We chat to 30-year-old tattoo artist Sophie Adamson who works out of The Projects in Plymouth about the bright tattoos she creates and her love for skulls…
How long have you been tattooing? I started tattooing about four years ago.
How did you start? It all started for me when I saw a local studio were looking for an apprentice, I nervously took along my portfolio of designs. The feedback I received was equal in good and bad. I made it my mission to stalk them, returning each week with new artwork until I was given a trial. I’ve never been so excited and terrified.
What drew you to the tattoo world? The idea of producing custom artwork for people feels very special
Describe your style, how has it changed? Feminine. Id say my work was quite traditional moving towards neo traditional. Over time it has become more detailed and a little more natural looking.
What do you like to tattoo and draw? I always enjoy tattooing flowers! And I love sketching skulls a lot, I really need to tattoo more of them!
What inspires you? My biggest inspiration growing up was my nan, Joyce. My nan loved her garden of beautiful flowers and bird watching, I was always fascinated by her pressed flowers, botanical books, her collection of fancy teapots and all her trinkets and costume jewellery. She was my biggest fan and always spoilt me to lots of art supplies and her inspiration has stayed with me.
What would you love to tattoo? I’d love to tattoo more of my lady face designs and take on larger pieces featuring ladies. I want to start working with darker colours while still focusing on jewellery and skulls.
Can you tell us about your own tattoos? My favourites are my ornate cameo inspired frame on my hand, by Matt Drury. My first tattoo machine on my arm by Dave Crossett. A large realistic robin on my thigh by Radu Rusu, and a bunch of art and tattoo supplies on my shin by Caroline Derwent.
Margaret Cross creator of Goldengrove Jewellery, Brooklyn, NY, designs and makes beautiful pieces inspired by antique momento mori jewellery. We talk to Maggie about how she started her business and her tattoo collection…
How long have you been creating jewellery? I took my first silversmithing class in college in 2003, but I was creating jewellery for a few years before that.
How did you start, what inspired you? After taking a few classes in the jewellery department in college, I realised that I loved the process, it’s tedious, but there’s a lot of freedom for your mind to wander while you work, so I’m constantly filing, designing, sanding, etc. Jewellery was a sweet relief from the printmaking department in college where I majored. I’d hide up in the jewellery department casting and soldering human teeth and tiny animal bones for me and my friends to wear. My focus shifted to mourning-specific jewellery after the sudden death of my best friend in 2008. It was really traumatic. I bought my first antique mourning piece in memory of him, and made memorial pieces for each of his family members and began to wonder why something so seemingly important to the grieving process had become so obsolete.
I use his writing desk as my jewellery bench, with his eye glasses sitting on top, my daily memento mori. I still mourn him.
Did you take a course or study? I have a BFA from Pratt Institute, my scholarship program wouldn’t allow me to be a jewellery major (the materials are really expensive) so my electives were in the metal arts department, and I stayed an extra year to focus on jewellery. I still occasionally take classes independently to learn new techniques and skills.
What inspires your pieces? I’m obviously inspired by antique memento mori and mourning jewellery, but I also draw inspiration from travel. Both of my parents are immigrants and I draw a lot of inspiration from their respective motherlands (England and Italy). After a trip I’ll usually come home and design a new collection with direct references to places, people or pieces I’ve seen. I see both cultures influence in my work. I still continue to make pieces in memory of my friend as well as pieces that might be comforting to someone going through the same thing today.
Where do you source your stones? Each stone is hand picked by me in New York City. Some stones are salvaged from antique pieces ruined beyond repair. My favorite stone dealer has been in the business for 57 years, he’s a WWII survivor and such a pleasure to see every week. He likes to say he “knows a little about stones”. He must be in his 90s, he’s great.
How would you describe your style of jewellery? Tough and pretty, having a future and a past.
Can you tell us about your tattoos? I started getting tattooed really young at shitty street shops in the city. I’d also let my friends practice on me and we’d give each other stick ‘n’ pokes, so I have lots of that stuff, little inside jokes and punk band references. I’ve become a little more discerning and now I only get tattooed at Rose Tattoo in Brooklyn. Mostly by my husband Mark Cross, but also Hillary Fisher-White and Frank William really appeal to my macabre sensibility, plus there are always great guest artists coming through.
