Onnie O'Leary: Yomico Moreno

WIN TICKETS TO THE DUBLIN TATTOO SHOW
ONNIE YOMICO
O’LEARY
The joy of sex
MORENO World class
realism
BIG
LONDON BILLY
CHAINSAW
TATTOO Pop art,
mortality
and magick
SHOW
A capital new
PORTFLOIO
Barawski
tattoo show
SAMUEL
PAUL TALBOT
Seize the day B THORNE
Taking lowbrow
to a new high
SHAMACK
The future of bio-mech
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CONTENTS & FEATURES
ONNIE O’LEAREY THE BIG LONDON TATTOO SHOW

14 World class erotic tattoos from this fun
and friendly Australian artist
26 Total Tattoo’s first London convention
makes a capital impression
BILLY CHAINSAW SHAMACK

38 Appropriating pop culture imagery to 50 Using 3D digital modelling to create
contemporary bio-mech tattoos
create mixed media magic
GALLERY THAT TATTOO SHOW

60 Inspirational gallery of exceptional 70 Why wait? Use what you have.
tattoos Do what you can. Start today.
4 TOTAL TATTOO MAGAZINE

TTM ISSUE 207
SAMUEL B THORNE PORTFOLIOS

74 Taking lowbrow to a new high 100 Barawski
REGULARS NEWS & REVIEWS

8 If it goes on in the tattoo world,
it goes in here
SUBSCRIPTIONS OFFER
102 Your chance to bag a bargain
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YOMICO MORENO REGIONAL DIRECTORY

94 An in-depth conversation with the 103 Find the best studios in your town
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internationally renowned realism artist
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email: totaltattoo@totaltattoo.co.uk
Total Tattoo Magazine No. 207 November 2022

Published by KNT Publishing Ltd.
All rights reserved.
Printed in England on re-cycled paper by Buxton Press Ltd
Distributed by Seymour Distribution
BLACKPOOL TATCON
94 Summer fun beside the seaside at this Cover: Samuel B Thorne
great British convention!
TOTAL TATTOO MAGAZINE 5

EDITORIAL 207
What a great month it's been for Total Tattoo
and for tattooing in general.
If you were one of the lucky ones who made it to our

first Big London Tattoo Show at ExCeL at the beginning
of September, you could not have failed to experience
the excitement and positive energy that was flooding
through the place. For us as organisers it was a nerve-
wracking experience to try and pull off such a huge
event, but we're so glad we did, and I want to publicly
thank every single person who came to support the
show – the tattooists, the entertainers, the traders, the
crew who all worked so hard, and the public who
came and got tattooed. It was a whirlwind from start to
finish and we loved it, so THANK YOU.
We are so fortunate to belong to this global

community. Without a doubt one of the very best bits
of my job is having the opportunity to travel and meet
other people with a shared passion for tattooing. I
remember being told by an old tattooist many years
ago that we are all linked by ink, and that's a phrase I
love.
Wherever you go, there's always the possibility of a

good conversation sparked by a visible tattoo. I used
to be of the opinion that my ink was just for me, so I
kept it covered. But now I feel I have a responsibility to
promote tattooing to anyone who's happy to listen and
I wear my ink with pride (but always protected with
factor 50 suncream of course). And I've found that it's
true what they say: You get back what you put out.
Positivity generates a positive response.
Recently, despite all the economic uncertainty in the

world, we're also seeing a noticeable upturn in what
might be described as “high street confidence” in Total
Tattoo. Increasing numbers of readers are buying each
new issue. There was a time when printed magazines
were regarded as something of an endangered
species, but it's nice to think we're obviously doing
something right! So once again I'd like to thank
everyone – readers, advertisers, and all contributors to
the magazine – for their support.

Our mission here at Total Tattoo has always been to Editorial team
bring you guys the very best the tattoo world has to Perry Rule
offer. But the tattoo world is growing (and that's an Jill Feldt
understatement!) and, as many of you will know,
Editorial
we're a small team. The workload involved in doing
enquiries
what we do is HUGE. So we've decided that from editor@totaltattoo.co.uk
now on, Total Tattoo will be published every other
month. Advertising
enquiries
By going bi-monthly, we can ensure that we Adam Peter Hicks
continue to bring you the very best artists, show advertising@totaltattoo.co.uk
reports and everything the tattoo world has to offer
Gallery
– without compromise.
submissions
gallery@totaltattoo.co.uk
If you're a subscriber, you will still receive 12
magazines, but it will be over a 24 month period. If Subscription
you're an advertiser, your advert in each issue will enquiries
have two months' exposure instead of just one. And subs@totaltattoo.co.uk
our plan is to increase the number of pages in each
issue so that we can pack in even more great Social media
Instagram: @totaltattoo
content.
facebook.com/totaltattoo
The tattoo world is ever-changing and we want Contributors

Total Tattoo to represent it in all its beauty. We are Lizzy Guy, Doralba Picerno,
here to serve you, our readers, and we would love Bartlomiej Masiukiewicz
to know what you guys want to see in the pages of
the magazine. We welcome your involvement. You
can contact us on any of the emails to the right.
Once again, Thank You.
Perry
editor@totaltattoo.co.uk

TOTAL TATTOO MAGAZINE
NEWS & REVIEWS

Send your news, studio announcements, books or products for review, and items of general curiosity
and intrigue for the tattoo cognoscenti to: NEWS, TOTAL TATTOO MAGAZINE, 44 Albion Road,
Great Yarmouth NR30 2JD or totaltattoo@totaltattoo.co.uk
GREENLAND STAMPS
Tusass Greenland, the country's postal and telecomms
administration, is issuing a beautiful new series of stamps
celebrating Inuit tattoos and the renaissance of
Greenlandic tattooing.
The 'Tattoo Art in Greenland' series was launched on 31st August with
two stamps designed by artist and tattooist Paninnguaq Lind Jensen.
In a press interview, Paninnguaq Lind Jensen described the spirituality

and power of traditional tattoos and said how important it was for her
to try to incorporate that into the paintings she created for the
stamps. Previously, she'd designed stamps for Greenland's
International Year of Indigenous Languages commemorative issue in
2019.
You can buy these Tattoo Art stamps and the special souvenir sheet
on the Tusass website: www.stamps.gl/en
SNAPCHAT REMOVES FILTER

We hear that social media platform Snapchat
has removed a feature that allowed users to
add traditional Maori facial tattoos to their
online photos. This is clearly a welcome move,
and reportedly followed an outcry from New
Zealand's indigenous Maori community.
Traditional Maori tattoos, known as 'Ta Moko', are a

treasured expression of cultural heritage and identity,
unique to each individual, and precious to that person's
family too. They express genealogy and personal
achievements, and no two tattoos are identical. Facial
tattoos are also different for men and women.
Consequently the application of the same filter across
large numbers of social media users' faces was hugely
disrespectful and potentially very offensive.
“Our community guidelines are clear,” Snapchat said

in a press statement. “We prohibit content that
demeans, defames, or promotes discrimination.”

PORTRAIT OF OMAI
'Portrait of Omai' is a painting by Sir Joshua Reynolds an important insight into the British
dating from 1776. reception, understanding, and
representation of people from
It has recently come up for sale. Such is its importance, the UK beyond Europe at that time in
Government has placed a temporary export bar on it, until history.”
March 2023, to allow time for a UK gallery or institution to raise
the money to acquire it so that it can stay in this country. The Reviewing Committee on the
Export of Works of Art and Objects
Mai (or 'Omai' as he became known) was a young man from of Cultural Interest describes
Tahiti who came to London in 1774 with Captain Cook aboard 'Portrait of Omai' as, “one of the
HMS Adventure. One of the first Polynesians to travel to Europe, great iconic works of art of the 18th
he was regarded as something of a celebrity – hence this century and arguably the greatest
magnificent life-size portrait by Reynolds, one of the foremost portrait by one of the greatest
painters of the time. The painting clearly shows Mai's tattoos, British portraitists.”
which must have caused quite a stir.
The painting is currently valued at
Mai was in his early twenties when this famous portrait was £50 million. It is understood that
painted. He returned home to Tahiti in 1777, accompanying the National Portrait Gallery
Captain Cook on his third voyage, and died there two years (NPG) in London is hoping to be
later, aged around 26. able to raise the funds to acquire
it. If the NPG is successful in this
Reynolds' painting is clearly a highly romanticised image, seen endeavour, 'Portrait of Omai' will
through an 18th century European lens. A UK Government press be one of the most expensive
release describes it as being “inextricably linked to the great works ever bought by a UK
voyages of discovery and exploration during this period. It offers museum.

STRANGER INK
Don now has more than 500
tattoos, but says he still has plenty
of space to fill.
He has set up a charity,

strangerink.org, with the
mission of fundraising to help the
families of those with terminal
illnesses pay for funeral expenses.
All donations over $50 entitle the
donor to their choice of free
Stranger Ink apparel plus entry
into a draw to get a matching
tattoo with Don.
Don Caskey from Toledo travels around the USA
meeting complete strangers and inviting them to get Don's website puts it beautifully:
matching tattoos... “We're all just trying to leave our
mark on the world. Don is leaving
He's made connections and friendships with hundreds of people, his mark in the form of matching
and it's certainly given them a story to tell, but Don has his own tattoos.”
story too.
He was diagnosed with terminal kidney cancer in 2019 and told

he might live for only a few more years. “I remember thinking,
'That's the hand I've been dealt, and I can sit home and feel sorry
for myself and wait for this cancer to take me, or I can go out and
live. Well, I’m out living, and I like to celebrate life by creating
human connections through these matching tattoos.”
LANCASTER COUNCIL - TATTOO HYGIENE RATING SCHEME

Lancaster City Council has The rating will be given by the
launched a new voluntary council's environmental health
Tattoo Hygiene Rating team following an inspection of the
Scheme. business to monitor such aspects as
the cleanliness of the premises and
The aim is to promote good equipment, sterilisation
practice in tattoo shops, and allow procedures, quality of aftercare
the public to choose a tattooist advice given, whether age checks
who meets high standards of are carried out, and the adequacy
hygiene. The council is of staff training. Premises
encouraging as many local tattoo participating in the scheme will be
businesses as possible to sign up. inspected regularly to ensure they
maintain high standards.
Tattoo studios that join will be
given a rating of between one and Check a tattooist's rating (or report
four. A rating of four is very good, an unregistered tattooist) here:
three is good, two is satisfactory lancaster.gov.uk/tattooratings
and one means that improvement
is needed.

MICRO-NEEDLE TATTOOS
Researchers at the Georgia Institute of
Technology have developed a low-cost, painless,
bloodless tattooing method that could have
many uses in the medical and cosmetic fields –
as well as perhaps ultimately revolutionising the
art and craft of tattooing as we know it.
The tattoo design is simply pressed on to the skin in the

form of a patch. After a few minutes the patch itself is
removed, leaving the tattoo behind!
But how does it work?
This is the really ingenious bit. What gets left behind in the
skin is actually an array of soluble tattoo needles.
These 'micro-needles' (too small to cause pain or bleeding) are
made of a bio-compatible material that instantly dissolves in
the body, leaving only the ink in place. The ink is encased
inside them. According to postdoctoral research fellow Song
Li, “they deposit the ink in the skin very efficiently.”
The tiny cone-shaped micro-needles are like pixels forming

the tattoo design – in any shape or pattern. Different coloured inks (and permanent
or temporary, even UV-activated
'invisible' ink) can be used too.
And of course anyone can administer the

patch. No special training is needed. But
these are tattoos for specific purposes
and contexts, principal researcher
Professor Mark Prausnitz was keen to
emphasise in a press interview. “The goal
isn't to replace all those tattoos which are
works of beauty created by tattoo
artists.”
HELP FOR HEROES - SUICIDE AWARENESS

Help for Heroes has “Hopefully you will never need “This course will give you the skills
launched a free 30-minute to have this conversation, but if and knowledge you need to have
online course – ideal for you did... would you know what a potentially life-saving
people (like tattooists) who to say? This training will help conversation with a family
spend time talking with you spot the signs that someone member, friend, colleague or even
customers – showing how may be struggling. Learning a stranger in the street. (But
to recognise and support how to read between the lines please note, it is not designed for
those who might be and start a conversation could individuals currently experiencing
suicidal. be lifesaving. And when suicidal thoughts.)”
someone opens up, it's
Here's what Help for Heroes say important that they feel safe and www.helpforheroes.org.uk/
on their website: listened to.” get-help/mental-health-and-
wellbeing/suicide-awareness

Onnie O'Leary's creations defy categorisation but
embody the very essence of what makes a great
tattoo. This world class Australian artist joyfully
challenges everyone's preconceptions with her sexy
sense of fun!
Your more explicit designs certainly push the boundaries! Was it
difficult to find clients when you first started out?
Yeah, it did take a while for people to be okay with pornographic tattoos.
Dusty Neal was the only artist I'd seen who was doing anything similar
(I hadn't discovered Dave Lum yet) but I knew that if I just kept drawing
my designs I'd find an audience. Eventually this dude who was a
tattooer and a boilermaker got a little blowjob tattoo I'd included on
a flash sheet, and that started a slow roll that gathered momentum
pretty quickly.
Customers do sometimes want something less explicit, and that's

fine. What you put on your body is up to you. But sometimes it
goes the other way, and my work isn't quite explicit enough for
them and they ask me to amp it up a bit. I just want to show joyful
expressions of sex – which is always more about the face and
hands and feet than about close-ups of a dick or a vulva.
I don't think I'm obsessed with sex, but I'm sure a lot of people
would disagree!
ONNIE
O’LEARY
Interview by Perry • Pictures courtesy of Onnie O'Leary
TATTOOIST INTERVIEW
‘My art is all about

trying to alleviate
people's hang-ups
around sex.’

How much input does the client usually
have?
It's always very collaborative. I almost exclusively

draw directly on to the skin these days, which
means the client has a very high level of input.
I usually do some small sketches before they

arrive to get a feel for composition and the like,
but the majority of the work is done with them on
the day – so they can make suggestions or
requests the entire way through, as opposed to
just seeing a finished line drawing when they
arrive for their appointment. We can make
additions or changes to their idea on the fly
without wasting huge amounts of drawing time
and it's heaps of fun for both of us to see the
tattoo emerge from conception to completion in
one go.
I have a ton of reference material – stuff from

magazines, pictures I've saved off Instagram,
even some dirty playing cards my friend Sam
Rulz sent me – and we can flip through that
together if we need ideas.
You have a brilliant talent for drawing.

Did you do an art degree?
Yeah, but I spent a lot of the time just looking at

porn mags (for 'research'!) and trying to have as
much sex as possible. Our lecturers were always
encouraging us to break the rules, but apparently
drawing sexy comics wasn't the right way to do
that.
After uni I went to vocational college where I had

some amazing teachers who were much more
engaged and genuinely encouraging to me in my
work. That's where I first began to realise that art
could be a full-time job. Leaving college, I knew I
wanted to be part of the big community of artists
and live and breathe art.
Were you artistic as a child?
I grew up in a little town in rural Tasmania a long

way from anywhere. We didn't have a TV at
home until the 2000 Sydney Olympics, so my
sister and I would entertain ourselves drawing
little comics or illustrating stories. Tassie is pretty
cold a lot of the time so it was nice to be inside in
front of the fire where it was warm, drawing or
reading or making things.

TATTOOIST INTERVIEW
‘All the bad

tattooers in
Australia get eaten
by the crocs.’
Dad would bring home these huge stacks
of scrap paper from the office and I'd
always get excited when there was a
piece that was almost blank on both
sides! And we loved making collages.
Every year we'd make a Christmas
collage from the previous year's cards.
Were your parents supportive of

your career choice?
My mum and dad always said they

wanted me to do whatever made me
happy, although I don't think they
expected me to become an erotic tattoo
artist! I feel really indebted to them for
their support.
Tell us about your tattoo

apprenticeship.
I'd just moved to Amsterdam and I

started going to the MotorInk tattoo
shop. They said they absolutely didn't
need another apprentice, but I cleaned
the toilets and scrubbed stations until I
WAS the apprentice.
It was very self-directed in terms of how

much I was at the shop and how much
work I did. Nobody really did a
structured apprenticeship there. It was up
to us how much time and effort we put in,
and of course the more you put in the
more you'd get out of it. That really
suited me. I was in Amsterdam to learn
how to tattoo, so I just threw myself into
it. I was at the shop all the time, doing all
the work I could.
The welcome that I received at MotorInk

changed the course of my whole life.

