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July 29, 2022July 27, 2022

Tattoo conventions are back

We’ve definitely missed going to tattoo conventions over the last couple of years. We love finding new artists, the buzz (excuse the pun) and of course getting a new tattoo or two. But do the tattoo artists working at conventions feel the same?

We spoke to some of the artists at this year’s Vancover Tattoo and Culture Show to find out if they love tattoo conventions as much as we do and they share some top tips for those who haven’t been to one yet…

Rachel Hofer @rach.tattoos, NEW EDGE INK COLLECTIVE™, Vancouver

I love tattoo conventions because I get to see all different kinds of artists and get inspired. Going to conventions really makes me feel part of the industry. It’s also a chance for me to promote my business to a diverse group of people.

Saying that working at conventions is quite chaotic! Not being in my normal work space or having limited equipment and supplies makes it difficult to stay organised.

I don’t mind the loud music and crowds of people though as it keeps it exciting.

When I work a convention I sometimes I book people in but generally I prefer walk-ups, as it’s hard to know how long something will take so I usually stick to doing flash.

If you’ve never been to a convention, expect lots of people and lots of art. There are usually shows on the stage and contests for various tattoo categories.

I’d also recomend that you:

Eat before you go unless you like $15 hotdogs!
Bring cash as most vendors don’t have debit/credit machines
Plan ahead if there is a specific artist you want to get tattooed by as they may be very busy.

Matt Chaos @mattchaos_ttt, Black Circle – Tattoo Coven, Montreal and Lyon

For me conventions are more about connecting with artists I like the work of. Tattooing there isn’t the best obviously, it’s far from my comfort zone! But it’s a great opportunity to meet friends and artists from all over the world who are at the same place for a few days.

Conventions also help me to promote my work in new cities that I have never been to before.

The biggest challenge is breaking away from old habits while you tattoo.

There are a lot of people to talk to; it’s all about communication, as you have to be everywhere at the same time. Artists need to be fast and ready to go.

I used to work in a private by-appointment-only studio in Montreal so, I prefer to book in advance for conventions. Knowing what I’m doing each day better fits my flow. But sometimes I keep half a day to fit people in who want a flash design.

I think conventions for tattoo collectors are a good way to meet and discover artists from all over the world. It’s the opportunity to book in with someone who lives on the other side of the planet.

For young artists it’s the best way to show your art to a lot of people in one place, it’s like social media but in real life.

Nathan Ross @discopotatoes , HandCrafted Tattoo & Fine Art, Edmonton

I love that the culture of tattooing becomes so alive at conventions. They showcase so much talent, including those that are outside the medium of our craft.

There are painters, musicians, entertainers and unique retailers – everywhere amazing things are being created in all forms to make an impact and inspire.

Over the years you learn to balance and juggle the challenges of working at conventions.

You overcome the struggles of working on a client while talking to potential clients, as well as applying a stencil or tattooing in front of multiple peers and people! There’s some adjustment needed to work the long hours, it’s important to eat properly throughout the show.

This piece titled “Night Owl” was done at the Vancouver Tattoo and Culture Show

Personally I love booking large scale pieces for multiple day sittings. But, I’m torn because having a custom flash board always means you can consistently tattoo your patterns and engage with the community.

For those who have never been to a convention consider this; “Instead of worrying about what you cannot control, shift your energy to what you can create.” These shows help you gain inspiration in multiple ways no matter who you are or what stage of life you’re in.

Do you love going to tattoo conventions? Let us know!

July 19, 2022December 11, 2022

Magic dimensions: Interview with Adriaan

Adriaan (@adriaan.machete) creates tattoo rituals in Berlin, Amsterdam and Hamburg. We chatted to the spiritual tattoo artist about his divine art and how tattooing allows him to tap into his higher self…

How long have you been a tattoo artist? I’ve been tattooing for around 15 years.

How have you seen the industry evolve since you began? It’s been such an incredible journey to witness. I love the way everything has evolved; from tattoo machines, to diverse color palettes, to the way tattooing has become an incredible art of expression and uniqueness.

Tattooing has evolved into a way of connecting all kinds of people with very different backgrounds.

