interview with a tattoo artist Archives

July 7, 2025July 8, 2025

“A tattoo isn’t just a drawing, it’s a whole story,” interview with tattoo artist Kseniia Oliinyk

Tattoo artist Kseniia Oliinyk (@storm_tattooart) believes that tattoos can be integral to healing both physical and emotional wounds. She used to be a nurse in Ukraine, and now she is tattooing in San Francisco in the USA where she covers scars and heals souls…

What drew you to the tattoo world?

The freedom of expression. How people can express their inner world through tattooing, tell their story or capture important moments in their lives. How a tattoo can help heal a heartache or remind you of what’s most important. To me, a tattoo isn’t just a drawing, it’s a whole story.

What made you want to become a tattoo artist?

Watching the TV show Miami Ink. I realised it was a place where I could combine my love of art and medicine because I wasn’t willing to give up either of them. Also I sensed a kind of freedom in this business, knowing that in art you are never limited and you have endless possibilities for development.

You used to be a nurse, how do tattooing and nursing relate to one another?

Yeah, there are no ex-medics. Tattooing is partly a medical procedure, we still work with the skin, which is a full-fledged organ with its own peculiarities. As a tattoo artist you need to be ready for the client to feel bad at any moment and you can’t hesitate to deal with it. Also healing is fifty percent of the quality of the tattoo, so the right aftercare is also very important.

What was your first tattoo?

A white snowflake on my right palm. I am left-handed and made it myself. Later on the tattoo was also practiced on by my apprentices, as a first touch of live skin. Now it is perfectly healed and for seven years I have not done any touch-ups.

What was the first tattoo you did on someone else?

The first tattoo I did on a person was a blackwork sleeve for my first tattoo teacher. At my first class I was given a machine, needle and ink said, “tattoo me”. I was shocked, but I was up to the task.

As well as your first class, how did you learn to tattoo?

I had two mentors, they gave me the basic knowledge, led me through the gates of the world of tattooing, and then I went on my own. I studied other artists through video lessons, practiced on artificial skin and continued to draw a lot – very quickly I moved to the real thing. I still attend different workshops of the artists whose style and technique I like the most. There is no point where you’re the best; you can always get better.

Do you have a favourite tattoo experience?

There is no single favourite. I adore my clients and their ideas, especially when I am given freedom and told to “create, I trust your vision”. Those are truly the best moments, seeing a client’s eyes shine when they walk out of the tattoo studio happy.

Do you think tattoos can help people feel more confident?

Yes, I absolutely believe that. Expressing your thoughts, feelings, the way you see yourself and the way you want a tattoo. It’s magic. Especially when it comes to covering up old tattoos and scars.

Can you tell us more about covering up scars with tattoos?

It’s a very special subject. I would even say it’s tattoo therapy. Because scars have a significant impact on self-image, love for your body and the way you feel about yourself in your body.

If a person is not happy with what they see every day in the mirror, it can lead to terrible consequences. A person can become more closed-off, shy and constantly feeling ashamed of their body can significantly reduce the quality of life. Now I’m co-authoring a scientific article with a psychotherapist about it. This is an important topic that I believe we should not keep silent about.

How do you cover a scar and what should someone who wants one covered know?

Scars are basically connective tissue, like our joints. The quality of the skin is really different, so I wouldn’t recommend using this method for any fine lines or small details. I think the best thing to do would be to cover the scar with some part of the tattoo and draw attention away from it.

So, for instance, if you want to make a tattoo that’s all about drawing attention to a particular object, you can do that by making the object itself a bit distorted or something like that. It was great to work with a client who had a big burn on his arm. We covered it with an abstract tattoo.

The watercolour texture and shapes of the scar really complemented the composition, especially where it’s actually made.

It’s also worth mentioning that the age of the scar is important. You can overlap the stitches a year after the area has healed completely, as long as there’s no pain or discomfort. When it comes to keloid scars, I always make sure my clients see a doctor at the start of the project to check it’s ok for them to work on the scar.

You have done a few charity tattoo flash days, what are these like?

These are my special days, and I love them. I started holding them at home in Odessa to support our defenders. There have already been three and there will be more. On these days, I do small, quick tattoos for a fixed price, and all the money raised is donated to volunteers to buy medicine and other necessities.

