Interview with Tattooist EQ

Tattooist EQ creates incredible miniature tattoos that are packed with colour and life in a studio near Hongdae in Seoul, Korea. We chatted to the tattoo artist about her journey into the tattoo world and how traditional paintings inspire her work…

How long have you been tattooing and how did you get started in the industry? It’s been almost four years since I started tattooing and getting tattooed. I started because the people around me encouraged me to become a tattoo artist. Even when I was younger people said I would grow up to be a tattoo artist as I was so good at drawing.

What inspired you to become an artist? Do you have a background in art? I majored in design in college and after graduation I worked as an art teacher. Then I became a tattooist on the recommendations of those around me. I started creating work that was based on the traditional art that I liked and was interested in.

How would you describe your style? What drew you to colour tattoos? The tattoos I create are small and detailed. I like to fill my designs and client’s skin in detailed, elaborate and vivid colours. In this sense, the art of oriental paintings with their traditional colours that perfectly represent Korea inspire me a lot.

What inspires your designs? I’m usually inspired by natural and traditional things. I think traditional art has great power. Because I base my work on this I think each piece I make has a message and it’s own power.

Can you tell us about the process behind your tattoos? I express traditional oriental paintings by depicting various materials, landscapes and oriental animals such as cranes and tigers. Using the genre of frame tattoos I create the scene of looking into a world through a window. Through the window anyone can obtain the beauty of an oriental painting. My client’s stories are expressed in the frame in various colours and details.

I condense the beauty of oriental painting into a small rectangular space.

We love the miniature details in your tattoos, are there any challenges with these? For me, there’s nothing particularly difficult about tattooing in this way. However I set a minimum size because my designs are drawn on skin rather than paper. Dragons and tigers are difficult to create in such detail when the frame is too small. So when possible I set the size to 10-15cm, then there are no difficulties.

What do you like to tattoo and what would you like to do more of? I like to express my customers’ stories with my tattoos. Of course, I like my designs to be based on traditional art, but it’s also interesting when I can convey the stories of my customers.

My clients will tell me their stories and experiences and I then transform these into my style. I think there’s no limit when it comes to my art. Although, I want to draw more diverse stories and a variety of subject matter.

How do you see your tattoos evolving in the future? I usually do small and detailed tattoos but I’d like to work on tattoos that are larger. Even if these take a long time I want to draw a person’s life on a big canvas. Also I think the day will come when I’ll make merchandise, prints and original paintings to sell rather than just tattoos.

Where’s your favourite place to travel and tattoo? I like to work abroad, I’ve found there are a lot of people who like my tattoos or have seen them on one of my clients and now want one. There are so many countries I haven’t been to yet, but if I get the chance I want to go to more countries and meet new people.

Do you have any travels or guest spots planned? I don’t have any places planned right now. But I’m ready to leave whenever I get the chance!

What was your first tattoo? My first tattoo was a plant. I drew a lot of plants at first because I’m interested in the natural world. My first tattoo was from a friend and to this day it looks good. My tattoos are all connected to nature and animals like oriental tigers and dragons.

What’s the tattoo scene like where you are? Tattoos are still illegal in Korea, despite this I think Korean tattooists are very talented, recognised for their work and popular the world over. – it’s very ironic to me. There is a movement for legalisation in Korea and I think tattoos will be legal soon.

What do you do when you’re not tattooing/drawing? I tend to go out of town on my day off to get some fresh air and see exhibitions.

What moment in your career are you most proud of? I feel the most proud during the moments when I finish a tattoo and show it to my client. I feel like I’m giving my clients their stories as a gift.

Make sure to follow @tattooist_eq for more incredible miniature tattoo-scapes.

Reclaiming the Narrative – a new tattoo installation at the NMMC by Black and POC tattoo artists

We’re so excited to reveal that The National Maritime Museum Cornwall has opened a brand new temporary exhibition: British Tattoo Art: Reclaiming the Narrative, which is now open in Falmouth.

Reclaiming the Narrative features 14 pieces of artwork by Black and POC tattoo artists, all working in the UK today. The artworks represent a celebration of contemporary tattoo art on Black and brown skin. The installation forms a powerful artistic response to the museum’s critically-acclaimed 2017 exhibition Tattoo: British Tattoo Art Revealed, which was the largest gathering of real objects and original tattoo artwork ever assembled in the UK. 

