interview with a tattoo artist Archives - Page 5 of 19

January 23, 2024January 23, 2024

“The idea is to convert scars into something pretty; to transform a difficult experience into something beautiful,” interview with Tina Caruso

Tattoo artist Tina Caruso (@tinacarusodot) tattoos at Buzz Club in Leeds. Here she talks about her journey into the tattoo industry, never giving up on her dreams and her new project, the ‘pay as you feel campaign’ for those who’ve had mastectomies…

How long have been tattooing and how did you get started in the industry?

When I was 19, I started out of curiosity. My parents helped me buy my first tattoo machine and get my licence – I started tattooing from their house. At the time, in my small hometown in the south of Spain, there weren’t any tattoo studios.

I moved to the UK in 2016 and tattooing stopped being a priority for me, it wasn’t until 2018 that I tried to find an apprenticeship – I didn’t have much luck. So, I kept practising at home, I started English classes and I found the tattooing style I wanted to go for and put together a professional portfolio. I finally started in my first tattoo studio, Skinz, at the end of 2019.

What inspired you to be an artist? Do you have a background in art?

For as long as I can remember, I’ve been painting or drawing. I’ve also experimented with a range of media. I fell in love with oils. My mum’s house is covered in canvases. She has always pushed my creativity.

For me, becoming a tattoo artist came from the urge to be an artist. I felt that selling my art through tattoos would be an easier way to make a living. Now that I feel more settled in the tattoo industry, I can’t wait to start painting my canvases again and combine them with tattooing.

How would you describe your style? Have you always tattooed like that?

No, I started very young, with no guidance – not even YouTube to help me. I didn’t have anyone to ask about styles, so I started with the most popular style: Old School.

I’ve always been curious to try other styles – my first ever portfolio was chaos. It wasn’t until a year before I started working in my first ever tattoo studio that I began to stick to one style. It was dotwork, a very illustrative style – my designs and tattoos would be done dot by dot.

In the studio, I learnt how to whip shade, so I could start evolving my style. It became very dainty with small details creating fine-line realism. I’ve moved more towards surrealism, even more fine, delicate and smooth.

What inspires your designs?

Nowadays, my designs are inspired by people’s emotional scars and happy stories.

I would say daily life and storytelling inspires me the most.

For my personal projects I always use myself for inspiration: a bad moment, a certain situation I disliked, mostly negative emotions I’ve felt over the years. I would paint self portraits, not necessarily realistic, but to express what I felt in that moment and use it as a healing process.

Now I create more realistic looking pencil drawings, filled with certain emotions I have felt at some point. I find objects, human figures, animal, flowers, plants or anything that symbolises what I feel in the moment or relate to in some way.

What do you like to tattoo and what would you like to do more of?

I like to challenge myself with things I’ve never drawn before, this is what keeps tattooing exciting for me.

I’m feeling a bit experimental lately with human figures. I find I’m attracted to them every time I create. I find mythology from any culture exciting. Mostly mythological creatures, as I think these are very hard to capture. I’m learning to make them look real without losing the magical or ethereal look of them.

Can you tell us about your latest project?

The ‘pay as you feel campaign’ is a free service for those who’ve had mastectomies – if there is any exchange of money – but there doesn’t have to be – it will go to charity. I would love to tattoo more over scars and I’d love to help anyone who has had a mastectomy or top surgery.

The idea is to convert scars into something pretty; in other words, to transform a difficult experience into something beautiful.

I want to combine my profession with a social cause, as well as positively impact lives through my art.

How do you see your tattoos evolving in the future?

I am a very changeable person, I’m always creating and experimenting. I would love to start larger scale pieces, not necessarily bigger tattoos, just covering more of the body. They’d have lots of the delicate detail but would be spacious compositions that work with the body.

Do you think tattoos need to have a meaning or story behind them?

I prefer them to have a story. It helps my creative process so I can conjure up something different and unique every time. But I don’t think this is necessary, tattoos can be funny or for no reason. As long as they make the person happy and don’t offend anyone.

What was your first tattoo? Do you still like it? How has your tattoo collection developed since then?

I got my first tattoo when I was 19, it’s a line-work Converse shoe. I did it myself, in my bedroom. Fine-line tattooing wasn’t a thing until recently, so I had loads of colour traditional and black work tattoos.