Next time, I think it will be to help an animal shelter that has taken in pets who have lost their owners.

I don’t create flash sheets because I prefer to work with my clients’ ideas. A few days before the event, we develop a sketch, so each client gets exactly what they want.

What’s been your favourite country to visit and tattoo in?

Currently, I am most interested in working in the USA and Ukraine, but I like to travel everywhere; the main thing is to plan everything so that I don’t ruin anything at the last moment.

Do you have a moment in your career or personal life you’re really proud of?

I was probably at my happiest when I visited a tattoo convention for the first time and took second place in the “Neotraditional” style. That was in Kharkiv in 2021 — it was truly unforgettable. I also saw this wonderful city for the first time then, and I would really like to go back.

I’m also really proud that I overcame my fears and started travelling the world, tattooing wherever I go and meeting incredible people who inspire me more and more.

What are your hopes for the future?

I have big plans. I want to open two tattoo studios: one in the USA and one in Ukraine. There is a list of tattoo conventions that I’d like to attend. I am also thinking about setting up a charity project for scarred people, inviting different masters who work with scar camouflage and promoting tattoo therapy.

We can’t wait for the next step in your journey. Follow (@storm_tattooart)

July 4, 2025July 4, 2025

“Then and there I understood that tattooing was the missing piece in my life,” interview with tattoo artist Anita Rossi

Italian tattoo artist Anita Rossi (@anitarossitattoo) knew she’d found something special the first time she put ink into skin – getting over her fear of needles in the process! She creates exquisite abstract fine-line tattoos from Namaste Tattoo Studio in Turin, and also travels a lot doing guest spots across Europe and the US. Here, we chat about her love for art history, the exhibitions she‘s been involved in and her plans for the future… Anita, we love your work and we hope that you do too…

When did you first fall in love with tattoos?

My love for tattoos is a long-lasting love that started when I began drawing. I’ve been into illustrations since my childhood. My mother still has some of my pre-school years drawings on her house walls. In high school, tattooing started developing as an idea in my mind and tattooed people began to attract my attention. In my eyes, they were special people.

During my period at the Accademia di Belle Art in Venice, some course mates and friends asked me to sketch tattoo ideas for them. Then the rumour spread and the requests grew in number. I liked doing it, but I never would have thought I could be the one actually tattooing – I’ve always been afraid of needles!

How and when did you learn to tattoo?

Some 20 years ago I started hanging out at a tattoo studio and, with all the courage I could find, I eventually made my first tattoo on the owner himself.

As I did it, the emotion I felt is hard to describe, but then and there I understood that tattooing was the missing piece in my life. Ever since then I haven’t stopped doing it. By the way, that first tattoo came out really badly!

‘Ob_scenae’ by Anita shown at Roma, Palazzo Cavallerini Lazzaroni – “La que sabe: tatuatrici che corrono coi lupi” exhibition

You’ve been part of events where you chat about women and tattooing, can you tell us more about this?

I have participated in many woman/tattoo themed exhibitions alongside other female artists and tattoo artists. In my paintings, the woman often plays a leading role. This is one of the results of my research into the history of art.

Some of my work has even been displayed in tattoo conventions. I’ve also participated in the Genova Contemporanea at Satura Gallery in Genova, Italy. As well as Ex Cartiera Latina’s Kokeshi Rebel Fest exhibition in Roma.

Last November, the Turin Bookshop Libreria Setsu-bun & Millevolti asked me to chair the conference, Women and Tattoos: the Belonging of Oneself. We explored the meaning that tattoos have for women, from a social, cultural and symbolic point of view. The main topic of this first meeting was tattoos seen as personal and spiritual identity, and as an element of role self-determination in a man/woman context. I am interested in such cultural moments, as noticing the mere beauty of an inked body without any gender distinction is yet to be achieved.

Visioni di Nike (Nike’s perspective) – Mondo Bizzarro Gallery , Roma – “Vis Dearum ” exhibition

Have you seen the tattoo industry change while you have been tattooing?

