Rosalie Hurr, Author at Things&Ink

December 31, 2015

Paul Clark: Scalp Micro Pigmentation

Paul Clark initially trained as a tattooist before specialising in scalp micro pigmentation and works at Brandwood Clinic. We chatted to Paul about the processes behind his work and the clients he works with…

What is scalp micro pigmentation? Do you tattoo hair onto other parts of the body? Scalp Micro Pigmentation is a procedure that creates the appearance of hair using an insertion of ink and the micro-dermal level. It is (as the name suggests) mostly for the scalp but we also replicate facial hair -beards, stubble. This is particularly for alopecia but also for those who want the look of stubble without the work of keeping it trimmed or people whose natural stubble isn’t dark or thick enough.

We work with other technicians who are skilled in semi-permanent make-up for eyebrows and the like. Essentially we can offer the whole package.

How does it work? What is the process? How long does it take to heal? We insert a pigment into a shallow layer of the scalp, we use thousands of impressions randomly distributed in order to replicate the appearance of hair follicles. The end effect is an appearance of hair at its shortest, we regularly describe it as the ‘buzz cut’ look. When working with clients who have some hair it can add density to the thinner or thinning areas, something we’ve done with both women and men.

It’s a procedure that usually takes three sessions distributed over four weeks or more. Overall the healing process is five days from the last session, when the pigment size has reduced to appear ‘as hair’. It’s effectively healed when the pigment size matches the existing or previous hair follicles.

How do you match the colour? We have 70 different shade variations which get close to any hair colour. They are specifically mixed for each client. We use a special pigment which is totally organic, all plant based and suitable for vegans – very important to me as I am one!

What sorts of clients to you get? What do they ask for? Are they happy with the results? Most clients ask for a natural, realistic end-result that can’t be detected easily. They are seeking the appearance of hair. It can be all ages, I’ve treated a 15-year-old with alopecia and a 70-year-old guy wanting his hairline back. It’s many different walks-of-life: celebrities, armed forces, musicians, sportsmen. Essentially anyone who is image-conscious and doesn’t want to be bald.

It often takes a long time for people to come to the decision that they want this treatment, we frequently talk to people who are on a journey and coming to terms with their hair loss. Once they’ve had the treatment it restores a level of self-confidence, they’re liberated and feel extremely happy. It’s an incredibly rewarding role to have in someone’s life.

Can you tell us about your pioneering work? It’s a relatively new industry, the very first procedure was probably only a decade ago. I was the first ‘full-time’ practitioner and have helped to train a lot of the people working in the business world-wide. The first treatments were in the straight-looking, defined hairline style and this is still something that a lot of clients like. What I’ve tried to do over the years is to perfect a more natural looking hairline because people’s hair tends not to grow in razor-sharp lines.

One of my early clients was Simon Lane who’s been on an incredible journey of his own with scarring and hair transplants and the like. He trained as a practitioner and we’ve been close friends ever since.

Simon’s hair journey

Working together we experimented with a few different styles of hairline and definitions. We first introduced the broken hairline, moved onto the jagged and eventually the feathered look which is one of the most advanced procedures that can be performed.

When we started Brandwood Clinic we were keen to introduce a whole new method and spent a few months perfecting something we call the 3D Scatter Technique. It’s a way of working, particularly with clients who still have some hair, to deliver the most realistic appearance possible. It is the most sophisticated procedure available and, at present, we’re the only two practitioners who can perform it. We’re naturally proud of it, as it demonstrates a great leap forward for scalp micro pigmentation.

Can you tell us about where you work? Me and Simon are at Brandwood Clinic in Solihull where we see people from all over the UK and further afield. We have a client regularly flying from Ireland and a guy coming to see us from Spain in early 2016. The whole ethos behind the clinic is that we deliver a professional service in a comfortable and clean environment. Our aim is to improve the overall respectability of Scalp Micro Pigmentation, improve standards and work towards regulation of the industry.

Costs are variable depending on many factors – what level of hair density you have remaining, whether there are scars from hair transplants or other treatments and what look you are trying to achieve. We also ‘top-up’ a lot of previous clients and have updated some of them to the 3D Scatter appearance.

Treatments (over three sessions) can take up to twelve hours, an average cost for a completely new treatment is in the region of £3,000.