I started covering everything two years ago, with a blackout from my left arm going down my back and finishing at my bum… for now. I decided to go for a neotribal bodysuit, as I feel it is a much more elegant and less noisy style.

Where’s been your favourite place to travel and tattoo? Do you have any guest spots planned?

I haven’t had the luck to travel outside the UK with my work yet. But, 2024 is full of guest spots, and I can’t wait – I’ll be travelling all over the UK. I’ll also be going to LA in September, so I will try to work in San Francisco and Mexico. But, nothing is confirmed yet. I’m also planning a full month in Germany, after the US. I am very much looking forward to these guest spots, seeing all these new places and meeting new tattoo artists.

What’s the tattoo scene like where you are?

Leeds is a very artistic and youthful city. I feel very lucky to be part of a team with young creatives and talented artists like the Buzz Club family. It is a great city to be an artist, even more so a tattoo artist.

What do you do when you’re not tattooing or drawing?

Emails! Tattooing is a 24/7 job. But when I have the free time, I love to go to the countryside, mostly in the summer, and in the winter, you will find me in any art gallery or exhibition. I find them very inspiring and sometimes I’m lucky enough to meet new artists while I visit their exhibitions.

What moment in your career are you most proud of?

When I moved from Spain to the UK at that young age, it definitely marked a before and after in myself. I kept pushing to become a tattoo artist – even when I wasn’t good enough.

The second was when, with no previous apprenticeship, I started working in a real tattoo studio as a real tattoo artist. All the effort wasn’t for nothing. I finally got into the tattoo industry.

And the last, the moment I learnt that every one of us has a different path, and it’s okay to have a rest when following your dream. It’s hard work, but never give up even if it takes years. You’ll get there if you put effort and care into what you do.

Follow Tina Caruso (@tinacarusodot) on Instagram for more beautiful tattoos. She works at Buzz Club in Leeds.

We’re always talking to amazing tattoo artists, check out our latest interviews.

December 30, 2023January 11, 2024

“I like to be quite free and experimental with my artwork” – interview with tattoo artist Meg Roberts

Tattoo artist Meg Roberts (@meg.the.cyclopz_) creates blackwork and dotwork tattoos at The Drawing Room in Coventry. We chatted to Meg about her style, her love of cats and the reason she fell in love with tattooing…

How long have you been tattooing?

I’ve been tattooing for four years now. Two of which were my tattoo apprenticeship.

What made you want to become a tattoo artist?

I’ve wanted to become a tattoo artist since I was five years old. I always had a strong passion for art and was fascinated by people who were heavily tattooed – I thought they looked so much cooler than the average person… Also I only had one family member who had any tattoos and that was my grandad who was a massive influence in my younger life.

He sadly passed away when I was seven and since then I’ve wanted to make him proud doing something that I love.

Can you remember the first tattoo you ever did?

I’ll never forget the first tattoo because it’s on me! It’s a little trad-style flower on my ankle.

It’s definitely not the best but I’ll always keep it to remember where I came from – no matter where I go in my career.

How would you define your style? How has this changed since you started?

My style is very much a mixture of blackwork and dotwork. I like making things quite detailed and illustrative but I’m heavily influenced by traditional art work, too. My style doesn’t fall into the traditional category at all though – it’s cute but also has gothic hints, which is very fitting with my personality.

I originally thought I would be a traditional artist, but the traditional style has too many rules to follow and I like to be quite free and experimental.

What do you love to draw and tattoo?

My favourite thing to draw has got to be animals – epecially cats. I’m a massive cat lover but I love drawing literally any animal because they have such amazing features. I also enjoy drawing eyes and faces because every one is so unique – which creates great artwork.

What would you like to do more of?

One thing I definitely want to do more of is cathedral buildings. I did some recently and thoroughly enjoyed them. I think they’re very fitting with my gothic style, too – I can really bring out my creative side in those sorts of designs.

Have you seen any trends in the themes you’re tattooing?

I always get asked for completely different things all the time, which I love because it always keeps it interesting for me. But there are definitely popular trends in tattooing at the moment: angel numbers, cherubs, dragons and even tribal has made a massive comeback.

What was your first tattoo?

My first tattoo was a classic rose on my forearm. I had it done on my 18th birthday because I just couldn’t wait any longer. It’s probably not something I would get done now but I still love the tattoo because of the memories attached to it.