Of course! When I started there weren’t many female tattoo artists, but, throughout the years, I’ve seen many women approaching this industry.

A vital change has taken place concerning the materials, too. Inks and pen machines have evolved to become tools fit for multiple styles and skills. My hands are tiny and the chance of using tiny tools is more than a little relieving.

Do you think the industry is doing enough to be inclusive? What would you like to see?

The tattoo industry is made of the same people as the society we live in. Acceptance and inclusion are qualities of intellect and art works (including tattoos) and should be genderless. I crave more intellectual freedom, I wish we didn’t ask who made a tattoo before liking it. I would like it if there was more artistic culture and, above all, we stopped exploiting women’s body.

We love your fine-line tattoos, how did these come to be?

They rose from my need to move the product of my mind from paper to skin. My work always sticks to the idea of a sketch, a frame, a memory of the individual’s personal story. I care about the technique and supporting the skin.

I have always been attracted to details and the ability to insert them in paintings. They are crafted with intense amounts of focus and lasting attention, and curiosity of the beyond. I would (and still do) spend hours staring at Bosch’s and Francis Bacon’s paintings, Schiele’s sketches, Tina Modoc and Sarah Moon’s pictures.

How do you like to work with clients? Do you prefer flash or custom work?

I prefer to create personalised work. I think tattooing means expressing each customer’s unique story. I like people to feel free to make me part of their thinking and of what they want their tattoo to focus on.

I need to meet the client in person, through a video call or, of it’s not possible, communicate via email, so that we can deepen our ideas before proceeding with the drawing.

Is there anything you’d love to tattoo?

I prefer animal and botanical subjects implemented with abstract lines. I generally can’t think of a specific subject, but I prefer to work on concepts developing through the exchange with the customer, who usually gives me carte blanche.

Obviously, if you want to please me, just ask me to include some elements of art history!

What are your guest spot plans and how can people book with you?

Namaste Tattoo Studio in Turin, Italy, is my home, though I have an artistic visa to work in the US. My American base is Black Serum in San Francisco but, in the last two years, I’ve worked as a guest in New York, LA and Miami. I guess I’m going to go back there, but I would like to see other cities, too.

Next autumn, I am participating in a convention in Thailand; it’s my first time and I’m super excited! From next year, I would also like to get back to some guest experiences closer to home: Amsterdam, Vienna, Marseille, Paris, Valencia and Munich.

We can’t wait to see what and where you tattoo next. Follow: anitarossitattoo

June 28, 2025June 27, 2025

“My first tattoo was a swallow on my stomach – it feels like a time capsule from another version of myself,” tattoo artist, Ivan Baiun

Tattoo artist Ivan Baiun (aka BayunTattoos) has a distinctive two-colour style – he’s always been drawn to contrast, he tells us. And, as he has just announced his upcoming residency at Sashatattooing’s tattoo studios in Los Angeles and San Francisco, we decided to have a chat with him to discover more about his tattoo journey so far…

What drew you to the world of tattooing? How did you learn?

I’ve been fascinated by tattooing since I was a kid. And around the age of 13, I became completely immersed in it. I started collecting books, studying the history of tattooing, analysing different styles and learning everything I could on my own.

I was obsessed with the craft long before I ever picked up a machine. Most of my early learning came from self-study and observation, fuelled by pure fascination. That foundation shaped the way I work today: independent, focused and deeply intentional.

What was the first tattoo you got and the first one you did on someone else?

The first was a swallow on my stomach. It’s nothing dramatic, but it feels like a time capsule from another version of myself.

The first one I ever did was on a close friend. Like most tattooers, I started on friends and family who were brave (or crazy) enough to let me practice on them. It wasn’t perfect, but it marked the beginning, and we still laugh about it to this day.

How did you refine your unique style? What drew you to black and red ink?

My style evolved naturally. I’ve always been drawn to contrast, both visually and emotionally. Red and black became my core palette because they carry weight, ritual and timeless tension. Over time, I focussed on how to make those two colours work together in a clean, structured and recognisable way.

What inspires your work?

A lot of my inspiration comes from visual research. I’ve been building a personal collection of Japanese books filled with prints, illustrations and traditional art that I constantly go back to. I also love exploring museums and Japanese gardens in every city I visit; it’s become a kind of ritual. These quiet moments studying composition, flow and texture feed directly into how I build and balance each tattoo.

