Here at Things & Ink we like to share our love for finding new tattooists and support those who are making a name for themselves in the industry. Lucy Alice is a tattoo apprentice and true cat lady, who tattoos out of Cat’s Cradle Tattoo Studio in Rawtenstall, Lancashire UK.
How long have you been tattooing and how did you start your apprenticeship This is a super long story, so I’ll just attempt to keep it short and sweet. I’ve been tattooing just over a year now at Cat’s Cradle. I have had a few apprenticeships here and there before this one though. I started an apprenticeship when I was 18 and had another after that, but unfortunately both didn’t work out due to other commitments. I’m 24 now so it’s been a long journey but totally worth it. When you want something this much, you have to work for it and accept that it’ll take some time.
What inspired you to become a tattoo artist? I’ve always been into art, since I can remember. I’d spend my Saturday job money on paints and sketchbooks every single week without fail. I never knew what career path I wanted to take until I was 17. We have two hair salons in the family so it was almost compulsory to go into the hair business. It was only until a customer asked what I’d like to do eventually, when my colleague said she could see me being a tattoo artist. So here we are!
How does it feel being a woman in the tattoo industry? To be honest, I haven’t had too much experience whilst tattooing. I’ve been extremely lucky with my clients, they’ve all been amazing. So that side has been great so far. Whilst apprenticing at other studios, I do believe woman are treated differently. I get told far too often that I’m too nice and therefore get taken advantage of frequently. I’m really lucky to be in a studio now in which I feel equal and taken care of. And let’s not leave out tattooed women in general! The looks we get, the amount of people that grab your arm to “take a closer look”. Not forgetting the “what about on your wedding day?” speeches from the older generation.
How would you describe your style? This is always a difficult one for me. I’d say traditional with a little crazy spin. I love drawing faces on anything! Using wacky colours for animals that aren’t technically that colour (*ahem* pink). I draw a lot of cute bits and bobs but still love old school traditional. Muted colours mixed with brights are my favourite colour palettes.
What inspires your tattoos? Are there any artists that you love? My cats. End of. I say every day that I just flipping love cats! I currently have five so they give me a lil’ inspiration now and again. My all time favourite artist is definitely Jemma Jones from Sacred Electric. I get tattooed by Jemma when I can and have followed her work for years. She inspires me on the daily and she’s just a lovely person in general. Some other artists I absolutely love are Harriet Heath, Gemma Carter and Kelly Smith.
What do you love to tattoo and what would you like to do more of? I absolutely LOVE tattooing cats. Big cats, small cats, they’ll all do. I also love tattooing cherubs, babies, moons, clowns, lady heads, any animals. Basically if it’s cute, I wanna tattoo it!
How does tattooing make you feel? Including the tattoos you create and the tattoos you have on your own body. It’s a crazy feeling when you really think about it. The fact that people enjoy my work enough to have it on their skin forever. It’s incredible. The pieces that I have on my own body make me feel so much more confident. I’ve collected pieces by all of my favourite artists and couldn’t be happier with the outcome. I love that when I get tattooed, people recognise pieces by different artists. It’s nice to know that they have perfected their own styles enough to distinguish it amongst others. That’s what I’m aiming for.
