess you would call my ‘journey’ of self-acceptance. I also discovered how using these women as inspiration in my artwork felt like a small way to not only feel part of this movement of strong, confident females, but also could work to bring others in to that world. 

I went to the Brit School of Performing Arts, and (not many people know this) actually started out as a dancer. After a severe ankle injury as I was going into my third year there, I realised that my passion for the art department had also began to naturally outgrow that of dance, and I spent my final two years studying art & design. I suddenly felt like I actually belonged somewhere. The dance world can be quite cruel and demanding, especially when it comes to appearance.

I went on to study Visual Communications at Leeds College of Art, where I did my own thing and specialised in casting and sculpture, with some illustration too. I was making installations made up of things, such as big hand-painted skulls for high-end store’s windows by my final year, and had my own studio.

Moving back to London made this a lot more expensive and illustration became more practical (and a lot less physically challenging!) It allowed me to turn my ideas into a reality much quicker. Instagram definitely changed my life, and being able to share my work so easily and to such a broad audience really pushed me to keep going and to keep engaging. 

I was first tattooed at 16, and kept going from there! There was nothing quite like the excitement of going for my next tattoo, especially in my late teens and early twenties. I had friends that were starting out as tattoo artists, so I have quite a few that I don’t reveal as much as others, but they all hold funny or interesting memories.

Some of my all-time favourites are my coffin on my arm by Matty Darienzo, my panther on my hand and ‘Lola’ cat girl on my upper arm by Dani Quepo, and my hand-poked bible with upside-down cross and saw on my forearm by Kirk Budden.

The meaning and purpose of my work and brand has definitely continued to evolve over time, and I’m at a point now where I really want to push these messages of self-love and self-acceptance. I wish this had existed at the level it does now when I was growing up and that I had been given access to beautiful imagery of women that didn’t all look a certain way (tall, thin, whit etc.)

I ensure that everything I see on my Instagram is either educational, inspiring or body positive, and I hope that the work I’m putting out there and the content I share falls under these categories in some way or another. I also love that the basic aesthetic of the 50s pinups is still so embedded in my work, as it brings that element of classic glamour, and the celebration of the female body – although we should all support vintage aesthetic over vintage values!

I’ll continue to create work that explores the beauty of bodies and how different we all are. I have some exciting hand-painted projects coming up, as well as expanding on what I offer in terms of products on my Etsy store. My prints will always be central, but releasing small runs of organic, vegan, high quality products is something I’m going to be pushing. It’s amazing to see the interest and reaction from people when I do release something like a limited edition t-shirt. I also continue to work a lot with brands, so as soon as I’m given the go-ahead to share this work I will!

I’m open to all kinds of commissions, both for individuals and brands, but my most popular is the ones where I draw customers as one of my pin up girls! You can read more about this, purchase and get added to my waiting list here.

Be sure to follow Lola on Instagram for more tattoo and pin up inspired art.

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Interview with tattoo artist Filip Fabian

A tattooist for 12 years, Filip Fabian creates beautiful watercolour tattoos at Black & Blue Tattoo in San Francisco. We chatted to Filip about the inspiration behind his abstract pieces...

I grew up inspired by artists such as Rothko or Pollock. I studied art and drawing but I also got inspired by all of the great people I’ve met along the way. I also find a lot of inspiration in nature, every walk through the Golden Gate Park brings me a ton of inspiration. I often come home with ideas for new designs of the birds or flowers that grow there.

I love to tattoo nature and animals. My clients inspire me the most. I love to use geometry, brushes and textures in my work. And of course a wild palette of colours.

My cousin had his own tattoo studio in my hometown. I saw him working, and got immediately attracted to the whole process. Tattooing seemed magical to me. Then I ordered my first machine for $20 from eBay, did my first piece on my own knee, and never put the tattoo machine away since (I now have different ones, the eBay one actually fell apart when I was doing that first piece!)

I sometimes freehand my pieces, but I mostly spend a lot of time with each design prior to the tattoo day. After I meet a client for a consultation I take all of the references I have, all the thoughts and memories they express. These inspire me, and I combine that with my own touch.

I always try to include the personality of the person who I am tattooing into the piece, and the mood the piece is supposed to have. That’s why I don’t like realism that much. I find abstract designs more capable of expressing the mood and the fluctuate nature of life.

