Tag: Female Tattoo Artist

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“On one hand, there’s tremendous value to be found in the old ‘gatekeepers’ of tattooing, their respect for techniques and history… on the other, that knowledge was often inaccessible – especially as a young female tattooer,” tattooist, Charlotte Timmons

Tattoo artist Charlotte Timmons (@charlotte.e.tattoos) is known for her creepy cute tattoos – we’re obsessed with her iconic cat ghosts. Having made the move from the Birmingham in the UK to work at Grit N Glory in New York, here she shares more about her tattoo journey and the ever-changing tattoo world…

When did you start tattooing and how did you start in the industry?

I can barely remember when I started tattooing at this point, but it must have been around 2009, so we’re going back about 15 years.

How have you seen the industry change since then? 

It’s very difficult to answer this succinctly because it’s changed so much. As a mid-millennial, it’s crazy how much I’ve seen technology evolve in my lifetime – and that’s had an impact on every industry in so many ways. 

For me, tattooing has evolved in really good and really bad ways because of both the influence of social media and culture more generally. On one hand, there’s actually tremendous value to be found in the old ‘gatekeepers’ of tattooing – their respect and reverence for techniques and history, and the humility expected from people getting into the industry are lessons I internalised. On the other hand, that knowledge was often inaccessible – especially as a young female tattooer – and that it isn’t so much the case now.

As someone who loves to do guest spots in different places, it’s always fun to find fresh and conflicting opinions about where the industry is headed. Suffice to say, in my experience, the best people in the industry, both old and new, are the people who value and care for their customers, and are grateful to do the job. Not the people who always need to buy another ticket for their ego.

You tattoo in New York now, how was the move from the UK? What inspired you to move? 

It was really difficult. I went from a full calendar and a shop full of people I loved like family to barely any bookings and a shop full of new people I didn’t know yet. Then a pandemic hit – which made me feel I had made a huge mistake.”

“The culture of New York is highly competitive, innovative, fast paced, expensive and exhausting. And if I think about it, I don’t really know what inspired me to move here. It’s more like I did something really insane and then made up the reason later – like a lot of my favourite tattoos.

I had hit 30 and was watching a lot of friends and family settle down. I didn’t know what I wanted to do with my life, I just felt this restlessness in my gut that I had to do *something*. When the thought came up to move to NYC after guesting there, I thought, why not? It’s kind of insane, but New York forced me to grow into a person closer to the one I wanted to be, so it was the right decision.

How is the tattoo scene different over there? 

I’d say I tattoo more people of colour in New York than I used to, which is a great thing that has helped me grow as an artist, and to see different tones heal on different skin types is important for the planning of a design. I grew up in a fairly diverse community, but most of the people of colour I knew were from conservative or religious families, so they rarely had tattoos.

The tattoo scene here is as vibrant as anywhere, but there are so many people here that you have to find your specific niche or it’s highly competitive for work.

How would you describe your style and what do you love to tattoo?  

My style has sort of been coined as ‘Illustrative Neo-traditional’. It’s a pretty good description. It’s like I can’t decide what lane I’m in so I just throw a bit of everything I’ve learned from people in every style into it. I love animals and floral, and I love creepy stuff and fantasy stuff the most. The themes of traditional are classics for a reason, but I’m become more interested in flow, and fitting things to the body shape.

Is there something you’d like to do more of? 

I would love to do some darker themes, and some bigger more ‘stripped back’ stuff, but I also appreciate that a lot of my work is really ‘cute’ and intricate and that’s why people go for it. It’s not like I want to tattoo skulls all day, but I would love to lean more into that occasionally because I feel like I want to fine-tune that area to be a better all-round tattooer.

Have you found you’re known for a particular subject? 

My little cat ghosts. Creepy cute stuff, animal portraits, and undoubtedly the most ‘famous’ tattoos I’ve made are of moths.

What’s been your proudest tattoo moment? 