Can you tell us about your tattooing background? How long were you a tattooist? Where did you tattoo? I did a six month apprenticeship in Birmingham. I studied art and felt that this was a natural progression but then found an opportunity with scalp micro pigmentation that didn’t exist in traditional tattooing. It was a chance to really help people but also, eventually, use some of my knowledge of art and tattooing background.

I felt that I wanted to concentrate more on that and not jump between the two. I wanted to immerse myself in the technique of micro pigmentation and perfect it. Trying to tattoo at the same time would be confusing, they’re different disciplines. I’ve treated tattooists and they’ve always been blown away by the work, I always felt like it justified the decision I made. I’m very passionate about scalp micro pigmentation.

Can you tell us about your tattoos? I have quite a few tattoos, sleeve and chest area mainly and a recent one on my hand. Andy Cryztalz at Park Street Tattoo in Birmingham did the dot work and mandala on my hand, it’s a great piece. I also like Dawnii at Painted Lady who did my sleeve, Mike Philip at Immortal Ink did my chest, all great artists. In the new year I will be starting on my other arm!

December 29, 2015December 29, 2015

Interview with Ali Samantha

31-year-old Ali Samantha works out of Mom’s Tattoo in San Francisco and creates dark traditional style tattoos. We chatted to Ali about how she got started in the industry, the artists that influence her work and her dark sad girls…

How did you start tattooing? How long have you been tattooing? I started tattooing almost ten years ago under a bizarre set of circumstances. I have to give a lot of credit to my Schwinn bicycle because if I hadn’t been riding by a particular tattoo shop at a particular time on it I might never have become a tattooer. I started out with a lot of help and guidance from Devon Blood of Oakland California and put in a few years working the counter and watching other people tattoo at Sacred Tattoo which is also in Oakland. Devon taught me about passion and dedicating one’s life and body to tattooing. I learned a lot of things through trial and error honestly. I had a lot of people come into my life at really important times.

What did you do before, do you have a background in art? So I’ve been tattooing for almost ten years, professionally for about 7 or 8 years. I’ve been in a few different art schools but was not what I would consider a visual artist. I really didn’t start drawing all the time until I started tattooing. When I was in school my focus was on writing but I took drawing classes as well, I just wasn’t very good at it.

Prior to tattooing I worked in a lot of restaurants and a couple retail stores. I had a short and unsuccessful stint where I tried to sell handmade shirts with a corresponding mixtape. That would have been cooler if it had worked out. I have realized over the years that I need to do things that keep me completely preoccupied and busy, things that are all consuming. And if there could also be a constant presence of mild to severe anxiety involved that’s even better. So tattooing is perfect for me.

What inspires you? I get inspired by all sorts of things. Women, other tattooers, architecture, smut, art, movies, music, comics, books. I love that over the years this thing has developed where I’ll look at a person or a piece of art or something and go “that’d make a cool tattoo.” Being a bit of a creep really helps with that.

How would you describe your style? I would say the style I most admire and enjoy doing is traditional tattooing. I think that with the exception of a few stand by rules traditional has come to mean something more than I ever thought it could. Which is amazing. I love that something formulaic can be manipulated, played with and even distorted. People out there are doing some crazy shit.

What kinds of things do you like to draw and tattoo? The things I most enjoy drawing are women, hands, reapers, hearts, eyeballs, flowers. I’ve always been drawn to images of women. Bodies can mimic architecture can mimic the human form. Which I find very interesting. I’m also really drawn to vintage flash. The tattooers before me knew what was up. Of course I enjoy tattooing things I draw but I’m also always down for walk in tattoos. When I was younger I had a lot of problems with depression and I noticed that every time I got tattooed I felt better. Adrenaline is super cool. Anyhow, I felt like that was a gift and I wanted to be able to offer that to other people too. So if someone needs a memorial tattoo or just something to make them feel better I have an equal appreciation for that as well.

Do you admire other tattoo artists? Do they influence your work? I am ABSOLUTELY influenced by other tattooers. I’ve had the privilege of working with some amazing people that I still keep in close contact with. Olivia Olivier is my number one crush in tattooing. She got me into this amazing life drawing class her mother teaches that has absolutely changed how I draw. She has shared references, tricks and tips with me and I am so glad that I know her. And she CRUSHES daily.

There are just too many good tattooers out there to list them all! I also work with a really solid crew of guys who push me to be more productive, to paint, to draw, to not hate myself or what I draw so much. I think (like most people) I am my own worst critic so it has been really helpful to have worked with so many supportive people who are just like “shut the fuck up, that drawing is sick just do it”. My little sister just started tattooing too and she has been an integral part of my support system for years.