Can you tell us more about your upcoming residencies at Sashatattooing’s California studios in Los Angeles and San Francisco? How did these come about?

I’m incredibly excited for this. The opportunity came through a mutual admiration. I’ve respected studio owner Sasha’s vision and global presence for years, and we connected over our shared love for bold, emotionally charged design. Their studios create space for artists with strong identities, and I’m looking forward to bringing my black-and-red universe to both coasts of California.

How can clients work with you? What’s the booking process?

I book primarily through Instagram and email. I like to keep the process personal; usually it starts with a short consultation where I understand the client’s intention and placement. From there, I design something completely unique, tailored to their body and vision.

Do you prefer flash or custom designs?

I only do custom work. For me, the connection with the client and the story behind the piece are essential. Every tattoo I create is made for that person and only that person.

Every tattoo I create is made for that person and only that person.

What’s been your favourite tattoo you’ve done?

Hard to choose, I love all of them, but one of my recent favourite projects was a full set of leg sleeves – both legs completely covered. One features a dragon with flames, the other a tiger with chrysanthemums, all unified by a black background.

It was a technically demanding piece that took time, focus and full trust from the client. I loved the scale, the contrast and the way the two sides balance each other without mirroring. It felt like everything in my process came together in that project.

Do you have a moment you felt proud that you can share with us?

One of the things I value most is the chance to travel the world through tattooing. Being invited to take part in conventions and studios across different countries has been an incredible way to connect with artists I admire and clients who follow my work globally.

It’s more than just showing up, each event feels like a reminder that this craft can build real bridges between people, cultures and ideas.

What do you like to do when you’re not tattooing?

I’m still creating: sketching, designing, playing with physical textures. I also love photographing small, unnoticed details in my environment, listening to music and hiking somewhere silent. Anything that resets my head and fills it with new visuals.

Follow @BayunTattoos to see all the incredible tattoos he creates during his new residency.

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June 27, 2025June 27, 2025

Meet the tattoo artist providing free cover-ups for Harry Potter tattoos

Helena Gifford Harry Potter Tattoo Cover-Ups

Anyone with a social media account is likely aware of the controversy surrounding J.K. Rowling. For those fortunate enough to be unfamiliar, Rowling has expressed incredibly prejudiced views, particularly towards the trans community. These controversies first surfaced on X in 2017, and since then, even more have unfolded.

Given how many LGBTQIA+ individuals are fans of the Harry Potter franchise, her comments have caused significant disappointment and upset. The franchise’s massive popularity has led many fans to get Harry Potter tattoos. In recent years, however, as Rowling’s views have come to light, many now regret these tattoos and no longer want to be associated with a franchise created by someone who holds such opinions. But as we know, tattoos are expensive, and it is easier said than done to just cover-up or remove a tattoo.

That’s where tattoo artist Helena Gifford, known as @hella._.tattoos on Instagram, steps in. Helena is offering free Harry Potter tattoo cover-ups. While the cover-ups come at no cost, she’s set up a donation page for clients who’d like to leave a tip and for others who want to contribute. All proceeds will be donated to Trans Pride Brighton, as a way to give back to the community and turn this initiative into something positive. We chatted to Helena to find out more…

Can you explain your initial motivation for offering free Harry Potter cover-ups?

Well, I saw a graphic online, probably on Instagram, about her funding the Supreme Court case ruling over the rights of trans women. Meaning someone’s “legal sex is defined by birth and not affected by any Gender Recognition certificate they have received” – effectively stripping rights away from the entire trans community.

I’m a queer person, with many trans friends, and I just felt so angry – especially seeing the tweet she posted where she is smoking a cigar and boasting about winning. It was just a reality check of how malicious this woman is.

I started thinking, “Oh thank god I never got a Harry Potter tattoo,” and how many there must be in the world. I just knew that if I had a Harry Potter tattoo, I’d be able to cover it myself, and knowing that some people wouldn’t have the ability to cover it for free, and cover-ups or laser treatments are so expensive. I wanted to help people who would be stuck with a symbol of this horrible franchise.