I hope that I get to see my tattoos and art on all of my clients’ bodies all over the world. That is my favourite gallery. You do not need an entrance, you just see it it while you casually go through your day.

Be sure to follow Filip on Instagram for more nature inspired tattoos.

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Alice Needham illustration

Leeds-based freelance illustrator Alice Needham creates artwork with vibrant colours, detailed lines and graphic styles. Alice also created this beautiful tattooed woman just for us, read on as we chat to her about her amazing tattoo collection and the art she creates…

Can you tell us about your tattoos, do you have a favourite or favourite artist? I don’t know how many tattoos I have these days but I still have plenty of space left to fill, always got ideas ticking along for what I want next. A large proportion of my tattoos have been done by the lovely people at Easy Tiger in Leeds, I’ve been going to Lucy O’Connell since I first got tattooed and she is the artist who has done my botanical sleeve and the huge whale on my thigh that we call Susan.

I’ve got two blackwork pieces on my shins by James Butler of Lord of the Rings and The X-Files and a chameleon that I got done for my mum by Barney. I just think they’re all amazing and seriously nice people, Easy Tiger is definitely my favourite studio. All the people I’ve been tattooed by are fabulous and I highly recommend them all for their individual styles; Nat Hues at The Aviary, Luke , Collette at Snake and Tiger, Lucy at Cobra Club, Joshy at Rose and Thorn, Hannah at Rose and Thorn and I have to give a specific mention to Chloe who did the Van Gogh piece at the top of my arm, I put her way out of her comfort zone and she did such an incredible job!

When did you start getting tattooed? What was your first? It was my 18th birthday that I got my first tattoo and it was part of what now makes up the sleeve on my left arm all done by Lucy O’Connell. I got my full inner forearm done, it’s a floral piece with a Poppy, Rose and Forget-Me-Nots. I’d always wanted to get tattoos and I booked in a year in advance with Lucy for my birthday with that idea because I’d been following her work for so long. It covers up self-harm scars from when I was a teenager and reminds me of my growth.

I hate when people ask what tattoos mean but I would say that my first is probably my most meaningful, I always used to say it is inspired by the Edvard Munch quote, ‘From my rotting body, flowers shall grow and I am in them and that is eternity.’

Have tattoos affected how you see yourself and your body? Having tattoos has helped me with loving my body, I like being a walking piece of art and that I can show so many different stories through my skin. They just make me feel more comfortable even if they do attract unwanted attention at times, it usually makes me laugh.

What inspires your illustrations? How would you describe your style? I’ve always been interested in illustration but I went to uni to do Fine Art which drew me away from traditional methods of art making, it was only in my final year that I started doing my illustration work on the side that I really got back into it. I tend to take inspiration from what’s going on in the world, feminism and representations of the body but I also love anything to do with botanical illustrations and bold tattoo work.

I’ve always wanted to get into the tattoo industry and it’s become what feels like a bit of a pipe dream for me, I think that’s why I like creating work that takes inspiration from tattooing but with my own style on it that works for illustration. I would say my style is bright and bold with detailed line work, I tend to work in a range of styles depending on the client or what works best with an idea.

What medium do you use? How do you create each piece? I work digitally mainly through Procreate, it just offers the freedom to be able to work wherever I need to and there are no limitations. I do occasionally work in pen and ink but it’s been a while since I have! Most of the time when it comes to creating I just get an idea that pops into my head, usually if I’ve seen something that has inspired me.

I tend to do a quick sketch to get a rough idea of what it’s like then build on the detail as I go, I think I’m fairly methodical with it and I like to use colours that are complementary even if they aren’t realistic to what is being portrayed. If I’m working on a commission then I follow the client’s brief in a similar way.

What message do you hope to share with your work? Or is there a driving force behind what you create? I think a lot of my work is a bit of fun and it’s something to brighten up their spaces. Though a lot of my pieces do have a political or social stance to them which I think is important.

Do you do commissions? Where can people buy your art? Yes, I do! I’m always taking commissions and the best way to commission me is to have a look at my website then give me an email. I also currently sell my prints through Etsy.