We love your moody dark girls are these inspired by anyone in particular? I was asked where my moody dark girls come from and I honestly don’t know. They just showed up one day. I can say that my favorite depictions of women are the ones that are dark, dramatic and emotional. Powerful. Growing up I was often referred to as too sensitive, shy or emotional, so I think I relate more to people who seem to have a lot on their minds or carry a certain sadness with them. Happy people generally make me at the least suspicious, at the most uncomfortable. Which isn’t to say that I am never happy. I have my moments. I think it’s just that if I had to pick between a smiling girl and one on the verge of tears, I’d probably choose the crying girl.

Can you tell us about your own tattoos? A lot of my personal tattoos happened on slow days in tattoo shops. I collect mostly traditional tattoos, and I have gotten tattooed by close friends as much as strangers. My back piece was done by Jason Phillips at FTW tattoo and it was the coolest most fucked up experience ever. Jason walked me through it with kindness and humor which was greatly appreciated. My first tattoos were little memorial pieces for my dad and grandpa.

December 24, 2015

Five great Christmas movies that aren’t really Christmas movies

Our guest blogger is hobbyist film and TV series reviewer and writer Harry Casey-Woodward. On th-ink.co.uk Harry will be writing a series of posts in which he will be sharing his opinions on things he has watched.

At this time of year, are you ever sat in front of the television bored out of your skull as the usual parade of Christmas movies are dragged out to numb you with forced comedy and seasonal cheer. Do you sit staring gloomily into your mulled wine thinking ‘I know a few films I’d rather be watching that aren’t Christmas movies exactly but they are related to Christmas’? Well that’s exactly what this article is about. The movies in this list aren’t typical Christmas films, as in rather than celebrating Christmas they drench it in alcohol and set it on fire like a Christmas pudding. In other words, Christmas is in the background of these movies but they’re not suitable for the family to mindlessly veg out to after dinner. You certainly couldn’t show them straight after the Queen’s speech. But they’re a little more interesting than re-watching Muppet’s Christmas Carol.

1. The Proposition, 2005, dir. John Hillcoat

The Proposition

You could say this is a Nick Cave Christmas movie, since he wrote the screenplay. What a better figure for Christmas cheer than Australian Goth prince Nick Cave? Just listen to his album Murder Ballads. As we’d expect from the twisted genius of Cave, The Proposition is a bloody, blistering journey into a 19th century Australian hear t of darkness, with lashings of flies, guns and flogging. It happens to be set during Christmas and the only character celebrating is a cockney copper played by Ray Winstone, who has moved from London with his wife in order to lay down some law in the outback. In order to remember the Victorian civilisation they left behind, they order a tree, a turkey and even fake snow. Their attempts to enforce European traditions have some success on their Aborigine servant, who replies ‘merry Christmas’ to his master. However, the English couple’s attempts to practice their cosy civil culture is not enough of a shield against the harsh, violent, alien world just outside their window.

2. Brazil, 1985, dir. Terry Gilliam

Brazil

How about some dollops of dystopia with your warm mince pies? After all, Christmas is the only time of year when we try to forget we live in an unjust, cut-throat society and spend loads on food and presents in order to further the magical illusions spread by adverts. So why not watch a movie that holds a mirror up to the violent, materialistic bureaucracy hiding under the tinsel?

As you’d expect from Monty Python member Terry Gilliam, Brazil is a madly visual cross between 1984 and Pythonesque humour. In the bowels of Gilliam’s spectacular nightmarish metropolis, a bumbling bureaucrat played by Jonathan Pryce loses his grip between reality and his dreams. It’s very dark but also very funny if you like satire based on an all-powerful but inept police force that arrests and tortures the wrong people due to administration errors. There’s also an incredible array of actors, including Michael Palin as a state torturer and Robert de Niro a rogue plumber. Meanwhile Christmas is going on, perhaps to highlight the extreme materiality of this future culture. It even leads to some satire in a scene where our hapless hero thinks a bomb is disguised as a Christmas present. Perhaps this is a comment on the damaging impact of consumerism on the traditional spirit of Christmas goodwill.

