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Tattoo Smarter: Kezz Richardson

Burnout, working all hours, undercharging for tattoos. Does this sound familiar? Kerry-Anne Richardson (Kezz) is an autistic tattooer of 15 years and owner of Cock A Snook Tattoo Parlour who’s here to help you find that sweet spot when it comes to the tattooer’s work life balance. Read on to find out how Tattoo Smarter can change your life…

What is Tattoo Smarter? Ooof, where do I start, I guess superficially you could say it’s a brand (brand?! Who the fuck do I think I am!) I created to help other tattooers, but to be honest it’s deeper than that.  I wanted a way to make a positive impact in the industry that goes beyond making tattoos. 

I guess Tattoo Smarter is a way to channel my love for tattooing into a practical form. Problem solving and sharing are my love language/traits of my autistic brain. 

Why did you launch Tattoo Smarter? Short version: I was fucking sick of seeing tattooers drown in toxic bullshit and treating each other poorly. Long version: I struggled myself. A LOT and I’ve seen so many other tattooers struggle a lot too…but nobody wants to talk about it.

As much as I love tattooing and the beautiful life it’s provided me, it’s been a fucking hard slog and I’m not ashamed to admit it. There’s an ingrained opinion in tattooing that we should ‘put up and shut up’. Part of why I struggled is the toxic messaging that’s so deep rooted in the industry. What’s accepted as normal isn’t fucking normal. It’s HARMFUL.

Work every hour you have? Hate other studios? Don’t complain!? Don’t charge more than other tattooers? Do every tattoo that comes through the door? Be your client’s therapist? WTF?! No thanks tattooing hun, we can do better. 

So, I guess to summarise – I was fed up of being a ‘good girl’ one that’s expected to parrot something like “I turned my passion into a job so I’ll never worked a day in my life”. We need to ditch that narrative asap and start being more authentic. 

Tattooing is a hard job and if we don’t look after ourselves it’s a recipe for misery WHEN IT DOESN’T HAVE TO BE THIS WAY.  I made Tattoo Smarter to connect with other tattooers that feel this way too. Others that want better for themselves and each other. 

How long have you been running it? Not long at all! I drew the logo at the beginning of May this year and launched my first course, albeit quietly a few months ago. It’s been like a whirlwind. I never expected as much support or traction as I’ve had. Not complaining, it just further cements that’s I’m doing the right thing.

I know your priority is helping tattooers with their self care and boundaries – what are the things that happened in your own life to make you think this was needed? Burnout on repeat. (And I know I’m not alone in this).

I towed the line and tried to do everything the same as other tattooers and I just couldn’t, I had no idea I was autistic and kept having to take breaks from tattooing because I was so overwhelmed all the time. 

When I recently came back to tattooing after a break, I had a fresh perspective on advocating for myself. I knew the changes I needed to make to keep myself safe. My systems and processes have been born out of necessity and I realised these processes could help so many other tattooers too. 

Why do you think the tattoo industry doesn’t have more regulation and guidance? Because there are still a metric fucktonne of people who directly benefit from their privilege and it being unregulated/under the radar. There are so many people learning from people who don’t know any better and loads of people treating tattooing like it’s a hobby and their clients as friends.

It’s where we get our income so we need to treat it as our business. We need more boundaries between our personal and professional.

The community is fractured and as of yet we’ve not had everyone pulling in the same direction. We’ve also got a lot of non-tattoo people coming into our industry to make money. This dilutes our craft massively and blurs the lines even more. 

Why is now the time for change? Not my quote but if not now? When?? Maybe add a ‘fucking’ in there to make it sound like me!

What are the things you personally would like to see change in the industry? Holy fuck where do I start? Racism, misogyny, ableism, gate-keeping, the unprofessionalism, hustle harm (that’s my term for it) the cliqueness, glamourising the grind, the insane undercharging for tattoos?!

Parts of it are akin to a minging car crash I’ve seen happening in slow motion. I don’t want anyone to think tattooing isn’t mint, because it is. But I don’t want to change the good stuff – just the shit that makes it shady and not inclusive. I want tattooers to be healthy and happy (not shells of humans surviving off Monsters and cocaine) with more money in their fucking pockets. I’m not trying to be the fun police, but the most fun is feeling safe and secure in your job. 

Do you think covid has changed the way the industry runs? The way the general public book tattoos and also how artists feel right now post pandemic? It has changed a lot. Firstly, over the pandemic so many self-employed and studio owners were let down and not supported financially by our (corrupt as fuck) government. Lots of people are still recovering from that lack of support. 