Australians are known for their love of travelling and
working abroad...
Oh yeah, we love a good trip. Australia is pretty far from

everywhere, so once you've done that long arse flight out you
don't want to go home right away so it's not surprising we stick
around somewhere once we land.
I've always loved the idea of being part of a network of artists,

and travelling really builds that. When you only have limited time
with people, you make it real quality time. I hope the impression
that I leave behind is that we Australians are friendly and fun
(although I'm sure most shops are much quieter after I leave
because as many people will know, I simply cannot shut the fuck
up!)
Travelling has been great for my art. Working abroad, I've

picked up a ton of tips and tricks, learned about local artists who
aren't as active on social media, and made lots of friends.
Recently I was at the Bad Bitch BBQ in Hawaii and since then I've
seen those women guesting at each other's shops and sharing
knowledge and history. That's so valuable!
Travelling challenges your preconceptions of what 'normal' is –

because 'normal' is different for every country. It's immensely
special to be able to travel and it's such a joy to be able to do it
again after the last couple of years. But it's not always easy to be
so far from family and home. I feel this real push / pull dichotomy
between putting down roots and getting on the road.

TATTOOIST INTERVIEW
Tell us about your studio.
I work at TLD Tattoo (short for The Lion's Den) in the Shire in
Sydney's south. It's a little bit of a commute for me, but it's
worth it to work with a bunch of really talented people who
do the kind of solid tattoos I want to emulate. The studio really
does turn out world class work.
Australia seems full of great tattooists right now.
Yeah, all the bad tattooers get eaten by the crocs, so it's
really just the cream of the crop that's left.
How did you develop your unique tattoo style?
I always wanted to have an original voice in tattooing and for

my work to be recognisable. My mentor always said if you do
your own style, people will come to you for your work and
you'll always have clients and he was right.
Leá Nahon was the first artist I saw who was making tattoos in
her own totally unique style. She was a huge influence on me
in that regard (although of course our work is very different).
But making my art style work for tattoos was a steep learning
curve. Initially I was trying to do it the other way round and
make tattooing work for ME. I was making my details too
small and using way too many colours. I just didn't yet have
the skills or the experience to know what makes a great
tattoo. I was fighting against the whole history of tattooing!
But then my style began to develop around the limitations of

skin and ink and pain. Rather than smashing headfirst into
those barriers I started to work WITH them. And that's when it
all began to be immensely satisfying.
I always say that your style is something that comes when

you're not looking. It's the parts that aren't deliberate that end
up being what you keep without even realising.

This is going to be an impossible
question to answer, but can you
tell us just a few of your career
influences and inspirations?
Meeting Doug Hardy and being invited

to work at Tattoo City in San Francisco
was definitely a career highlight, as was
being invited to work in London with
Valerie Vargas, who I'd looked up to
ever since I was an apprentice.
Sam Rulz has been a huge influence,

with her passion for art making in all its
forms. She showed me the work of Ugly
Tom and encouraged me to start doing
freehand work well before I thought I
could. And working with Tom made me
to push myself further than I would ever
have thought possible. He's a real
beacon! Also Colo López is someone
whose work really inspires me. I have to
get tattooed by him one day.
But tattooing itself is so endlessly

fascinating and inspiring, whether you're
meeting new artists or learning about
machines, inks, needles and tattoo
history... and then of course there's the
body politics aspect...
Talking of which, do you ever

come under fire from women
because of the sexual nature of
your imagery, especially given
that your tattoos feature
predominantly female figures?
Actually it's men who give me the most

trouble online!
I guess if people have hang-ups around

sex – if they feel they've been told by
society they have to look or act a certain
way in order to be worthy of good sex –
it can be difficult, or even shocking, to
see depictions of other people enjoying
sex.

TATTOOIST INTERVIEW
My work is all about being yourself and A huge part of my work is about wanting
enjoying yourself. I'm trying to alleviate women to feel comfortable in their
those hang-ups, that sense of shame. Sex natural, normal bodies. There are some
should be this wonderful, enjoyable, great male artists working in a similar
glorious experience, available to vein too. Jamie August (@bigboypinups)
anyone. That's what I want to show in my for example. His work looks totally
work. different to mine but still revolves around
the nude figure and the less conventional
The big problem with our patriarchal body.
society is that it only allows for very
narrow definitions of what we're allowed Actually, the representation of the female
to be, what we can enjoy, or how we figure in art is a topic I can't shut up
should behave. We can work really hard about. If I was ever to give a seminar, I
to fit into those roles and still never feel think that would probably be the subject
like we're doing it quite right – because I'd choose.
humanity is too full of wonderful variety!

How do you see your tattooing
developing in the future?
I'm wanting to do more large-scale work

like backpieces and sleeves – somehow I
have this idea that this is what 'real'
tattooers do! – but I'm trying to work out
a way to make these relatively quick to
complete.
Your designs are beautifully lined

and your colours are so smoothly
graduated. Tell us about the
machines you like to use.
No doubt about it, good machines that

complement the way you work are
essential.
Mark Sender made my single coil colour

packer and it works better and faster
than any rotary I've ever used. He also
tuned up my BIYS machine from Work
Horse Irons. I have machines from
Damon Burns, whose big liners are
second to none, and Brandyn Feldman
built my huge but very light b&g shader,
which I love. I've got a whole collection
of coils, but these are my staples.
I used a wand for the first time this year.

While it's handy not to have a cord
attached, there's clearly a pretty steep
learning curve and honestly I'm so happy
with my set-up I'm not changing it for
now.

TATTOOIST INTERVIEW
What sort of relationship do you
have with social media?
Censorship must be a pain.
Instagram has changed a lot since I

started using it 10 years ago. Back then,
all it took was time and attention to build
a community around your work. And
that's what I'm still trying to maintain of
course, but the almighty algorithm is less
keen on me now and I do go through
shadowbans occasionally.
I think in general social media has drawn

back the curtain on the underground and
helped to destroy the perception that
tattoos are only for certain people. If you
look at accounts like @occultvibrations23
you get access to all of this history and
subculture you can't get anywhere else.
It's amazing that little old me from
Australia can see what was happening in
the queer tattooing scene in the US in the
80s! That's the kind of thing that really
inspires me.
And Insta is a very good tool for

targeted advertising. I'd love to sell even
more of my prints. I just have to make
sure I use an image that they'll let me
promote, because most of my art is too
sexual for the community guidelines.
Yes, tell us more about your prints.

You've produced some amazing
work with fine art publisher
Raking Light Projects.
Thank you! I first discovered Raking Light

through Tim Lehi's exhibition in San
Francisco in 2016, and I knew straight
away it was the kind of thing I wanted to
be doing. Printmaking was my minor at
university and it's something that's always
interested me, so it was pretty thrilling to
be invited to work with them. They're
amazing at letting me direct the content
and style of what I do. When they
opened their gallery in LA in 2021 they
asked me to be part of the first series of
solo exhibitions, which was truly
exhilarating.

TATTOOIST INTERVIEW
When you look back on your
tattooing career so far, how do
you feel?
When I did my very first tattoo, I

knew instantly I'd be doing it for ever.
I recall watching the snow fall outside
my window in Stockholm a few years
later and marvelling that tattooing
was now my actual job. Then when I
had my first solo show in LA, I met
women who'd been tattooing for 50
years and women who'd been
tattooing for just one year and I saw
that path stretching out on either side
of me, with me in the middle, on this
long wonderful journey.
But all of it feels slightly surreal,

because in a lot of ways I'm still that
little kid from rural Tasmania!
Email:
tattoosbyonnie@gmail.com
Instagram: @onnieolearytattoo
Twitter: @onnieoleary

1.
2. 3.
4.

Report by Lizzy Guy • Pictures by Doralba Picerno & Bartlomiej Masiukiewicz
1. the amazing fuel girls

2. xed le head exhibition
3. gazz, black
rabbit tattoo collective
4. the wholesale body
jewellery crew
5. sarah krone,
noire ink
BIG LONDON
TATTOO SHOW
On 3rd and 4th September, for the first
time ever, Total Tattoo's very own Big
5.
London Tattoo Show took place at ExCeL

in London's Docklands. We asked former
Total Tattoo journalist Lizzy Guy to give
her honest appraisal of the event, no holds
barred!
When it was announced in 2020 that the International London

Tattoo Convention would not be happening again, a big gap
appeared in the convention calendar. Following in the footsteps
of 'London' was never going to be easy but, having just spent
the weekend at the inaugural Big London Tattoo Show, I can
honestly report that the organisers, Total Tattoo Magazine and
Rocket Events, have truly pulled it out of the bag.
The Big London Tattoo Show was held at ExCeL in London's

Docklands. Although modern, practical and somewhat plain in
comparison to Tobacco Dock (the historic venue of the former
London Convention) ExCeL turned out to be an ideal choice. In
addition to an airport nearby and other transport links a short
walk away, there were hotels within stumbling distance and
catering facilities within the venue itself. ExCeL is clean and
spacious – and not completely devoid of character either.

Tickets for the show started at £25 in
6. 7. advance, with free entry for children.
As well as live tattooing, the entry price
included unlimited turns on the free
fairground rides and vintage pinball
machines, free poster printing, art
exhibitions and car displays, and much
more besides. The Big London Tattoo
Show felt like a festival as well as a
convention! The organisers had offered
vouchers for half price tickets to local
tattoo studios, and the event had clearly
been well advertised across printed and
social media. Consequently the queues
on Saturday opening were eye-popping.
8.
But whilst the queues looked impressive,
this is something the organisers need to
address for next year, as it took a while
for people to get through the doors when
they first opened. However, after the
initial rush things settled down and there
was a steady flow of people coming in
throughout the day.
10.
9.

SPECIAL FEATURE
11. 12. 13.
14.
Perhaps it was the novelty of a fresh convention on the calendar, or a 6. monkey tattoo,
'last big spend' before the energy price hike, or maybe it was simply the sarawak working
friendly welcoming atmosphere – whatever it was, the public couldn't 7. monika koch working
seem to get enough of the tattooing that was on offer. Artists booked up 8. janessa palaming,
quickly, and as the hours passed increasing numbers of people could be draz palaming and
seen with limbs wrapped in clingfilm and Dermalize. jastein abellana,
noire ink
A large proportion of the artists working the show were UK-based. 9. jason butcher
Whilst this might have disappointed some tattoo fans who were hoping working
for a more international feel, it highlighted just how fruitful and talented 10. little nick and
the UK tattoo scene is. It was actually a decision made for very practical k peanut, the church
reasons, as all the artists had to register with the local council; and 11. javier rodriguez,
coupled with post-Brexit challenges and potential post-COVID travel focus ink tattoo studio
restrictions, it made absolute sense. Some would argue that it also made 12. big mike,
space for younger studios to have a presence at the show – and by god, white tiger
were they well received! 13. bara, six bullets
14. smalls, true love
15. 16.
17.
The Big London Tattoo Show made a

point of trying to cover all areas of tattoo
culture, including a nod to the past.
Jimmie Skuse, president of the Bristol
Tattoo Club, curated a fascinating display
on the history of the tattoo machine.
Showcasing twelve different pieces of
equipment from a nineteenth century
Edison Pen to a present day wireless
rotary, this was a vivid representation of
how our craft has progressed over the
decades, and especially meaningful
when seen in amongst all the amazing
contemporary tattooists working at the
show.
An open plan art zone, curated by Andy

YogiXIII, was nestled within the tattooing
areas. It fitted perfectly into the
atmosphere. Many of the exhibits were
18.
from tattooists working the show and they
covered a multitude of styles, from the
joyful doodles of Tim aka Prisonstyle to
the hyper-realistic paintings of Toni
Moore. It was also refreshing to see the
work of artists who are part of the tattoo
world but not actually tattooists – Dan
Noake's traditional, primitive pyrography
for example, and Sam Rivers' woodcut
prints.

19. 20.
21.
15. jorge becerra, abrakadavra The highlight for many was an exhibition of canvases by the
16. craig james, new ink legendary Xed le Head, widely known as the 'father of dotwork'.
17. monny koch, new ink These are works that Xed has created since being forced to retire
18. godmachine from tattooing due to ill health, and the fact that what we were
19. big lou’s tattoos seeing was only a sample of what he's produced was impressive
20. raw ink crew to say the least. Hopefully more of Xed's extraordinary work will
21. helen, skullduggery go on public display in the future.

Either side of the main stage (which was At the centre of the convention was a
framed with huge hanging banners) there display of hot rod and vintage cars. Some
was yet more art. There was a graffiti were owned by tattooists, but some had
wall, which throughout the weekend was been brought along by people who had
gradually filled with stunning art by the never experienced a tattoo show before.
Sacred Lettering collective. And there There's definitely scope for expansion here
was a pop-up print workshop provided next year; the feedback was impressive
by radical stencillers and screen printers even though the number of vehicles was
Paris 68 Redux, where people could print relatively small. There were traders all
their own t-shirts and posters. A range of round this area, giving shoppers the
pre-printed backgrounds were available, opportunity to switch easily from snapping
plus a huge choice of ready-made pictures of cars to snapping up bargains!
stencils including tattoo motifs, or you The temporary tattoo booth also proved a
could simply create your own design hit, as did the free massages on offer to
from scratch. 15 minutes later, your visitors and tattooists alike.
poster came out of the drying rack and
you could take it home with you. There
was plenty of good conversation on offer 23.
from the guys too, with everyone
enjoying putting the world to rights!
22.
25. 26.
24.

TATTOOIST INTERVIEW
27. 28. 29.
22. craig james,

new ink
23. jimmie skuse,
bristol tattoo club
24. sin city sideshow
25. luis smith, salvation
26. noemi,
There was entertainment for everyone, watermelon tattoo
on the main convention stage and also 30. 27. drag car driver’s kit
on a second stage near the food court 28. kishosumi,
and seating area (where a big red the drop of ink
double-decker London bus served as a 29. dan noakes,
bar!) Familiar crowd-pleasers The Fuel pyrography
Girls drew in the audience with exhibition
spectacular new routines, and quality 30. leah debrincat
acts such as Doctor Diablo's Sideshow 31. one of the cool cars
mesmerised the punters with their tricks
and stunts. Throughout the day, the
fairground waltzers and dodgems
flashed and span, and people played on
vintage pinball machines. The sheer size
of the venue meant that any screams,
shouts, flames or other noises didn't
disturb the tattooists.
But with the main stage so far away, the

commentary from the tattoo competitions
didn't reach across the hall either –
which was a pity, as it was worth
hearing. Paul Talbot (of 'That Tattoo
Show') and Total Tattoo’s Perry Rule had
never previously compered a tattoo
competition together – let alone one on
such an immense scale – but their
combination of interviewing, commentary
and humour worked well with the crowd.
31.
Think Gogglebox, but with tattoos.
32. 33. 34.
32. jamie lee knott &

colin whitfield
33. amir lameyra
34. signwriting
35 & 36, neil bass,
tattoo fx
37. sandro,
sacred gold studio
38. angel,
sacred gold studio
39. james conway,
skull and bones
The competition judges worked well together in their

approach and expertise also, with notable figures
including Nikole Lowe, Grace Neutral and Neil Bass on
the panel. The token system meant we didn't have the drag
of waiting for marks to be tallied backstage – with the
added bonus of seeing all the tattoos for each category
lined up simultaneously on stage. It was a fantastic
opportunity to see completed work from across the
weekend and celebrate the vast range of styles that
tattooists are now experimenting with.
As with all good events, the Big London Tattoo Show came
to an end too soon. Seemingly in a blink of an eye,
everyone was politely ushered out into the warm evening
and to the after-show parties. For a debut convention, with
so many expectations weighing on the organisers, it really
could not have been more successful. The weekend was
busy throughout – in attendance, tattooing and things to
do. I doubt many people would have been able to see it
all, or take everything in, as there was just so much to
explore and experience!

TATTOOIST INTERVIEW
35. 36.
37. 38. 39.