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Awakening dreams: Maxime Etienne

Transforming dreams into tattoos and bodies into works of art – tattoo artist Maxime Etienne, owner of Leonart studio in Bondi, Sydney, Australia chats to us about his humble beginnings, the process behind his designs and his charity work…

I have been getting tattoos since I was 18 and always loved art in terms of creation. Painting, sculpting, drawing and tattooing have always been industries I’ve wanted to work in. But, I never thought I could have the skills to do any of them until I tried to draw in late 2016. I started drawing with a lot of geometry pattern and in an abstract version of realism.

I started tattooing in late 2016 at home when I realised I could actually draw a little. I wanted to get more tattoos but couldn’t afford them. So I ordered a $40 tattoo kit on eBay and started to practice on my legs, my arms and even my chest and stomach before tattooing some friends.

I never thought I could be a professional artist of any kind. But after tattooing a decent number of friends for the about eight months loads of people contacted me via Instagram and my follwers increased. I realised that maybe I could become a real tattoo artist one day. One night I met a bunch of tattooists that loved my chest piece that I did myself. They told me “if you can do that on yourself and it heals that way then you can definitely become a tattoo artist.”

So, after roughly 10 months I decided to apply for my licence here in Australia and started in a studio as soon as I received it. After 10 months working in that studio, I opened my own and now it has been two years and I work more than I ever expected.

After some researc I discovered so many artists that inspired me and realised what I like is already there and what I could do would be appreciated by a certain audience. I pushed my creativity further and came up with what I do today. Realism, abstract and detailed pieces that are done to tell a story or express a feeling. I am inspired by everything that comes into my mind and what I love. Nature, animals, astronomy, women’s features, architecture and scientific research illustrations.

Most of my designs are from my clients’ stories. I am trying to turn their feelings, dreams, or their past into images. I design everything one day before the appointment and finalise it on the day after asking further questions. I work that way because I really put myself into their story or project and so I don’t work on several designs at the same time. I only book one client a day to ensure we can get the best out of their future tattoo.

I see myself as a designer more than someone who draws, as I often mix up several elements all together.

I try to give my designs the best contrast and shape for the placement that is given to me. I cannot freehand my designs as they require great details and geometry. Floral and extra small pieces in a piece can sometimes be free-handed, but I prefer having a stencil on to ensure the result will be the best and let my client really visualise what it will look like.

My style is really hard to describe in one word. It is composed of micro realism, abstract and geometry. A dream project would be a full body covered of many designs that would express the wish of freedom and the love for nature and earth. I love the diagram patterns used from engineers and would attach all designs together that way to turn the body into an actual book of human feelings and perception of life on our planet. What we are doing on earth, thanking it for the beauty of it and mixing different feelings most of us are going through to express our strength and fragility.

I see my art lasting through time as I am constantly trying to evolve, learn and create. I am a dreamer and a hard worker at the same time. I always give everything I have to achieve my goals, but if one day my art isn’t appreciated any more and I am forced to only execute clients’ thoughts without having the opportunity to create on my own, then I will do something else.

Tattooing became a passion, it’s more than a job. It has never been a way to make money for me, but a dream that became true – to live by doing what I love and making people happy.

Tattooing is an industry where we are in contact with people for hours and deep conversations occur during the process of tattooing. I’ve met so many incredible people that have told me real stories of what they have been through and their issues. Which are unfortunately not mentioned enough to a general audience, including domestic violence issues. I have been raised by my grandmother and my mother and grew up with one sister. Women are everything, they made me who I am today.

I work with an organisation called Karmagawa created by two really close friends of mine, Mat Abad and Thimoty Sykes. I travel with them and help them on different events around the world and design clothes for charity. They both inspire me not only with their charity work, but with their personalities and open minds. They showed me that we can do more than just work for ourselves and we must all help when we can.

Domestic violence, which isn’t always physical, on children and women is something I would really like to help with. Organisations are here to help those in need and money is often necessary to ensure they can keep running. Doing a tattoo fundraiser isn’t only for the money but to reach people that might be in need or even to help them realise what happens to them isn’t normal.

Social media as a platform is powerful, me doing a tattoo fundraiser with posts and stories might push other artists to do so too. I have done similar with the Australian bush fires and given the money to people that were helping those on the spot not just to the organisation.

That’s what I would like to do here. I would like to raise money of course by giving all the profit to organisations, but I am sure that just posting about it could help to raise awareness and I will do that a couple of times every year. My future project is to open a studio in Amsterdam and work with artists that will be willing to do some flash days every year for different causes.