It’s hard to pick one but a girl said to me at a show here in the US that she followed my work when she was a teenager, and it inspired her to tattoo. And a woman once sent me a picture her 14-year-old had drawn based on one of my tattoos. Both sort of took me aback because no matter how old I get, I always have this imposter syndrome and feel kind of irrelevant in the grand scheme of things. So to have people notice anything you’ve done, and say you specifically inspired them to draw or tattoo feels really profound.

Any future plans you’d like to share with us?

I am currently living happily in NYC, but have guest spots around the US lined up for the spring and summer. Hopefully I’ll be visiting the UK later in the year too, but I can’t make any concrete plans just yet. I’m hoping to be back a few times in the next couple of years too.

Make sure to follow Charlotte on Instagram for more cute tattoos – and hopefully some skulls, too!

We’re always talking to amazing tattoo artists, check out our latest interviews.

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Interview with tattoo artist Pokhy

Tattooist Pokhy owns a private studio in Seoul, South Korea. We chatted to the tattooer about what tattooing means to her, the beautiful blue tattoos she makes and her favourite tattoo experience…

How long have you been a tattoo artist, how did you get into the industry? I’ve been a tattooist for five years now. Before I was a tattooer, I worked as a graphic designer for seven years.

I took a break from my work as continuously working overtime meant that both my work and my health were deteriorating.

During my career break, I had the chance to learn tattooing and experience tattoos for the first time. 

Why did you want to become a tattooist? I have always been deeply inspired by the art that lasts on the body forever, rathert than computer graphics or design and so, I decided to become a tattoo artist.

In an era where all media is consumed quickly, art that remains forever is very attractive.

How would you describe your style of work? I usually use thin needles to create my tattoos. The style of tattoos that I make have fine details and vibrant colours.

Most of my tattoos are of natural objects, and these days I’m working on a lot of nature inspires pieces that mainly use blue ink.

Does your heritage or where you live influence your art? My mom likes to do small amounts of gardening at home. So, my house is always full of many plants and flowers. I have a natural affinity for plants and I love to draw them.

What attracted you to colour tattoos, in particular blue in? I simply love blue.

What’s your favourite subject to tattoo and what would you like to do more of? I like tattoos that flow along the shape of the body. For example, I like free-form natural objects such as the tentacles of jellyfish and the stems of long petals.

I want to try a large tattoo that covers the entire back or wraps around the entire leg.

What’s the tattoo scene like where you are? Korea has not yet recognised tattooing as a profession. It is illegal for tattoo artists to do tattoos. That’s why so many talented tattooists are working abroad.

The number of people getting tattoos is increasing, but the legal system is still in the past. I’m hoping for a gradual change. Although tattooists are not protected by law, the consciousness of the country’s citizens is gradually improving due to the popularisation of tattoos.

There are so many talented tattoo artists in Korea. The day will come when they are recognised.

Do you have any guest spots or travelling planned? I plan work in Australia next year and then work in the US.

Can you tell us about your own tattoo collection? Are you a collector and do you have any future tattoo plans? It’s a collection of my favourite things. I have tattoos of my pet, life’s motto, so many colours, favourite flowers, my religion and so on. It’s like my personal diary.

What’s been your proudest moment in your career so far? I received a letter from one of my clients, I had covered up some old scars with my artwork. She told me that her heart warms whenever she sees my tattoo and that she gains strength to continue to live in this world by looking at her beautiful tattoo rather than painful memories.

That letter was more valuable than winning any contest or any amount of money.

What do you do when you’re not tattooing? I do indoor rock climbing as a hobby. And I spend some time resting with my lovely cats.

Where do you see yourself in five years? The most famous tattooist in Korea.

We love Pokhy’s ambition, be sure to follow @pokhy_tattoo for more beautiful blue tattoos.

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Safe space tattooing with Clair

Clair tattoos at Degenerate Art Tattoo Studio in Staffordshire, UK. Describing herself as a dsisabled artist, we chat to Clair about her tattooing style, plans for the future and the lack of representation in tattooing…

How long have you been tattooing and how did you get to where you are today? I’ve been tattooing for around four years including my apprenticeship. I was previously a fine artist working with painting, sculpture and installation art and taught design in secondary schools. I left teaching as I had issues with my health, but ultimately I found I was burnt out and unfulfilled in that career.