40. 41. 42.
40. some of the colourful crowd

41. the judges: james aitken,
nikole lowe, grace neutral,
neil bass, anthony lennox
43.
42. volkan, private studio
43. piotr, ushuaia
44. anastasiya bortnik,
holy trinity tattoo
45. sacred lettering graffiti crew
46. sweet jane pinstriping
47. benj ashmead, true colours
48. sarah krone collecting
her amazing trophy
49. gloria manzillo
50. super cool daimler
51. sean newman working
52. fuel girls
44.
Looking ahead to next year, there is definitely scope for

expansion, especially in terms of the number of walk-up tattooists
at the show. ExCel can be adjusted in size, which means this
show has the potential to go bigger – literally. But if this is the
plan, there are a few issues the organisers need to iron out. The
crowds need to be able to get into the venue more quickly at the
start of each day; there needs to be a proper convention
brochure and floorplan (visitors and tattooists alike commented
on this); and there definitely needs to be more than one bar.
So what's the overall verdict? The Big London Tattoo Show had
big boots to fill. But it's done that in style, and stomped a great
big fun footprint onto the convention scene. Roll on 2023. I'll
certainly be first in the queue.

TATTOOIST INTERVIEW
45. 46.
47. 48. 49.
50.
51. 52.

Billy Chainsaw mixes pop culture
and the arcane to create art that
engages with ideas of
mortality, magick and
sensuality.
Working in a variety of media,

he's developed an instantly
recognisable armoury of images
and gestural approaches. He has
no interest in perfection. For him,
what matters are the mistakes, the
ragged edges and the uneven surfaces
that result from his painstaking layering
processes and his unique brand of
experimentation.
Billy Chainsaw's work has been widely exhibited

in solo and group shows at well known venues
such as The Horse Hospital and the Saatchi
Gallery in London. He's designed an album sleeve
for indie superstars The Fall and created an
exclusive fabric for cutting edge design company
Charles of London. For many years he's also
operated as a film critic and cultural
commentator, writing for publications as diverse
as Empire, Kerrang! and Bizarre.

Interview by Perry • Introduction provided by Graham Duff • Pictures courtesy of Billy Chainsaw
ARTIST INTERVIEW
‘I adore art that

confronts rather
than pleases.’
BILLY
CHAINSAW TOTAL TATTOO MAGAZINE 39
Hey Billy, can you tell us where
you're from? Did you have an
ordinary kind of childhood?
I was born in Birmingham, England (not
Alabama) and raised in a totally
working-class environment. My parents,
Beat and Bill, were very conventional.
So yes, I had a traditional childhood.
How did you first get into art?

I've drawn and done art-related things
for as long as I can remember.
My parents were always 101%
supportive of my artistic leanings, always
encouraging me. I loved losing myself in
my art, but I never imagined that
I would actually become an artist. Back
then I never considered myself talented
enough. As a youngster, my art was a
way for me to visualise the weirdness in
my head, something that in retrospect I'd
describe as 'expressive exorcism'.
And your interest developed from

there...
Yes. During my early teens I developed
an obsession with American comic books,
cinema, TV, magic, masks, and the
author William S Burroughs. They're the
elements that ultimately inform my mixed-
media 'cut-up pop art' now, along with
such diverse sources as tattoos, cartoon
surrealism and Lucha Libre – Mexican
masked wrestling.

ARTIST INTERVIEW
‘For me,
art has been
an expressive
exorcism.’
There are many subversive characters appearing in your
work, including William S Burroughs, Jordan, Dennis
Hopper and others. What do they bring to your art?
I'm naturally drawn to larger-than-life characters – individuals who
live/lived life on their own terms, often to the annoyance of others.
They all emanate an overwhelming inspirational energy that I
endeavour to tap into and use to power my art.
Do you feel an emotional link with them?

Yes, I do. I feel linked to everything that appears in my art – human
or otherwise.
Tell us about your use of the pentagram in your work.

I'm a profound believer in, and take immense inspiration from, what
people wrongly refer to as the 'dark arts'. I don't use such symbols or
symbolism as a shock tactic. Their usage is always part of the
narrative in my art. I see my art as an act of alchemy, like casting a
spell, performing magic.

Does art need to have a purpose
or meaning?
It's OK for art simply to be eye candy. All
art is subjective. It doesn't need to serve
a purpose. I personally adore art that
confronts rather than pleases.
Do you feel the art world is now

too commercialised?
Technological advancements meant
commercialisation was inevitable. I don't
see subcultures being diluted as a result
of it though.
Do you use much technology in the

creation of your art?
The only techno aspect of my work is
Photoshop.
Is social media a good thing, a

bad thing or both?
It depends on who's using it and how
they're using it. There are many who
totally abuse it. I personally see it as a
tool that helps me enhance both my mind
and my art.
How do you survive the pressures

and stresses of today's competitive
art world?
I stay grounded through my tenacious
nature and crap sense of humour.

ARTIST INTERVIEW
Does your work reflect your

personality?
My art is my mind. I create because I am
compelled to create. I am my art. My art
is me.
How important is travel to you as

an artist?
I rarely travel much these days. Most of
my international travelling was done from
1979 to 1996, when I was Personal
Assistant to Siouxsie and The Banshees.
That travel experience still informs my
art.
Of all the people you've met on

your artistic journey, who's had
the most influence on you?
First, William S Burroughs – author,
artist, and key player of the Beat
Generation. He and his methods inform
all of my art. He is my ghost muse. Then
there's Lydia Lunch – singer, poet,
author, artist and one of the most
outspoken and controversial individuals
out there. A friend since the 1980s, she
was the person who told me it was time
to stop working for other people and do
shit myself. And finally Sloan Houlston-
Freer, the greatest love of my life.
Regarding my art, she once said, “Reach
for the stars”. So I did, and will continue
to do so until death.

Do you ever collaborate with
other artists?
I occasionally collaborate with the multi-
media artist known as GIRL SHIT, under
the banner Chainsaw & THE GIRL. These
collaborations force me to work outside
the box and experiment in a way that
enhances our co-joined creations.
Have you ever collaborated with

rock bands?
Yes, I've designed two t-shirts and a gig
poster for my current favourite band,
Death Valley Girls.
Where can we buy your merch?

My t-shirts are available through
poisonclothing.com in the UK and
aboutbeingseen.com in the US.
All my t-shirts are produced in limited
editions. I believe in exclusivity over mass
production.
‘My art is an act of

alchemy. It's like
casting a spell.’

ARTIST INTERVIEW
Let's talk tattoos. Who did/does yours?

My first ink was by Dennis Cockell in the early 1980s. I often
used to tie in visits to my parents in Birmingham with trips to
Micky Sharpz' studio, because his name was, with good reason,
legendary. Over the last decade I've been in the enviable
position of having tattooist friends who are prepared to trade my
art for their art: Matt Black at The Black Arts in Hastings, Marco
at Nine Lives Tattoo in Hove, and Brad Tuttle at Lonewolf Tattoos
in Hassocks.
Do your tattoos have a meaning?

All my tattoos have meaning to me. I don't believe they need to
though.
Have you ever thought about being a tattooist

yourself?
No, I've never considered it. I marvel at the tattooist’s skill every
time the needles hit my flesh. There's something very magical
about the whole process.
And finally, what are your goals for the future – and
how do you see yourself achieving them?
My future is to continue creating art. I plan on achieving this by
staying alive!
www.koolkrakenincorporated.com
@billychainsawhoulston

Originally from Poland and now based
in Blackpool, Shamack is a tattoo artist
who has wholeheartedly embraced the
wonders of digital technology.
He uses 3D modelling techniques to
create stunning bio-mechanical
designs, pushing his tattooing into new
aesthetic dimensions. With his
analytical approach and enquiring
mind, Shamack is firmly focused on the
future and his enthusiasm is infectious.
When we first arrive at Inkden in Blackpool, Shamack shows
me an amazing model of HR Giger's 'Alien' that he has
created using a 3D printer. “I got the software just before the
coronavirus lockdown,” he tells me. “So I had plenty of time
to get to know it...”
This is typical of Shamack. He loves technology. He is driven,

determined and very motivated. He likes to keep himself busy
and he is always looking for ways to develop, whether
personally or through business.
Originally from Poland, Shamack came to England in 2005.

He had already begun tattooing. “I was working using my
own homemade machines,” he tells me. “I started when I was
14, but at the beginning it was more about the engineering
challenge of making a tattoo machine than about the
tattooing itself.”

Interview by Perry • Pictures courtesy of Shamack
TATTOOIST INTERVIEW
‘I don't think it will

be long before 3D
modelling is seen as
the norm.’
SHAMACK
I am curious to know more, and Shamack obliges with the
whole story. “A guy we all knew, who was tattooing with a
homemade machine, came to me and my mates one day
and asked, 'If I show you how to do it, will one of you
tattoo my back?' When I saw his machine, I was interested
straight away. I wanted to know how it worked! And that's
where it all started for me.”
“I made my first machine with a toothbrush and an

injection needle,” Shamack tells me. “I was just testing
things out. Of course there was no internet back then, but I
was in touch with people who were in jail and they got me
the information I needed. My first tattoo I did on myself,
and then I tattooed my cousins. Then once people found
out what I was doing, they started coming to me.”
“It was still only something I did as a

hobby though. During the day I worked
in my parents' shop, but after work I'd be
drawing, drawing, drawing tattoo
designs all the time. There were no tattoo
studios in Poland back then, and
obviously no supply companies, so for
anyone who wanted to tattoo, everything
was either smuggled in or you had to
make it yourself. I didn't see my first
proper coil machine until I'd been
working for nearly eight years!”
I ask Shamack how he ended up

tattooing in Blackpool. “I wanted to open
a tattoo shop in Poland but it wouldn't
have been financially viable at that time.
Some friends of mine had come to the
UK, so that's why I decided to come
here,” he tells me. “That was 17 years
ago.”

TATTOOIST INTERVIEW
“Originally I was going to open a studio at the back of a

hairdressers in Evesham. But I was in Blackpool one day,
rollerblading on the prom, when I noticed a tattoo shop
advertising machines for sale, so I went in. They asked if I
was a tattooist and where I worked, and when I told them
I didn't yet have a shop they offered me a job. All I had to
do was tattoo the boss!”
“Working in a street shop in Blackpool, I really had to get

good quick,” Shamack continues. “I always tried to give
my customer more than they asked for. Even if I was just
doing a name, I'd give it a drop shadow or highlights. And
I introduced flash sets from Milosch and Jack Ribera, so
we really started to stand out as a studio. Everyone loved
what I was doing; fine line black and grey was so much
more unusual back then.”
“Eventually I stopped doing the walk-in trade because I

was getting so busy with my regular customers.” And that
was when something remarkable happened. Realising that
Shamack was outgrowing the shop, his boss decided to set
him up in his own private studio. “And then in 2016 I was
able to buy the premises from him,” Shamack tells me,
“and I started InkDen.”

‘I realised
immediately this
would be an exciting
way to design
tattoos.’
InkDen is in a great location, in the
shadow of Blackpool Tower. It has
expanded over the years and now
occupies several floors of the building.
On the ground floor is a beautiful
tearoom run by Shamack's wife Anna, a
space for art exhibitions, and a clothing
shop. Upstairs, in addition to the tattoo
studio and private tattooing rooms,
there's also a laser removal clinic.
“We'd put a lot of work into creating

InkDen,” Shamack tells me, “but Brexit
hit us really hard. Import costs, plus all
the red tape, have made it virtually
impossible for us to continue to stock all
the cool clothes from Poland and other
European countries that we would want
to. Most manufacturers in Europe don't
want to send things to the UK now,
because there's too much expense and
aggravation involved. Brexit affected
tattooists as well. I know a lot of really
good artists who left the UK because the
government were so slow in telling
people what was going to happen, and
no one wanted to wait around to find out
if they would be safe.”
I ask Shamack if he still enjoys living and

working in the UK. “Yes, I love the tattoo
scene here,” he tells me. “I go to as
many conventions as I can, and I like
visiting tattoo shops too. I always pop in
and say hello. Most tattooists here are so
friendly. It's different in Poland. Tattooing
there is still very territorial, and there are
lots of shops that aren't so friendly with
each other. But I think people in Poland
definitely seem to work harder!”

TATTOOIST INTERVIEW
And does Shamack still have that interest
in the technical side of tattoo machines?
“I'm very glad I built up all that
knowledge,” he tells me. “One thing I'm
sure of – all that time I spent making
machines and setting them up just right
was absolutely worth it, because if I see
any of my old work that I did all those
years ago (even old tribal) it's still super
black and sharp. But now, of course, with
plug-and-play rotaries that work straight
out of the box, I can concentrate more on
my art. Instead of focusing on the tool, I
can focus on the job that the tool's
doing!”
Shamack's true passion is for bio-mech

tattoos. He has been working in this
genre for more than a decade now and
has developed his style to a very high
degree.
He has always tried to source his own

original reference material. “Rather than
using what little I could find online,” he
tells me, “I used to go out and buy props
to photograph. That had the added
advantage of enabling me to choose
how everything was lit, so that all the
shadows looked correct. I even built a
little studio in my garden where I could
make the 'sculptures' that I would
photograph to create my tattoo designs.”

But Shamack has now progressed to a new and exciting approach
using digital technology. “It was Tofi who first introduced me to the
idea,” he tells me. “I use a programme called Z-Brush, which is a
very powerful design and 'sculpting' tool.”
“Basically, I create 3D digital models that will eventually become my

tattoo designs,” Shamack explains. “Once I've created a model,
I light it. I make it dynamic with good contrast and strong shadows.
I might introduce colour elements to bring it all to life, then I render
it. Then I print out a two-dimensional image of the model to make the
stencil.”
Shamack describes a couple of practical examples to me. “For a

recent backpiece, I began by photographing the client's back and
creating a 3D model of it on the computer. Then I layered on the side
panels of the tattoo design and the central spinal feature. When all
the modelling was done, I created a little movie for the client –
showing them how the tattoo would be built up, and what to expect.”
“Another client invited me to America to photograph reference for

their tattoo. He owns a factory that makes specialist tools. I
photographed lots of the machinery – such as gears and triple
chains – and from those photos I created the 3D digital models that
would eventually become his unique, personalised design.”
“It's taken me a while to master this software,” Shamack admits,

“and I found it very difficult at first. But I realised immediately it
would be a very exciting way to develop my bio-mechanical tattoos
and offer something special to my clients.”
It's clearly not that straightforward to maintain the 3D appearance of

the design once it becomes a 2D tattoo, but this is an area where
Shamack is developing considerable expertise. “Sometimes I will
create a model and light it, and think it's going to look great, but
then it doesn't look so real... So you need to use various tricks and
techniques to almost fool the eye into reading the image the way you
want it to work.”

TATTOOIST INTERVIEW
“Black and grey has its limitations of

course, and I am constantly
experimenting with different inks to try to
get better results. And sometimes you
have to simplify an image to make it
tattooable. The 3D models that I create
can carry a great deal of detail, but if
you actually tattooed all that information
you would end up with a really 'noisy'
tattoo.”
“Using the modelling software, you can

combine models in pretty much any way
you want,” Shamack tells me. “Over
time, I've developed a lot of pre-made
elements that I can bring in to create
unique and individual designs.”
“There are so many different rendering

programmes,” he continues, “and loads
of different textures and colours you can
use. You can add lighting from a
particular direction, or universal light,
and you can change the light to be warm
or white or atmospheric. You can change
the reflections and the intensity of paint
finishes or even make a surface
transparent. There are so many things
you can do. The hard thing is knowing
when to stop! It can be overwhelming.”
I ask Shamack if he feels like a pioneer.

“It's just technology,” he says. “Ten years
ago I was using Photoshop to put tattoo
designs onto photos of clients' backs and
arms, and they were amazed. Now
everyone's using Procreate. So I don't
think it will be long before 3D modelling
is seen as the norm. You'll be searching
the internet for a rose, say, and you'll
find 3D models you can light and colour
in any way you want.”

Shamack has always been very open-
minded and forward-thinking when it
comes to technological developments. He
was an early investor in cryptocurrencies,
and clearly recognises the potential of
NFTs. “For me, digital art, the metaverse,
and the whole idea of augmented reality
means great opportunities for sales and
investments. I actually had a guy make a
model of my shop in which I can create
galleries and even secret rooms for
showing limited edition art!” he tells me.
“I definitely think NFTs are the way

forward. I am starting to create models
for tattoos where instead of my client
paying me for the tattoo, they pay me for
the digital model – and I sell it to them as
an NFT. So they own the tattoo design
itself, which will hopefully gain in value.
They can sell it or license it. The tattoo,
they got for free! It's just a different form
of commerce. That's another idea that
came from Tofi, by the way.”