The artworks represent both a celebration of tattoo art – especially on Black and brown skin – and a thought-provoking and powerful challenge to National Maritime Museum Cornwall’s own cultural decision-making around the original 2017 exhibition, Tattoo: British Tattoo Art Revealed. There were omissions (the 100 Hands for example were all created on white / male tattoo practise skin) and the exhibition should and could have been approached differently. There should have been more conversations – and this new addition to the exhibition is acknowledgment of that. It’s time for change, to admit where mistakes have been made.

These works are also intended as a positive intervention into a wider, necessary conversation around diversity of representation – historical and contemporary – in the story of British tattoo art. Reflecting on the original exhibition approach, these works have been commissioned to address omissions and cultural biases contained in the narrative of the 2017 exhibition, and are intended to be a direct  intervention into a wider, necessary and vital conversation around diversity of representation in the story of British tattoo art.

The installation has been guest curated by our editor Alice Snape (who also curated the 100 Hands, the centrepiece of the original exhibition) and created in partnership with lead artist Charissa Gregson aka Glasgow-based Tattoo artist Rizza Boo, of Shadow Work Tattoos. 

Lead artist Charissa Gregson with her tattooed torso, Starry Crown – which is the central piece of work in Reclaiming the Narrative

Here’s what Charissa Gregson / Rizza Boo, owner of Shadow Work Tattoos, Glasgow had to say about the exhibition:

“Following the brutal killing of George Floyd in 2020, people all over the world have been engaging in more conversations about social injustice, police brutality, institutional racism and anti-Blackness. We saw this echoed through the tattoo community with clients and tattooers sharing some of their experiences of anti-Blackness within the industry, ranging from subtle microaggressions to outright racism. There were conversations about the lack of appreciation and representation of black artists, insensitivity when tattooing cultural subject matter, the harmful effects of whitewashing photos of clients to fit a specific aesthetic and the general lack of knowledge and misinformation around tattooing darker skin.

“We know that representation matters. This exhibit feels like an important addition, showcasing the work of Black and POC tattooers, making sure we are included in this particular record of tattoo history. It is a small sign of progress that the plaques and silicone arms used in this project are now available in a slightly more diverse palette, which one would hope will continue to expand. Offering a wider range of colours, skin tones, so that even more people would see a representation of their skin included in an exhibition like this. 

“When asked to contribute to this project, it was obvious to me that we must get more artists involved. A single piece by one artist would only be the illusion of diversity and give a false impression of the cultural and artistic diversity that actually exists in our communities. Holding space for more artists and giving platform to their creativity gives a truer look at who is tattooing in Britain right now. With this project we seek to disrupt and challenge some of the misinformation, give voice to the individual artists and allow us to share some of our collective story.”

Reclaiming the Narrative is open now at the National Maritime Museum in Cornwall:

The exhibition includes:

Charissa Gregson’s tattooed torso, Starry Crown, which celebrates the Black female body and forms the centrepiece of the exhibition.


Additional designs on synthetic skin plaques including works from:

Manni K, Jolie Rouge
Natasha Jackson, Prophecy Tattoo and Piercing
Lord Montana-Blue, The Good Fight Tattoo
Sarah Louise Powell, Neon Wolf Tattoo Studio
Samantha Bee, INKLOUNGE Tattoo Studio 
Rakhee Shah, Xotica Tattoo Company 
Nish Rowe, Blu Xion Tattoo 
Jade Clark, Heart of Glass Tattoo
Samuel Ayobami Paul, Artkilledme
Ash Tyson, Ouroboros private studio  
Yasir, Fake Skin Tattoo
Jezz-lee Wood, Samsara Tattoo Parlour
Pedro, Grey Area Custom Tattoos

by Yasir, Fake Skin Tattoo
by Ash Tyson, Ouroboros private studio  
by Samuel Ayobami Paul, Artkilledme

Interview with tattoo artist SOOSOO

Tattooer SOOSOO owns a private studio in Hongdae Korea where she creates incredible tattoos. We chat to SOOSOO about how she became a tattooist and her work, including her amazing fire tattoos…

How long have you been tattooing and how did you become an artist? I’ve been working as a tattooist for four years. Four years ago I went with a friend who was getting a tattoo, that was the first time I came across them.

I’ve been drawing since I was a child, and I wanted to have a job where I could draw. I thought being a tattooist looked so cool. I decided to learn to tattoo and I saw @SolTattoo was recruiting students at the time, so they became my teacher.