I had a little bit of time where I couldn’t work as I was very unwell. During this time I had my first tattoo and with it the realisation that maybe there was something else I could do with my skill set and passion for art and design.

How would you describe your style? I think my style is a bit of a mixed bag – sketchy stippled blackwork has become the main staple, featuring lots of flowers, nature themes, and some cartoons. But I also tattoo a lot of bold colour work with Disney, cartoons, kawaii and gamer influences.

What inspires you? Super cute cartoon characters and plushies. I’ve been obsessed with Carebears since I was a very small child. I also love nature and being able to get out with my dog Rufus, this always gives me lots of inspiration. I’m often found photographing flowers and fauna.

I love artists from the fine art world such as Chris Nathrop, Anselm Kifer, Yayoi Kusama, Andy Goldsworthy, James Turrell and Fiona Rae. I like being inspired by different forms of art.

I love to travel – the differences in culture, climate and ideas are always exciting. I’m hoping next year to be able to travel more, doing guest spots and conventions. I have big plans in the future to explore Canada, Australia, more of Asia and Indonesia with my daughter and tattoo wherever possible.

What do you love to tattoo, do you have a wishlist? I love tattooing cartoon characters especially when I can mix them with florals. I would also love to do more character work – Steven Universe, Attack on Titan, Carebears and Bluey, as it’s our household’s latest obsession, and some Lord Of The Rings-inspired pieces.

As I come back from maternity leave I have a big desire to push my work and skill set, it’s given me time to reflect and think about my growth as a person and artist. 

I want to try out new ideas and these include large-scale abstract rainbow pieces and flowing nature root/branch-style pieces that entwine and work with the body’s natural shape. I’m hoping to push myself to do more freehand work and develop my black and grey realism skill set too.

Do you prefer to work in colour or black and grey? I like both! How I work reflects the split in my personality and style. I like working with both the different techniques and the development of style and technique for each. 

I feel it’s part of my nature to want to do a bit of everything and explore as much as I can with this art form. 

In your Instagram bio you have ‘disabled artist’ can you tell us more about this? I’ve been disabled for several years now. I had an injury to my spine as a child which has set me up for a wide range of issues in life and a few other comorbid chronic conditions have come along later. I suffer especially from pain which can be extremely debilitating.

Tattooing found me at a stage in my life where I was on the verge of giving up, it’s saved me, and has given me a new passion and purpose. I can work as a disabled person as tattooing offers such freedom and flexibility for my ups and downs with managing my conditions. 

I think calling myself disabled as an artist is really important as there is a lack of representation within tattooing. 

Does this influence how you tattoo? So with my chronic pain and mobility issues, I have to be careful with the type of tattoo projects I take on, the placements and the type of machines I can use.

For example, I can’t really stand or bend excessively when I tattoo as I find that incredibly painful, it’s a huge limitation but it’s something I’m now used to. I have to use lightweight machines and plan my days very carefully with my use of energy. 

Is there a particular type of space you want to create while working? So I’m passionate about creating more accessible spaces within tattooing – for artists and clients. 

I just think it should automatically be thought of when setting up a studio, whether it’s a street shop or more private space, that includes suitable and well-thought-out access to the frontages, doors, steps, corridors and accessible bathrooms. But that’s not the norm from my experience. 

I’ve worked in a few studios that will not provide accessibility and that’s just embarrassing to not be able to offer basic human rights to clients.

So, where I’m working from now there is a commitment to finding a way to open up the studio so it’s more accessible to all clients. It’s a work in progress as I’ve been on maternity leave but I’m hoping real progress can be made. 

Can you tell us about a memorable tattoo experience? Being tattooed by Anthony Lennox – I had a sloth tattooed on my lower leg. It was just an all-round memorable day, with the tattoo design, getting to see how he tattoos, the studio set up, and the other clients and artists there. It’s the best when a tattoo artist whose work you love turns out to be absolutely lovely!