TATTOOIST INTERVIEW
I ask Shamack about his own plans for

the future. “I definitely want to travel
more,” he tells me. “The whole idea of
InkDen was that it would be self-
contained and able to function without
me. So I might spend some time in
America, because bio-mech is such a big
thing there.”
“I'd like to be tattooing maybe three or four days a week.

If all you do is tattoo, you can only develop so much. I
want to see what's happening everywhere else. I want to
explore so many other things, and bring them into my
tattooing. I believe you need to widen your horizons if you
want to push your tattooing to the next level.”
“I could have just stayed in that shop on the prom and

made good money tattooing whatever people asked for,
but I wanted to really push the bio-mech style. And I
wanted to do it in a way that was unique to me.”
Shamack has certainly done that. And with his enthusiasm

for digital technology, he has catapulted himself to the
forefront of contemporary tattooing.
InkDen Tattoo Studio

53 ff Albert Road Blackpool
FY1 4PW
Tel 07957 021702
inkden.tattoo@gmail.com
@shamacktattoo

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Great Yarmouth NR30 2JD
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Images need to be
300 resolution
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@morgieink
@marialavia.tattoo

@chanellejasminart @johncrompton_tattoo
@handstatu
@debbiejonestattoos

GALLERY
@rossleetattoo @petermurrayartist
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GALLERY
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SHOW NOTES
The magazine column of That Tattoo Show
a podcast by Paul Talbot and Chris Harrison
correct lighting etc etc etc. You
know, all the toys, neon signs,
hipster decor. The whole
enchilada. I thought to myself,
“That's the kind of building a
designer with my portfolio should
have”. It was going to be the
greatest tattoo studio anyone had
ever seen. There was just one
problem.
My bank balance didn't match my

vision.
DO IT NOW “I was looking

Arthur Ashe, talking about what to do when faced
for a building
with a challenge, said “Start where you are, use what
you have, do what you can.” Someone once said a
I could fit my
similar thing to me, and it changed my life. ego into.”
In this month's column I want to talk to you about why it's so much
more important to just start doing something rather than wait for
the perfect moment. Because that perfect moment may never
come – and if you start now, you'll have a far better chance of
ending up where you need to be.
So here goes.
Once upon a time, I was in the process of opening my first tattoo
studio. I'd been a semi-successful record producer / graphic
designer / art director for over a decade, and I wanted a building
that would reflect my (mostly imagined) status and track record.
Essentially, I was looking for a building that I could fit my ego into!
I wanted a New York style loft full of industrial fittings and period-
TATTOOIST
SPECIAL INTERVIEW
FEATURE
So I decided to wait
and save.
During the 'planning phase' (which is
a bullshit term for doing fuck all)
I enrolled on a short business
management course. Mostly because
you got a £500 grant if you
successfully created a business plan.
It was there that I met a chap who
would change my perspective forever.
He was an older gent who knew a

thing or two about business
development and he was gracious
enough to share his extensive
knowledge with me over a number
of coffees, for which I am eternally
grateful.
I explained my vision to him. I

outlined my grand plan, and I fully
expected him to reply with
superlatives like 'awesome' or
'mind-blowing'. But he didn't.
Instead he asked, “Why can't you
start now?”
Because I haven't got the money, I

told him.
“So why don't you start smaller and

build up to your vision?” he
suggested.
Because no-one will be impressed or

USE WHAT YOU HAVE
wowed by the kind of building I can
I managed to find a room for rent at the back of a small
afford, I answered. So I won't have
barber shop in the village where I live. It was cheap – and it
any customers.
was just about as far from my vision as it could be. But I could
afford it. So I got started.
Then he said, “But I thought you were
a great artist? Isn't THAT what they'll
I decorated it using stuff that I already owned. I used leftover
come for?”
paint and wallpaper from my house. I put the art and guitars
from my home office on the walls. Any extra furniture was
He convinced me to look for a
literally the cheapest available. Me and my best mate Brian
building that I could afford NOW,
did all the work ourselves, carefully checking the regulations
saying that if I felt the time was right
sent to us by our local health authority as we went. Brian even
to make my kind of tattoo art, I
PAT tested all the gear for me.
should start immediately. And that by
waiting I risked missing my window of
The result was extremely modest and simple. It wasn't what I'd
opportunity. He said, “Use what you
dreamt of, but it was mine AND it was open a month after I
have. Do what you can. Start today.”
got it.
“It wasn't what I'd dreamt DO WHAT YOU CAN
of, but it was mine.” Early on, I decided it would be my work
that would make me stand out from the
crowd. Nothing else. Not price, not
opening times, and definitely not
gimmicks. My thinking was that I couldn't
compete on anything other than what I
could do better than my competitors.
I'm not the best tattooist in the world, not

even close (and over a decade ago, I
was certainly greener and way less
experienced than the other tattooists
around) but I'd got a shot at being the
best Paul Talbot in the world. So I
focused on what I could do. And that
was graphic tattoos. I ignored the rest
and I leant into it. Hard.
In marketing we call this a USP or Unique

“Your current
Selling Point. By focusing only on my
style I was reinforcing my USP. And by
situation is your
the time the graphic tattoo style went
launch pad”
overground I was a very well known
English graphic tattooer.
Years later I realised that my initial

decision to do what I could (rather than
trying to compete with '£10 shaky Pete'
down the road) set me up with a business
that is only about MY artwork. My work
doesn't appeal to everyone. I don't
expect it to and never have. Some
closed-minded people will just never get
it. But, the people who do get it? They
really like it.
From that little room I started my tattoo career. I got my

first magazine features, got invited to conventions, won
awards, and my work was shared all over the internet and
social media. At a time when you could get real, organic
reach from social media. Not like the clusterfuck that is
social media today.
Everything that's happened in my life since then – all the

travelling , the shows, the guest spots, the clients – it's all
happened because I started in that crappy little room.
Yeah, it was a shithole. But I loved it. And I'm very thankful
to it for its place in my story. It was never a New York loft.
It was way better.
SPECIAL FEATURE
filming areas we have today). We figured it out as we went
along. We still are. We've improved the show every week and
our latest episodes are far better than the early ones. We're
looking and sounding pretty professional now, not because
we've acquired better gear but because we've had lots of
practice!
Accepting your starting point as the launch pad for your

process of creation is essential. Sure, we may wish for more
favourable conditions. But we have a choice. We can use the
current situation as a justification for inaction, or we can
accept things as they are and just act, regardless.
It's always better to choose the path of action and get on with
the process of doing.
Doing what you can – for me –
meant not trying to be a 'proper See you next time, take care.
tattooist'. Quite honestly I give zero
fucks about whether or not I'm a
proper one or not. I'm too busy being
an actual tattooist to worry about
what 'one-eyed, blunt-needle Tom'
thinks of my work.
START TODAY
If I hadn't met that lovely old guy all
those years ago, I'd still be waiting
and saving and talking about the day
I was going to open the perfect
studio, in the perfect location, with
the perfect set-up, blah, blah, blah.
And by now, that's all it would be.
Talk.
Instead, to paraphrase Arthur Ashe, I

started where I was, I used what I
had, I did what I could. And now,
everything that I'm thankful for in my
life today is because I made that
start. And even though it wasn't
perfect, it was – in the end – the
perfect start.
It's the same way of thinking that P.S. If you'd like to watch / hear me explain this
created That Tattoo Show. idea, you can find That Tattoo Show wherever you
normally listen to podcasts (just search 'that tattoo
Chris and I could still be planning our show') or you can watch it on our Youtube
perfect YouTube channel. But instead, Channel: youtube.com/thattattooshow
you know what we did? We just hit
record and went for it (even though Questions or thoughts? Email me:
we were locked down in our houses thattattooshow@gmail.com
at the time and not in the rather nice
Interview by Perry • Pictures courtesy of Samuel B Thorne
SAMUEL
B THORNE
ARTIST INTERVIEW
‘What you see in

my pictures is
always a dilution
of what's in my
head.’
Artist, illustrator and designer Samuel B

Thorne is a very welcome guest on the
pages of Total Tattoo. His extraordinarily
mind-boggling creations take lowbrow to
a new high! We couldn't wait to meet
him and find out what goes on inside his
head.
Please introduce yourself.
I'm Sam, but my artist name is Samuel B Thorne. There are so
many Sams in the world, I had to differentiate myself somehow!
I'm originally from Portsmouth but I've been living in South
London for eight years now.
Tell us about your work. It's a full-on visual assault! The

more you look, the more you see...
Thank you for the compliment. Yes, I do try to cram in as many
references and details as possible – as a bonus for people who
want to stick around and take in a bit more – but I always make
sure the detail doesn't detract from the main subject of the
picture. I believe the audience should be able to get the point of
the piece with a five-second look. It's a rule I came up with after
visiting an exhibition in a gallery a while back. I really dislike the
kind of art that makes no sense until you read the little white label
next to it.
Do you ever feel overwhelmed by the outpourings of

your own imagination?
Yes, I often feel overwhelmed at the start of a piece because I
usually have several ideas all at once that I want to get down. But
ultimately it's just too much and the piece would suffer from the
complexity. So what you're seeing is always a dilution of what I
originally had in my head.

Some of your work is very
reminiscent of those psychedelic
drug-fuelled American comics from
the 60s and 70s...
Yeah, I'm always asked what I smoke in
order to come up with the creatures and
characters in my work! But to be honest
I'm not really a partaker in anything
stronger than a beer. I am heavily
inspired by American sub-cultures
though.
Can you give us some particular

examples?
Santa Cruz and that era of skateboard
graphics, definitely. And I love the
illustration work of all the Kustom Kulture
artists like Ed Roth. I also draw a lot from
the cartoons I used to watch in the 90s,
like Ren & Stimpy and SpongeBob
Squarepants, as well as older cartoons
from the rubber limb era of animation.
On top of that I love 1950s poses,
hairstyles and clothing. I try to chuck
together as many of these elements as I
can – to make a nice big gumbo of
chaos.
Did you study art?

Yes. I studied art and design at college,
and I soon realised that illustration was
my strong suit so I decided to pursue it at
BA Hons level. I did my degree at
Plymouth College of Art (now known as
Arts University Plymouth). I was
extremely lucky to be surrounded by
some truly talented peers, and taught by
passionate practitioners who were very
much involved in the illustration world.

ARTIST INTERVIEW
Do you enjoy living and working in London?

I have a love/hate relationship with the city, in the same way as I
guess millions of others do. It's cripplingly expensive just to exist
here. I have so many friends who are paying a fraction of the
price for a home twice the size! But it's hard to deny that living
here is a constant source of inspiration. And having so many
creative people all around me is really motivating. It's something I
take for granted now.
Does London itself influence your art?

I often find I'm more inspired by a sticker, a tag on the side of a
building or a piece of merch at a gig than I am by an exhibition
in a gallery, but the fact that everything is on your doorstep is the
reason I'm not getting out of London just yet.
You've become known for a particular style of

illustration. Does that ever feel like a creative
straitjacket?
I'm quite good at scaling the intensity of my work up and down,
whilst still keeping the feel of an SBT piece. It's always nice to get
a brief where I can go balls to the wall with the gore and insane
detail and just make something super gnarly, but I also really
enjoy making things where you have to strip that right back. I
think the best example of that is the work I created for Made of
Dough's pizza boxes, which doesn't rely too heavily on the
monsters and lowbrow elements.

There's so much humour in your
work.
Again, thank you for the compliment. But
it's not something I aim for intentionally.
As mentioned, 90s cartoons are a huge
source of inspiration for me so I'm greatly
influenced by that visual language.
Comedic storytelling is just kind of
ingrained in everything I do. And my
lack of anatomical knowledge means I
have to rely on weird faces and bodies
with outlandish proportions, which are
always funny – so in that sense my
limitations work to my advantage!
You seem to be a natural-born

artist.
Drawing has always been a hobby of
mine, ever since I could hold a pencil. I
was about 15 or so when I started to
think of visual design as a possible career
option. But to be honest, I've always
struggled with the idea of calling myself
an "artist". I still have it in my head that
to be an artist you need to be suffering
for your art and consumed by the whole
creative process, which is definitely not
the case for me.
That sounds like a touch of

imposter syndrome...
Definitely. Since I'm not reliant on
drawing for my livelihood, I do feel that
I'm not a "true" illustrator. But as long as
what I produce does the job and makes
me happy, it shouldn't matter how much I
bled for it to be there.

ARTIST INTERVIEW
‘I enjoy the super

gnarly, but I also like
stripping it right back.’
So illustration isn't your day job?
At uni I'd always intended to go
freelance after graduation, but I found
myself offered an internship at a London-
based social media company instead...
which became my day job. I've been
there for eight years now. I'm an Art
Director, overseeing the production of
social media content for a wide array of
brands. To cut a long story short, you
could say I "sold my soul" pretty early
on!
Would you want to be a full-time

illustrator?
I'm sure that if I truly put my mind to it I
could make a living from it. But actually
I'm glad I don't have to worry about
where the next piece of work is coming
from in order to pay the rent. Kudos to
all that do though. It's a tough world out
there and it takes an insane amount of
self-discipline and time management to
navigate it successfully. For me,
illustration is more a labour of love –
which means I can pick and choose my
clients and my projects, and that's a real
blessing. Also I can also create my own
artwork without having to worry about
whether it will make me any money.
Is it hard sometimes to switch

between your day job and your
illustration work?
Yes, it can be. Working in a creative
capacity for my day job uses the same
part of my brain that I need for my
drawing, and after eight hours of that I'm
very much up for kicking back and
switching off for the evening! And the
fact that it's all done on the computer
doesn't help. I'd like to be doing more
painting and screen printing for my
illustration work, but the computer is
always going to be quicker – and speed
is generally what clients require.

Can you talk us through your process?
It really depends on the brief and the turnaround time. In an ideal
world with lots of time and little distraction, I would start by
sketching everything with super rough and loose lines, then go in
and tighten it all up until it's real clean and ready for inking.
However, time is often of the essence. So I tend to use some
trickery – like taking stock photos and found imagery and
creating a digital collage which I then use as reference for the
drawing. That's a great way of getting a composition down
quickly. And it's far easier to change things when you have the
power of CTRL+Z instead of an eraser!
How long does a typical piece take to do?

It depends on the amount of detail. Simple pieces can be done in
an evening, especially if I'm using some computer black magic to
help me get the composition together. More complex pieces with
tons of details can take far longer – two to three days of
sketching, with another day on the inking and one more day to
colour it.
How do you promote yourself as an illustrator?

Word of mouth is still a great way to get clients, but the amount
of work I get also has a lot to do with how much effort I'm putting
into my online presence.
ARTIST INTERVIEW
And that can be really time-
consuming.
Yes, definitely. Constantly updating your
portfolio and putting your work on as
many platforms as possible can feel like
a full-time job in itself. It used to be that if
you uploaded a piece on Instagram
you'd get a bunch of new fans and a few
emails in your inbox from prospective
clients. But now you have to make a
timelapse video of the process, upload it
in 14 different sizes and also make sure
what you're drawing is current and
relevant and "thumb-stopping"... What
used to work just doesn't cut it these
days.
How do you maintain a healthy

relationship with social media?
Social media is brilliant for getting your
work out to a fanbase who would never
otherwise see it, but it can be really
detrimental to an artist's confidence if
you don't get the audience you were
expecting (or the audience you deserve).
As long as you don't let it guide your
hand or change your style because you
want the dopamine hit from those 'like'
notifications, you'll be fine and your work
will end up finding its audience
eventually.
What does it mean to be

“successful” as an artist?
For me, it's a feeling inside rather than
any external measure. There's a very
particular sense of pride you get when a
piece finally comes together. That's the
dragon I'm constantly trying to chase. But
having said that, it's also hard to deny
how flattering it is when your client is
blown away and gushing about how
amazing your work is.
‘It's always nice to go

balls to the wall with
the gore and insane
detail.’
ARTIST INTERVIEW
Do you have any particular
favourite pieces?
I recently finished an album cover for the
post-metal band ((OHHMS)). It was the
perfect project. I was given complete
creative freedom. The band trusted my
judgement every step of the way and the
finished result was something we were all
very happy with. It's definitely one of my
personal favourites. Incidentally, that
album cover is also one of the rare
instances where my artwork exists
outside of the digital realm and will be
held in people's hands, which is always a
huge bonus for me.
You mentioned screen printing

earlier. Do you have any plans for
working in other media too?
I'd really like to start getting back out
and spray painting again. Basically any
medium that gets me away from a
screen!
Do you exhibit in galleries?