Do you have a background in art? Before becoming a tattooist, I majored in visual design. I went to an art high school to major in design, and I have always learnt about and painted different works, including Western paintings and illustrations, as well as my major.

What’s your favourite thing about being a tattooer? I’m really glad that I can enjoy my job. I love it when my clients like my paintings and they’re happy when they see my finished work.

How do you hone your tattooing craft? To me, tattooing isn’t just about engraving beautifully drawn designs into the skin; it’s about skill and dedication. I think tattooists should polish their skills, so the work doesn’t strain or damage the skin. It’s important that we practise by using various machines and needles to find the ones that best fit us.

How would you describe your work? I interpret every design with my own style. The attractive aspects of my tattoos are the vivid colours and textures, like I’m using coloured pencils.

What inspires you? I usually watch a lot of movies and animations. I also think about tattoo designs when I see scenes and props in the movies. I also try to experience a variety of music, paintings and photos to get inspiration.

Can you tell us about the process behind your tattoos? When I’m drawing tattoo designs, I try drawing the same design in different colours. When I do this sometimes I come up with an unexpected design and colour combination which is really good.

How do you create your fire tattoos?  When I look at the irregularity and intensity of fire, I thought I should draw it. I was impressed to see the colour of the flame fused with the surrounding environment and I thought I could express it in various ways.

I think it’s very attractive to draw fire blooming on the skin in various shapes and colours. The fire isn’t in a clear shape, but I can create a frame to contain it in. I then keep revising the appearance to complete the design.

We love your food tattoos, are these a favourite of yours? I’ve been doing food tattoos a lot recently, they’re quite new to me. I want to draw a variety of painting styles including still life paintings. The shape of food and bottles attract me and lend themselves to this style. Although, I’d definitely like to try more diverse things in the future.

What do you like to tattoo and what would you like to do more of? These days, I enjoy drawing fire and I’ve been working on a lot of small fire tattoos. As mentioned above, I feel the flow of fire on the skin is very attractive and looks good. I want to make a big fire tattoo on someone’s arms or legs, hopefully I can someday.

Can you tell us about your own tattoos? Are you a tattoo collector? When I first started tattooing, I worked at StudioBySol, a shop run by my tattoo teacher SolTattoo. There were loads of tattooists in the studio and they gave me a lot of tattoos. 

I don’t have many tattoos on my legs yet, but I want to get a big tattoo on one of my legs at some point.

How does it feel making tattoos in Korea when they’re still illegal? There are so many talented tattooists in Korea and a lot of people want to learn how to tattoo. It’s really unfortunate that it’s not legal. There are a group of Korean tattooists that are trying to legalise tattooing, so I hope it will be soon.

How are tattoo artists seen by society? Older generations still have negative views, but many people are looking at tattooing as art. I hope it will be accepted by more people as an art and legalised.

What moment in your career are you most proud of? I’m very proud and I feel at my best when clients tell me they really wanted to get a tattoo from me. Also when they are satisfied with the tattoo I have done for them.

Follow SOOSOO on Instagram for more awesome miniature tattoos.

Interview with tattoo artist Dami Nam

Dami Nam or as you might know her @daldam__, runs Soda Shop in Itaewon, Seoul, Korea. We chat to the colour tattoo artist about her tattoos, inspiration behind her painting-like designs and the tattoo education programme she hosts…

What inspired you to become a tattoo artist and how did you become one? I’ve always enjoyed drawing ever since I was a child.  I wanted to get a job in an art-related field when I became an adult as I was so interested in painting. I had studied painting for a long time, but I worked at a “regular” company for a while for the stability it offered. However, when I realised I couldn’t draw anymore I became depressed, which led me to search for a way to keep drawing as a professional. I started tattooing after a friend of a tattoo artist I ad grown up with advised me to.

Can you tell us about your experiences in the tattoo industry? I’ve been tattooing for six years and I run a soda shop in Itaewon, Seoul. I also work as a mentor, educating trainees who want to learn my tattoo techniques. 

Can you tell us more about your tattoo education? I had a lot of people asking about tattoo related classes so I started my tattoo education by chance. I’ve now established a stable apprenticeship system.

Using each apprentice’s unique personality, I teach them the skills required for tattoo work and educate them on how to turn their ideas into wonderful tattoo designs. In addition, my apprentices are thoroughly educated in the hygienic aspects of tattooing, such as infection prevention. Also if they develop their skills to a good level they can work at my shop. 