How would you describe your work? I can describe it as my own expression of art, magick and energy on skin and canvas. It combines the aesthetics and exaltation of beauty, spirit and esotericism. I love tattooing contrasts and ornamental designs which decorate the anatomy of the human body.

Has your style changed? Yeah definitely. I feel that I have the same techniques and foundation of bold lines, strong colours and contrasted palettes. But what has definitely changed are the meanings and designs I create.

My style changed as my view of the world changed – I’m much more focused on the meaning of the designs now.

It feels as if the designs themselves want to be expressed into this world.

Sometimes I feel amazed at just what is wanting to be created and manifested. My works are similar to the beautiful mandalas Hindu and Buddhist monks create in the Himalayas by channeling these symbols directly from higher consciousness. I too can tap into and channel that energy to create beautiful art in this reality.

What inspires your tattoos and what do you like to create? I’m inspired by the beauty of this world. Beautiful paintings, beings, objects and nature are my favourite.

I’m also inspired by my personal journey and life story. I’m telling stories through my emotions, my learnings, my life, my personal growth and constant transformation. I feel that my tattoos also reflect exactly what I’m experiencing in that time of my life.

You introduced yourself to us as a spiritual tattooer, can you tell us more about this? In an intense part of my life I had a spiritual awakening triggered by a body and soul breakdown. In this hard time I had to go deeper into my inner world to find out what was happening to me. It was a beautiful transformation of my heart and soul.

I went in deep to find my conditionings, blockages and shadows and the more I found the more I changed my art.

At some point I questioned if tattooing was the right tool for me, but the answer from my heart and soul was yes. That it was always a tool for creating, healing and transformation. That I already choose this path at a soul level to help and expand consciousness in me and others.

Was there a turning point or experience that made you seek a more spiritual path? Yes, a series of very intense experiences in my life meant I reached the point where my personality came to its limit and broke. When it broke it felt like the whole world collapsed and I suddenly awakened to something completely new.

It was indeed painful in body and spirit, but something beautiful started to emerge. I started to feel more real; I explored who I really was without a personality and I started to learn and reparent myself with what I really wanted to know and be.

I changed my art and pushed my tattoos in a different direction. I started expressing my inner worlds in my art.

It was a full transformation which is still an ongoing process, it’s an eternal evolving of the soul.

How does your spirituality translate to your tattoos? It translates in form of shapes, symbols and energy. When I transformed, my art transformed as well, as I started drawing more elaborate designs.

I added new symbols and I used different colour palettes. When I did guest spots around the world my customers changed as well, they were more aware of themselves as if they were also mirroring how I felt inside.

Now when I’m tattooing I’m feeling the energy of the person and what needs to be open or changed. Tattooing helps open the energy system and the symbols used instantly transform consciousness.

It’s a beautiful thing to witness and how all of us, as human beings, are emotional, energetically and spiritual connected.

Do you see the act of tattooing and receiving a tattoo as a healing experience? Yes. At some point I started to reflect about tattooing itself and where it came from. It seems that ancient cultures used it as a form of ritual and they used symbolism in it. It was made by shamans or higher priests and priestesses, who had the purpose of healing and creating mágick.

I learned that when you’re getting new symbols of magick and power the physical pain and enduring this pain are part of the process to release energy. It’s also a tool to release karma and recycle ancestral energy.

These rituals were created not only to transform the energy of the person getting tattooed, but also for the person giving the tattoo. So, the shamans and higher priestesses were healing and expanding their consciousness as divinity channeled through them. When I understood this, my love for tattooing increased.

What’s been your proudest and happiest moment in your career so far? I remember when I started tattooing it was a very unknown and mysterious road. I felt that I needed to create my own art and truly believe in myself.

When I did I was surprised, that in a short time, I started tattooing at big conventions, winning awards and getting articles in magazines. This made me so proud and happy, I was grateful that I believed in myself and trusted my heart from the beginning.

Later in my career I felt I needed to change my art and I was nervous to show my spiritual side. As before I believed in myself and knew I needed to follow this path. Again I was surprised to feel so content and be successful.

I was travelling the world meeting amazing people, guesting in amazing shops and helping myself and others to heal and evolve our consciousness – this makes me feel so proud and happy.