Do you have a favourite tattoo experience?

My favourite tattoo experience was probably getting my first one because of how long I’d waited and the build-up to it. I was so excited yet so nervous, but once it started and I realised it was nowhere near as painful as I thought I was completely fine and just wanted more. I ended up booking back in two weeks later.

Where can people find you and how can clients get in touch with you?

I’m based at The Drawing Room in Fargo Village in Coventry in the UK. It’s an absolute delight working there with some lovely talented artists who have helped me grow both as an artist and as a person. The best way to get in contact with me is through Instagram.

Any future plans you’d like to tell us about?

My future plans include doing some more guest spots around the country and maybe other countries when I’m brave enough. I’d also love to do a convention next year because I’ve never done one before and would love to see what it’s all about.

Make sure you follow @meg.the.cyclopz_ for more blackwork tattoos.

We’re always talking to amazing tattoo artists, check out our latest interviews.

December 21, 2023December 21, 2023

“Understatement and neatness are what I’m all about,” interview with tattoo artist, Foret

Tattoo artist, Foret (@foret_tattoo on Insta) is based in Itaewon in Seoul, Korea, and has been tattooing for six years now. She works out of Nandostudio. On her own body, she has just one secret hidden tattoo, and she loves creating miniature works of art for collectors who love fine line tattoos. We sat down to have a chat with her…

How did you become a tattoo artist?

When I was in college, some friends had tattoos and I was fascinated with them. My interest just grew from there…

What made you want to become a tattoo artist?

When I saw my friend’s old tattoo, I had a cheeky thought, ‘I’d do better than that’.
It was such a small curiosity, but it’s what made me start tattooing.

Did you have a background in art?

I studied art for around two years at art college.

Do you have any tattoos? Can you tell us about them…

I have a small heart-shaped tattoo on my collarbone, it sort of looks like a little dot. I got this tattoo before I learned how to tattoo. I wanted to know what it would feel like. But I also just wanted to have a small, cute tattoo – it’s like a secret tattoo that others don’t necessarily notice. I love that, like it’s something just for me.

What was the first tattoo you did on someone else?

It’s a tattoo of three small and cute people holding hands. I remember being so nervous that my hands were shaking.

How would you describe your style?

My own design, understatement and neatness are the things that represent me. When drawing, I pay attention to the each tiny part.

Would you call yourself a fine line tattooer?

I’m ashamed of the name, but I admit it.

What drew you to small, delicate tattoos?

There are many people who like small and delicate tattoos in Korea. It’s like that in any country. So I’m continuing to do a lot of small tattoos. Originally, I liked big tattoos too, but of course, I need to meet the needs of my customers. That’s what tattooing is all about.

What do you like to tattoo? Do you prefer colour or black and grey?

I like both. But if I get more tattoos on my own body, I think I’ll get them in colour. I like the vintage colour and how it looks when it becomes one with my skin after time.

What inspires you and do you have any artists you admire?

One of the tattoo artists I’m interested in these days is Cheon moon (@moon.cheon). There’s an authenticity to his work. I actually met someone with one of his tattoos and I was so jealous. You can see how much he cares about doing tattoos.

Do you have any guest spots planned?

Yes. Next year, I have guest spot plans in Hong Kong, New York, Singapore and Japan. I’m already happy and looking forward to meeting guests from each country.

What’s been your proudest moment so far?

When I felt like I was ready to teach others the craft of tattooing. I was very proud of myself when I shared with them what I’ve learnt over the years. I want to continue to help many people – without forgetting the joy of such a magical job.

Give Foret a follow on Insta @foret_tattoo

We’re always talking to amazing tattoo artists, check out our latest interviews.

December 9, 2023December 9, 2023

“I make very well-tailored custom suits and dresses and my customers wear them,” interview with tattoo artist Ogi

Tattoo artist of seven years, Ogi (@ogitattooer) currently works at Bk.ink studio in Seoul, Korea. We caught up with him to find out about his journey into the tattoo world and unique take on tattoo design…

How did you become a tattoo artist?

Korea doesn’t have any educational institutions related to tattoo education because tattooing used to be illegal. That’s why I reached out to tattooists on Facebook, I was interested to see if they could give me a tattoo masterclass. Among them was @bk_tattooer. I was able to learn tattoo from them and it was this opportunity that enabled me to become a tattooist.