3. Eyes Wide Shut, 1999, dir. Stanley Kubrick

Eyes Wide Shut

Kubrick is a director you wouldn’t normally consider suitable for Christmas movies. Sure he once directed a family film set in the snow, but that was a claustrophobic horror where daddy goes mad with an axe and just won’t shut up. Eyes Wide Shut is a family film set during Christmas but it’s also a sexual odyssey. Kubrick’s last film saw him leave behind graphic violence and start exploring graphic sex. Unfortunately Tom Cruise is the hero, and I’m sure most people there days would rather watch Idris Elba in this kind of film. Luckily Cruise doesn’t get his clothes off much. The film is about him and his wife Nicole Kidman (both really married at the time) played an ordinary American couple until Kidman’s character admits she once desired another man, so Cruise thinks it fit to retaliate by going an all-night search for sexual gratification. His journey takes him to a secret masked party, where sumptuous tracking shots linger on all-out room-to-room naked orgies (artfully shot of course). Clearly this marital breakdown erotica is not suitable Christmas family viewing, but it is worth watching for Kubrick’s typically stylish cinematography, tension and atmosphere. Perhaps it also rages against the supposed innocence of Christmas and the refusal of typical seasonal stories to acknowledge that people are just as much victims of their emotions and desires as they are the rest of the year.

4. Gremlins, 1984, dir. Joe Dante

Gremlins

Finally here’s some light relief (which is what Christmas is supposed to be about, after all) from westerns, dystopias and erotica. However Gremlins was still nasty enough to inspire the PG-13 rating, since scenes of monsters attacking people with household appliances or being blown up in microwaves were considered too gruesome for a mere PG rating. To be fair, it is odd that today this is considered a family Christmas movie since such scenes are still rather graphic. Nevertheless it’s still lots of guilty fun to watch a sleepy American town fall prey to invading hordes of mischievous little green devils. The difference between this and other critter movies is that this one happens to be set during Christmas. Why? I’m not sure. I can only assume it’s some kind of marketing ploy, or maybe the film was scheduled to be finished near Christmas and the makers thought ‘what the hell, let’s make it a Christmas movie.’ Whatever the reason, they ended up putting a lot of effort into the Christmas aspect.

A festive pop song is blasted at us over the opening credits, the streets are laden with snow and every house is decked out like Santa’s grotto. To be honest this does contrast nicely with the mayhem that follows, perhaps to symbolise the fragility of Christmas against the forces of chaos. I also have a theory that the gremlins themselves are a reflection of what actually happens to people during Christmas. Instead of spreading goodwill, people turn vicious, ravenous and selfish. They devour all the food, drink too much and assault the bar staff while overcrowding cinemas with overexcited, screaming offspring to watch the latest Disney flick. Lastly, the film even has a little message of responsibility about getting a pet for Christmas. Do take care of your animals, whether it’s dogs or mogwai who can sprout evil babies from their backs when you get them wet.

5. Die Hard, 1988, dir. John McTiernan

Die Hard

I think a few people would be upset if I left this off the list. Like the other movies, this is a very un-Christmas movie that just happens to be set during Christmas. It does very little to promote any Christmas message. On the other hand, like Gremlins, Christmas is everywhere in typically American garish fashion. Bruce Willis walks into an airport in L.A. with a massive Christmas present and goes to his wife’s office Christmas party, which is the office Christmas party to end all office Christmas parties, at the top of a towering corporate complex. Then everyone (except Bruce of course) gets kidnapped by the evil Alan Rickman and his team of elite criminals. After that the festive mood is shot to pieces, rather like some of the unlucky office workers. The rest of the movie is Bruce crawling through air ducts in a filthy vest, frustrating both the robbers and the cops he’s supposed to be cooperating with. So what is the meaning of Christmas in this typical 80s action flick, apart from something in the background? Well there is a family theme, since Bruce’s wife is one of the hostages and he spends the entire film trying to save her. So life-threatening situation aside, Christmas time does bring loved ones together. Or maybe the film is trying to say that sometimes Christmas is not enough to fix estranged relationships. Only Snape’s terrorist ring can save your love life. Happy Christmas.

One last thing, I would just like to draw attention to the Christmas scene in Full Metal Jacket, where the drill sergeant leads his recruits in a chorus of ‘Happy birthday dear Jesus’. Because it’s hilarious.

December 23, 2015December 23, 2015

Careers: Tattooed Model Booker

We chatted to 22-year-old Laura who works as a model booker in London, about her beautiful tattoo collection and people telling her she doesn’t look like the tattooed type…

My first tattoo was (I’m embarrassed to say) those feathers with little birds coming out of them with the quote “Not all those who wonder are lost” I cringe so much looking at it but despite what it is it’s not actually a bad tattoo but just poor decision making on my part. I was 18 when I got my first tattoo and have learnt a lot about tattoos over the past four years so I try not to feel too bad about my first couple of tattoos! At the time I loved it so I’ll never regret it but at the same time feathers and birds are so cliché; I didn’t even realise the quote was from The Lord of The Rings (sorry!) so that makes me feel bad!