Secondly, it created a bubble, lots and lots of artists suddenly went from booking two weeks in advance to booking out three months. This was because lots of employed people on furlough ended up having spare cash and because nobody did any tattoos for ages, it created an inflated demand.

Unfortunately that bubble is bursting for many and as we head into a recession not dissimilar to 2008/9 on top of the (intentional) energy crisis lots of tattooers/studios won’t be prepared for this or even expect it. Clients are even more so than before expecting much cheaper tattoos because tattooers are undercutting each other and driving all the money out of tattooing. Tattoos are too cheap and they have been for ages – I want to change this.  

Ok give us the solid ways that tattooers can connect with you right now and what can they access on tattoo smarter? Both free and paid for resources? I do lots of Q&As in my Instagram (@tattoosmarter) stories where tattooers and piercers can ask me stuff confidentially and I share anonymously. I also get lots of messages through DM, don’t worry I’ve got boundaries with this – I encourage tattooers not to use DMs but this isn’t the same as tattoo clients I promise! 

Tattooers can join our Tattoo Smarter community slack chat, it’s completely free and essentially, it’s full of like-minded people in a group you can access on your phone etc. The ethos of this group is to be a decent fucking human, so lots of sharing, supporting and solidarity.  I’m really proud of it! 

I’ve free resources on why we need enquiry forms and how to make a form better. There’s also a free mini mindset course on boundaries

Paid stuff – a self-employed handbook that includes a checklist. So many Tattooers feel like they are winging it, and to be honest so many fucking are (I’ve been here too by the way). I made this so tattooers and piercers can atleast nail the basics- no more waking up at 2am in cold sweats –  it’s only £10.50 ‘n’ all. 

Your new course sounds brilliant and you’re right we’re at a point where we’re all moaning about Instagram and have gotten to a point where we rely too much on it. Is this what the course is about? Thank you! Well chuffed! Ok, so since these questions were written I’ve released another course, I told you I was excited! 

My ‘protect your Insta income course’ you’re referring to teaches tattooers how to connect directly to their clients without having to be a bloody mime act in the hope the algorithm will ‘pick them’.

So many tattooers just don’t have the time or the will to be fannying around making reels. Letting a social media platform control our income is soul destroying/unsustainable and I see in real time how much it is corroding our mental health. But, we have the ability to take control instead of gambling on likes and engagement. So that’s what the course is: two fingers up to Insta I guess.

But my new course? Oh maaaaannn, this is the one I’m most excited for. I pretty much start vibrating every time I talk about it. 

My ‘Get Booked, Bells n Whistles Booking‘ is me teaching tattooers my own personal booking process. Tried and tested and tattooer (me) developed. It does EVERYTHING bar cooking your tea when you get home…

  • It takes deposits
  • It sends reminders 
  • It covers all your cancellation policies and pre tattoo info 
  • It stops you undercharging
  • It fucking organises everything so you feel calm and look like a stone cold professional for your clients. I mean not just look it – become MORE profesh. Being professional adds to your value, more value means you can charge more. 
  • It stops all the time wasting with emails back and forth, I can literally do 20 requests in an hour. 

I don’t want to use the word magic but I dunno how I managed before this process. And I’m not a tech person either (I’m a tech-nanna). I’m a tattoo person so any issues and struggles you have had, I’ve made this with those in mind. 

My first intake is discounted at £199 for the course to say thank you to those who have supported what I’m trying to do, it starts in November. After that it will be £350 (I know some people think that’s expensive but it’s the same price as some tattoo machines). It’s an investment. The time and stress it saves is INVALUABLE and will make you just as much as a new tattyzapper ever will. Also send me any questions you have  via DM if you need more info!

What are some of the ways you protect and look after your own mental health? Having boundaries and being kind to myself. Mycology, I bloody love hunting and categorising mushrooms and writing lists of my finds. Lots and lots of alone time, I need non-verbal days, days without demands and lots of quiet. Not the easiest with having my own studio granted. But having efficient work systems has been one of the biggest changing points in my mental health. Not wasting time and energy on stuff has changed my outlook entirely. I’m so excited by it I just want to share it with anyone who will listen.

We’ve talked about the boys’ club before haven’t we, and how hard it can be trying to cut through that. Can you explain a little more about this part of the industry that the general public might not understand? I guess the boys’ club stuff happens in all industries to be honest as it’s still cis white men as the majority and at the top of everything. So I think most people who don’t identify as this will understand to some extent. Many marginalised tattooers and ones who want to be allys are scared to speak up because it goes against the grain. Big name tattooers and organisers have the ability to end someone’s career just as much as make it, then others follow suit so they “get picked”.

