Ragrets? We Don’t Think So
The internet, tattoos, and that one embarrassing thing you did in the lunchroom in grade school; some things are more permanent than others. We’re going to focus on tattoos. Though, not all tattoos come with ragrets or “Memento” -level implications, so we’re not all that worried about the permanence.
Print media is fleeting, tattoos are forever. For the Art Issue we wanted to take the opportunity to think about permanence and get to know some talented local tattoo artists before sitting down in their chair and realizing we have nothing to talk about. Well, that may still happen, but not for a lack of breaking the ice on our part.
Remi Aliseo
Third Eye Studio
- How long have you been tattooing?
I started tattooing end of 2018… So, about six years now. - What’s your favorite style of tattoo?
I specialize in fine line — black and gray. That’s definitely my favorite and what I’m most drawn to as an artist. But I also really admire American traditional tattoos and the history behind that style. - How old were you when you got your first tattoo?
I was 18 when I got my first tattoo. - Do you have a least favorite tattoo on yourself?
Yep, the ones I got my when I was 18 to 20 years old haha. I’ve done a few laser sessions on some of them to lighten them up, but they’re still there and hold some good ol’ memories. It’s not so much what they are, but just the style and placement. - Colored ink or black ink?
For me, on my body, black ink and I only work with black and gray ink. But again, I really admire that American traditional style color pallet when I see it. Just not something I work with. - What is the most trendy tattoo in your opinion right now?
I would say most trendy tattoos right now is patch style tattoos, so like multiple tiny/small/medium tattoos on arms. - Where is the most painful spot to get a tattoo?
It’s kind of hard to say because everyone has different pain tolerances and it just depends on what you’re getting/size/style etc. But from my own experience I’d say ankle/foot, armpit, arm ditch. - Strangest place you’ve ever tattooed someone?
I think the butt cheek was the strangest for both of us. - What are your workday essentials?
Outside of all the little products I need, definitely need my iPad, computer and some good tunes playing 🙂 - What keeps you going through a long session?
I’d say music keeps me going. I get super tuned in and can go on and on with some good jams playing along with some coffee sips or sweet treats in between. - What style/tattoo will you NOT do?
I won’t do anything with color. Other than that, I’m pretty open to different styles, while keeping my own style in there. - Do you listen to music while you work? What kind?
Oh yeah always. We change it up a lot in the studio between indie/alternative, surf rock, psychedelic mystical. Just depends on how were feeling every day. Usually lots of Khruangbin and Hermanos Guiterrez vibes and BABE HONEY - Can you describe your ideal client?
I’d say my ideal client is one that lets me have creative freedom and really allows me to showcase my style and work. Lots of fun detail and movement in the design. - Have you ever had to cover up a name tattoo?
I haven’t! I actually don’t do many cover ups. I’ve done maybe two to three full cover ups and the original tattoo was super tiny that allowed me to work over. My style is pretty fine line and delicate, so I usually turn down cover ups, or suggest them to go get the tattoo lasered off. - Who is your favorite tattoo artist or one you look up to?
Loaded question! I’m so inspired by so many artists and think everyone holds such unique style. There’s tons of inspiration out there. I especially look up to all of the artists that work with me in the studio: Kelly Hagen, Emerson Carbajal and Eleni Mary 🙂 - Tips for readers getting their first tattoo?
Tips for someone getting their first tattoo.. Definitely do your research on finding the right artist for you…make sure you like their style and they have a solid portfolio. Take time on figuring out what you want and be open to the artist customizing and making your tattoo unique for you. - Do you love or hate when people ask you for the meaning behind your tattoos?
I actually don’t get asked much, but I don’t really mind if someone does haha my tattoos don’t have too much meaning behind them. Majority of them are designs I put together while feeling creative, or got them at moments in my life I was feeling really good and inspired etc. - What’s your biggest no-no for tattoo aftercare?
Biggest no-no is submerging the tattoo underwater. It’s usually not a great idea and can really mess with the healing, and could lead to infection if it’s not healing properly. - Have you done any tattoos on yourself?
Yeah a few of them! But I usually have one of the girls in the studio do my tattoos. - How would you compare art on skin to art on other media?
I was really drawn to fine line tattooing because that was the closest to the feeling and style I draw on paper. Pointillism and pencil. Once you get through the learning curve of tattooing on skin it feels a lot like drawing and creating on paper, especially with designs that require a lot of detail and layering/shading. - What’s your favorite tattoo you’ve done?
I don’t think I have a most favorite tattoo. I’ve been really enjoying doing animal portraits and large floral pieces. The animal portraits were super intimidating to me when I first started tattooing and I remember saying to myself, I wonder if I’ll ever feel the confidence to do a realistic style animal. So, it felt really accomplishing to start doing them the past few years!
Jeff Kozan
Vatican Tattoo
- How long have you been tattooing?
21 Years. - What’s your favorite style of tattoo?
Japanese and American traditional. - How old were you when you got your first tattoo?
15 *definitely below legal age. - Do you have a least favorite tattoo on yourself?
Not really, no. - Colored ink or black ink?
- What is the most trendy tattoo in your opinion right now?
Micro-fine line tattoos. They are a bad idea, all around. - Where is the most painful spot to get a tattoo?
Depends on the person. Torso, armpit, etc. - Strangest place you’ve ever tattooed someone?
Use your imagination. Haha - What are your workday essentials?
Good tunes, and my machines. - What keeps you going through a long session?
Knowing the final outcome soon approaches. - What style/tattoo will you NOT do?
Color realism (ages horribly), and racist imagery. Don’t play those games. - Do you listen to music while you work? What kind?
Old punk, reggae, classic country, southern rock. Anything but rap, honestly. - Can you describe your ideal client?