There are two people in my life that influenced me. My older cousins had tattoos and I used to think they were so cool. I’m like 12 years younger then them so they were my idols. When I was older (like 16/17) I worked with an Aussie girl at Dr Martens and she had beautiful tattoos, I can’t remember the name of the tattooist she went to but from then on I was set on getting at least one tattoo. I lost touch with her after leaving Dr Martens but I always think about her and her tattoos.

I guess one of the first thing people notice is that the majority of my tattoos are ladies and animals, animals on my legs (there’s a couple of exceptions to that though) and ladies on my arms/chest. I have a tattoo by Daniel Gensch based on Rebecca from a novel by Daphne Du Maurier that’s on my arm, Sam Smith also tattooed a portrait of that author on the same arm. I love my Eckel tattoo, it took years to finally get a reply from him and I still can’t get over that I managed to get booked in with him!

My tattoos are quite girly apart from my chest piece that is a lady with daggers going through her head. Sam Smith tattooed that one as well, she finished it all in five and a half hours, it’s one of my favourite tattoos but hands down the most painful. I’ve been really lucky with who I’ve been tattooed by; Sadee Glover, Drew Romero, Kodie Smith, Magda Son, Georgina Jurd.. My most recent tattoo is a portrait of the actress Felicity Jones by Rose Hardy.

There are so many artists that I admire and still want to get tattooed by, including Emily Rose Murray, Jacob Gardner and Sam Clarke, to name just a few! There are so many more though! I can’t wait to get my back started by Aimee Cornwall, I’m really excited but nervous because I hate not being able to watch myself being tattooed.

I saw my current job on Fashion Monitor whilst at my previous internship. I applied, got an email back 10 minutes later, had my interview the next day and got offered the job a couple of hours later! I started working at Scallywags which is a child’s modelling/acting agency and I’m starting up a little model division with Simon & How which is Scallywags big sister company. I look after Scallywags social media, answer the phone to parents but mainly look after new briefs that come in from clients I submit the children that match the briefs to the client, book in children for auditions, shoots. I do a lot of scouting as in town and have meetings with photographers and potential new clients.

Before that I was interning at the Anti Agency which was really fun, I learnt a lot and really enjoyed working there! Aside from that I’ve worked at Dr Martens, Fenwick’s, Whistles, Fred Perry, Office and Waterstones so yeah I’ve had quite a few jobs. I attempted university twice and changed my course three times. My courses were fashion based so I guess I tried to to study for my current job.

Another thing I’ve been really lucky with is doing lots of work experience. I started doing work experience at Vogue in the classified department when I was 14, I worked hard and eventually was allowed to work at GQ and Russian Tatler, I had done a lot of the packaging of clothing and accessories that had been on set for shoot. I assisted different stylists for a couple of years as well, interned at Tank, worked at Fashion week doing photography.

I tend to dress pretty casual for work as the office is super chilled. When I came for my interview I covered up all my tattoos and when I got my job I came into the office with most of my arms and legs on show. I’m lucky that my bosses actually don’t mind at all about tattoos. In general I usually wear a lot of dresses and skirts, little tops. I think I live in a constant mental state of summer, I hate winters clothing!

I think my family have just accepted all of my tattoos now, they were never angrily against me getting tattoos but my parents were more worried about the financial side of things. I’ve got a twin brother who doesn’t have any tattoos and I just think that my family were more surprised that out of the two of us I started to get all the tattoos that I now have because I’ve always been the slightly awkward, quiet one. I think my work colleagues were surprised that I have tattoos just because they said I didn’t look like someone to have any interest in tattoos. That’s the most common thing I’ve heard people say about my tattoos that they were surprised I had any because I didn’t look the type, I don’t know like to me it feels normal and natural to have my tattoos but maybe to others it might not make sense.

I get a bit of a mixed reaction from strangers in the street, I get stared at A LOT and most the time I just ignore it but if I’m having a bad day and I’ve got someone glaring at me and shaking their heads it just makes me really anxious. People come up to me and start talking to me about my tattoos and that’s really nice when people have a genuine interest in the art that I have. I’ve had some mean comments as well from complete strangers like I was going to order a coffee from Costa and the guy serving we was like ‘oh you look really scary’ I only wanted my coffee not your opinion on me but yeah thanks! Recently I got told I looked like a public toilet which was very nice- people have such a lovely way with words!