In August I did an exhibition with Hero of
Switzerland, which is a collective of
artists I've worked with for years now.
(We're not actually Swiss. We're named
after a defunct pub in South London.) It's
been a while since we've put on a show,
for obvious reasons. We're insanely
eclectic in styles and any artist can get
involved – just so long as you're a nice
person and we like your work!
Incidentally, you can you can get hold of
my stickers and prints here:
samuelbthorne.bigcartel.com
One big final question: When you

make art, what are you aiming
for?
The reaction I'm always trying to elicit
from someone is, "That's sick!" If I can do
that, I feel I've done my job. But really all
I'm doing is making the art I would want
to see.

Interview by Perry • Pictures courtesy of Yomico
Yomico Moreno is known around the world

for his wonderfully rich realism tattoos.
Originally from Venezuela, he's been
tattooing for some 20 years now. He moved
to New York City in 2015 after being invited
to work at Paul Booth's famous Last Rites
Tattoo Theater, then in 2019 he opened his
own private studio, Yomicoart in Brooklyn.
Yomico still travels widely, leaving a trail of
colour wherever he goes.
What started your creative drive? Were you artistic as

a child?
The truth is, it's hard to say when it began. But in my childhood
memories I always see myself drawing or painting. I was never
the kid playing outside with a ball. I stayed in, making art.
Fast forward to the present day, and you've got a

wonderful tattoo studio in Brooklyn, New York!
Yes, I opened Yomicoart In 2019. For the whole team, I think it's
our second home. It began with my beautiful friendship with
Nyahzul. She then brought Zofi along. Then Zuli, Dave Paulo and
Robert Hernandez joined. I've admired Robert Hernandez as an
artist from day one of my tattoo career so it's incredible that he's
now part of our family.

TATTOOIST INTERVIEW
‘The more detail

there is, the richer
and more beautiful
the piece will be.’
YOMICO
MORENO TOTAL TATTOO MAGAZINE 85
Did you find it easy to settle in
America?
Before I came to New York, I'd spent

some time in Switzerland and was also
travelling back and forth between
Venezuela and Denmark, so I already
had experience of living overseas. It
always takes a while to learn how
everything works in a new place, but you
soon adapt. For an artist, NYC is such a
positive place to be. Everything that
happens here reverberates globally.
And it was coming to work with

Paul Booth that first brought you
to New York?
Yes, I moved to NYC in 2015 and I

worked at Last Rites Tattoo Theater for
four years. Paul is one of the artists in the
industry that I respect the most – before I
even started tattooing I was buying
magazines just to see photos of his work
– so when I received the offer to work
with him as a resident artist at Last Rites,
it was a dream come true.
Those four years will always have a

special place in my heart. It was a
tremendous period of learning. I
remember I had to do a lot of black and
grey, which really helped me polish my
technique and style!

TATTOOIST INTERVIEW
Which other memories of your You famously tattooed Dwayne
career will always stay with you? 'The Rock' Johnson. How did this
come about? And what effect did it
Without a doubt my time with the Rat have on your career?
Pack – travelling the world and doing
collaborative tattoos with Steve Butcher, Some things just happen! Dwayne is
Sam Barber, Jak Connolly, Benjamin obviously a great actor and movie star,
Laukis, Matt Jordan and Dave Paulo. but he's also an incredible person. We
That was an amazing chapter in my met through tattooing, and this opened
career and it helped me grow as an artist the door for a beautiful friendship based
and as a person. Winning Best of Show on a mutual respect and admiration for
at the 2016 London Convention for our each other's art forms. And of course
backpiece is a memory I hold dear. It still because of his celebrity it had an
makes me smile. extremely positive impact on my own
career. But that kind of global visibility
I think in some ways the Rat Pack marked does bring responsibilities. You have to
an important moment in the development be more careful what you say and do.
of tattooing because collaborations It's so easy to be judged on social media
weren't that common back then. What's platforms nowadays...
so beautiful about it is the Rat Pack was
born spontaneously. We were just a
group of friends with a desire to do
things differently. Nothing was planned.
It was great.
For me, collaborations are all about

having fun while learning at the same
time. That's the dynamic of the Rat Pack:
no egos, no competition, just good
friends doing what they love. I have no
doubt we'll be back together again soon.

Do you think social media has had a
damaging effect on tattooing?
In some senses, yes. Social media has

created a distorted idea of what it is to be
an artist. What we're seeing now is tattoo
artists trying to be content creators and not
artists. In fact I think we're in danger of
reaching breaking point, because tattooing
has become an entertainment, something
that people do to please an audience. We
need to redress the balance and try not to
lose the focus on our real goal – to grow as
an art.
Do you feel there is still such a thing

as a global tattoo community?
The tattoo industry is complicated, as are all

artistic realms. Respect is the basis for
everything – and if you have that, you can
have a solid career without drama. I
particularly love conventions, because
they're like a big celebration of who we are
and what we do. You can meet new people
and hug old friends, and all of that feeds our
souls.
And there is so much more sharing of

information in today's tattoo world.
Yes. When I first started, it was very difficult

to get any information from other artists.
There was a lot of jealousy and no one
wanted any competition. Nowadays, with
online seminars and tutorials, that's all
changed.
I love sharing knowledge. And I think that's

partly because I myself got so little help
when I first started. All artists need
inspiration from other artists, and when you
have someone you admire in front of you
sharing the things that have helped them in
their career, it can be of great value.
As tattoo artists, we're constantly learning.

I'm still learning! And I know I'm always
going to be open to that.

TATTOOIST INTERVIEW
Realism tattooing such as yours has
‘I'm so grateful for reached such a high level now, do
you think it can progress any further?
all the many beautiful Yes, I do think it will go further. The art of
moments in my career.’ tattooing will definitely continue to evolve.
New styles will emerge. New techniques will
So much has changed in the 20 be developed. Art never stops! History has
years you've been tattooing. taught us that.
Yes, there's been huge change. I What do you think is the key to your
remember when I first started I dreamt of work?
one day having a cordless machine...
and now just look at the technology we Details are key to everything I do. Every
have today! mark has a reason for being there. It's like
painting. Every brushstroke adds something;
The accelerated capacity for growth over every daub of colour is necessary. The more
the last few years is almost hallucinatory. detail there is, the richer and more beautiful
What took me six years to learn, people the piece will be.
can now pick up in just a year or two.
The next generation of artists is Over time, I've focused my attention on
flourishing. This is a positive thing for learning to observe. Making space to study
everyone. Some might see it as the piece that you're going to create helps
increasing competition, but I just see it as you to understand the direction you need to
more people I can learn from. take.

Where does your artistic
inspiration come from? How did
you develop your style?
I think the influence of the Renaissance is

very apparent in my work. That's
definitely the period in art history where
most of my inspiration comes from.
Caravaggio, Michelangelo, Da Vinci, El
Greco... these are just some of the great
masters I've studied.
But it's not like I picked up a tattoo

machine and all of a sudden did what I
can do today. It took time to get here. I
had to experiment with all sorts of styles,
and make mistakes and find ways to fix
them. That's how you discover yourself as
an artist and develop what eventually
becomes your artistic identity, your
artistic language.
I also think it's crucial for tattoo artists to

learn complementary skills in other areas
of art. Technology makes it incredibly
easy for us to source reference material
nowadays but – speaking personally –
it's my knowledge of painting,
photography and design that enables me
to work with these images to best effect
in my tattoos.
What part of the tattoo process do

you find most enjoyable?
I try to enjoy every step, because all the

steps complement one another.
A good tattoo begins with the design. It's

important to enjoy this part of the
process because it's the start of what
could turn into a really great project.
During the application stage, your hands
are physically creating something; with
every hour that passes, you have the
satisfaction of seeing the piece take
shape and come alive.
Obviously you want the final result to be

something you love, so every part of the
process is important.

TATTOOIST INTERVIEW
And are you still as passionate
‘Social media has about tattooing as you were when
you first began?
created a distorted Oh, definitely! My passion is as strong as
idea of what it is to be ever. It's why I tattoo! I don't see myself
doing anything else. I love tattooing and
an artist.’ hope to do it until the end of my days.
Tattooing has such a great reach now.

ºHow important is the client for And that's something that feels very
you in the tattoo process? special to those of us who have been
around in the industry for a while. We're
The client is the most important part! able to appreciate its mainstream appeal
Without clients we could not develop our from a different point of view. Personally,
art. Without a client there would be no I think we're now going through one of
tattoo. the best periods in tattooing ever.
But you need to have good chemistry.

Tattooing isn't like painting; a canvas has
no emotion, it doesn't feel. As a tattooist,
you can't do a great job if the person is
difficult – and every tattooist experiences
this at some point.
Fortunately I've had the blessing of being

able to choose who I work with. I've had
some exceptional clients and that is
something I really appreciate.
You have a great connection with

Cheyenne.
Yes, my relationship with Cheyenne over

the years has been wonderful. They were
one of the first companies to believe in
me, and I feel a lot of gratitude for that. I
like to experiment with everything that's
available, and I enjoy trying new
machines from other brands too – the
same with needles – but I always return
to Cheyenne because I truly love their
products.
Do you have any other

sponsorships?
I also work with Intenze, and I have a

great relationship with them too.
H2Ocean is another brand I work with.
These are collaborations of many years
standing, so they go way beyond the
business relationship. They're beautiful
friendships.

What advice would you give aspiring
artists today?
We live in an era where everyone is in a

hurry to arrive. Everyone wants to skip the
necessary steps along the way. Everyone
just wants to be noticed. And that generates
a lot of insecurities for those who are
starting out on their journey in this world.
Too many young artists think social media is

reality. But it's so far from that!
You can't make a career by comparing

yourself to what you see on Instagram, and
don't assume that the quality of your work is
measured by how many likes you receive.
That's not how it works. It's not just about
playing to a crowd of followers. Art is a
painful road. It's going to be frustrating
enough anyway – so don't add to the
pressure by feeling you have to please a
social media algorithm.
To grow as an artist takes time. You have to

make mistakes, fall and get back up. You
learn with every step.
If you could go back in time to the

start of your career, what advice
would you give yourself?
If I could go back in time, I would only want

to observe. I wouldn't want to give myself
any advice or intervene in any way.
Everything I've done has played a part in

helping me to become who I am today.
Every fall was necessary, in order to
understand the next step. That's what life's
about. Things can't be perfect, no matter
how much you might want them to be.
So I don't have regrets. I believe every

mistake – just like every accomplishment – is
part of the whole.
'Everything that
happens in New York
reverberates globally!'
TATTOOIST INTERVIEW
That's a beautiful way to look at It sounds like you've done a lot of
things. thinking about the meaning of life.
I think if you work from a place of I remember in one of my conversations

passion and sacrifice, there's always with The Rock we talked about that
going to be something good that will famous saying “Life is once”. I told
await on the other side. When things Dwayne that over the years I've come to
aren't so great, I try my best to learn see it differently. Life is not once. When
from them. I've had so many beautiful you open your eyes every morning,
and important moments in my career – you're given life – and an opportunity to
and everything is received with gratitude. improve, to give it your best TODAY. For
me, “Death is once”. Because when it
Did the coronavirus pandemic comes, there are no more opportunities.
change your outlook on life? It's over.
When all the madness of the virus began, So make peace with what you can’t
I re-evaluated many things in my life, control, make the best of the negative
especially in connection with my family, things, and if there's anything you can
my children... change for the better, do it today
because tomorrow may be too late.
Sometimes when you are at the edge you
have realisations and I think that's what email yomicoart@gmail.com
happened to me. To see so many fall ill, Twitter: @yomicoart
and so many die, and you in the middle Instagram: @yomicoart
of it all... you start to rethink how you're yomicoart.com
living your life.
I now care more about my health, my

quality of life, and time with the people
who matter to me. The pandemic taught
me that there are no guarantees; things
can change in a moment and you have to
be ready physically and mentally for
that.

Report and photos by Perry
BLACKPOOL
TATCON
Blackpool's annual Tatcon took place in August
this year. The weather was spectacular, and on
a hot and sunny summer's day there's no finer
place to be than beside the seaside!
Blackpool's Tatcon is held at the massive seafront Norbreck Castle

Hotel, an ideal self-contained convention venue boasting close to
500 ensuite bedrooms, three bar areas (one of which is more like a
traditional pub), an indoor swimming pool and two stage areas.
Most bookings for Tatcon included breakfast and evening meal –
and all of this at incredibly reasonable prices with the special show
discount.
The show is organised and run by Pat, with help from friends and
family. Pat is well known to the Norbreck Castle, having put on many
events there over the years, and this relationship clearly means a lot.
The hotel simply couldn't do enough for everyone; they went out of
their way to ensure Tatcon ran smoothly – going the extra mile, and
always with a smile. Everyone working the show, traders and artists
alike, all commented on this and it definitely added to the friendly
atmosphere of the whole weekend.

About 160 tattooists were in
attendance and pretty much all the
major styles were catered for. The
show is split across two main halls –
one with all the artists and the main
entertainment stage, and the other
filled with traders and a second stage
for the tattoo competitions.
A wide corridor was put to good use

housing a motorbike show, with
donations being collected throughout
the weekend for Blood Bikes (who
carry emergency blood to hospitals
around the country). Outside, a car
show had been arranged. On the
Saturday, when I was there, sadly
only a small number of vehicles had
turned up; I do hope there was a
better turn-out on the Sunday.
Pat is forever coming up with new

ideas to add into the mix, and
nothing is too outrageous. This year
he organised a 'Shite Shirt'
competition in the bar on the
Saturday night. A prize was given to
the person wearing the worst shirt...
which came as quite a surprise to that
guy that won it, who knew nothing
about the competition!

But it was of course the tattoo
competitions that were the most
important contests of the weekend.
They're a major part of Tatcon and
are very well supported. With prizes
being awarded for first, second and
third places there was a lot for the
judges to deliberate on.
Due to the very large numbers of

competition entries in previous years,
Pat decided to introduce a token
system to whittle down the entries in
each category (this is where judges
view all the contestants
simultaneously and award tokens to
their favourites, as opposed to the
more traditional method where they
view each piece in turn and award
points that are totted up at the end).
Having narrowed each category
down to a shortlist, the conventional
points system was then employed to
find the winners. This way of doing
things certainly did speed up
proceedings.
As mentioned previously, sadly we

had to leave early on the Sunday
morning so we missed the second day
of Tatcon – which is a shame,
because I genuinely enjoy this
convention. It's true that the hotel has
a faded charm and is a bit rough
around the edges, but it has a
nostalgic romance about it that
reminds me of the Great British
Seaside in its heyday. Tatcon may not
be the largest or most prestigious of
shows, but it's an honest grassroots
event. Put simply, it's everything a
convention needs to be – a gathering
of tattooists and tattoo fans, sharing
their work, meeting new friends and
having a really good time!
And on one of the hottest weekends

of the year, it certainly didn't take
much convincing to get everyone to
meet in the bar for a cold beer at the
end of a great day of tattooing.