Hard working and loyal. Someone who understands the commitment of time, pain, and cost, and is punctual. - Have you ever had to cover up a name tattoo?
Dozens at this point. Too many to count. It’s job security! - Who is your favorite tattoo artist or one you look up to?
Chris Garver, Filip Leu, Henning Jorgensen. Those are the living few. Many that are passed. - Tips for readers getting their first tattoo?
Look at portfolios! Quality and consistency are key! Line work is always most important. Oh, and they are FOREVER!! Think about that before making foolish, trendy decisions. - Do you love or hate when people ask you for the meaning behind your tattoos?
I typically ignore that question. None of their business. - What’s your biggest no-no for tattoo aftercare?
Tattoo Goo or other Tattoo Branding companies that make healing creams. They are snake oil salesmen. Just keep ‘em clean and lightly moisturize. Don’t fall for the aftercare brand gimmicks. - Have you done any tattoos on yourself?
Yup. - How would you compare art on skin to art on other media?
It ages. Shirts, posters, painting….the canvas does not change. The human body does. You must understand how your tattoo is going to age WITH your body, and how it will look when you are old and gray. It’s in a class of its own. Tattooing is something that must be thoroughly understood and respected. - What’s your favorite tattoo you’ve done?
The next one!
Branden Martin
Coast to Coast Tattoo Shop
- How long have you been tattooing?
I have been tattooing for 8 years. It will be 9 in January. - What’s your favorite style of tattoo?
My favorite style of tattooing is black work, fine line, illustrative or anything with dot work or stippling. - How old were you when you got your first tattoo?
I got my first tattoo when I was 18 years old. It was a pirate ship on my right arm - Do you have a least favorite tattoo on yourself?
No, even the bad ones have good memories associated to them. I don’t regret any of them. - Colored ink or black ink?
On myself I love having colored tattoos, but I prefer to do black and grey tattoos. - What is the most trendy tattoo in your opinion right now?
I don’t know if there’s a specific image that’s trendy, but I know fine line minimalistic tattoos are definitely more popular now than ever and for me that’s fine because I love doing them. - Where is the most painful spot to get a tattoo?
Everyone is a little different, the most painful spot I ever tattooed on myself was when I was working on my chest tattoo, we decided to blackout my nipples, and that was terribly painful. The palms of my hands are definitely a close second though. - Strangest place you’ve ever tattooed someone?
Luckily, I haven’t had a tattoo anyone in any weird, strange places. The palms of people’s hands is a little strange to tattoo and very painful. - What are your workday essentials?
Definitely coffee, my iPad, and a nice easy morning to just have a good day. - What keeps you going through a long session?
A couple good movies, good conversations, a couple coffees and definitely taking a couple breaks for stretching lol. - What style/tattoo will you NOT do?
I don’t like to tattoo anything I don’t think will look and heal good, stuff like tattooing the inside of your lip where it never really looks nice. You don’t want to put your name on something that won’t heal nicely. As far as style, personally I don’t do realism really, most of my style is heavy with line work and I enjoy that a lot, so I save the realism for people like my friend Dan Gilbert. - Do you listen to music while you work? What kind?
I actually usually do not listen to music while tattooing. I like to put on movies for people so that way they can be distracted, usually a Star Wars film lol, but usually when I’m drawing I like to play a lot of lo-fi music, I just find it super relaxing, but when I’m not at work you would probably find me listening to mostly post hardcore/emo music from the 2010s. - Can you describe your ideal client?
Really, I’m happy with a client as long as they’re just an understanding and nice person. We sit there for hours together so it’s nice to have someone that’s easy to talk to. When it comes to the design process, I believe it’s a joint effort so it’s very important for you to have the same vibe. I try to get as much information from them so that way the tattoo we create is a vision of what they want with the style that I do. - Have you ever had to cover up a name tattoo?
Yes, multiple times, on a couple different occasions. I would do the name tattoo and then a week later have to cover it up. Definitely think hard about putting someone’s name on you. I actually have a name on me I should probably cover up lol. - Who is your favorite tattoo artist or one you look up to?
I have a couple and I’m very lucky to be able to call them friends as well. Travis Brown was the main person who got me into tattooing and has always been an amazing artist I admired, with a lot of my tattoos done by him. My friend Nick Stambaugh is an amazing artist and he pushed me to better myself and taught me so much throughout my career, I wouldn’t be where I am today without him. I could go on to name so many other amazing artists that I look up to, this world is full of so many talented people. - Tips for readers getting their first tattoo?
Definitely to research the artist they’re going to and make sure they do the style of tattoo you want well, don’t just go to anyone. Also, to speak up if there’s anything they want changed or don’t like about placement or the design, a lot of people get very nervous [for] their first tattoo and I always try to reassure them because I want them to love their tattoo forever. - Do you love or hate when people ask you for the meaning behind your tattoos?
I don’t hate it. Some tattoos can have extreme meaning and be very important to people and some tattoos can just be a reminder of a fun time, I think having a mixture of both is awesome. - What’s your biggest no-no for tattoo aftercare?
Definitely no going in the sun or water, a lot of people think it’s OK just if it’s a little bit, but it can really mess up a tattoo. - Have you done any tattoos on yourself?
Yeah, I’ve done a couple of them. I did a couple stars on my forearm, a moth on my thigh, a picture of my dog on my ankle and a couple other silly ones. - How would you compare art on skin to art on other media?
Art on skin is completely different than any other medium because there is a lot more pressure, you can’t mess up or fix things really and you’re doing something permanent for someone else. - What’s your favorite tattoo you’ve done?
I don’t really have a favorite. There’s so many that I love, really anything that involves flowers, skulls, snakes or insects ranks on the top of my list.