Unfortunately the misogyny in our industry is perpetuated by lots of the women too. This patriarchal bullshit hurts EVERYBODY in the long run.

What’s next for Tattoo Smarter and what’s next for Kezz? Some stuff in the pipeline regarding training that everyone should have, but doesn’t. There’s loads of stuff I wanna do but right now the courses I have will keep me busy. Also I’m in the middle of buying a house.

Is there anything else you want to say about what you do that we haven’t asked you about? I just wanted to tell people to start believing in themselves and to stop comparing themselves to other tattooers as everyone’s tattoo journey is different. The best way to help ourselves is to be proactive and if we are regularly complaining or unhappy we need to realise we have the power to do something about it.

Tattooing can be better if we all pull together. I’m here to help.

Make sure to follow @tattoosmarter for more advice and resources.

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Interview with Tattooist EQ

Tattooist EQ creates incredible miniature tattoos that are packed with colour and life in a studio near Hongdae in Seoul, Korea. We chatted to the tattoo artist about her journey into the tattoo world and how traditional paintings inspire her work…

How long have you been tattooing and how did you get started in the industry? It’s been almost four years since I started tattooing and getting tattooed. I started because the people around me encouraged me to become a tattoo artist. Even when I was younger people said I would grow up to be a tattoo artist as I was so good at drawing.

What inspired you to become an artist? Do you have a background in art? I majored in design in college and after graduation I worked as an art teacher. Then I became a tattooist on the recommendations of those around me. I started creating work that was based on the traditional art that I liked and was interested in.

How would you describe your style? What drew you to colour tattoos? The tattoos I create are small and detailed. I like to fill my designs and client’s skin in detailed, elaborate and vivid colours. In this sense, the art of oriental paintings with their traditional colours that perfectly represent Korea inspire me a lot.

What inspires your designs? I’m usually inspired by natural and traditional things. I think traditional art has great power. Because I base my work on this I think each piece I make has a message and it’s own power.

Can you tell us about the process behind your tattoos? I express traditional oriental paintings by depicting various materials, landscapes and oriental animals such as cranes and tigers. Using the genre of frame tattoos I create the scene of looking into a world through a window. Through the window anyone can obtain the beauty of an oriental painting. My client’s stories are expressed in the frame in various colours and details.

I condense the beauty of oriental painting into a small rectangular space.

We love the miniature details in your tattoos, are there any challenges with these? For me, there’s nothing particularly difficult about tattooing in this way. However I set a minimum size because my designs are drawn on skin rather than paper. Dragons and tigers are difficult to create in such detail when the frame is too small. So when possible I set the size to 10-15cm, then there are no difficulties.

What do you like to tattoo and what would you like to do more of? I like to express my customers’ stories with my tattoos. Of course, I like my designs to be based on traditional art, but it’s also interesting when I can convey the stories of my customers.

My clients will tell me their stories and experiences and I then transform these into my style. I think there’s no limit when it comes to my art. Although, I want to draw more diverse stories and a variety of subject matter.

How do you see your tattoos evolving in the future? I usually do small and detailed tattoos but I’d like to work on tattoos that are larger. Even if these take a long time I want to draw a person’s life on a big canvas. Also I think the day will come when I’ll make merchandise, prints and original paintings to sell rather than just tattoos.

Where’s your favourite place to travel and tattoo? I like to work abroad, I’ve found there are a lot of people who like my tattoos or have seen them on one of my clients and now want one. There are so many countries I haven’t been to yet, but if I get the chance I want to go to more countries and meet new people.

Do you have any travels or guest spots planned? I don’t have any places planned right now. But I’m ready to leave whenever I get the chance!

What was your first tattoo? My first tattoo was a plant. I drew a lot of plants at first because I’m interested in the natural world. My first tattoo was from a friend and to this day it looks good. My tattoos are all connected to nature and animals like oriental tigers and dragons.

What’s the tattoo scene like where you are? Tattoos are still illegal in Korea, despite this I think Korean tattooists are very talented, recognised for their work and popular the world over. – it’s very ironic to me. There is a movement for legalisation in Korea and I think tattoos will be legal soon.

What do you do when you’re not tattooing/drawing? I tend to go out of town on my day off to get some fresh air and see exhibitions.

What moment in your career are you most proud of? I feel the most proud during the moments when I finish a tattoo and show it to my client. I feel like I’m giving my clients their stories as a gift.

Make sure to follow @tattooist_eq for more incredible miniature tattoo-scapes.