PORTFOLIO- BARAWSKI
SIX BULLETS TATTOO @barawski_tattooing

PORTFOLIO

www.totaltattoo.co.uk
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SCOTLAND ferryroadtattoostudio@gmail.com
IG: @ferryroadtattoostudio
IG: @pointzerotattoo
FB: pointzerotattoo
147 Tattoos FB:ferryroadtattoostudio
147 Howard Street Relatively Painless Tattoo
Glasgow G1 4HF Forevermore Tattoo 15 Portland Place, Leith, Edinburgh
07341956662 202, Hope Street, Glasgow, EH6 6LA
hello@147tattoos.co.uk G2 2UG 0131 237 3501
www.147tattoos.co.uk 0141 332 9340 painlessbookings@gmail.com
IG:@147tattoos forevermoretattoo@gmail.com www.relativelypainlesstattoo.com
www.forevermoretattoo.co.uk IG: @relativelypaintlesstattoo
Absolute Body Art IG: @fmtglasgow
23a Blair Street, Edinburgh FB: /FMTGlasgow Roseline Tattoo
Scotland 24 Kinnoul Street, Perth,
EH1 1QR Inkdependent PH1 5EX
info@absolutebodyart.studio 56 Dalry Rd, Edinburgh, 01738 270 355
www.absolutebodyart.studio EH11 2BA roselinetattoo@gmail.com
IG: @absolute_bodyart 0131 623 6565 roselinetattoo.bigcartel.com
FB: absolutebodyart inkdependenttattoos@gmail.com IG: @roselinetattoos
www.inkdependent.eu FB: roselinetattoo
Aughra’s Eye Tattoo Parlour
Suite 56 1st Floor Central Chambers Inkredible Kreations
92 Canal Street, Perth Ruby Tattoo Collective
93 Hope Street, Glasgow 26 Westwood Square,
G2 6LD PH2 8HX
01738 441116 East Kilbride, Glasgow
aughraseyetattoo@gmail.com G75 8JQ
IG: @aughraseyetattoo inkrediblekreations@gmail.com
www.inkrediblekreations.tattoo 01355 458120
FB: /AughrasEyeTattoo www.rubytattoocollective.co.uk
IG: @inkrediblekreations
FB: @inkrediblekreations enquires@rubytattoocollective.co.uk
Blue Box Tattoo IG: @rubytattoocollective
5 High Street, Dunfermline
KY12 7DL Insider Tattoo
89 Henderson Street, Edinburgh, Sailor Max Tattoo Parlour
01383223313 202 George Street, Aberdeen
bluebox@gmail.com EH6 6ED
0131 554 6083 AB25 1BS
www.blueboxtattoo.co.uk 01224 642347
IG: @blueboxtattoo info@insidertattoo.com
www.insidertattoo.com IG: @sailormax13
Custom Inc. FB: Sailormax13
214 Kent Road, Finnieston, Glasgow Kraken Studios
G3 7HE 2 High Street, Renfrew, Santa Cruz Kustom Club
0141 249 9949 PA4 8QR 58 Murray Place, Stirling,
info@custominc.co.uk 0141 258 0706 FK8 2BX
www.custominc.co.uk IG: @kraken_studios 01786 357 272
@custominctattoos FB: /krakenstudiosrenfrew SCKCTattoo@gmail.com
www.SCKCtattoo.com
Electric Artz Tattoo Nest of Thorns IG: @santacruzkustomclub
504 Duke St, Glasgow 3/2 200 Bath Street. Glasgow FB: /SantaCruzKustomClub
G31 1QG G2 4HG
0141 556 4455 info@nestofthorns.co.uk Semper Tattoo Studio
IG: @electricartztattoos IG: @nestofthorns.co.uk 7 Grass Market, Edinburgh,
FB: electricartz EH1 2HY
Okey Dokey Tattoo 0131 466 0370
Fat Cat Tattoo 19 Bread Street, Edinburugh sempertattoo@gmail.com
21 Hannah Street, Porth RCT EH3 9AL www.sempertattoo.com
CF39 9RB 01312282368
bryall@hotmail.co.uk www.tattooedinburgh.com StudioXIII
01443 683553 FB: okeydokeytattooedinburgh 3 Jeffrey Street, Edinburgh,
FB: fatcattattoouk IG:@okeydokeytattooedinburgh EH1 1DH
IG: @fatcattattoouk 0131 558 2974
Point Zero Tattoo
322 Kirk Road, Wishaw, artwork@studioxiii.tattoo
Ferry Road Tattoo Studio studiox111.tattoo
154 Ferry Road, Edinburgh EN6 4NX ML2 7DD
01698 305 099 IG: @studioxiiigallery
0131 5555512 FB: StudioXIIIGallery
pointzerotattoo@gmail.com
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Terrys Tattoo Studio Mushu Tattoo www.thedrawingroom.studio
23 Chisholm Street, Glasgow, Arch 4, High Level Road hello@thedrawingroom.studio
G1 5HA Wellington Street, Gateshead
0141 552 5740 NE8 2AJ Easy Tiger Tattoo
hello@terrystattoostudio.com mushu.tattoo@icloud.com 003, Castleton Mill, Leeds
www.terrystattoostudio.com IG: @mushu.tattoo LS12 2DS
IG: @terrystattoostudio FB: mushu.tattoo 0113 887 0172
FB: TerrysTattooStudio www.easytigertattoo.com
No Love Lost Tattoo Studio IG: @easytigertattoos
Twenty Two Volts Tattoo 7 Tower Street, Hartlepool
Suite 245, 11 Bothwell Street, TS24 7HH Follow Your Dreams Tattoo
Glasgow G2 6LD www.no-love-lost-collective.business.site 160 Devonshire Street, Sheffield
Contact Artists Directly via @nolovelost.collective S3 7SG
@twentytwovolts FB: nolovelost.collective 0114 216 8078
IG: @fydtattoo
Utopia Body Arts Northside Tattooz https://www.facebook.com/FYDTattoo
15 McCombies Court, Aberdeen 2 - Basement, Bewick Street,
AB11 1AW City Centre, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 5EF Incredible Ink Tattoo Studio
01224 679 878 0191 221 0328 1887 Leek Road, Milton, Stoke on Trent,
info@utopiabodyarts.com low@northsidetattooz.co.uk ST2 7AQ
utopiabodyarts.com www.northsidetattooz.co.uk 07950283929
IG: @utopiabodyarts incredibleinktattoostudio@outlook.com
FB: /utopiabodyarts The Tattoo Station FB: incredibleinktattoo
20 Ridley Place, City Centre, IG: @incredibleinktattoostudio
Watermelon Tattoo Newcastle Upon Tyne,
19 Easter Road, Edinburgh, EH7 5PJ NE1 8JN New Mind Tattoo
0131 6652 1988 0191 232 8491 25b Westgate (Second floor)
info@watermelontattoo.com studio@tattoostation.co.uk Huddersfield, West Yorkshire
watermelon.tattoo www.tattoostation.co.uk HD1 1NP
IG: @watermelon_tattoo IG: @tattoostationnewcastle 01484 549077
FB: watermelontattooedinburgh IG: @newmindtattoo
Triplesix Studios FB: newmindtattoo
White Tiger Tattoo 24 Fawcett Street, Sunderland,
31 Market Place, Whitburn, Bathgate, SR1 1RH Red Tattoo & Piercing
EH47 0EU 0191 565 6665 Leeds Corn Exchange
01501 228 460 www.triplesixstudios.com 0113 242 0413
Info.at.whitetigertattoo@gmail.com IG: @triplesixstudios redtattooandpiercing@hotmail.co.uk
IG: @white.tiger.tattoo FB: triplesixstudios666 www.redtattooandpiercing.com
FB: /whitetigertatt
Roadhouse Tattoo Studio
NORTH EAST YORKSHIRE AND York House, 223 Bingley Road, Shipley,
THE HUMBER Bradford, BD18 4DH
Bluebottle Tattoo Parlour 07730 272 692
3 Esplanade, Whitley Bay 1873 Tattoo Club roadhousetattoostudio@gmail.com
Tyne and Wear Unit 1, Hanson Street, Thomas Whitworth www.roadhousetattoos.co.uk
NE26 2AG Forum, Barnsley, IG: @roadhousetattoostudio
07725732918 S70 2HZ FB: /RoadhouseTattooStudio
IG: @bluebottletattooparlour 07710 699 670
leon.walker85@hotmail.co.uk Skinz Tattoo Company
Crooked Fang Tattoo IG: @1873_tattooclub 318-322 Stanningley Road, Leeds,
Unit 3, 37 (rear), FB: 1873tattoo LS13 3EG.
Blandford square, 0113 204 7848
Newcastle upon tyne, 1995 Tattoo Studio www.leedstattoostudio.com
NE1 4HZ 38 Grove Terrace, Bradford info@leedstattoostudio.com
crookedfangtattoo@gmail.com BD7 1AU IG: @skinztattoostudio
@ crooked_fang_tattoo 1995tattoostudiobookings@gmail.com FB: /SkinzTattooStudio
FB: crookedfangltd 07384 404079
IG: @1995tattoostudio The Wolf Shed
High Bridge Tattoo FB: 1995tattoostudio 19 Church Hill, Selby,YO8 4PL
15 High Bridge, Newcastle Upon Tyne, NE1 01757 335 233
1EW Blue Collar Club Tattoo thewolfshed@hotmail.com
0191 261 9473 Unit 7, 92 hardwood Street, Sheffield, IG: @thewolfshed @neilwolftattoo
dean@highbridgetattoo.co.uk S2 4SE FB: /neilwolftattoo
IG: @Highbridgetattoo_ncl bluecollarclubtattoo@gmail.com
FB: HighBridgeTattooNCL IG: @bluecollarclubtattoo Ultimate Skin
FB: @bcctattoo 33 New Briggate, Leeds, LS2 8JD
Lost Tower Tattoo Studio 0113 244 4940
10a Tower Street, Hartlepool Crooked Claw Tattoo ustattoo@gmail.com
TS24 7HD 734 Ecclesall Road, Sheffield, IG: @ultimate_skin
01429 271030 S11 8TB FB: /ultimateskintattoo
@losttowertattoo 0114 327 1411
www.lost-tower.co.uk crookedclawtattoos@gmail.com Vesso Art Studio
www.crookedclawtattoo.com 72b Market Street
Masamune Tattoos First and Second Floor, Pocklington
29 Front Street, NE16 4EA The Drawing Room YO422AB
0191 488 6222 996 Manchester Road, Linthwaite 01759306799
masamunetattoos@gmail.com Huddersfield, HD7 5QQ bookings@vessoart.com
www.masamunetattoos.co.uk 01484 937747 www.vessoart.com
IG: @masamunetattoos @thedrawingroomuk IG: @vesso_art_tattoo
FB: /masamunetattoos FB: thedrawingroomtattoos FB: vessoartstudio
REGIONAL DIRECTORY
Wilde Ink - Tank Enquiries@solemnnights.co.uk IG: @crowtempletattoo
8 Silver Street, Wakefield WF1 1UY www.solemnnights.co.uk FB: /crowtempletattoo
01924 298185 IG: @solemnnights_tattoo
tattoosbytank@outlook.com FB: solemnnightstattoos&FineArt Cult Classic Tattoo
IG: @tattoos.by.tank 32 North Street, Romford,
FB: tattoosbytankuk Sub Rosa Tattoo RM1 1BH
154a Victoria Street South, Grimsby 01708 730 500
EAST MIDLANDS Linconshire cultclassictattoo@gmail.com
DN31 1NX www.cultclassictattoo.com
Annex Studios subrosastudio13@gmail.com
(handpoke and machine tattooing) FB: subrosatattoo13 Custom Ink Tattooing
The Annex, Mark eaton Lane Derby IG: @subrosatattoo13 110 Cherry Hinton Road
DE22 4NH Cambridge
01332 986 920 Wills Customs Tattoo Studio CB1 7AJ
59 Nether Hall Road, Doncaster 01233 414122
Base Shade Tattoo DN1 2PG info@custominktattooing.com
6 Church Street, Rushden, 01302 344907 www.custominktattooing.com
NN10 9YT www.facebook.com/willscustomstattoo IG: @custom_ink_tattooing
01983 316 055 @willscustomstattoo
baseshadetattoo@yahoo.co.uk Eternal Art Tattoo Studio
FB: /baseshadetattoo EAST OF ENGLAND 42-43 Viaduct Road, Chelmsford,
CM1 1TS
Bunraku Tattoo Abrakadavra Tattoo Art Club 01245 355 166
1a Victoria Parade, Leicester, 66 Upper Orwell Street, Ipswich eternal-art@hotmail.co.uk
LE1 5FG IP4 1HR IG: @prizemantattoo
0116 262 9401 014673213144 FB: /PriZeMaN
info@bunrakutattoo.co.uk contact@abrakadavra.com
www.bunrakutattoo.co.uk www.abradavra.com Factotum Body Modification
IG: @bunrakutattoo @abrakadavratattoo 5 St John Maddermarket, Norwich,
FB: /bunrakutattoo NR2 1DN
All Or Nothing 01603 618 188
Epona Art and Tattoo Tattoo and Piercings contact@factotumbodymods.com
Waterloo Yard, King Street, 80 Newland Street, Witham, factotumbodymods.com
Southwell, NG25 0EH CM8 1AH IG: @factotumbodymodification
01636 815 771 01376 519 602 FB: /factotumbodymodification
theresatattoo@btinternet.com aontattoo@outlook.com
www.eponatattoo.com www.aontattoo.com Flaming Gun Tattoo
IG: @1aontattoo 16 Church Walk, Colchester
CO1 1NS
Hypnotic Art Tattoo FB: 1aontattoo 01206 575705
200 Queensway, Milton Keynes, MK2 2ST www.flaminggun.com
01908 989 695 Black Galleon Tattoo Studio flamingguntattoostudio@gmail.com
hypnoticarttattoo@gmail.com 22 Blackfriars Street, Kings Lynn, @flamingguntattoostudio
www.hypnotic-art.co.uk PE30 1NN
01553 777 322 Good Ship 13
Mandala Tattoo FB: /blackgalleontattoostudio 374 London Road Hadleigh,
11 Cross Street, Blaby, LE8 4FD SS7 2DA
0116 277 8222 Black Hope Tattoo 07415 299 998
mandalatattoostudio@hotmail.com 16 Trinity Street goodship13info@gmail.com
IG: @mandalatattoostudio CO1 1JN FB: /Good-Ship-13-Tattoos
FB: /mandalatattooandbodypiercing 01206 548041
www.blackhopetattoo.com Hollow Bones
Moonshine’s Tattoo Parlour IG: blackhopetattoo 60 London Street, Norwich,
Unit 1, 1 Alexandra St, Stapleford NR2 1JX
NG9 7ED Black Plague Tattoo hollowbonestattoo@gmail.com
0115 837 2425 6 Pottergate, Norwich IG: @hollow_bones_tattoo
Nottingham NR2 1DS FB: /hollowbonestattoo
Contact Artists Directly via 01603 986764
IG: @moonshinestattooparlour www.blackplaguetattoo.co.uk Indigo Tattoo Studio
FB. moonshinetattooparlour contact@blackplaguetattoo.co.uk 7 St Giles Street, Norwich, NR2 1JL
@blackplaguetattoo 01603 886143
Nevermore Tattoo Parlour indigotattooandpiercing@gmail.com
Bishop Crewe House, North Street, Braintree Tattoo Studio www.indigopiercing.com
Daventry, NN11 4GH 148 Coggeshall Road, Braintree IG: @indigotattoostudio
01327 876 350 CM7 9ER FB: @indigotattooandpiercing
nevermoretattoo@gmail.com 01376 560 633
IG: @nevermoretattoo info@braintreetattoostudio.co.ukwwww.br Jayne Doe Tattoo
FB: /nevermoretattoo aintreetattoostudio.co.uk 60 Station Lane, Hornchurch,
RM12 6NB
No 36 Tattoos Colchester Body Arts 01708 479 366
36 High Street, Thrapston, 41 North Hill, Colchester jaynedoeessex@gmail.com
NN14 4JH CO1 1PY IG: @jaynedoetattoo
07852 677 804 01206 768228 FB: /jaynedoetattoo
max649kemp@gmail.com www.colchesterbodyarts.co.uk
IG: @no36tattoos IG: @colchesterbodyarts Luna Blue Tattoo
FB: /no36tattoos 92 Rectory Grove, Leigh-On-Sea
Crow Temple Tattoo SS9 2HL
Solemn Nights tattoo 85 Prince of Wales, Norwich, 01702 875110
20 Granby Street, NR1 1DG lunabluetattoo@gmail.com
Ilkeston DE7 8HN www.corvidaetattoo.bigcartel.com IG: @lunabluetattoo