What made you want to become a tattooer?

From a very young age, I loved drawing and it just came naturally to me. Due to the obligation of Korean men to join the military, I had to join when I was 20 years old. It was a time when tattoos were illegal and people with tattoos were not common. But, the military was a place where a variety of people came together and I was able to see many people with tattoos.

It was the first time I was able to see a tattoo up close. I found it really interesting that the canvas was not paper, but the human body. I was instantly fascinated by the uniqueness of the art, which was different from the art I’d seen before. At the same time, I thought, “Oh, I think I can do it better if I could do it.” From then on, I dreamed of becoming a tattoo artist.

Did you have a background in art?

I graduated from art school and majored in video design at a prestigious university. At that time, I also worked as a lecturer at an art academy for college entrance exams.

Do you have any tattoos – can you tell us about them?

I have a tattoo with a harmonious design of a statue shedding tears and a rose. It’s my first tattoo. It’s meaningful to me because it is my first tattoo, but the meaning behind this design also has a lot of meaning.

When I was in high school, I practiced drawing sculptures for 10 hours a day in order to get into the art college of my choice. This was very difficult for me. However, I endured this difficult time and was eventually able to go to the university of my choice. This tattoo expresses these things. The statue in the tattoo design represents the statue that I used to practice my drawing from. The image of the statue shedding tears represents the hard work I have done to prepare for college entrance exams and, finally, the rose represents me achieving my goal.

What was the first tattoo you did on someone else?

The first tattoo I did was for a friend of mine, a tattoo of the artwork ‘Cow’ by Korean artist Lee Jung-seob. I made the tattoo with the intention of transferring the work of a very famous Korean artist to my friend’s skin. Although I did not have a high level of skill in tattooing as I had only practiced tattooing on my leg before then, I am still satisfied with the result even now.

How would you describe your style?

For my tattoos, the most important thing is a design that flows along the muscle line of the area of the body that it’s being tattooed on. At the same time, geometric elements are used to create the beauty of blank space.

I wanted to differentiate my work from the existing traditional black and grey tattoos, with dense colouring on the skin – a style that I sometimes feel is too much for me. In this way, my customer’s unique skin colour can be brought out and harmonises well with the tattoo. It’s a style of black and grey tattooing with an understated richness and sexiness.

What do you like to tattoo?

I like tattoos of any theme. Rather than saying what motifs I like to work on, instead I like doing huge-sized tattoos that can be designed to suit each customer’s different muscle lines and body shape. To put it simply, I make very well-tailored custom suits and dresses and my customers wear them.

What inspires you. Do you have any artists you admire?

I respect a tattoo artist named Oscar Akermo. I think he is the first artist to express tattoos that are understated yet rich. They follow the flow of the human body, which I think is the most important thing when creating a design. I have been greatly inspired by him.

How can clients book in with you?

They can access my work through social media – Instagram and Facebook, and they can contact me through my email (ogitattooer@gmail.com).

Do you have any guest spots planned?

Currently I have guest spots scheduled in Frankfurt, Stuttgart, Düsseldorf and Munich in Germany.

Is tattooing underground or becoming more mainstream nowadays in South Korea?

The number of people who have an open mind about tattoos is gradually increasing, and many people are getting tattoos. More and more current Korean celebrities are seen with tattoos, too. Originally in Korea, hair dye, body exposure, and especially tattoos were regulated even for celebrities. However, these things gradually began to change one by one as public perception changed, and the same goes for tattoos. So, I think tattoos will become more and more mainstream.

What’s been your proudest moment so far?

The answer to this question comes to my mind immediately without me even having to think about it. The moment is when I see my clients happy after getting a tattoo from me. All of these moments are precious and the proudest ones for me.

Make sure you follow @ogitattooer for more amazing black and grey tattoos.

We’re always talking to amazing tattoo artists, check out our latest interviews.

November 12, 2023November 12, 2023

“Leaving a lifelong mark on someone’s body is intriguing, but it comes with a significant sense of responsibility,” interview with tattoo artist, Arar

Tattoo artist Chulwoo – AKA Arar (@tattooist_arar) – is based in Seoul, South Korea. He’s been tattooing since 2017, and has become known for his teeny tiny, super delicate tattoos with fine lines and a watercolour wash. Here the tattoo artist tells us his story about how he found tattooing in a country that hasn’t always been accepting of them…

Tell us about what made you fall in love with tattoos?

