Tag: Tattooist

Posted on

Harness your power – Wolfmumma

Based in North Wales Anna Jones (Wolfmumma) conjures witchy vibes and natural powers with her work. With a new studio location soon to be announced we chatted to the tattooer and illustrator about her style and how tattoos have returned her power to her…

We love your witchy women, what inspires these and the rest of your tattoos?
Thank you so much! I like to create protagonists. I love making powerful portraits, creating characters is always fun! There’s definitely a running theme of fortitude in my work, many of my figures are compromised in some way but they are still strong and powerful.

What do you like to create and what would you like to do more of?
Portraits! I also like creating nature inspired stuff and creatures but mostly figures. I love drawing and tattooing figures, never gets old! I’d like to do more of everything! I’m missing tattooing so much right now, as so many of us are. I’m looking forward to getting back to it and developing my work further!

How would you describe your style? What drew you to tattoo and draw in this way?
I think the most accurate way to describe my style would be illustrative blackwork. I draw what I love and in that way my style has developed naturally.

How long have you been tattooing? Where would you like to take your work in the future? I’ve been tattooing for roughly three years. I’m looking forward to guesting at a bunch of studios in the near future including Occult Studio in Worthing, but obviously everything is on hold right now. I’ll be releasing news about my guest spots and my next project once normality has resumed!

What made you want to become a tattooist? Did you do art before?
I did do art before! I’ve always been obsessed with art. I graduated from University College Falmouth with an illustration degree in 2008 and I then worked as a freelance illustrator. I had a break from doing art professionally after getting married and having kids. This was a difficult time for me as I was experiencing domestic abuse/violence which lead to my separation. Art was a huge part of my recovery and I began working as a freelance illustrator again as soon as my youngest started school.

My own tattoos were a big part of reclaiming my power, my body, and sense of self. Becoming a tattoo artist felt like the next logical step. It blows my mind that I can now help others with their own tattoo therapy and experiences.

Can you tell us a little about how tattooing and tattoos make you feel?
Tattoos for me are a self affirmation, they are power and choice. Through my own personal tattoos I have regained power over my body and how I choose to express myself. Tattoos been an important part of my journey as a domestic abuse/violence survivor. To tattoo others as a job makes me happy and it never feels like work. The trust and belief I have from my clients is a dream and I feel extremely fortunate to be on this path.

Posted on

Black & Grey tattoos – Denis Torikashvili

Denis Torikashvili (TDAN)  has been tattooing since 1997, he currently tattoos at Vatican Studios in Lake Forest, California. We chat to Denis about what inspires his realism tattoos and how he got started in the industry…

sailor kiss tattoo

The first time I saw artistic looking tattoos was in American movies in the 90s, before that I had only seen military or old prison tattoos. These weren’t interested to me and didn’t really affect me, but I was encouraged by what I have seen in movies, it was like a glimpse into the future. I was so impressed I began sketching.

corpse bride tattoo

Speaking of drawing, from an early age I was interested in art and everything to do with it. Art was something exciting and new for me, of course I would always get carried away by my sketching. My friends found out what I had been doing and talked me into giving them tattoos, those guys were my first customers. In those years I didn’t have a professional tattoo machine, so I made one out of materials and things I found at home. In 1997 I bought my first tattoo machine, a Micky Sharpz and one thing led to another. In 2005 I took part in the St. Petersburg tattoo convention for the first time and in 2006 I won a prize. I worked in some tattoo shops in Rostov on Don and then I opened my own tattoo shop.

black and grey

I work in different tattoo styles. I used to make some Japanese tattoos that weren’t bad, as well as ornamental, American traditional tattoos and realism. This continued until 2014, when I moved to Moscow. After that my tattoo career really started taking off. I had a lot of trips working as a guest artist, attended loads of tattoo conventions, got some trophies, met wonderful artists, who also became my friends and whose advice has helped me many a time. In 2017 I got asked to work in London at NR studio, where I lived and worked for two years and I formed a serious client base. I didn’t want to leave but in July 2019 my temporary visa expired, after that I’ve decided to try my luck in America. I’m very fortunate to be here, at Vatican Tattoo Studio headed by great man and amazing artist Franco Vescovi.

realism sleeve

I work in black&grey realism style. I’m always trying to think outside the box and ask customers to believe in me and leave the tattoos and design in my hands.

Those who haven’t been afraid to trust me have never regretted it because I’m always about elegance and beautiful harmony when it comes to design.