The donation idea came after, I was thinking people would probably want to pay something towards it, so I figured it makes more sense to start a GoFundMe. So even if people didn’t have a cover-up they needed done, they could still donate and show support.

Was there a particular moment or statement from J.K. Rowling that pushed you to take this step?

The Supreme Court ruling did it. I knew (obviously) that she was a notorious TERF (trans exclusionary radical feminist). However, I think realising that she’s using her profits directly from Harry Potter, and using her position of power and influence given to her by this series to attack the trans community, was a reality check of how bad things have got.

Most Harry Potter fans I knew as a kid were the outcasts like me, and we found comfort in these books. And the idea that she is using her profits from this very community, from kids who feel different, to hurt that very same community is so twisted.

Do you find people are getting their Harry Potter cover-ups for similar reasons?

Every person I have tattooed so far has wanted the cover-up for this reason, and a lot of the session is spent discussing our disappointment over such a beloved childhood memory turning sour. How sad it is that we can’t enjoy something that used to be so important to us anymore. We talk about our experiences with Harry Potter and why we liked it. We often have the same conversation about whether we would still read the books/watch the movies. Which I am still undecided on, so it’s interesting to hear other people’s opinions.

Most cover-up clients are queer and trans so it’s nice to see that the community themselves are benefitting. I’m glad that, as far as I know, no one has taken advantage of this project just to get a free tattoo.

What kinds of Harry Potter tattoos have people asked you to cover up?

Mostly Deathly Hallows. I’m limited to what I can do as a cover-up, due to size/ blackness/ placement. So Deathly Hallows is the easiest to cover, and the one I am seeing the most. I’ve had a few quotes and a snitch at one point.

Sadly, a lot of people have large blackout Hogwarts castles, or large colour tattoos, and there isn’t anything I can do to help there. I’m offering blastovers which would help hide some of the design, but most people want it fully gone, understandably.

What kinds of designs are people choosing to cover their tattoos with?

It’s a range; I am limited to what I can do, with this being a self-funded project. So, a lot of people go with what I recommend would be the simplest way to cover it. As I have to do these tattoos late in the evening, I don’t have time to do a massive detailed piece. It’s a lot of black, I’ve done a dinosaur skeleton, some witches, a witch burning at the stake, and a big flower. It varies.

How does covering the tattoo make people feel after?

Everyone has been very grateful and has donated to the GoFundMe. It’s hard to say accurately, as after a tattoo session people are so exhausted and glad to not be in pain anymore, so it’s hard to get a read of their emotions. I really hope everyone is happy with them!

Do you plan to continue offering this service indefinitely, or is it a time-limited project?

I’m not sure yet, I’m limited to how many I can do at a time. As I also need to make money myself and I can’t do a cover-up on a day I’m not tattooing a paying client as I still have to pay rent for my day in the studio. So I have a long wait list, and the rate of emails I’m getting has slowed a lot.

I’m also going on maternity leave in October, so I won’t be able to continue for a while. But it’s something I hope to always come back to being able to do.

Helena is based in Brighton at The Blackhouse Tattoo. Make sure you check out Helena on Instagram and read more tattoo stories on our blog.

April 25, 2025April 25, 2025

“I created a community chat with my clients because these women all shared a journey with me and now it makes me smile that they’ve become friends,” interview with tattoo artist Swasthik Iyengar

The work of tattoo artist Swasthik Iyengar is a mix of Indian tribal and Hindu, but with a contemporary edge, that helps connect people to their roots. And we’re totally obsessed. Her Instagram feed – gunga_ma – is filled with bold and beautiful designs that clearly empower their wearers, so much so that she’s created a community of women who wear her tattoos.

She’s been immersed in the tattooing industry from her early twenties, starting out as a counter girl in a shop in Australia in 2015, she did her first tattoo at the end of 2017, and has been tattooing for nine years now. But tattooing is in her blood – her grandmother was a traditional handpoke tattooer in India.

She’s currently in the US, but we hope that she comes over to the UK soon, so we can join her community of badass women by adding a piece of her work to our own collections… We couldn’t wait to hear more about her journey. Settle in, it’s absolutely fascinating!

