The Aberdeen Tattoo Collective are fast becoming one of Scotland’s busiest studios and we chatted to Calum Berry, John Philip and Kevin Reid about their tattooing journeys and influences…
How did you get into tattooing?
Calum Berry: I got into tattooing when I was about 14 from a skateboarder called Trainwreck. I started getting tattooed when I was 16 and then started apprenticing when I was 21 and the rest is history!
John Philip: Being at the right place at the right time really. Started working in a shop that my flat mate at the time had just started tattooing in. So I managed the shop for over a year and then was told to start drawing and see what happened. I never went in looking for an apprenticeship but I’ll be forever grateful for getting the opportunity.
Kevin Reid: I first started working in a local shop as a Saturday guy just helping out, cleaning, making lunch and serving customers…’shop bitch’ some might say. Then I started getting a couple more days in the shop. And when it was quiet in-between people coming in I would just sit and draw. Then after nearly a year or so my boss at the time offered me an apprenticeship and I pretty much bit his hand off. And now here I am.
How would you describe your style?
CB: My style is new school/illustrative.
JP: I’d say traditional street shop. Not trying to reinvent the wheel or do anything fancy. Just trying to do clean and solid tattoos that last a lifetime.
KR: My style I would say would be more a traditional/newskool illustrative type of thing.
How long have you been tattooing for?
CB: I’ve been tattooing custom stuff since around 2012.
JP: I did my first real tattoos in April 2013. I’d maybe done 3 before then but stopped until I saved up for half decent machines. Then had a break while I moved shops. So I guess coming on 3 years?
KR: I have been tattooing about 2 1/2 years now.
Where do you find your inspiration?
CB: The guys at the shop inspire me everyday
JP: From people and books? I collect a lot of reference books… new stuff and vintage. Not all are necessarily tattoo related. And from other tattooers. Richard from Aberdeen and Paul Slifer from Red Hot and Blue did a lot of my work when I first started getting tattooed and I learned a lot from them. Thanks to social media it’s real easy to find new artists which always makes me want to step my game up.
KR: I have a lot of influences in all different styles of tattooing, and of course the guys in my shop definitely are a big influence.
If you weren’t a tattooist, what would you be?
CB: Who knows, in my head a watch maker or pilot or something cool but probably driving a van or something not cool haha.
JP: Likely a care worker as that’s been my longest profession bar tattooing.
KR: If I weren’t a tattooist I would probably still be carrying on my career as a joiner.
The guys can be contacted via their website: http://www.aberdeentattooco.com/ and found on Facebook and Instagram.
Callum you may have forgotten that you tattooed your septuagenarian granny! I’m sure you’d never have become a white van man!!!