Mean Street Tattoo Parlour SW17 9LG Lowrider Tattoo
21-23 St Georges Street, Norwich London 311 Bethnal Green Road, London
NR3 1AB 0208 6821185 E2 6AH
01603 762636 info@crimsontalestattoo.co.uk 0208 739 5115
meanstreettattooparlour@gmail.com www.crimsontalestattoo.co.uk Inquiry@lowridertattoolondon.com
IG: @meanstreet.tattooparlour FB: crimsontalestattoo IG: @lowridertattoolondon
IG: @tattooinlondon
No Master Tattoos Low Tide
67 Bridge Street Diamond Heart Tattoo Studio 19 Market Place, Southend-on-Sea,
Downham Market PE38 9DW 223 Broadway, Bexleyheath, DA6 7EJ SS1 1DA
01366 381338 0208 304 1414 01702 344 060
nomastertattoos@gmail.com bookings@diamondhearttattoo.com lowtidetattoo@gmail.com
www.nomastertattoos.com www.diamondhearttattoo.com IG: @lowtidetattoouk
IG: @nomastertattoos IG: @diamondhearttattoo
FB: /diamondhearttattoo Nemesis Tattoo & Body Piercing -
Rough Diamond Tattoo Buck Street
21 Poplar Hill, Stowmarket, Suffolk Flamin’ Eight Tattoo 3 Buck Street, Camden Town,
IP14 2AS 2 Castle Road, Kentish Town, NW1 NW1 8NJ
01449 616726 020 7267 7888 020 7482 0063
www.roughdiamondtattoo.com www.flamineight.co.uk nemesiscamdentown@gmail.com
IG: @roughdiamondtattoo flamineight@hotmail.com www.nemesistattoo.co.uk
FB: roughdiamondtattoo IG: @flamineighttattoos IG: @nemesistattoo
FB: /flamineighttattoo FB: /mindtheink
St. Giles Tattoo Studio
3 St. Giles Street, Norwich, NR11JJ Flora and Fauna Tattoos Nemesis Tattoo & Body Piercing -
01603 624 264 12 Cody Road, London, E16 4SR Inverness Street
st.gilestattoo@gmail.com info@floraandfaunatattoos.co.uk 26 Inverness Street, Camden Town,
IG: @st.gilestattoo IG: @floraandfaunatattoos NW1 7HJ
FB: StGilesTattoo FB: /floraandfaunatattoos 020 7419 8621
nemesiscamdentown@gmail.com
Some Days Tattoo Gilded Dagger Tattoo www.nemesistattoo.co.uk
Top Floor, 8 Orford Hill, Norwich 102 Easton Street IG: @nemesistattoo
NR1 3QD High Wycombe FB: /mindtheink
info@somedaystattoo.co.uk Buckinghamshire
IG: @somedaystattoo HP11 1LT Never Say Die Tattoos
07709917392 07710973387 38A George St, Croydon
gildeddagger@gmail.com CR0 1PB
Tattoo Art www.gildeddagger.com 020 3609 5317
neversaydiettattoos@gmail.com
Dee Lane, 10 Looms Lane @gildeddaggertattoo @neversaydietattoos
Bury St Edmunds, IP33 1HE
91284723939 Happy Sailor Tattoo Nikki Andrews Farino
studio@tattooartbse.co.uk 17 Hackney Road, London, E2 7NX Femme Fatale, London, E8 4TS
www.tattooartbse.co.uk 020 7033 9222 07773 363 305
IG: @tattooartbse Tattooed_tota@hotmail.com nikkilolly@gmail.com
www.happysailortattoo.com IG: @nikkilollytattoo
Wolf & Arrows Tattoos IG: @happysailortattoo FB: /NikkiAndrewsFarino
57 St Johns Street, Bury St Edmunds, IP33 FB: /happysailortattoo
1SJ Old Habits Tattoo
01284 701643 Haunted Tattoos 364 Kingsland Road, London,
IG: @wolfandarrows 159 Holloway Road, London E8 4DA
FB: /wolfandarrowstattoo N7 8LX Tel no: 0203 609 0931
hauntedtattoos@hotmail.com oldhabitstattoo@gmail.com
LONDON FB: hauntedtattoostudio www.oldhabitstattoo.com
IG: @hauntedtattoos
Aurora Bloom Tattoo 02076096276 Only Here For you
Lower Ground 33-35 Lisson Grove Unit R4 55-57 Wallis Road
Marylebone, London, NW1 6UB Inksmiths Of London Hackney Wick, London
aurorabloomtattoo@gmail.com 8 Chequers Parade, Eltham, E9 5LH
IG: @aurorabloomtattoo London, SE9 1DD 07968815558
FB: @aurorabloomtattoo 020 8617 3338 www.onlyhereforyou.com
Inksmithsoflondon@gmail.com hello@onlyhereforyou.com
Blank Collective IG: @InksmithsofLondon FB: onlyhere4you
Unit 1, 82-84 Childers Street IG: @_ohfy
London SE8 5FS Kings Cross Tattoo Parlour
info@blankcollective.co.uk 185 Kings Cross Road Parliament Tattoo
www.blankcollective.co.uk WC1X 9DR Unit D, Leeds Place, London
020 4547 8577 London N4 3RF
IG: @blankcollective 0207 8374 634 020 83510482
kxtp@hotmail.co.uk www.parliamenttattoo.com
The Blue Tattoo www.kingscrosstattooparlour.com IG: @parliamenttattoo
2 Studland Street, Hammersmith, IG: @kingscrosstattoo
W6 0JS Santo Cuervo Custom
0208 746 3133 Leviticus Tattoo Emporium Tattoos
info@thebluetattoo.co.uk 170 High Road (Cuthberts Alley) 84 Green Lanes, London
www.thebluetattoo.co.uk Loughton, Essex, IG10 1DN N16 9AH
IG: @thebluetattoolondon 0208 502 4029 0207 254 1689
FB: leviticustattooemporium @santocuervotattoo
Crimson Tales leviticustattooemporium@gmail.com santocuervotattoo@gmail.com
217 Longley Road www.leviticustattooemporium.co.uk

REGIONAL DIRECTORY
Seven Doors Tattoo theblackdahliastudio@gmail.com gunandpedalbrighton@hotmail.com
55 Fashion Street, Shadwell, London, IG: @theblackdahliastudio IG: @gunandpedaltattoostudio
E1 6PX FB: /gunandpedaltattoo
020 7375 3880 Braintree Tattoo Studio
sevendoorstattoo@gmail.com 148 Coggleshall Road, Braintree Higgins and Co
IG: @sevendoorstattoo CM7 9ER 69 Terminus Road, Above Coffee Republic,
FB: sevendoorstattoo 01376 560 633 Eastbourne, BN21 3NJ
www.braintreetattoostudio.co.uk 01323 301 973
Six Bullets Tattoo FB: braintreetattoostudio higginsandco71@gmail.com
394 Camden Road,London, N7 0SJ IG: braintreetattoostudio www.higginsandcotattoo.co.uk
07579 043 308
sixbulletstattoo@gmail.com Body Art Southborough High Tide Tattoo Studio
www.sixbulletstattoo.com 158 London Road, Southborough Unit 1 Reeves Yard, Warwick Road,
IG: @six_bullets_tattoo TN4 0PJ Whitstable, CT5 1HX
FB: sixbulletstattoo 01892 524 704 01227 263 864
gavdunbartattoos@hotmail.co.uk zbreakspear@yahoo.com
Studio Gaia IG: @gavdunbartattoos IG: @high_tide_tattoo_studio
25a Perry Vale, Forest Hill, London FB: /hightidetattoostudio
SE23 2NE Carousel Tattoo Studio
www.studiogaialondon.com Indelible Ink
9-10 havercroft buildings 351 Forton Road, Gosport,
studiogaialondon@gmail.com North Street, Worthing, West Sussex
@studiogaialondon PO12 3HF
BN11 1DY 02392 522 587
01903 366240 www.indelibleinkstudio
The Good Fight www.carouseltattoostudio.co.uk
Cheriton, Queens Crescent, London, IG: @indelible_ink_studio
carouseltattoostudio@gmail.com| FB: /indelibleinkgosport
NW5 4EZ FB: Carousel Tattoo Studio
www.thegoodfighttattoo.com IG: @carouseltattoostudio
IG: @nick_whybrow Ink Generation Tattoo
IG: @clarawelshtattoos 9A High Street, Ewell Village
The Custom Propaganda Tattoo Surrey
IG: @taylormadetattooer Company
IG: @yorghtattoo KT17 1SG
Unit 7, Botley Mills, Botley, Southampton, 020 3663 7788
IG: @tamaraleedot SO30 2GB
IG: @oddhouse www.inkgenerationtattoo.co.uk
01489 325 341 info@inkgenerationtattoo.couk
IG: @harpertattoo IG: @custompropagandatattoo @ink_generation_tattoo
FB: /CustomPropagandaTattoo
The Inkstitute
26a Bostall Hill, London, SE2 0RA Inked Moose
Dead Slow 204 Whaddon Way, Bletchley, Milton Keynes,
07565 920 158 9 Boyces Street, Brighton, MK3 7DG
The.inkstitute88@yahoo.com 01908 411 151
IG: @the.inkstitute BN1 1AN
01273 208844 info@inkedmoose.co.uk
FB: /Tattooman888 www.inkedmoose.co.uk
www.deadslowco.com
Three Kings Tattoo contact@deadslowco.com
IG: @deadslowco Jammes Tattoo Studio
182 Deptford High Street, London, 4a Corn Market
SE8 3PR FB: /deadslowco
High Wycombe Bucks,
020 3612 9123 HP11 2BW
london@threekingstattoo.com Electric Thaiger Tattoo
2 Station Parade, Tweedy Road jammestattoos@gmail.com
www.threekingslondon.com FB: jammestattoo
IG: @threekingslondon Bromley, BR1 3NN
0208 460 6160 @jammestattoo
FB: /ThreeKingsLondon
info@electricthaigertattoo.co.uk
FB: /Electricthaigertattoo Keepsake Tattoo
Ushuaia Tattoo London 145 South Street, Lancing,
486 Fulham Road, SW6 5NH IG: @electricthaigertattoo
BN15 8BD
020 8616 1760 01903 767776
www.ushuaiatattoolondon.co.uk/en Fat Rabbit Tattoos
6 Church Walk, Banbury, OX16 5NY www.keepsaketattoo.co.uk
IG: @ushuaiatattoo.london IG: @keepsake_tattoo
FB: /ushuaiatattoo.london 01295 261 663
thefatrabbit@outlook.com Kookie Tattoo
Xotica Tattoo Company IG: @fat.rabbit.tattoos 114 High Street, Southampton, Hampshire
737 Finchley High Road, London, FB: /thefatrabbittattoo SO142AA
N12 0BP 02380637010
0208 445 0022 Fine Art Tattoo and Piercing IG: @kookietattoo
info@exoticatattoo.com Studio info@kookietattoo.com
IG: @xoticatattoo 6 York Street, Ramsgate, CT11 9DS www.kookietattoo.com
FB: XoticaTattoo 01843 588 885
fine-art-tattoo@hotmail.co.uk Living Sins
SOUTH EAST www.finearttattoo.co.uk 44 New Road, Woodston, Peterborough
PE29HA
Ace of Wands Tattoo Studio Gold Irons Tattoo Club 01733 687377
48 High Street, Rochester 41 Preston Street, Brighton, www.facebook.com/LivingSinsTattoo
ME11LD BN1 2HP Info@livingsins.co.uk
01634 393286 01273 809 903 @livingsinstattoo
aceofwandstattoo@gmail.com goldironstattooclub@outlook.com
IG: @aceofwandstattoo IG: @goldironstattooclub Lords Ink Tattoo Studio UK
FB: aceofwandstattoostudio FB: /goldironstattooclub 91 London Road, Bexhill on Sea,
TN39 3LB
The Black Dahlia Gun & Pedal Brighton Tattoo 01424 224 233
17 Granby Street, Littleport, Ely 21 Ditchling Road, Brighton, lordsinktattoostudiouk@hotmail.com
CB6 1NE BN1 4SB IG: @lordsinktattoostudiouk
01353 861975 01273 692 171 FB: /lordsinktattoostudioukbexhillonsea

MI Tattoo Studio & Laser Clinic SO15 2EH 5BS
Unit 1, 1 Green Street 07572649140 01173 300 123
Eastbourne, BN21 1QN atg.tattoo.lounge@gmail.com purplerosetattoo@hotmail.co.uk
01323 343 638 IG: @atg_tattoos www.purplerosetattoo.co.uk
www.mitattoostudios.co.uk FB: @ againstthegrain
IG: @mitattoostudios Rise & Reign Tattoo
FB/mitattoostudios Black Chalice Tattoo 85a Fore Street
Unit 4, Plaza 21, Edgeware Road, Swindon, Redruth
Parlour No 95 SN1 1HE Cornwall
95 Vicarage Road 01793 671 432 TR152BL
Watford WD18 0EB blackchalicetattoo@hotmail.com IG: @rise_and_reign_tattoo
01923 22183 FB: /blackchalicetattoo FB: riseandreigntattoo
parlour95tattoos@gmail.com
www.parlourno95.com Blackfriars Tattoo Studio Valhalla
5 Maylord Street, Hereford, HR12DS 17 Fore Street
Pain Divine 01432 278 330 Brixham
99 Church Street, Croydon blackfriarstattoo@gmail.com TQ5 8AA
Surrey CR0 1RN IG: @blackfriarstattoo www.studiovalhalla.co.uk
020 8686 6136 team@studiovalhalla.co.uk
www.paindivine.co.uk Boy wonder Tattoo Studio @studiovalhalla
paindivinetattoo@gmail.com 81 St James Street, Newport
@paindivinetattoostudio PO30 1LG Isle of Wight Traditional Values tattoo
07498388717 1-2 East gate, Joy Street,
Red Tower Tattoos thomasoliverart@hotmail.com Barnstaple EX31 1BU
16 Market Street, Lewes, BN7 2NB IG: @boywondertattoo 01271 523941
01273 011 667 region – South East traditionalvaluestattoo@gmail.com
contact@redtowertattoos.com www.Traditionalvaluestattoo.com/
www.redtowertattoos.com The Dealership Tattoo Studio IG: @traditionalvaluestattoo
IG: @redtowertattootattoos Unit 2, South Combe Farm FB: Traditionalvaluestattoo
FB: /redtowertattoos Shebbear, Beworthy Devon
EX21 5RF Turquoise Blue Tattoo
Rising Phoenix Tattoo 07909021691 112 Castle Lane West, Bournemouth,
28a High Street Mews, Leighton Buzzard, thedealershiptattoostudio@gmail.com BH9 3JU
LU7 1EA 01202 514 514 - 07812 938 174
01525 217 121 Eightfold Tattoo artists@turquoisebluetattoo.co.uk
studio@risingphoenixtattoo.co.uk 1 Heanton Street, Braunton, www.turquoisebluetattoo.co.uk
www.risingphoenixtattoo.co.uk EX33 2JS IG: @turquoisebluetattoo
IG: @RisingPhoenixLeightonBuzzard Phone: 01271 523 732 FB: /turquoisebluetattoo
FB: /rptattoo www.eightfoldtattoo.com
IG: @eightfoldtattoo Zeppo’s Tattoo Studio
Seven Sins Tattoo
10 High Street, Horley, RH6 7AY 56 South Street, Pennington,
Equinox Tattoo Collective SO41 8DX
01293 775 385 21 Bilbury Street, Plymouth,
info@sevensinstattoo.com 01590 676 348
www.sevensinstattoo.co.uk/ PL4 0BH info@zeppostattoo.co.uk
01752 952 741 FB: /zeppostattoo.co.uk
Skinned Alive Tattoo equinoxtattoocollective@gmail.com
24 Church Street, Brighton, IG: @equinoxtattoocollective WALES
BN1 1RB FB: /Equinoxtattoocollective21
info@skinnedalivetattoo.com Black Crow Tattoo
www.skinnedalivetattoo.com Living Art Plymouth 173 Caerleon Road, Newport
IG: @skinnedalivetattoo 87 Cornwall Street, Plymouth, South Wales NP197FX
FB: /skinnedalivetattoo PL1 1NX 07539900572
01752 253 418 01633211068
Stay Much Better livingartuk@hotmail.com IG: @blackcrowtattoo @benquinntattoo
1 Beaconsfield Parade, Beaconsfield Road, IG: @living_art_plymouth @blackcrowtattoos13
Brighton, BN1 6DN FB: /livingartplymouth FB: blackcrowtattoos
01273 564 494
www.smbtattoo.com Needle and Fred Tattoo Broadside Tattoo
IG: @smbtattoo 22 High Street, Littlehampton, 38 Singleton Street, Swansea,
FB: /smbtattoo BN17 5EE SA1 3QN
01903 733 622 01792 455 000
The Candle Orchard needleandfred@live.co.uk broadsideswansea@hotmail.com
14 Eversley Road IG: @inkfred IG: @broadsideswansea
Bexhill-on-Sea FB: broadsideswansea
TN40 1EU North Gate Tattoo
@thecandleorchard 13 Northgate Street, Bath, BA1 5AS Dexterity Ink
info@thecandleorchard.co.uk info@northgatetattoo.com Unit 9, Indoor Peoples Market, Wrexham,
www.thecandleorchard.co.uk www.northgatetattoo.com LL13 8BE
01978 447 100
Valhalla Tattoo The Opus Cartel Tattoo Studio FB: DexterityInkTattooStudio09
215 High Street, Bromley, BR1 1NY 7a Riverside Place, St James Street
Tel no: 0208 313 9470 Taunton, Somerset Different Dimension
info@valhallatattoo.co.uk TA1 1JH Unit 4, Pontcanna Mews
www.facebook.com/valhallatattoo215 01823 254434 200 Kings Road, Cardiff
IG: @theopuscartel.tattoostudio CF11 9DF
SOUTH WEST FB: theopuscartel.tattoostudio 07413 383 323
patrykmazurtattoo@gmail.com
Against The Grain Tattoos Purple Rose Tattoo www.surrealisticsanctuary.co.uk
29 Lower Banister Street, Southampton 56 Staple Hill Road, Fishponds, Bristol, BS16