How does tattooing align with yourself and the life you want to live? Years ago I went to India for a yoga teacher training and I started teaching yoga in Europe – it opened a new path for me and how I can manage energy.

I felt then that yoga and tattooing aligned in me and that they both complement each other. Tattooing ignites my creativity, outer expression, intuition and magick. Yoga ignites my concentration, balances my system, expands my breathing and my inner reflection.

It’s amazing to see how tattooing has been a powerful and healing path in my life. It has given me so much that I’m eternally grateful for.

Tattooing is a divine art which has shown me a beautiful way to some of the most magic dimensions.

Follow @adriaan.machete for more tattoos, travel dates and yoga.

June 2, 2022August 4, 2022

Interview with tattoo artist Zee

Zee (@zeetattoo) creates fineline floral tattoos in South Korea. We chat to the tattooer about his first tattoo, love of black ink and the flowers that inspire his work…

Why did you want to become a tattoo artist? I wanted to become an artist becaue I like to meet people. Tattooers can meet new people all the time and at almost every appointment.

So, I thought I would become a tattooist as I also liked the idea of engraving a person’s memories, resolutions or their favourite things onto their skin.

How did you become a tattooer? Before I was an artist I worked as a noncommissioned officer of the Republic of Korea Navy for four years. While working I had the opportunity to get a tattoo.

When I got my first tattoo I was really attracted to the tattooists as they had a completely different life to the one I had back then. I started learning about tattoos and how to tattoo from the person who gave me my first tattoo.

What do you like to tattoo? I like to tattoo big colourful flowers in black ink.

What inspires your designs? I buy a lot of fresh flowers and use these as references for my drawings. I also refer to the work of other tattooists a lot of the time.

However, I think the best thing for me to use is the flowers, because even the same kind of flower has differences when compared to others in the bunch. Each type of flower has things that only they have and this inspires me.

How would you describe your style? There are various curves on the human body and I use their flow to make big and small flowers and leaves. I place these on the body and use very thin lines to create each piece.

Your tattoos are mainly in black, do you prefer this over colour? I personally think that black ink is better than other colours, but I don’t think it’s as fashionable. It’s not that I don’t like colours but my favourite colour is black.

Can you tell us about the process behind linework tattoos? I collect a huge amount of information to help me prepare just one design. I bring all this together into my drawing and when I’m happy with it I start painting. When preparing the design I tend to pay a lot of attention to the overall arrangement.

What do you love the most about being a tattoo artist? My favourite thing is meeting new people and tattooing lets me do that. I also love visiting new countries and experiencing their cultures and food.

When in your career have you felt the happiest? Now that I think about it, I think it was when I first started tattooing flowers. At the time I wasn’t sure if I was happy but now I think I definitely was, especially as I got to learn something new too. Of course, even now I am studying constantly.

Do you have any guestspots or travel planned? I don’t have a definite plan yet, but I want to meet new clients and experience new cultures. It’s always an interest of mine.

What about your own tattoos are you a tattoo collector? I have a lot of tattoos that I’ve done on myself. I tend to try new things on my own body before I do them on anyone else. Also if I like the work of a tattooer I try and get a tattoo by them.

Follow @zeetattoo for more of his amazing floral tattoos.

April 3, 2022August 4, 2022

Interview with The Tattoo Journalist

Tattoo enthusiast Adriana de Barros, The Tattoo Journalist is an author, editor and photographer covering all things fine art and tattoos. Her unique interviewing style sets her apart, making her work with legends of the tattoo world a must-read. In this exclusive interview we chat to her about her career, tattoos and the future of tattooing…

How did your fascination with tattoos begin? As a child, I remember seeing postcards and books with tattooed 19th-century women and circus performers from “Freak shows.” Outcasts drew me in because they were different.

I would have been heavily tattooed as a teenager with old-school sailor tattoos like swallows and other designs, if it hadn’t been for my severe pigment allergy. As a result, I had to wait a few decades longer for inks that were more natural and suitable for sensitive skin.

Which genre of tattooing are you drawn to the most? I enjoy all types of blackwork, from abstract to illustrative. Anything done well in black ink, positive or negative space — I’m drawn to the simplicity and ancient qualities of black ink and how it remains relevant and modern.