When did you first fall in love with tattoos? Was there a poignant moment from your past? Tell us about it, take us there…

I fell in love with tattoos from the moment I got tattooed when I was 20 in London. It was just so magical. Not only did I love my tattoos, but I fell in love with the experience and the energy and vibrant colours in the tattoo shops. For most of my teen life, I found it very hard to fit in, so when I moved to London and got my first tattoo at the world famous Into You [sadly now closed] owned by Alex Binnie, I just knew my journey of tattooing was not going to stop.

Swasthik’s first tattoos on the inside of her forearms seen here while holding her friend’s hand

I remember seeing Hindu influenced imagery in the shop and I felt so at home, I felt a belonging. To see that there was a community of people out there that cherished Hindu imagery and gods made me feel comfortable in my skin – literally as my first ever tattoos were my family gods: Lord Narasimha and Lakshmi.

What was your childhood like, were you always artistic? Tell us about your family connection to tattooing…

I was born and raised in India till I was 10 years old. I came from a deep spiritual background. India is filled with rich art and colours – because of the people, the sounds, the temples and houses, people’s prayer rooms. I lived a simple life there with my parents and extended family. I remember going to sacred sites and temples on big road trips with family and cousins, playing with cows, playing on the streets, going into nature.

And my grandmother did stick-and-poke tattoos in Chennai in India. While this was not her sole job, she did kolam tattoos for reasons of healing as these specific tattoos have medicinal healing connotations based on deeply rooted traditions. To put into context, I can explain a little about the tattoos she did.

Kolam tattoos are extremely sacred. It is important to define first what is kolam. Kolam patterns are planetary based geometric/mathematical line drawings physically drawn on the ground (earth mother) with rice flour or grounded natural seeds. Each kolam is formulated around a matrix of dots, whereby folklore mandates that all lines must be connected to symbolically prevent evil spirits from entering inside the land/village, hut/home, territory or temple where the kolam pattern exists.

Why did South Indian people like your grandmother historically tattoo kolam patterns on the skin?

Kolam patterns were tattooed (by sacred stick-and-poke instruments called Mungurah) on people’s skin by female tattooers and or medicine healers to protect family members from evil spirits and disease from entering the body. Evil spirits included the lost souls of those that died and could not find karmic closure and diseases included cancers and many others that caused pain and stress on the body.

The reason that only ladies and medicine healers were allowed to tattoo this is because it was said that since ladies were mothers, they had the magic touch of empathy and love that surpassed the control of any evil spirit. Medicine healers were trusted to tattoo kolam patterns as their hands held the power to cure illness. The stick-and-poke instruments were made of many different materials but the special ones used in ritual were made of brass.

Your work has Indian tribal tattoo culture and Hindu imagery infused in it, but with a contemporary edge. How did your style evolve to become what it is today? Is it important to embrace both past and present?

Not only as a student but as a person who holds space and has an extreme amount of respect for the craft, it is very important to study and acknowledge the tattooers and the tattoo practice in the past. These people have paved the way for tattooers today. Since I have a strong connection to my motherland – India, even before I was tattooing and I was painting – I was always inspired by references/motifs/imagery linked to Hindu culture and traditions/stories in different parts of India. For such a small country, India has an extensive and diverse array of painting, arts and crafts as well as tattoo practices.

Through studying these different styles and mediums of art and tattoos, and continuing to do so, I tried to and I am trying to take reference from such practices (use them as tools so to speak) and draw from my heart and mind. That is how I formed and continue to form my style of work. It is important for me to keep evolving, learning and tweaking my skills both in tattooing and art so that I continue to grow. I also like the challenges it brings, because it pushes me to think outside of the box and to always try my best. By embracing the past, I hope to connect my clients to their roots, to our ancestors, to the spirit that forms us and connects us to our people, our land.

Her customers have become a community. This photo was taken on the day that her customer Gloria got tattooed, with Humairaa (one month healed) and Pavi (a few years healed)

Your Instagram feed is filled with the most beautiful photos of women with bold designs that sprawl across their bodies, do you find the process of tattooing someone empowering – for them and for you? Do you notice people’s attitudes towards their own bodies change during and after the process?