REGIONAL DIRECTORY
Ebony Squid Studio 01242 352 306 01527 759 434
32 Clare Road, Cardiff, Wales hello@bloodandhoney.uk info@modernelectrictattoo.co.uk
CF11 6RS www.bloodandhoney.uk www.modernelectrictattoo.co.uk
info@ebonysquidstudio.com IG: @bloodandhoney IG: @modernelectrictattoo
www.ebonysquidstudio.com FB: /BloodHoneyTattooCompany
IG: @ebonysquidstudio Nala Tattoo & Piercing Studio
FB: ebonysquidstudio Chapters Tattoo Studio 81 Bolebridge Street, Tamworth,
51 Albion St, Birmingham B1 3EA B79 7PD
Ellwood Tattoo Studio 0121 233 3372 01827 68 353
3 Nickel Yard, Bakers Row, Cardiff chapterstattoo@gmail.com contact@nalastudio.co.uk
CF10 1AL IG: @chapterstattoostudio www.nalastudio.co.uk
ellwoodtattoostudio@gmail.com FB: chapterstattoo
www.ellwoodtattoos.com Steel and Ink Tattoos
IG: @ellwoodtattoostudio Cosmic Monsters Incorporated 114 Pope Street
FB: @ellwood_tattoos 3 High Street, Bromsgrove, B61 8AJ Birmingham
07863 135 814 B1 3AG
Maddie Roberts cmitattoo@gmail.com steelandink@gmail.com
44 Morfydd Street, Swansea, www.cmi-tattoo.com @steelandinktattoos
South Wales SA6 8BU
tattoosbymaddieroberts@gmail.com The Church Tattoo The Ink Spot
IG: @maddierobertstattoo 11 Church Road, Redditch, The Parade, Silverdale, Newcastle Under
FB: /maddierobertstattoo B97 4AB Lyme, ST5 6LQ
01782 619 144
01527 759 852 tattoosbycookie@hotmail.com
Physical Graffiti thechurchtattoo@hotmail.com www.theinkspotuk.com
124 City Road, Cardiff. CF24 3DQ FB: /thechurchtattoo
029 2048 1428 Treze Ink Tattoo UK
pgct@hotmail.co.uk Evergreen Studio 1a Hearsall Lane, Coventry
IG: @physicalgraffititattoos 51 Belgrave Road, Wyken, Coventry CV5 6HF
CV2 5AX 07879 895656
Pleasure or Pain productions 02476636355 / 07850545423 trezeink.uk@gmail.com
26 Cardiff Street, Aberdare www.evergreenstudiocoventry.com www.trezeinktattoo.co.uk
CF44 7DP FB: evergreenstudiocov IG: @treze.ink.tattoo
jaynemaddy78@gmail.com evergreentattoocoventry@gmail.com
FB: pleasureorpainproductions IG: @evergreenstudiocoventry UFO Tattoo
IG: @pleasureorpainproductions 1 Ipsey Street
Floodgate Tattoo Parlour Redditch
Stronghold Tattoo 119 Floodgate St, Digbeth Birmingham B5 B98 7AR
2nd floor High Street Arcade, 5SU 07926912524
Cardiff, CF10 1BE 07938 553847 tattoosbyufo@gmail.com
07943 981 671 floodgatetattooparlour@mail.com @ufotattoo
www.strongholdtattoo.com IG: @floodgatetattooparlour FB: tattoosbyufo
IG: @strongholdtttoo
Folklore Tattoo Vicious Pink Tattoo
Sursum Tattoo 119 Lichfield Street, Tamworth, Suite C, 9a Willow Street, Oswestry,
11 Market Square, Narberth, B79 7QB SY11 1AF
SA67 7AU 01827 768 446 01691 570 427
01834 860 616 folkloretattoos@live.com viciouspinktattoo@gmail.com
www.sursumtattoo.com www.folkloretattoostudio.co.uk www.viciouspink.co.uk
sursumtattoo@gmail.com IG: @fts_tattoo IG: @viciouspinktattoostudio
IG: @sursumtattoo FB: /folkloretattoostudio FB: /ViciousPink
FB: /sursumtattoo
Imperial Art Tattoo & NORTH WEST
WEST MIDLANDS Body Piercing
Ace Kustom Tattoo
20 King Street, Bedworth, CV12 8HT
B.W Tattoo Studios - Lichfield 024 7644 0947 78 Church Road
9 Eastern Avenue, Lichfield, imperialarttattoo@gmail.com Manchester, M22 4NW
WS13 6TE www.imperialarttattoo.com Tel no: 0161 945 8433
01543 898 766 FB: imperialarttattoo acekustomtattoos@gmail.com
www.bigwillstattoos.co.uk IG: @imperialarttattoo All Style Tattoos
IG: @bwtattoostudios 28 Crellin Street, Barrow in Furness, LA14
FB /BWtattoostudios Ink + Oils Tattoo Studio 1DU
Suite 1, Anker Bridge House 01229 838 946
BW Tattoo Studios - Aldridge Bridge Street, Polesworth, Tamworth allstyletattoos@gmail.com
2 Rookery Lane, Aldridge, WS9 8NN B78 1DR FB: /allstyletattoosbarrow
01922 277 717 inkandoilstamworth@gmail.com
bwtattoostudios.aldridge@gmail.com www.ink-oils.com Black Freighter Tattoo Co.
IG: @bwtattoostudios_aldridge IG: @inkandoilstamworthuk 56-60 Lower Bridge Street, Chester,
FB: /bwtattoostudios.aldridge FB: inkandoilsuk CH1 1RU
01244 297 528
Blackfriars Tattoo Mind your head Tattoo theblackfreightertattooco@gmail.com
30 Union Street, Hereford, HR1 2BT Unit 17, 57 Fredrick Street IG: @blackfreightertattoo
01432 507 245 B1 3HS FB: /TheBlackFreighterTattooCo
blackfriarstattoo@gmail.com mindyourheadtattoo@gmail.com
IG: @blackfriarstattoo facebook.com/mindyourheadtattoo Cats Cradle Tattoo Studio
FB: /blackfriarstattoos @mindyourheadtattoo 29 Kay Street, Rawtenstall, BB4 7LS
01706 216 593
Blood & Honey Tattoo Co Modern Electric Tattoo Co catscradletattoo@gmail.com
Winchcombe Street, Cheltenham, 147 Golden Cross Lane, Catshill, IG: @catscradletattoostudio
GL52 2NE Bromsgrove, B61 0JZ FB: /catscradletattoo

REGIONAL DIRECTORY
Dabs Tattoo Second Floor, Manchester, M4 5AB Year 23 Tattoo
78b Eastbourne Road, Southport, 01615 236790 3 Market Street Lane, Blackburn
PR8 4DU lapetitemorttattoos@gmail.com BB2 2DE
01704 566 665 IG: @lapetitemorttattoos www.year23.co.uk
Dabstattoos@btconnect.com Contact Artists Directly via @year23tattoo
IG: @tattoosatdabs Lux Tattoo
FB: dabstattoo/DABS Tattoo 495 Bury New Road, Pretwich, IRELAND
Manchester
Die for Art Tattoo M25 1AD A Sailors grave
158 Oldham Road 01617720616 139 Royal Avenue
Ashton-Under-Lyne info@luxtattoomcr.com Belfast
OL7 9AN IG: @luxtattoomcr BT1 1FH
dieforarttattoos@gmail.com 028 9031 2036
IG: @dieforarttattoo Market Quarter Tattoo www.asailorsgrave.co.uk
FB: @dieforarttattoo 14 Market Street, Southport, Merseyside, asailorsgravebelfast@gmail.com
PR8 1HJ @asailorsgrave
Empire Tattoos and Piercings marketquartertattoo@gmail.com
165a Church Street FB: /MQTSouthport The Black Poppy
FY1 3NX IG: @marketquartertattoo 5 Father Matthew St, Cork
Blackpool T12X 974
01253 65660 Sacred Art Tattoo 0852412245
info@empireblackpool.com 497 Barlow Moor Road, Chorlton, theblackpoppycork@gmail.com
IG: @empiretattoosandpiercings Manchester, M21 8AG www.theblackpoppycork.com
0161 881 1530 IG: // @theblackpoppy.cork
Focus Ink Tattoo Studio sacredartmcr@gmail.com FB: // @theblackpoppycork
49 Bank Street, Carlisle, CA3 8HJ www.sacredarttattoo.co.uk
07933 109207 Bold Will Hold Tattoo
contact.focusink@gmail.com Shipwrecked Tattoo Company 86 Lisburn Road, Belfast
IG: @focusinktattoostudio 12 New Street, Lancaster, LA1 1EG BT9 6AF
FB: @focusinktattoostudio 01524 874780 FB: Boldwillholdbelfast
shipwreckedtc@hotmail.co.uk @boldwillholdbelfast
Heart of Ink Tattoo www.shipwreckedtattoocompany.co.uk
47 Wigan Road, Ashton in Makerfield, WN4 IG: @shipwrecked_tc Chasing Ghosts
9AR FB: /shipwreckedtattoocompany 28 MacCurtain Street
IG: @heartofinktattoo Cork City, Cork
@johncrompton_tattoo Skin Kandi T23 CX7K
FB: johncromptontattoo 35 Westfield Street, St Helens, Merseyside, IG: @chasingghostscork
WA10 1QA FB: chasingghostscork
Hostile Souls Tattoo 01744 734 699
2a Cross Lane, Newton Le Willows IG: @skinkandicustomtattoostudio Kollective
WA12 9QE @leeguy @nh_tattoo @jadelouisetattoos Unit 5 The Maieston
01925 292421 FB: /skinkandi Ballymun Road, Santry Cross
hostilesoultattoos@gmail.com Dublin
FB: hostilesoulstattoos Stone Heart Tattoo Studio bluntforceink@gmail.com
@hostilesoulstattoos 12 Stockport Road, Cheadle IG: @kollective13
Stockport, Cheshire FB: kollective
Indelible Ink SK8 2AA
3 York Avenue, Thornton-Cleveleys, 01614281900 Sands of Time Tattoo
FY5 2UG stonehearttattoo@outlook.com 2 Lower Shannon Street
01253 280 457 FB: stonehearttattoostudio Limerick, Ireland
www.indelibleinktattoostudio.co.uk IG: @stonehearttattoostudio sottattoo@gmail.com
IG: @indelible_ink_tattoos www.sandsoftimetattoocollective.com
FB: /indelibleinkuk Studio78 Tattoos @sandsoftimetattoo
15 Earle Street, Crewe, CW1 2BS
Sanctury Tattoo and Therapies 01270 581 581 Taker Tattoos
71 Market St, Westhoughton, studio-78@hotmail.co.uk 4 Lower Ordmond Quay
Bolton, BL5 3AA www.studio-78.co.uk Dublin DO1 HF20
01942 811 132 +353 852730516
infernalritestattoo@gmail.com Swallow the Anchor kevinavroo@hotmail.com
IG: @infernalritestattoo 39 Rodney Street, Liverpool IG: @takerstattoos
FB: /infernalritestattoo L1 9EN
01513092640
Inkden Tattoo IG: @swallowtheanchortattoo
& Piercing Studio
50 B Coronation Street, True Colours Tattoo Studio
Blackpool FY1 4PD 14 Guildhall Street, Preston,
07957 021 702 PR1 3NU
inkden.tattoo@gmail.com 01772 378 565
www.inkdentattoo.co.uk www.truecolourstattoo.co.uk
IG: @truecolourstattoo
Inked Up Chester
21 Eastgate Row North, True ‘til Death
Chester, CH1 1LQ 13 Whalley Road, Accrington,
01244 638 558 BB5 1AD
info@inkedupchester.co.uk 01254 433 760
IG: @inkedupchester Email: via Facebook
www.accringtontattoo.com
La Petite Mort Tattoo Studio FB: /truetildeathtattoo
54-58 Great Ancoats Street

Onnie O'Leary: Yomico Moreno

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WIN TICKETS TO THE DUBLIN TATTOO SHOW

ONNIE O’LEAREY THE BIG LONDON TATTOO SHOW

BILLY CHAINSAW SHAMACK

GALLERY THAT TATTOO SHOW

4 TOTAL TATTOO MAGAZINE

SAMUEL B THORNE PORTFOLIOS

REGULARS NEWS & REVIEWS

YOMICO MORENO REGIONAL DIRECTORY

All correspondence should be sent to

44 ALBION ROAD, GREAT YARMOUTH. NR30 2JD

Total Tattoo Magazine No. 207 November 2022

TOTAL TATTOO MAGAZINE 5

If you were one of the lucky ones who made it to our

We are so fortunate to belong to this global

Wherever you go, there's always the possibility of a

Recently, despite all the economic uncertainty in the

6 TOTAL TATTOO MAGAZINE

The tattoo world is ever-changing and we want Contributors

Once again, Thank You.

TOTAL TATTOO MAGAZINE 7

NEWS & REVIEWS

In a press interview, Paninnguaq Lind Jensen described the spirituality

SNAPCHAT REMOVES FILTER

Traditional Maori tattoos, known as 'Ta Moko', are a

“Our community guidelines are clear,” Snapchat said

8 TOTAL TATTOO MAGAZINE

TOTAL TATTOO MAGAZINE 9

He has set up a charity,

He was diagnosed with terminal kidney cancer in 2019 and told

LANCASTER COUNCIL - TATTOO HYGIENE RATING SCHEME

10 TOTAL TATTOO MAGAZINE

The tattoo design is simply pressed on to the skin in the

But how does it work?

The tiny cone-shaped micro-needles are like pixels forming

And of course anyone can administer the

HELP FOR HEROES - SUICIDE AWARENESS

TOTAL TATTOO MAGAZINE 11

Customers do sometimes want something less explicit, and that's

‘My art is all about

TOTAL TATTOO MAGAZINE 15

It's always very collaborative. I almost exclusively

I usually do some small sketches before they

I have a ton of reference material – stuff from

You have a brilliant talent for drawing.

Yeah, but I spent a lot of the time just looking at

After uni I went to vocational college where I had

Were you artistic as a child?

I grew up in a little town in rural Tasmania a long

16 TOTAL TATTOO MAGAZINE

‘All the bad

Were your parents supportive of

My mum and dad always said they

Tell us about your tattoo

I'd just moved to Amsterdam and I

It was very self-directed in terms of how

The welcome that I received at MotorInk

TOTAL TATTOO MAGAZINE 17

Oh yeah, we love a good trip. Australia is pretty far from

I've always loved the idea of being part of a network of artists,

Travelling has been great for my art. Working abroad, I've

Travelling challenges your preconceptions of what 'normal' is –

18 TOTAL TATTOO MAGAZINE

Tell us about your studio.