Izabella Dawid Wolf and her creepy etchings

Tattoo artist Izabella Dawid Wolf, who hails from Poland, was over in London recently guesting at the-soon-to-be-closed Into You.  We caught up with her to find out about where she draws inspiration for her creepy yet cute tattoos and her love for sludge metal and all things dark…

tumblr_o34orajCfd1ql3it8o1_540

How long have you been tattooing and what made you want to become a tattoo artist?
I’ve been tattooing for two years and beforehand I was apprenticing for two years. It’s a funny story that made me want to become an artist… about eight, years ago when I was living in London, a friend of mine, who actually doesn’t have any tattoos, wanted to get a tattoo. I had this design I used to carry round me and I really wanted to get it done by someone and she introduced me to this guy, Liam Sparkes at a party… he probably doesn’t even realise how important he is to me! So we went outside and I was asking stupid questions like, “what do you do?” then I showed him my tarot card etching and I told him I didn’t know who could do it, and he was like, “I will do it!” My mind was blown that this etching could be turned into a tattoo! So then I got my first machine… a shitty Chinese machine and I used to tattoo fruit in my bedroom. My flatmate thought I was constantly masturbating with a vibrator!

tumblr_o0fr4pSucl1ql3it8o1_540

Where do you draw your influences from?
Music! Lyrics and the atmosphere of the music. The only word that puts it together is dark. The music I like is anything from sludge metal to weird dark techno, so I think I have an eclectic taste. But sometimes I listen to the lyrics and hear a beautiful sentence which inspires me. I love everything though, especially photographer and film makers like Helmut Newton and Gregg Araki. I have so many mood boards in my house and someone once said to me: “you are the effort of everyone you know”.  I still have my portfolio from university and I was looking through it recently and I still have the same themes in my work that I am interpreting now in tattoos. But its always been the same freaks and some sexy ladies.

tumblr_o6pa36mkNC1ql3it8o1_540

If you could tattoo anyone dead or alive who it would be and why?
There would be so many people I would love to tattoo! I think it would have to be John Balance from Coil. I’d love to do something weird because I love the music so much.  It’s so important and inspiring for me. I actually don’t know what I’d like to do on him… maybe something simple and symbolic. I’d probably die from a heart attack from having this opportunity. Maybe something fetish-y… a mask or a gag or something creepy!

tumblr_o32hrkX5pL1ql3it8o1_540

 

If you had to have a different career, what would you do?
I would be a vet… I love animals, anything to do with animals.

tumblr_o6o0cqq6TQ1ql3it8o1_540

 

What would you love to tattoo that you haven’t done yet?
There are a few designs I would still like to tattoo that I haven’t yet… some more creepy girls and animals, which is something to do with wanting to be a vet maybe! More big pieces and I’m starting to learn more about composition on the body, so maybe a full leg or chest piece. I’m always open to ideas as long as someone gets my style.

tumblr_o4396mbDtI1ql3it8o1_540

Is there anything that you would never tattoo?
More a certain style I wouldn’t tattoo and it’s not about being an arrogant dickhead, it’s just I would rather recommend someone to go to someone who specialises in a certain style. I would never do a realistic portrait of a baby, for example! It’s so scary, and then you grow and the skin changes!

tumblr_o5h9xdVWfi1ql3it8o1_540

How do you see your style adapting in the future?
Its so hard to call what I draw a style, the only aim is to never stop. I’m still learning every day. Each day is a challenge with a person’s different skin or a different part of the body. I want to get better and more conscious about getting better. I still feel too immature to say what my style is! It’s so hard to say and define. I think the most important thing is to  never to sit down and feel satisfied. You can never say that one artwork is finished.

 

tumblr_o76er8ETBU1ql3it8o1_540

More of Izabella’s work can be seen via her Instagram and blog.

Exclusive new images in Mark Leaver’s facial tattoo project

Facial tattoos are bold and unflinching, they cannot be hidden – perhaps this is why they still sometimes provoke fear and prejudice. Mark Leaver’s photographic project tackles this issue and tries to dispel some of the myths that exist about this niche within a subculture.

These are two brand-new, unseen portraits in Mark Leaver’s beautiful (and much talked about) series of portrait photographs. (previously blogged about here, and also featured in The Identity Issue of Things&Ink). This time Mark photographs a couple of our friends, Duncan X and Blue from Into You, London.

 

Duncan X, 48 years old, Tattoo Artist

Duncan  x
Duncan x

 

Duncan was 21 when he got his first tattoo. Duncan was in a band for 7 years until he began working at Into You as a receptionist at 30 years old. He did an apprenticeship in Soho with Dennis Cockell. Duncan’s first facial tattoo was by Curley Moore (when Curly worked at Into You). Duncan doesn’t intend on getting any more facial work.

 

 

Blue, 50 years old, office manager at Into You, London

Blue
Blue

 

Blue was 18 when she started getting tattooed and it wasn’t until her mid 30s that she decided to move to her face. For her, the hands and neck were a bigger deal to get tattooed than her face. Blue has been at Into You for 20 years and she wants more facial work, but not for a while – maybe at 70! 