An inside look at the first issue of “Ta’too,” featuring Daniela Sagel’s artwork.

When did you get your first tattoo? Do you still like it? I got my first piece approximately five years ago, and it was a little heart in a less prominent location to allow me to test my response to the ink before getting a larger piece. Although the tattoo has sentimental meaning, I would not call it as attractive on an aesthetic level; I prefer more solid art like my backpiece.

Do you consider yourself a tattoo collector? No, because I prefer to have a single flowing piece of art on my body. It took eight hours to complete an ornamental floral work on my back, and I’ll finish the ribs, shoulders, and arms in time. As a collector, the only thing that comes to mind is tattoo books, which I acquire for study and collection.

An interview with legend Freddy Negrete at Hollywood’s Shamrock Social Club.

Do you prefer being tattooed at conventions or an artist’s studio? I’ve had both, but I prefer a calmer, quieter setting with more one-on-one interaction with the tattooist. As a spectator or member of the press, I enjoy conventions because they allow people to see tattooing on a larger scale and meet international artists. However, event spaces are challenging to navigate for artists or clients; it is a hectic environment.

The Tattoo Journalist’s photographs of Freddy Negrete.

What is it about tattoos do you think that makes them so appealing? When they were underground, it was their edge and mystique. With the increased availability, I feel that the permanent-ink factor on the skin may be a lifelong commitment that empowers you. It becomes more than a decorative item; it imbues you with a traditional, spiritual sense.

It has the potential to transform you positively so that your inner sentiments become visible on your outer; you become more yourself.

The debut edition of “Ta’too.” Cover art (head tattoo) by Gordoletters.

What inspired you to write your book Ta’too? Its goal is to offer an alternative to mainstream publications by being transparent about the tattoo community, the art, the history, and the human side of the narratives, rather than following internet trends. The first edition featured avant-garde tattooists ranging from Makoto to Oscar Hove.

The second covers tattoo legends from Charlie Cartwright to Kari Barba based in the United States, individuals with 30- to 40-year careers who paved the way for the rest of us. Younger generations frequently overlook them, and I believe they deserve to be featured and told their stories, which speak volumes about the industry’s growth.

The third will be completely different, focusing on raising tattoo awareness in other parts of the world.

On the left is a painting by tattoo queen Kari Barba, which appeared in the second annual of “Ta’too.”

You’re the editor of Scene360. Can you tell us more about this publication? On December 1, 2000, I launched Scene360 as a digital arts and film magazine. It merged several art disciplines into a single publication that did not exist on the internet at the time.

It piqued readers’ interest right away. Film festival coverage (SXSW, Cannes), interviews with painters (Gary Baseman, Helnwein Gottfried), photography (Carl de Keyser, Kavan the Kid), and poet profiles were among the early highlights.

Scene360 was developed with the help of various contributing editors and writers. We included graffiti and tattoos, and as readers expressed interest, we added additional features. For the last decade, tattoo art has been one of our specialties, and Scene360 has shifted its focus entirely to tattoo content. It was nothing more than a natural occurrence.

Lyle Tuttle, the father of modern tattooing, during the Santa Rosa expo in 2019.

What moment in your career, so far, are you most proud of? That’s a difficult one to answer. Having previously worked as a graphic designer and web developer, it took around 15 years of hard work to be recognised for a Webby Award for Best Art project in 2015 without any financial assistance or ties to a large firm. The majority of online ventures require funding to succeed. I didn’t have any; everything was self-sufficient. It taught me that I could achieve what seemed impossible.

The second happened not long ago, when I was at the Santa Rosa expo and had the honour of meeting legend Lyle Tuttle for the first time. I became engrossed in the moment, listening to his stories and absorbing his historical knowledge for hours. Sadly, he died a few weeks after we met, but that day stayed with me; he showed me that I was on the right track, that tattooing would be my life’s purpose. I am highly grateful to Lyle!

Shane Tan’s tattoo art, one of the Scene360 interviewees.