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Interview with tattoo artist Yeono

Tattooist Yeono creates incredible realism tattoos at 10KF_Hollywood in Los Angeles, CA. We chatted to the tattoo artist about her pet portraits and how her personality goes hand in hand with realisitic tattoos…

How long have you been a tattoo artist? I have been a tattoo artist for nine years, since 2014.

How have you seen the industry evolve since you began? The tattoo industry has become more diversified and popularised in that time.

The most remarkable change is the number of people who enter the industry, and the quality of their work is really amazing and impressive.

How did you become a tattooist? I wasn’t interested in drawing when I was younger. When I was 17 my mother wanted to get a small tattoo, so we looked at photos of tattoos together. We came across a back piece tattoo by a famous Japanese tattooist and I remember marvelling at it. Before seeing it the only tattoos I knew were the butterfly and Chinese characters on my mother’s body. I knew instantly that I wanted to create tattoos like the Japanese tattoo artist, so I made up my mind to become a tattooist.

This was one of the decisions that changed everything in my life.

How would you describe your work? Why drew you portraits and realism? In the beginning, I just liked drawing things realistically without thinking about the concept or meaning of the picture. Later on I started studying the aesthetic and meanings of tattoos.

I don’t think drawing the exact same picture as you see in a photo is the most important thing about tattooing. Instead I’m drawing pictures that can touch my clients’ lives. I want to show realistic tattoos in an easy to access and new interesting way. Another charm of these kinds of tattoos is that they take a long time and a lot of effort is needed to complete them.

My work, alongside the importance of design also has an emotional element. I think the perfect realism is powerful and greatly influences people. The reality is a virtual reality and I like my tattoos to be more on the side of virtual reality.

Has your style changed? I learnt the basics of design and tattooing from a Korean tattooist who created Japanese-style tattoos. So, I did new school and Japanese style tattoos for several years. But I became interested in black and grey tattoos, so I studied drawing in pencil. Currently, I mostly work on small-size realistic tattoos and pet tattoos.

What inspires your tattoos? I think my clients and many of the artists in the world have a great influence on me. I’m often found appreciating the works of hyper-realist artists, when I view their work it’s hard for me to tell which is a photo and which is a painting, which is a copy and which is the original. I think this kind of experience is another charm of hyper-realistic paintings.

When I see this kind of work represented in tattoos I am amazed and think of all the things I would like to do in the future.

What’s the tattoo culture like where you were born? In Korea, tattooing is regarded as a medical practice, so it can be only performed by licensed medical personnel. Even though drawing tattoos is not against the law, no one can make tattoos without medical doctor’s license. Nevertheless, the tattoo industry has been continuously growing.

I can’t understand how so many Korean tattooists who are internationally famous are treated as criminals at home.

However, there are people who are working hard for the legislation of tattooing. I hope the bill is passed quickly, so many Korean tattooists can work in a safe environment.

We love your pet tattoos, can you tell us more about these? There are many artists who specialise in pet tattoos and so each artist has a different artistic approach and techniques to express these images. I think I have many strengths that differentiate me from these other artists.

Thanks to my ability to concentrate I can work on delicate animal hair, soft shading, clean and accurate colour packing for a long time. I try hard to create powerful and substantial tattoos by using the various techniques I have learnt.

I’ve always had dogs and cats, now I have three cats. I really love animals and I feel so happy when I get to tattoo animals. My memories and personal experiences of raising animals helps me to create a strong bond and sympathise with my clients.

Has your background influenced your style at all?  My personality has had much more of an influence on my tattoo style than my background. I have great concentration and thoughtfulness, so for the most part I complete my work accurately and perfectly. This is why my personality goes well with the realistic tattoos I create as they requires a lot of time and efforts

Do you have a tattoo experience that sticks out in your mind? Out of all of the tattoo experiences I have had in the past nine years, the tattoo I remember the most is my first tattoo.

My mother was my first client and she got a tattoo of my name and my elder brother’s name on her arm. It was such a simple lettering style tattoo, but on top of feeling really nervous, it took more than eight hours to complete the whole process, which is why I can’t forget this memory.

What’s been your proudest and/or happiest moment in your career so far? It is difficult to pick one because there are so many. I always feel happy whenever my clients smile or shed a tear of joy after getting a tattoo. I feel proud of myself when I can make somebody feel happy.

What do you do when you’re not tattooing/drawing? I like to exercise and have fallen in love with reading books. After enjoying some recent travel experiences I’ve made it my goal to take trips more often. I just like to live a happy life.

Be sure to follow Yeono for more adorable pet portraits and extraoridinary realism 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.