What was your first tattoo, do you still love it? My first tattoo is a slice of cake and some sweets done by @KeelyGlitters. I still love it and that’s what inspired me to even think about becoming a tattoo artist.

What’s been your proudest moment in your career so far? I have a lot of proud moments but ultimately it comes down to tattooing so many people that have said they have felt safe, respected and happy with me and their tattoo.

That’s so important to me and as I strive to become a better artist, person and now a mother. I want to continue in my journey to make sure clients are made to feel comfortable and happy throughout the tattooing process. 

Follow Clair for more awesome tattoos, available designs and book in via her website.

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Interview with tattoo artist Jooyoung

Tattooist Jooyoung creates beautifully colourful floral tattoos near Hongik University in Seoul, South Korea. Here she tells us all about her journey into the tattoo world and love for travel…

How long have you been tattooing and how did you get started in the industry? This year marks 11 years since I first began tattooing. I have had a talent for painting since childhood and I have always enjoyed drawing.

I began to explore the tattoo industry as I wanted more opportunities to display my painting skills. When I became an official tattoo artist, I fell in love with this profession and have been practicing it ever since.

To have a deeper understanding of tattoos, I also studied English and attended multiple international tattoo exhibitions.

What inspired you to become an artist? Do you have a background in art? My interest and passion for art is my primary source of inspiration. I have art education. I worked as an art instructor at the academy for a long period after graduating from art school, although I wasn’t very interested in it.

At the time I was looking into how I could increase the value and reputation of my paintings. I happened to come upon a tattoo by chance and decided to challenge myself to do it professionally. 

How would you describe your style? What drew you to colour tattoos? My tattoos are often delicate and use a variety of colours. I’m skilled at creating tattoos with fine lines in various colours. I also incorporate a contemporary Korean style into my tattoos.

If I think about the reason I got into colouring tattoos, I believe it’s because I have always liked painting with different colours. Colour tattoos require a great deal of effort and time, but they are always pleasurable.

What inspires your designs? Does your heritage influence your art? Where I grew up was abundant with nature. I’ve always been interested in nature because I grew up surrounded by mountains and fields and spent time outdoors with my friends. I was greatly inspired by nature. I prefer mountains and the sea and I am a fan of plants and flowers.

Can you tell us about the process behind your tattoos? What do you like to tattoo and what would you like to do more of? Tattooing was not a smooth journey for me, especially during the first year or two of my career as I encountered numerous obstacles. Even though I now enjoy tattooing after numerous different experiences, I was initially terrified and lacked confidence.

I like doing small-sized tattoos. When I initially began doing small-scale tattoos, I experimented on my younger brother. I was so anxious and overwhelmed that I had no idea where to begin. Fortunately, my teacher was really kind and taught me how to do it and so I felt much better and began to gain confidence. Small tattoos are difficult to create since they require a great deal of design and detail to be unique, but I have mastered the skill through extensive practice.

I would like to try something new in the future. I will experiment with more tattoos with unique styles and designs. I will also make an effort to create more large-scale tattoos, which involve different abilities and designs.

How do you see your tattoos evolving in the future? Now that I am proficient with small-sized tattoos, I plan to experiment with various styles. I will continue to create colour tattoos in the future, as they are my expertise and my favourite. However, my tattoos will become increasingly unique and larger.

What was your first tattoo? Do you still like it? How has your tattoo collection developed since then? My first tattoo is a floral watercolour design. This tattoo was given to me by my best friend, who is a renowned tattoo artist. I like it very much. To this day, I vividly recall how painful the process was. It was too large for my first tattoo. I got the tattoo over two days sitting for for five hours each time, and it hurt so much.

Since then, when I do tattoos for others, I concentrate primarily on smaller designs because they are less uncomfortable.

Where’s been your favorite place to travel and tattoo? England is an excellent travel and tattoo destination.

I was in England as part of a guestspot. I had a wonderful and unforgettable experience. I did some excellent tattoos and met nice people there. The weather, the guests, and the vibe at that time were all perfect. 