Do you have a favourite tattoo artist? Responding to this will send me to hell. I’m not going to name my favourites, but they include Maud and Gus Wagner, Sailor Jerry, Ed Hardy, Horiyoshi III, Chris Garver, Gakkin, Shane Tan, Hanumantra, and Makoto.

Is there an artist you’d love to interview? Ed Hardy.

Kari Barba during her 1982 first convention, held on the Queen Mary in Long Beach, California.

Which female tattoo artists do you admire? Along with Maud Wagner, who is credited with being one of the first female tattoo artists in the Western world—a pioneer and true inspiration—I love Kari Barba, who committed her work in the 1980s to promoting gender equality and has remained a tattoo force ever since.

The development of a bodysuit by Shane Tan.

The tattoo world is constantly changing; where do you see the tattoo industry going in the next 10 years? I believe we are in the midst of a new tattoo renaissance. East Asia is reviving—Japan, China, Singapore, and South Korea. Growth will occur in the West as well.

Creatives tend to feed off one another; if one region of the world excels, it pushes other areas to improve. Even though there are many tattoo artists today, the ones who will survive in the long run will be true artists with quality expression, composition, and technique.

In terms of a personal wish for the future, I hope that ink technology advances so that coloured pigments appear opaque and bright on darker skin tones.

Follow The Tattoo Journalist for more insightful interviews with tattooing legends.

February 20, 2022August 4, 2022

Interview with tattoo artist Sergei Titukh

Tattooist Sergei Titukh from St. Petersburg, Russia works in one of the most stylish and atmospheric studios in the city centre – INKME. Born in a small town in the Rostov region (South of Russia), he moved to St. Petersburg in 2005 to study and never left. Read on to find out more about this incredibly talented blackwork artist…

What inspired you to become a tattoo artist and how did you become one? In 2005, when I moved to St. Petersburg I entered the Maritime Academy, but six months later I realised that it didn’t interest me and I changed to the faculty of design. At university there were practical classes in drawing and painting that gave me a good foundation for artistic development. It wasn’t until I started tattooing that I began to develop my drawing.

Then in 2007 I became interested in rock music, which for me was the first step towards tattoo culture. I wanted to buy a guitar and grow my hair long while I started going to rock gigs. The underground atmosphere really pulled me in – I wanted to be a rock star. I did become one; I bought a guitar and gathered the band together. At that time I wasn’t ready for tattooing, but my hobbies gave impetus to it.

How did you become an artist? I have drawn throughout my life and always had friends telling me to become a tattoo artist. But my way into tattooing was a long one. After uni and my rock years, in 2010 I decided to find a tattoo shop where I could learn, but the tattoo training was too expensive. At the time I didn’t have much money, there was a cheaper piercing course and as body modification was generally interesting to me, I decided to become a piercing master.

I joined the community, met many interesting and talented people who, at that time, were at the top of the tattoo culture. I didn’t study tattooing professionally and lost interest as I went deep into piercing for a while. It wasn’t until 2014 that I become excited about tattooing again. This time I bought my own machine and started teaching myself. I tattooed myself at first, I still have these on my legs and they still seem pretty ok!

After the third tattoo on myself I felt confident that I could tattoo my friends. I worked from home and bought all the necessary equipment. I have always taken the responsibility of tattooing very seriously. So I made myself a mini studio in my apartment with everything needed for sterilisation and so on, as I was very worried that I could harm someone’s health.

But I didn’t work at home for long as I applied to a new studio specialising in graphic black and white works – Blackyard Tattoo. The guys took me on and I was incredibly happy that I would be working in a real tattoo shop. I worked there for two years and developed as tattoo artist before opening my private shop. I then travelled in Europe and the USA and since the end of 2019 I have been working with the INKME team.

How would you describe your style? My style is black graphics and my monsters are my calling card. At first I didn’t know exactly what I would tattoo, my first sketches were in dotwork and linework. But then my eye was caught by the dark and mystical works of Russian tattooers. Now I understand that this kind of black tattooing was just gaining momentum at that time and I was lucky to catch this wave.

I then tried to make a few of my monsters, the designs were simpler as I drew on paper while trying to understand how I’d do it on skin. At that moment a vision of what my tattoos should be formed and over time I honed my technique. I can’t name a specific style for my tattoos; I work with black ink and make creepy monsters. I’m drawn to mythical and fantastic stuff. I often use the same elements in my sketches: poses, hands, claws and paws, thereby trying to preserve my author’s vision.