I get my inspiration from movies, music and art photography. Everyone says I would have made a good photographer.

face tattoo

For anyone who wants to become a tattooist artist, I would advise them in the beginning to visit a major tattoo convention and see how highly skilled artists work, choose your favorite and get a tattoo from them and take advantage of this by asking them questions. The ideal outcome would be to find an artist who would then agree to take them as an apprentice

I came to the USA seven months ago and it is still too early to judge which country’s tattoo scene is better. The tattoo scenes in Russia and in the USA are generally very similar, but there are some key differences. The profession of the tattoo artist is not listed on state registries in Russia, our existence is denied, which doesn’t prevent us from working, while in America tattoo studios operate under the State supervision. Russia is filled with tattoo artists, who will do whatever is necessary to get to the top of this business. Tattooing is a very competitive sector.

Posted on

Interview with Abbie Johnston

Down a sheltered side street dotted with little coffee shops and small businesses sits Studio 58 in Carlisle, Cumbria. It is here in this quaint little part of the city that tattoo artist Abbie Johnston creates stunning blackwork tattoos. Her work often features a dark or spooky twist on nature and animals; she has also ventured further into the realm of witchcraft inspired tattoos, so many of her designs have a generally witchy feel to them.

abbie_woods

‘Witchy tattoos’ can be anything from a bubbling cauldron to a simple sage bundle and they are becoming increasingly popular. You don’t have to be a witch to get a witchcraft inspired tattoo and while to many people they may have great meaning, to others the aesthetic is simply just really appreciated. That’s what makes Abbie’s more witchy designs so wonderful to me, they appeal to so many people aesthetically and they celebrate the craft at the same time. As a practicing Wiccan myself and a lover of all things spooky It’s hard not to love Abbie’s designs alongside her respect and admiration for the world of witchcraft.

I decided to chat a bit more with Abbie about her career, artistic influences and her opinions on witchcraft and Wicca in both her work and her personal life too…

mushroom_tattoo

How long have you been tattooing and what led to you becoming a tattoo artist? I’ve been tattooing for five years now. I’ve been interested in tattooing since my early teens but never really thought I’d get into it due to how hard the industry is to break into. I decided to study illustration at university first and build my drawing skills and then I just went for an apprenticeship and got it! I was quite lucky in terms of getting into tattooing but at the same time I worked my ass off.

Where do you get your inspiration from and what influences you? I’m heavily inspired by nature. I grew up on a little farm, so I was surrounded by woodlands and wild animals which have always fascinated me and I think it’s just translated into my work. I also love scouring charity shops for books on birds, animals and flowers because they give me endless inspiration.

hand_tattoo

How would you define your style? I always find that quite hard to answer, I’d say dot work blackwork with a gothic illustrative twist

What is your favourite subject to tattoo? Definitely birds, I don’t even know why I just have some weird connection to them, I’m a bit of a crazy bird lady.

How did you become interested in creating witchcraft inspired tattoos? What are your thoughts on them and their popularity? I just find the whole subject matter fascinating, I have a lot of books on witchcraft and Wicca and it just crept slowly into my drawings. I love the way it translates and can transform a cute subject matter into something more dark and interesting. I also really love the way it’s becoming more popular in tattooing; people are getting interested in it and being influenced by it just like me. Today’s society is a lot more accepting and I think this has helped allow people to become more confident in expressing themselves.

sun_moon_chest_tattoo

Do you have any personal interest in witchcraft or Wicca that feeds into your work? I wouldn’t consider myself a witch or a Wiccan but I do get a lot of inspiration from it, the way I dress, the things I like. I just love how connected the whole subject is to nature which is the main reason I was drawn to it. I know a lot about it but there’s a lot more out there to learn and draw inspiration from.

What has been your favourite witchcraft inspired tattoo to design and why I loved doing a piece which was essentially a woodland witch gang, incorporating my love of animals and spookiness my two favourite things to do!

fox_tattoo

Do you have any projects, upcoming guest spots or conventions you can tell us about? This year I’ll be working at Big North Tattoo Show in Newcastle and Tatcon Blackpool so far, with some potential other spots to be announced! I’m also currently selling prints to raise money for Badger Trust UK!

Words: Lucy Edwards, a 20-year-old tattooed university student, cat mum and trying-new-things enthusiast. You’ll most likely find Lucy posting about mental health awareness and self-acceptance on her Instagram.

Photo of Abbie: Korin Thomson

Posted on

Interview with Tattooist Artem Iam

32-year-old tattoo artist Artem Korobov Iam works out of a private studio,  in Tel Aviv Israel and creates tattoos in what he describes as a graphic style. We chat to Artem about his unique tattoo pieces and what inspires his abstract work…

11

How long have you been tattooing? How did you become a tattooer? I work at my private studio in Tel Aviv Israel. I opened this space together with Shiran, my girlfriend who is also a tattooer – our shop is called DUMIYA. I’ve been tattooing around four or five years now. I become a tattooer when I was in Spain, that’s when the idea of tattooing came to me. Before tattooing I worked a lot of different jobs – almost most of them shitty.