Where can people buy your jewellery? You can shop the collection online at goldengrovejewelry.com, on Instagram and in store at a handful of shops around the US.
‘Instructions’ has been a long time coming for Heck but it was totally worth it. Check out what happened when our music writer Amber attended their album release show….
It was an honour to witness Heck’s album release show at Rescue Rooms in Nottingham last week, and hear what is an outstanding debut album performed in full with an audience, who had clearly backed the band from their first tours to that very day.
The album was released the day of the show, which meant I had it on repeat at work all day and then on the journey to Nottingham that evening. I was so excited to hear them play live and by the time the incredible Raketkanon had got our hearts pumping I was well and truly ready for ‘Instructions’.
‘Good As Dead’ from the get go had Matt flinging himself from a stack of monitors and parting the crowd with the mic lead. It was only fitting that the audience knew the drill- pass the mic stand back then the mic lead.
Heck are becoming more and more renowned for their wild on stage performances and it is incredible that their iconic debut comprises all this live energy into just ten tracks. Their musical dexterity, creative talent and raw power is pushing the boundaries of music and Heck deserve every second of praise not only for ‘Instructions’, but for the mark they have made on music.
Rescue Rooms proved to be the perfect venue for an album showcase. The balcony was rammed with family, that feared for the balcony hoping band and friends safety. A balcony, however, didn’t mean that they were going to miss out on any of Heck’s convulsive action.
Within all the raucous chaos ‘Instructions’ is an album that binds every band member together, conveying their originality perfectly.
‘I. See The Old Lady Decently II. Buried Although III. Amongst Those Left Are You’ was probably the best 16 minutes of my life (although that doesn’t say much for me!) it closed ‘Instructions’ and the release show with a passion that reflected everything Heck have to offer.
Despite all their lunacy Heck never stop thanking the crowd throughout, and it just highlights that not only is ‘Instructions’ pushing the boundaries of music but that these guys have fought hard for this album. As the set closed you could feel the emotion and gratitude in the room. I had the pleasure of talking to Jonny and Matt at Reading Festival last year and there was a strong sense of hestitation about releasing an album that to attend the album release show less than a year later was an honour.
Nothing you read will even begin to sum up this band or ‘Instructions’ until you hear it for yourself.
Mondial du Tatouage is known as one of the world’s largest conventions with over 30,000 visitors and over 300 artists. In this post our Italian contributor Ilaria Pauletti shares her first time at Mondial du Tatouage convention in Paris…
This was my first time in Paris and my first time at Mondial du Tatouage. A dream come true!
It was Friday 4th March and obviously I woke up very early, feeling pretty nervous as usual but also very excited for my upcoming appointment with Rodrigo Souto– I just couldn’t wait.
The Grand Halle de La Villette was very easy to reach, located just 200 m from its own metro station, which was great and made the whole trip a lot easier. Giving me loads of time to walk around and see just how many people were attending the convention.
The doors opened at 12 and there was a huge queue at the main entrance, while waiting, I met a lovely Sardinian couple of tattoo collectors who had an appointment with Dane from Inkamatic – Trieste, and a German girl, Eva, who was waiting to get tattooed by Samuele Briganti. She got a beautiful black and grey lady head on her arm.
I ran to get into the convention, powered by excitement,luckily the map of hundreds of booths was right in front of us and I could immediately get to Rodrigo’s one.
He made me feel at ease and he totally got what I wanted on my skin. After he drew the design onto my arm by hand and I had a look in the mirror we were ready to go.
I have to say the pain was pretty bearable but that elbow/ditch spot was actually really for me. And my friend Marina, who was there with me, can confirm the struggle was real!
Three hours later my arm was like a giant sausage, and then I could walk around the convention.
Ilaria’s peony
I met a lot of the artists I have been tattooed by, for instance Guen Douglas, Morg Armeni, Arianna Settembrino. They were all working hard! I also saw local tattooists who were also very busy, like Mikael de Poissy and Guy Le Tatooer. The booths were a lot larger than ones I have seen at other conventions, meaning that both the tattooist and client could enjoy themselves with no awkward positioning of limbs and machine.