Thank you so much for your kind words. Honestly the best part of tattooing is hearing my clients’ stories and making them smile through body transformation. In most of the situations, both my client and I have cried with happiness after the execution of the tattoo. In beautiful ways the universe has given us signs when the tattoo is finished, which makes us feels their ancestors (Pattis – grandmothers) were in a sense there with us. Tattooing is painful, especially in those sacred parts of the body, so it’s so empowering to see my client’s strength to endure, to get through it.

I sometimes forget when I tattoo every day, and I remember when I get tattooed, and it really humbles me because it is a journey and with such body transformation comes pain. I do see attitudes change after. In fact, I receive the most beautiful emails months and years after from my clients/friends of how strong they feel in their skin. I decided to create a community chat with my clients because these women all shared a journey with me and now it makes me smile that they have become friends and catch up from time to time and collaborate on projects.

How do you like to work with your customers? Do you consider the tattoo to be a collaboration? What kind of ideas do customers bring to you and how do you turn those ideas into tattoos?

It depends on whether the email I get is someone wanting a flash that I have posted or if someone is wanting a tribal chest/sleeve/back etc. If it is a flash piece, then it is very easy to communicate the booking via email as people see the finished product/painting and know somewhat what they will get. When the time comes, it’s very nice to then meet the client in person and connect because I am very grateful that they want a piece of my work.

If it is the latter, I usually bring people in for consults because it is important to connect in person and feel a sense of comfort. By interacting in person, I can understand what a person wants and I’m able to spend time asking questions as well as taking tracings of the body in order to commence drawing the design for the tattoo.

I always have the option for consults, whether small or big or someone who wants to get their first tattoo – these are permanent markings and big decisions, so I want clients to feel happy and safe if they wish to get tattooed by me. Also, this allows for the tattoo concept to be a collaboration.

What’s your studio like? Is the environment you tattoo in important to the process?

I work at the wonderful Good Luck NYC in Brooklyn. It is a great creative space whereby everyone there does amazing work – which inspires me. Everyone there is always willing to help when it comes to talking about art or tattoo techniques. There is a lot of sun that comes through the shop and it has a lovely energy so I feel very lucky to be a part of their team.

For sure, the environment is important because tattooing is very tricky. For example, everyone’s skin is different, sometimes stencilling the tattoo can be challenging, so when I am in a peaceful, friendly and supportive environment, I can calm down and do the tattoo the best I can. I always want to try my best and to make my clients smile.

Are you doing any guest spots this year? And how do we book in?

Right now, for the summer, I plan to stay in New York. As I’ve just moved to the States –almost a year ago. For me, it is important to remain focused, paint and build a local clientele. However, I will do guest spots through the USA after the summer. I have not set in stone any particular places but this is something I’m exploring. The best way to book in with me is by emailing me. My body of work is on my Instagram page – gunga_ma – and my bio on my Instagram page has my email enclosed. This way people can see the tattoos I’ve done and the new designs that are available. My email is: swasthikiyengartattoos@gmail.com

Do you have any thoughts about the industry as a whole? Its past and its future?

Honestly, I don’t feel I’ve been tattooing long enough to say because I am still very much a student. I know that the tattooers I’ve met in my journey here and the people I admire have been so kind in sharing their knowledge of tattoo applications and executions, which has been so amazing. So I am very grateful to meet these tattooers and be able to learn from them.

I also think now, especially with social media, it is so cool to see so many different styles of tattoos/art that inspires and motivates me. It is awesome now we have access to more things within the tattoo industry, such as different types of machines etc.

What path are you on next and where would you like the style of your work to go?

I would like to move towards doing larger bodysuits/larger projects such as sleeves within my tribal Indian work – fingers crossed.

I just really want to thank you for giving me this opportunity to be able to talk a little bit about my culture and tattooing within my culture to your readers on your platform because I think what you both do is truly great. I also want to thank everyone that reads this interview, and my emails are always open if you want to get tattooed here in New York. I look forward to hearing your stories and what brought you to want to get tattooed. Thank you again.

We can’t wait for the next step in your journey. Follow: gunga_ma