What drew you to the world of tattooing? I’ve been drawn into the world of tattooing, mainly because I think the time, place and everything was right and felt right. Everything was exactly how it needed to be! I know that now I have found myself!

Untitled-1michael

How would you describe the tattoo scene in Israel? What sorts of reactions to tattoos get over there? The tattoo scene in Tel Aviv is a little bit better than in the rest of Israel. Because Tel Aviv is the centre, and Israel is not a big country, most of the good artists can be found in Tel Aviv. I don’t really have a lot to say about the scene in Israel but it is good. Everything is moving slowly here, but the clients that are here have open minds which is so good! You can also find some super unique artists here as well. But you can count them on one hand, if you know what I mean.

I love to tattoo in Israel though, it’s my home. From a really young age I grew up in this country, although I was born in Siberia. So I love Israel, when people ask I say I was born here. I also really love my clients, well almost all of them! They are open minded with me, which is great for me as I can do what I love and what I like which is a great thing!

Untitled-1artempageaaa

How would you describe your tattooing style? I would call my style graphic Avantgarde. I mix different techniques with some graphic realism, abstract texture or different kinds of elements. Some of these I make on my iPad and some of them I draw, or I make the parts on Photoshop and then mix it altogether to get the design. Sometimes I make some abstract works that are all freehand.

Untitled-7diannadum

What inspires the pieces you create? Everything is inspiring to me, it could be a sport, a player or fighter. It could be music, good movies, lyrics from songs or writers that I love. Other times it can be the weather or the atmosphere around me – really I think I am inspired by everyone and everything.

Untitled-7luisartem

Do you admire any other artists and do they influence your work? There are a lot of good artists that I love and that I am inspired by. I travelled around the world for two years meeting loads of good people, whose work I loved as well. My good friends are from Brazil, they’re like my brothers and they inspire me a lot. But also lots of the other places I have been have an affect on my work too.

Untitled-1-Recovered-Recoveredartemnew

What do you like to tattoo, and what would you like to do more of? At the moment I like to tattoo women’s faces with a mixture of different emotions. I also like to tattoo abstract stuff, I like to improvise and experiment. Every time I do this I am finding more and more out about myself! I don’t really know what else I want to tattoo, I do want to progress. I’m always looking to make something, new and fresh, or at least try to!

Posted on

Interview with Caroline Derwent

39-year-old tattoo artist Caroline Derwent works out of Dust n’ Bones Tattoo in Plymouth, UK where she creates an array of dotwork and colour tattoos in her girly traditional style…

image2-3

When did you start tattooing and what made you want to join the industry? I left school , went to art college and then to Manchester to do a degree in interior design, however, it wasn’t for me. I always wanted to do something art related, creative and something I loved. It wasn’t until eight years ago I began my career in tattooing. I was working a supervisor role in a print shop which was unfulfilling. A friend who worked in a tattoo shop asked me if I wanted to learn and I thought I’d give it a go. I learned alongside two other jobs and when Neil opened Dust n’ Bones Tattoo, I worked weekends and evenings, just on friends at first.

I was made redundant from my print job and thought it was time to give it my all and started full time down at Dust n’ Bones. It was a slow burner, and a lot of hard work building a client base, and eight years later, here I am. Working along side a strong team, still at the studio where I started out with a great client base, continuing to work hard and improve my skills. You could almost say I was in the right place, at the right time and I never take it for granted, being where I am today.

image4

How would you describe your style? I would describe my style as a girly traditional, without the heavy black ink! I love pastel colours to make cute and pretty tattoos but I also do a lot of blackwork as it seems quite popular at the moment. I am very lucky to have loyal clients who love my artwork, it’s very fulfilling knowing my work is out there permanently.

image2-1

What inspires you? My favourite things to tattoo are Harry Potter designs, Star Wars, Disney and just anything cute and girly. Floral work is always popular and I love tattooing that style too. I myself have mainly colour work tattoos, it’s just my preference and what I love best to tattoo. I love to see the end result of a colour tattoo. I am always wanting to improve, and luckily I am surrounded by talented colleagues and friends in the industry who I have met through doing guestspots and conventions.

image2

Do you have any guestspots or conventions planned? I have worked at Blood and Honey, Cheltenham, I will be working at Black Moon in Frome in February, and then Jolie Rouge in London in April. I am always open to new guestspots as it’s nice to be able to reach out to new clients that can’t make the journey down here to Plymouth.

In the past I have worked Leeds Tattoo Expo, Sheffield and Manchester Tattoo Tea Party, which I loved. I’ve just booked to work Manchester Tattoo Tea Party in March, and will maybe do some others this year too.

image7

I always remind myself to stay kind and to be thankful for where I am. I often get overwhelmed when people travel to get tattooed by me and feel very humbled to be where I am today. Hard work pays off after all.