I treated myself to lots of amazing prints by some of my favourite artists, it was really hard to decide what to buy and what to not. The main stage showcased the Best of Day contests, with some great judges including; Kari Barba, Filip Leu, Bill Salmon and Luke Atkinson.
I hope to be back and I can’t wait to see what’s next, because tattoo conventions are made of this: good company, quality tattoos and a great location!
Everyone has been talking about it… you know, those designs that “tattoo fixer” Sketch has traced and passed off as his own on the Channel 4 programme Tattoo Fixers… so we got tattoo artist Antony Flemming to give his opinion on Sketch and the Tattoo Fixers… #fucktattoofixers
Print by Antony Flemming, for sale for £10, check Instagram for info.
“Now, I have to be extremely careful writing this, as Channel 4’s legal team are a tad better than mine, or anyone else in this industry for that matter. So what I am about to say is factual and backed up with evidence. I will not speculate or stray from the truth.
“Firstly I want to talk about tattoo shows in general. Normally, tattoo shows in the UK come and go – and whether we like them or not, they don’t really affect the industry. The artists on the shows are normally at an OK to good standard and the tattoos shown are of a passable quality and generally up to an average standard. With the exception of a few, who are talented, such as the guys on London Ink.
“But… Tattoo Fixers is an absolute abysmal representation of the UK t7attoo scene and I shudder to think that the public thinks these guys (as stated on the show) are “three of the best artists in the UK”. Quite simply, in my opinion they are not. Now of course, art is subjective and there will always be people who think they are, but I honestly think if you asked the guys on the show, they would agree they are not the three best artists in the UK. And if they actually believe their own hype, then really that says it all.
“The reason I am so concerned about this show is because they are deceiving the public, innocent people that actually don’t know any better. A TV company comes to them and says: ‘Hey, do you want a free tattoo by one of the best artists in the country.’ I mean damn! Of course they are going to say yes – if they are uneducated about the tattoo industry. But as I’m sure you’ve seen from the customers that have been publicly upset about their experience and finished tattoo, this has not been the case.
“I have been upset with certain elements in the tattoo industry before, but I have never spoken out about anything, because to be honest, who cares what I think? But Tattoo Fixers is something different, it’s exploiting people. And it’s damaging our industry to a point where people assume that the guys on that show are at the very top of UK tattooing, and it’s simply not the truth.
“I think for me, as an artist, the main thing that I have an issue with is ‘Sketch.’
Again, as I’m sure you have all seen, he has been stealing artists’ designs. Line for line tracing. I don’t mean just stealing ideas, because of course, every idea has been done and not many ideas are truly original. I’m talking about tracing a one-off custom tattoo drawn for a customer.
“I get it, when you are just starting out, everyone copies their favourite artist to an extent. I mean we are all still inspired by people, whether it be in the tattoo industry or not. But you very quickly learn to find your own path and everyone cringes when you think of a few tattoos or drawings you did that was a little too close to the guy or girl you wanted to be.
“But Sketch… He doesn’t cringe, he doesn’t seem fazed by the fact he is ripping off people’s original designs. He just shrugs his shoulders and seems to think its ok. After posting the comparison between my tattoo and his rip off, he messaged me.
Tattoo on right by Antony Flemming and left copied by Sketch
“At first it seemed like a genuine apology, and I was taken by surprise, as all I’ve seen online is him saying things along the lines of: ‘I don’t have time to draw my own designs’ and ‘I have a family to feed and a life to lead.’ But after the initial apology, he went on to justify why he had stolen my design. He said that the customer had come in with the design and he couldn’t just turn him down, and send the guy to World of Tattoos where I work, because he has a family to feed.