I loved illustration and aspired to work in that field. But, while browsing online one day, I stumbled upon some photos of tattoos created by a Korean tattoo artist – it was a profound revelation for me. The tattoos were incredibly small and intricately detailed, shattering my preconceived notions about tattoos.

Seeing that work made me realise the significant similarities between tattoos and illustrations. From that point on, I delved deeper into the world of tattoos, and it ultimately led me to decide to pursue a career in tattooing.

What’s your earliest memory of tattoos? Did you want them as a child?

No, I wasn’t interested in tattoos when I was young. At that time, tattoos were not yet commonplace among Koreans, so I had a bias, thinking they would only be large and somewhat intimidating. That was until I saw small and intricately detailed mini tattoos.

How long have you been tattooing for? How did you train to become a tattoo artist?

Next year marks the eighth year since I started tattooing. When I first began, I didn’t have a defined drawing style, so I spent a lot of time honing my skills. I believed that – even as a less experienced tattoo artist – if I could create uniquely creative designs that others couldn’t find elsewhere, clients would reach out after seeing my work.

Back then, I was in a situation where nothing was guaranteed, and it made me quite anxious, but drawing became a way to alleviate that anxiety. I spent roughly 10 to 12 hours drawing each day. I learned tattooing from a Korean tattoo artist. It was a three-month learning period, with one month dedicated to receiving feedback on my drawings and the remaining two months practicing on rubber sheets with a tattoo machine.

How would you describe your style of tattooing?

My tattoo style revolves around drawing small and cute elements in my own way. I cover a wide range of themes, with a focus on subjects related to family, animated characters and pets. Using thin fine lines, I create clean outlines, and I enhance the drawings with light washes of pastel watercolours.

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

I remember the first tattoo I ever did for a client. It was a tattoo featuring geometric elements, a rabbit and flowers. Because it was my first time tattooing someone else, it held special significance for me. Additionally, she’d chosen to book with me solely because she liked my design, despite my lack of experience in tattooing. So, it carries a great deal of meaning for me.

Do you tattoo lots of tourists who’ve travelled for your work?

Yes! A large number of foreigners are visiting, especially after the end of the pandemic, as travel restrictions have eased. Guests from a variety of countries are coming in now that travel restrictions due to Covid have relaxed.

How long is your wait list? How do customers book in?

It varies depending on the timing, but I generally reply promptly when I receive a message. I don’t keep a waiting list, so if you send a message through Instagram DM @tattooist_arar that works.

What are the rules for tattooing in South Korea? Is tattooing underground or becoming more mainstream nowadays?

Back when I started tattooing, it wasn’t popular in Korea. However, now it has become so widespread and mainstream that there are even TV programs dedicated to tattoos. With the increasing fame of Korean tattoos, I’ve come to realise the impact as people from around the world are coming to Korea to get tattoos.

What’s the best way for customers to come up with an idea for you? Do you offer flash or prefer custom work?

I mostly work on custom designs. I ask clients to provide reference images or rough sketches that I can use as a starting point. Requesting visual references is essential because written descriptions might lead to a significant difference in the design direction between what I envision and what they have in mind. Therefore, I insist on detailed explanations through images.

Do you ever do guest spots?

Yes. In 2023, I travelled to several countries for the first time. In January, I visited Singapore, followed by Hong Kong in March. After that, I spent two months in Paris, Frankfurt, Berlin and London. It was truly an amazing experience.

What are your hopes and plans for the future?

I want to travel to more diverse countries for guest tattooing, and I also aspire to create new styles of designs. I hope to continually draw pictures that people will like and designs that captivate my own interest.

What’s been your proudest moment so far?

It brings me great joy to have people from abroad, who have been following me for years on Instagram, come to Korea and get tattoos from me.

What do you think about the tattoo world itself?

Tattooing is a highly captivating profession. Leaving a lifelong mark on someone’s body is intriguing, but it comes with a significant sense of responsibility.

With the growing number of talented and unique tattoo artists, I feel the need to work even harder to stand out in the field.

Make sure you follow @tattooist_arar for more miniature tattoos

We’re always talking to amazing tattoo artists, check out our latest interviews.