I would say to people thinking about their career when getting tattooed to think carefully about getting a obvious tattoo like on your hands, knuckles, face etc. just anywhere that can’t be covered just purely because some companies still judge someone on appearances as opposed to their skills and what they’re capable of. I think it’s a rubbish way of judging someone but at the end of the day that’s what people are like so before making a rushed decision and then being angry about not getting a job maybe just try sit down and have a careful think. As for getting tattoos on any other part of the body that can be covered then go crazy!

In the kind of job I have it doesn’t really matter about whether you have tattoos so I’m really happy about that, to be honest I’ve never really had a job (whilst having tattoos) that have a no tattoo policy, even when working at Waterstones I got my job because the manager liked my tattoos.

December 22, 2015

Rosey Jones Illustration

23-year-old Rosey Jones from the Netherlands creates bright and bold illustrations. We chatted to Rosey about what inspires her, her fashion style and her awesome tattoo collection…

When did you start up your company/big cartel store? I started my store exactly 10 weeks ago! It’s funny to think my intentions were never to make prints of my designs, it was coincidence that I got asked to make one of the designs I handpainted on a tote digital for a band from the UK – then I realised I could do this with more of my designs and eventually the main focus became making designs for prints instead of hand painting them on totes. That’s kinda how this all started!

What kinds of things do you create? My main focus is on making artwork for my prints, besides that I also handpaint tote bags that I sew myself too, but I haven’t got as much time for it at the moment. The designs on my prints vary from teacups to roses and from donuts to daggers, I literally just draw whatever I fancy at that exact moment which could be anything really!

How do you create things, what is the process? I try not to think too much about what I draw so I usually just start sketching up some stuff that comes to mind, which usually happens when listening to music (might explain why half of my designs got lyrics included in them), then when I start seeing it come together as a whole I redraw my sketches with a sharpie, scan the image, and colour it digitally. I love the mix of it being both analogue and digital without it being super obvious how it’s done (if that makes any sense).

Do you have a background in art? After I graduated high school I worked for Vans for three years so I had time to build up a portfolio – my biggest dream was to study photography. I eventually got accepted in the school of the arts in which I’m a third year photography student now!

What inspires you? Literally anything and everything inspires me, I get fascinated by small things really easily which makes it quite easy to stay inspired all the time! Also cool looking people and nice tattoos inspire me a lot, and seeing amazing artwork of others always makes me want to get better at what I’m doing. I’m crazy lucky to be surrounded with passionate people, it’s really hard to be uninspired or unmotivated when the people closest to me are so supportive and hard working themselves.

How would you describe your style? Both fashion and art. I would say my artwork is pretty much the exact opposite of the way I dress, my artwork is all bold and bright while my clothing style is literally all black everything most of the time! I like simplicity, black jeans, black tee, black denim jacket and some sneakers to go with it (ok, maybe some dr martens when I’m feeling adventurous). I think for some strange reason my glasses make my outfit look a lot more fashionable as people keep on asking me where I got them from.

What does the word beauty mean to you? Not much, if there’s one thing I learned over the past few years it’s that beauty is relative.

Can you tell us about your own tattoos? I got quite a few tattoos for a 23 year old but then again, I started getting tattooed at the age of 16. My goal has never been to get covered as quickly as possible and I’ve never been one to get a whole suit planned out on my body either. Lately the main focus is on my legs as I just find that super pretty, finally got my second knee done too woo hoo! Couldn’t be more excited about that. Most of my pieces are done in the traditional style which is what I love most, there’s some very colorful ones and also some black ones but I think they go really well together. When I first started getting tattooed I always made sure I had some story to go with it but now I don’t really care about that anymore. Now I just want to get things tattooed that I find pretty or funny without it having to have a meaning – my latest addition is the donut design I drew myself. I’m super happy with how my legs are looking, all my favourite tattoos are on there.

Which was your first, do you still love it? My first tattoo was Stay True on my wrist, got it done in Germany when I was 16 and knew nothing about tattoos or how they were supposed to be done. This might explain why it’s upside down too, but I don’t really regret it, it’s something I still stand for – wouldn’t say I love it but I wouldn’t get it covered either!