22-year-old Han Maude works out of Jekyll & Hyde Tattoo Company in Rugby Warwickshire and creates all manner of tattoos in solid dot work. We chatted to Han about her love for Disney and what inspired her to become a tattoo artist…
How long have you been tattooing? Two years
How did you get into the industry? I became very persistent about getting my foot in the door, took my portfolio around numerous studios, until someone took the chance and saw potential in my work.
When did you get your first tattoo, do you still love it? Unfortunately, I made the same mistake as most young insubordinate 16-year-olds did, and got tattooed at 16. Luckily for me I was realised quickly that it was a silly decision and had it covered up, once I was 18. It was an upside down ribbon with some stars on my wrist, so no, I really don’t love it.
What drew you to the tattoo world? I always wanted to get into the industry, I remember being about nine and having my own play tattoo studio in my wendy shed, parents of the local area weren’t happy when their children went home covered in permanent marker. I always liked the seemingly male orientated jobs, and its amazing to see the amount of female artists pushing beautiful work out in the industry.
What inspires you? I really fell in love with Studio Ghibli, and Japanese style anime, watching the films or spending an hour here or there with my nose in the animator’s books really inspired me too tattoo pieces like this.
I also spent some time in India last year, and the beautiful artwork was everywhere. While I was there a woman did some henna on my hand and completely freehanded the design, which made this stunning piece of art.
Obviously with sea, sun and sand it didn’t last long, but I couldn’t wait to get back home and start drawing.
You tattoo a lot of cartoons and Disney are these something you love? Disney really was something I always loved, I don’t think I’ve ever met anyone who hasn’t loved Disney, in one way or another. Everyone wants a bit of sparkle in their life. And if I can be the person to do that, on someone’s skin forever, amazing! I’m a child at heart.
Anime was what really got me into tattooing, I loved it, I wanted to draw like it and produce pieces to the standard these illustrators was creating , it was 70% of my portfolio when I applied for apprenticeships.
Is there anything you wouldn’t tattoo? I remember maybe in my first year of tattooing, we had a guy come in and asked for EDL to be tattooed on the back of his head. I really couldn’t believe what I was hearing. I think I’d rather hang up my machines in a career I love than do something that could potentially cause offense or deemed racist.
Do you admire other artists? Definitely, the list goes on and on.
But a few of my favourite artists, would be Flo Nuttall, Amy Savage and Kolahari from the Circle London.
You predominately do dot work how did this come about? When I first started my apprenticeship, I wanted to do traditional and then neo trad, and then black and grey realism. I had a bit of a bad attitude, and wanted to find me niche quickly.
I saw all these amazing artists producing pieces like they had been doing it their entire life, I felt so behind. Then we had Ema Sweeney and Billy Hay guest spot at the studio, Ema is an amazing dotwork artist and I had maybe done one or two dotwork pieces and she really helped and gave a few pointers.
And everything after that started flowing, like my hand knew what it was doing before I did.