[edit: since this article was first published, it has come to light that this neck tattoo is on Sketch’s old apprenctice, making his reason a lie]
“No fair enough, you don’t have to send the guy to another shop. But you can, however, redraw the design so it is an original. I think Sketch seems to think I work in a private studio and I don’t understand the average walk-in customer. What he doesn’t realise is World of Tattoos is essentially a highstreet walk-in shop, as many of my customers will vouch for. Our team and I deal with these customers everyday. Someone will walk in with a print out of a tattoo they want, and generally this is how the conversation goes: ‘Ok cool! That’s a great idea. We will redraw that for you, so you have an original design and book you in.’ Now I know for a fact that 99 out of a 100 people won’t even bat an eyelid, and that one other person isn’t worth jeopardising your career over. It certainly isn’t worth the backlash this has caused. So to be honest, that excuse does not wash with me.
“But if that was his excuse, then surely posting tattoos with the caption: ‘custom design’ attached would suggest the customer didn’t bring in that design at all and he is actually deceiving his customer. An Emily Rose Murray piece, which has been copied by Sketch, even won an award at a convention! Sketch went on to say that he credited Emily, but when called out on it, he lied about not having a Facebook page and the post being a fake, well actually until the post got deleted, it came from his shop’s business page on Facebook…
“After Sketch’s ‘apology’, I gave him some advice… I told him the best thing to do, is concentrate on his tattooing rather than being a ‘celebrity’, stop going to clubs and making ‘special guest appearances’. Sit down and draw, better yourself. Come out of this with a bit of respect. If people see you are actually trying, you may rid this stigma. I also told him to publicly apologise to all the people he has stolen from. If he did that, what can we say? Other than, fair play. Well done, you’ve openly admitted you messed up and you want to do better. He can only gain some respect from the tattoo industry.
“But guess what…? He asked me to keep the apology between us and didn’t say a thing about it publicly, then made his account private. If he had done these things, I would have left the issue and deleted my post. Alas all I saw publicly about it was Sketch almost laughing in my face, telling people on Twitter, he doesn’t know why he is getting hate about it as 90% of artists do it. And he said it was two years ago? That’s a lie. Remember Instagram lets you know when you’ve posted something, and it was less than a year ago, as were all those other rip-offs…”
“And I think that’s it. I think that’s why people are so annoyed and disgruntled. Everyone has had their designs stolen by different people, everyone knows it, but for the most part when people are called out on it, they know they are in the wrong and admit it. But Sketch hasn’t done that, he just comes up with excuse after excuse and isn’t doing a damn thing about it. It is also infuriating to see Channel 4’s legal team and spokespeople silencing any whistle blowers (I expect a cease and desist order in my emails any moment now). Instead of confronting the real issue, I also saw a spokesperson from Channel 4 saying they had licensed the designs from artists to be used. Perhaps they did for some, but I know for a fact they didn’t ask Brian Thomas Wilson (@the_noble_mountain) or Mitch Allenden (@sneakymitch) I also found a rip off of a Crispy lennox piece this morning that won another award…
“I also wanted to briefly mention the fact Sketch is so open about buying his first machines on eBay and starting to tattoo from home. I think it sets a dangerous precedent when it comes to impressionable youngsters that perhaps want to become tattooists. I feel that kids who don’t know any better will pick up a cheap machine and think it’s OK to tattoo from home, risking the possible spread of infections such as Hepatitis. Not to mention scarring people for life.
“It’s simply becoming a joke. I’m not sure what the answer is. Writing this is a good way to vent but realistically unless it goes viral to the masses, I’m simply preaching to the choir. I feel that the industry needs a voice in the public, something people can actually see, and something that can show the average Joe that actually tattooing can be incredible. Something that shows the real side of tattooing, the working 12 hours a day to come home and draw until 2am in the morning, the not going out with your friends for most of the year because, ‘ah sorry mate, I’ve got to do a drawing,’ the relationships we’ve lost because we have locked ourselves away in our drawing rooms. Don’t get me wrong this isn’t a woe is me sort of thing, I know we have the best job in the world, but when a TV show portrays it in a way where it looks like we are rock ‘n’ roll stars not having to do any work, it bugs me, and especially when the little work they do, is actually a rip off of all the hard work real artist do, then that is a line well and truly crossed.
“I could go into many other things about the show and my opinion regarding health and safety and other issues that are cropping up every day but (editor) Alice has told me to keep this at around 700 words and I’m pretty sure I’m already well over that!”
What do you think? Have you been watching the show?