Can you tell us about the process behind your tattoos? More often designing a new tattoo is quite a lot of work. The time has long passed when people just went into the studio and chose a design from ready-made flash sets. Now individuality is valued, so an original design is developed for each customer. I never repeat my own or other people’s work. Thanks to design programmes and gadgets I can develop the design and make edits if needed. However, I sometimes miss the “live” element of drawing on paper and often, with pleasure, take a pencil in my hand.

There are clients who come just for my style and give me complete freedom when creating a design or choose a ready-made design, I really appreciate it. I find this a comfortable way to work and I create a design based on my own imagination as I have no frames and restrictions.

But there are those who come with their idea based on existing characters, with this I try to implement everything in my own style as much as possible. As a rule people don’t mind this because they came for my style, I thank them for this!

What inspires you? find inspiration in nature, horror movies, stories about witches, mythical creatures, and music like black metal, doom metal and stuff like that.

What drew you to work only in black ink? I just have no passion for colour drawings and working with a large palette of colours. This also applies to my own tattoos; my first tattoo is a sleeve based on my own sketch. At first I was delighted with the result but the sleeve features colour. After a while I become uncomfortable with the colour on my hand as my preferences changed and now it’s covered with blackwork.

What do you like to tattoo and what would you like to do more of? I would like to do more large-scale projects, such as on the back or torso. Spaces where a customer doesn’t have some kind of framework on the body that he is trying to fit a specific design into.

I’d like to create more experimental tattoos with transitions from one part of the body to another, such as from the back to a leg. I’ll be incredibly pleased to work on such ambitions projects.

At the moment, my portfolio is diluted with existing characters from movies, books and games which are usually commissioned by my customers. Although it may upset my clients I’d like to do less of this kind of work and pay more attention to the universe of my monsters.

Can you tell us about your own tattoos? Are you a tattoo collector? As I mentioned, I did a few tattoos myself while I was studying. Most of my tattoos are from my friends and tattoo artists I have worked with. Naturally they are also all dark and black and white. I don’t chase tattooers with big names, if I like a sketch and the quality of the master’s work I will gladly get a tattoo from him. But I also don’t do thoughtless and impulsive tattoos, they must be in harmony with my tattoos and coincide with my inner states.

I have ideas on how I want to close the remaining areas on my body, but all the tattoo artists I want to go to are in different countries. So I don’t know when I can make an appointment with them.

Where can people get tattooed by you? I always announce my plans on my Instagram @t_i_t_u_k_h. You can also email me at titukhtattoo@gmail.com with any questions. Actually I love it when people write to me saying that they would like to get a tattoo from me, even if at that moment I am on the other side of the world.

These requests are important because they help me plan my guest spots. I collect these in a database and if I get a sufficient number of applicants in a certain region, I will visit there with pleasure.

How does guesting compare to tattooing in one studio? When working in a particular studio the work process is well-established and you don’t need to worry that there will be no necessary equipment. There’s an already formed team, it’s like a second home.

When working as a guest artist, especially if you are going to the tattoo shop for the first time you need to foresee everything in advance. I’ve been lucky with the studios I’ve stayed in as the people were open and willing to help.

The best part for me is new acquaintances; I can happily say that the guys from all the studios that I have visited have become my friends. Although the pace during these trips is fast and you get very tired, so there must be a balance and time to rest.

What’s the tattoo scene like where you are? St. Petersburg is the cultural capital of Russia. There are a lot of creative and versatile people here. So when it comes to tattoos everything is fine, the older generation is already used to it. There’s practically no condemnation and there are many good studios and artists. I can happily say that tattooing in Russia is at a high level and I often hear people mention different tattooists with different styles abroad. Because of the great competition, tattoo artists must constantly improve and upgrade their technique.

What moment in your career are you most proud of? For me, the most important achievement is that I found my dream job and I’m now I am doing what I love.

Make sure to follow Sergei for more awesome horror-inspired tattoos and find out where he’s tattooing next.