How would you describe your work? I mainly express oriental paintings through tattoos. Most of all I like to match flowers and animals to traditional accessories using bright colours. I also tattoo detailed landscapes with a thin line background. I believe the charm of my work is the glorious feeling felt when I express various landscapes in small tattoos.

Are there any challenges you face when doing tiny tattoos? There are moments when I design small parts, such as an eye where I experience a slight hand tremor. This makes me nervous, but I take a deep breath and work with a calm mind to draw the pupil in the right place.

Have you always tattooed like you do now? No. I learnt to tattoo by myself without a teacher, so there was a lot of trial and error at first due to my lack of tattoo skills.

Since then I have researched and developed various tattoo techniques. When I did run into problems while working I sought advice from seniors with more experience than me.

Can you tell us about the process behind your tattoos? In my daily life an idea will suddenly come to my mind. There are moments when I think, “Oh, this design would be lovely.” I write it down on my smartphone’s notepad so I don’t forget it.

My tattoo work is similar to that of other tattoo artists, as I design with care and work using transfer paper. If there’s one thing I’m particularly concerned about, I try to make sure that every detail is moved to the skin when I’m tracing the design.

What inspires you? Traditional Korean elements have had the most significant influence on my tattoo work. I like the beauty of the old things, from the beautiful colours to paintings with traditional beauty as well as traditional decorations that are not used in modern times. Aside from that, the scenery I see and a beautiful scene from a movie can be sources for my tattoo work.

What do you like to tattoo and what would you like to do more of? It’s a lot of fun for me to work on tattoo pieces with different colours. I love to recreate the beautiful scenes of oriental paintings and movies through tattoos. I’m also interested in traditional accessories these days, so I’m trying to develop my work by making those accessories into tattoo designs. Also, I want to be a good mentor to my students.

Do you prefer to do colour or black and grey tattoos? It’s difficult for me to choose between the two techniques as they’re attractive in different ways. Colour tattoos, in my opinion, are excellent because they allow me to create artworks by combining different colours, while black tattoos are appealing because they make it possible to express objects by using calm contrasts.

Can you tell us about your own tattoos? Are you a tattoo collector? There isn’t a tattoo artist out there who doesn’t collect tattoos. I’m a big fan of getting tattoos and I have a lot. I particularly enjoy getting flowers in gentle colours. Ornament style tattoos are very fashionable these days. So I’m thinking about getting another pretty tattoo.

What’s the tattoo scene like where you are? I work in Itaewon, Seoul which is Korea’s capital, it’s an area with a high concentration of foreigners. There are a lot of tattoo artists here who do fantastic work.

To remain active and not fall behind in the tattoo world, I believe it is critical to accurately understand your customers’ needs. To maintain my unique style I also strive to create tattoo works that meet all these requirements.

How have you been affected by the pandemic? In the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic my tattoo shop was significantly affected as foreign customers accounted for about half of the total number of customers in my shop. Also, as the COVID-19-related quarantine policy was implemented in Korea, there were various restrictions on the shop’s operation, so I also had business difficulties. However, my shop’s business situation has dramatically improved since the “With Corona” policy was implemented.

When and how did you open your tattoo shop? Originally I was running a tattoo studio with other tattoo artists, but since we were running it together it was difficult to carry out what we all wanted. So I decided to open my own tattoo studio three years ago and that’s when soda shop was made.

What is the shop like including the other artists? Soda shop has a bright and free vibe and consists of female tattoo artists only. We didn’t intend it but somehow we just got together. We’re all close and always supporting each other’s work too.

What moment in your career are you most proud of? I am proud when my customers are pleased with their tattoo, when I am satisfied with my work or when my students create outstanding tattoos.

Follow @daldam__ (if you don’t already) for more incredibly beautiful tattoos.

Interview with SIGAK

SIGAK or @tattooist_sigak as you might know her, creates magical dream-like tattoos at Sol Tattoo Studio in Seoul, Korea. She also specialises in out of this world cover-ups, read on to find out more…

What inspired you to become a tattoo artist? How did you become an artist? I graduated from art middle school and high school and majored in fine art and art history at university. After graduating from university, I worked as an illustrator. While I was working a friend of mine who was a tattoo artist suggested that I learn to tattoo. So I did just that.

How would you describe your style? The world I create is a dreamy fantasy. I make fairy tale-like images with blue, purple and pink as the main colours.

Have you always tattooed like you do now? At first, I tattooed illustrations that looked like they had been drawn with a pencil. My Instagram profile image is one of them. In the past I would draw galaxies, constellations, the night sky and clouds. Then after using only black ink, I gradually used various colours.