 

A word from the photographer Mark:

It seems oddly timed that the project has had so much publicity and attention right after I’ve graduated from university! To get the series published by the Daily Mail is an amazing (and unexpected) progression of the project. This marks a new audience which is amazing for much a niche subject – before the series was only really viewed by people from the tattoo community, for it to be in a tabloid paper is incredible.

The project is nowhere near over, I’m still shooting. I shot these portraits last week of Duncan and Blue. And I actually shot two more today and will be doing two more tomorrow. There’s still a few big names/characters I’d like to have in the project before I put it to rest.

 

We will continue to keep you updated on Mark Leaver’s progression with this project. His work can be viewed at www.mdleaver.com

Sailor Jerry sponsors The Things&Ink Identity exhibition

We are very pleased to announce that Sailor Jerry will be sponsoring the opening of IDENTITY – Portraits | Modification | Adornment – our exhibition at Into You London in May 2014.

Join and celebrate with us:
Thursday 22 May from 7pm
Into You, 144 St John St, London EC1V 4UA
RSVP here.

Sailor Jerry will be providing awesome cocktails including:
Jerry and Ginger Beer
Sailor Jerry and Coke
Jerry Mojito
Shave & a Haircut
Heavy Punch

Respect his legacy, drink responsibly.

What more could you ask for? Ink, art and booze. See you on Thursday…

Jerry and Ginger Beer

 

SJ Mojito
Jerry Mojito

 

Shave & a Haircut

 

Heavy Punch

 

Cocktails recipes from Sailor Jerry coming soon. More information about the event here.

Identity – Portraits | Modification | Adornment. An exhibition

Artwork by Susanna Widmann

 

We are very pleased to announce our upcoming exhibition ‘Identity – Portraits | Modification | Adornment’ at Into You, London, in May 2014.

Launch party: Thursday 22 May from 7pm
Location: Into You, 144 St John St, London EC1V 4UA
Join the Facebook event, here.

 

Glimpse of a piece by Matt (Oddboy) Barratt-Jones 

 

The exhibition coincides with the launch of The Identity Issue – issue 7 of Things & Ink magazine and celebrates the work of tattooists, photographers and artists. Each piece is the artist’s interpretation of the theme – no restrictions or limitations. This collection, curated by the team at Things&Ink, is varied, exciting and thought-provoking.

Identity means something different to us all, and this collection of original artwork and photography – and The Identity Issue of Things&Ink magazine  – explores the way our identities can be informed by the world around us and what we choose to do with our bodies.

There will be work from:
Alex Binnie 
Araceli 4ever
Andrea Furci 
Axa Shireen
Aimee Cornwell 
Antony Flemming
Clare Goldilox
Delphine Noiztoy
Duncan X 
Joao Bosco 
Matt (Oddboy) Barratt-Jones 
Susanna Widmann
Wendy Pham
Ramon Maiden
Luke Garwood
Heather Shuker
And a selection of artists from Into You Brighton and London. 

The Chin Women of Myanmar, by photographer Luke Garwood
Ma Apoi aged 66

 

Come and join us to celebrate the launch and view the entire exhibition on Thursday 22 May from 7pm, Into You, 144 St John St, London EC1V 4UA. The exhibition will run for three months from that date.

The exhibition has been curated by the team at Things&Ink magazine

Under Her Skin – a group exhibition celebrating one year of Things&Ink, in association with Atomica Gallery

Things&Ink and Atomica Gallery present:

UNDER HER SKIN

Celebrating one year of Things&Ink and launch of The Art Issue

Thursday 12th September – Monday 30th September 2013
Opening Party: Thursday 12th September
Atomica Gallery, Hackney Downs Studios, London

Under her skin exhibition

We’re super-excited to announce an exclusive exhibition, in association with our friends Atomica Gallery, in Hackney.

Under Her Skin marks one year of Things&Ink by bringing together a selection of today’s most talented artists for an exhibition celebrating modern female tattoo culture:

Amy Victoria Savage (Jayne Doe, Hornchurch UK)
Angelique Houtkamp (Salon Serpent, Amsterdam NL)
Charissa Gregson (Jolie Rouge, London UK)
Dominique Holmes (The Family Business, London UK)
Grace Neutral (Good Times, London UK)
Guen Douglas (Salon Serpent, Amsterdam NL)
Iris Lys (London UK & Paris FR)
Lucy Pryor (Into You, London UK)
Rachel Baldwin (Bold As Brass, Liverpool UK)
Rebecca Vincent (Nostalgia Traditional Tattooing, Leeds & The Circle, London UK)
Tracy D (King’s Cross Tattoo Parlour, London UK)
Vicky Morgan (Ghost House, Derby UK)

Under Her Skin will be exhibited during the London International Tattoo Convention 2013, which is being held at the Tobacco Dock in east London 27-29th September.

 

Under Her Skin opening event, sponsored by The Kraken Rum
Thursday 12th September, 6-9pm at Atomica Gallery
Complimentary drinks provided by The Kraken Rum
Please RSVP with names to rsvp@atomicagallery.com

Join the Facebook event: Under Her Skin