Do you have any travels or guest spots planned? Next year, I intend to work in Europe. Europe is a lovely and romantic region with several attractions. After completing my guest work, I intend to travel with my husband on a lengthy trip.

What’s the tattoo scene like where you are? Tattoos are still seen negatively by the majority of Koreans, but tattoos are gaining popularity among young people. Due to legal and medical restrictions, tattooing in Korea is not as free as in other countries. I hope that people’s attitudes of tattoos will change in the future. I am also aiming to increase the popularity of tattoos.

What do you do when you’re not tattooing/drawing? When I am not tattooing, I prefer to exercise or enjoy my personal time by doing things like reading. Once a week, I also enjoy spending time with my husband and engaging in enjoyable activities. 

What moment in your career are you most proud of? I enjoy doing tattoos for people from various countries. I also travel to various countries as a guest spot and attend tattoo conventions. These opportunities allow me to experience a variety of things and engage in artistic exchanges with top tattoo artists. As a tattoo artist specialising in the Korean style, I am also pleased to represent Korea through my tattoos and educate a wider audience about Korean tattoos.

When I receive recognition from a large number of tattoo lovers and other professionals, I feel the most accomplished. This strengthens me and motivates me to work harder. If they enjoy and value the tattoos I’ve given them, I feel that my value is increasing.

Follow @jooyoung_tt for more incredible floral tattoos and travel updates.

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Interview with tattoo artist Yerae

Tattooist Yerae creates beautiful floral tattoos at Dasibom studio in South Korea. We chatted to the tattoo artist about her love for colour and creating coverup tattoos for her clients…

How long have you been tattooing and how did you get started in the industry? I’ve been tattooing for over three years and I have always been interested in drawing. However, I didn’t attend art school as my family encouraged me to focus on academics instead.

My interest in art and painting has never ceased and I often wondered how I could continue my artistic career. Then one day, I accompanied my friend to Seoul to get her first tattoo. As soon as I saw the tattoo artist at work, I fell in love with the job. I found drawing on people’s bodies to be absolutely stunning. Since then, I have taken tattoo classes and pursued the profession. My paintings have gradually evolved into my own tattoo style. 

What inspired you to become an artist? Do you have a background in art? As mentioned previously, I have been interested in art since I was a child. I became a tattoo artist as a result of my enthusiasm for art, particularly drawing on people’s bodies.

As a hobby, I have always painted, yet I’ve never received any art education. In school I studied International Relations and Political Science, which are completely unrelated to art. The topic itself was interesting, but I could not envision myself working in the industry, because I had always wanted a job that would allow me to utilise my creativity.

How would you describe your style? What drew you to colour tattoos? My tattoo style is both feminine and eye-catching because I use  lots of brilliant and strong colours – I create numerous floral tattoos. Initially, the majority of my work was in black ink, but after realising that the uniqueness and character of flowers are derived from their colour, I decided to concentrate more on colour tattoos.

Despite the range of colours and species, I believe that every flower has a distinguishing hue that identifies it. When you think of sunflower or daffodil, the colour yellow comes to mind, but when you think of violet, the colour purple comes to mind.

I believe the usage of multiple colours adds vibrancy to tattoos because we inhabit a world of colour. In addition, I execute numerous coverups, which, in my opinion, far more dramatic results are produced with colours.

What inspires your designs? Does your heritage influence your art? Since the majority of my work focuses on floral and botanical elements, I get inspiration mostly from flowers, plants, and nature, but also from my clientele.

Regarding coverups, for instance, I have had numerous clients who were desperate to cover their existing tattoos. Before confirming an appointment, I discuss with my clients how they wish to cover it up so that they do not regret their decision. Once covered, it is difficult to remove or apply additional coverups, therefore I strive for perfection. For coverup work, my designs are inspired by the client’s preferences, their present tattoo’s shape, placement, and flow, as well as their body’s positioning and placement.