What attracted you to this type of tattooing? I am instinctively attracted to mother nature including her galaxies, night sky and the sea. Mother nature is an unknown world that humans cannot imagine, she is naturally out of reach. But, when you tattoo her on your skin you can have your own world.

Can you tell us about the process behind your tattoos?  I discuss with a client the design they want and what we can do based on this. After that, I search for a reference image and create an appropriate design, then show it to the client. It usually takes three or four hours to make a design, but it depends on the details.

After the client confirms the design and I make any necessary modifications, tattooing then takes four to five hours. This is from the stencil to the photo shoot. This can also vary depending on the design or size.

Do you prefer to work in black and grey or colour? Both black and white and colour have their own charms, but I prefer colours. This is because even if the image is the same you can create a different atmosphere depending on the colours you use.

What inspires you? I get inspiration from a variety of things. Sometimes I think of design from novels, plays and music. But the most important thing for me is to always look at various pictures. The type of picture doesn’t matter as I try to encounter an array of arts, because anything from modern art to commercial design can inspire me.

What do you like to tattoo and what would you like to do more of? My childhood dream was to become a writer like Antoine de Saint-Exupéry. Not only did he write a beautiful novel, but he also drew his own illustrations. I love how pictures and words can tell a story in different ways. It’s a vague dream, but one day I want to be someone who delivers what they want to say in writing and illustrations.

You specialise in cover-ups can you tell us more about this? Cover-up tattoos are making new tattoos on existing tattoos, scars, dots, etc. When designing cover-up tattoos it’s best to design them in darker or similar colours than the existing tattoos. In addition, the condition of the existing tattoo or scar determines whether the procedure is possible or not. There needs to be a discussion between the artist and client before anything can happen.

Are there any challenges when covering tattoos? If your tattoo is too dark or you have a lot of damage to your skin from when you got it, you will have difficulty in proceeding with the cover-up tattoo. The damaged skin is slightly convex compared to the other skin. which makes it difficult to paint a new colour onto it.

In the past, tattoo machines and needles were not as delicate as they are these days so, some people’s skin was damaged during the tattoo process. I’m always more careful when I design cover-ups like this.

What would you like our readers to know about their cover-up options? If you want to cover your existing tattoo there are some things to consider. First of all, you’re better off choosing a colour similar to or darker than your existing tattoo when you ask a tattoo artist for a design. You can try covering your tattoo with a brighter colour, but you may see your existing tattoo after everything has healed.

Secondly, you should be aware that the cover-up tattoo should be bigger than your existing tattoo. Thirdly, if you want to get a bright cover-up tattoo you’ll need to remove the existing tattoo with one to two sessions of laser treatment. After that, when your skin is fully regenerated you will be able to choose a brighter colour.

Can you tell us about your own tattoos? Are you a tattoo collector? I’ve only got four tattoos so I wouldn’t call myself a tattoo collector. My first tattoo is a drawing of the earth, it’s my Instagram profile picture. When I learnt to tattoo I had to practice on real skin so I tattooed myself. It’s not great but I’m satisfied with this tattoo because it encompasses memories and my initial intentions.

My other three tattoos are about my family; I have a tattoo for my mother on the back of my neck, one for my father on the inside of my arm and tattoos related to my sister on my thighs.

What is the tattoo scene like where you are? In Asian cultures older generations have negative perceptions of tattoos. Some of them think tattoos are related to gangsters and violence – they think it’s a dark culture. However, this perception is changing in the younger generation. Most people in their 20s and 30s are open to tattoos as a way to express their individuality. They also regard tattoos as fashion, accessories or art.

What moment in your career are you most proud of? I have met a wide variety of clients in this job and they often tell me their tattoo stories. The most memorable moment for me was the day I gave a cover-up tattoo to a client who had a tattoo associated with bad memories that she wanted to forget. The tattoo was very thick and big, so she couldn’t erase or cover it.

She said she was grateful that I covered the bad memories with happy ones. Moments like this are the proudest moments of my career.

How have you been affected by the pandemic? Before the pandemic I met so many foreign clients and I’m thankful that they came to Korea to get tattooed by me. The pandemic made it difficult to travel between countries and I lost the opportunity to meet foreign clients. I hope the pandemic will be over soon so I can meet everyone again.

Make sure to follow @tattooist_sigak for more incredible tattoos and astounding cover-ups.