I remember that my grandfather was so pleased to see me sitting down with my sketchbooks and drawing as a child. He bought me crayons, coloured pencils, watercolors, and additional art supplies. When I first saw his drawings, I was astounded since they were primarily portraits and I never anticipated my grandfather to be so talented in art, as he was an accountant and I never saw him draw. Later on, he explained to me that after surviving the Korean war, he was unable to follow his dream of being an artist. When he saw me drawing, he was delighted and believed I had inherited his artistic talent. He complimented me, offered me advice, and gave me his old sketching books. I believe that his encouragement of my artistic endeavors influenced me to become an artist.

What do you like to tattoo and what would you like to do more of? Recently, I had the chance to create a back coverup with flowers and a dragon. It was difficult, but I enjoyed tattooing the dragon so much that I’d like to do more fantastical animals surrounded by natural elements.

In addition, a few months ago I worked on a floral leg piece that extends from the ankle to the thigh. It required four complete sessions, each lasting 8-9 hours. I enjoyed the way the flowers, stems and leaves flowed along the leg line despite the lengthy duration of the project. I would love to create more full-leg and full-sleeve designs.

How do you see your tattoos evolving in the future? Since I already have a high level of expertise in floral tattoos and a large number of clients come to me just for floral tattoos, I believe that I will continue to concentrate my work on flowers and other elements from nature. I would also like to focus more on coverup and larger pieces in the future. I am also considering using more toned-down colours to add variety to my design, as I have predominantly used brilliant tones.

Where’s been your favorite place to travel and tattoo? Last summer, I visited London, Hamburg, and Leeds, and each of these cities was fantastic.

I visited London for the first time abs I made some tattoos there. Not only was it enjoyable to do tattoos, but also to explore the city.

In Germany, I attended graduate school. Visiting Hamburg brought up many pleasant memories from the past. It was a wonderful opportunity to return to the country, and in Hamburg, the tattoo studio, the people, and even the weather were perfect.

I attended the Leeds Tattoo Convention when in Leeds. I finished three outstanding tattoos at the convention, and my clients loved them. This exhibition also raised awareness of Korean tattoos among a wider audience. Everyone who passed by at the convention was drawn to my unique tattoo style, and they conveyed their admiration and affection for Korean tattoos to me. I am pleased that people are taking a keen interest in my tattoo style and complimenting it positively. Participating in such a big event is very valuable to me because I am able to communicate with so many tattoo artists from multiple countries, share my tattoo experience with them, discuss the challenges and solutions of working in the tattoo industry, and discuss various tattoo techniques.

Do you have any travels or guest spots planned? Although I don’t have any concrete plans as of right now, one of my goals for the coming year is to travel to Australia for a guest spot.

What was your first tattoo? Do you still like it? How has your tattoo collection developed since then? My first tattoo was a script of my name in Dzongkha, a Sino-Tibetan language, on my shoulder. However, it had faded with time, so I covered it with flowers. All of my tattoos are floral designs. My intention is to cover my left arm with black flowers and my right arm with coloured flowers. 

What’s the tattoo scene like where you are? I think that most people are aware that in South Korea, tattooing was not previously a common practice or topic of conversation. Due to fine line designs and work details, the market for Koran tattoos continues to expand, and Korean tattoo artists are increasingly famous for their talents and designs.

However, the tattoo industry in Korea still has a long way to go in terms of developing a safer and more comfortable environment for both tattoo artists and clients. I am optimistic about the future. I hope that one day a growing number of individuals will value and be proud of their tattoos. I am also working to promote Korean tattoos internationally by traveling to different countries and presenting my work. 

What moment in your career are you most proud of? I enjoy and appreciate all of my works, but I am particularly proud of my scar coverups. Many of my clients were traumatised by the scar or recall the time they were injured. One of my clients had multiple red marks on her legs and praised my job by stating that she had never worn a short skirt since she was a child because she wanted to conceal them. She said that even her parents were pleased to have the scars covered, and so I felt proud and pleased to be a tattoo artist. 

Follow Yerae for more beautiful floral tattoos and impressive coverups.