Sebo, article and photo gallery in Tattoo.1 Tribal #73

Look at Sebo’s tattoos, visit the tattoo gallery

What inspires your art?
Many things, like CD covers, t shirt designs, things I watch on TV or see around me…

How did your passion for tattoos first start?
Since I was a young kid I was always drawing a lot, I started with comics, comic strips, and graffiti sketches… when I was about 15 or 16 years old some of my friends got tattooed by a real good artist near my hometown, and when I saw those pieces I knew that I wanted to become a tattoo artist! From that day on I started to draw the first tattoo sketches for some friends of mine, a few months later I got my own first tattoo, and my first tattoo machine…

Can you briefly describe your technique?
I was a little bit bored of all the “rules“ in tattooing, what a picture has to look like… so I started thinking about what I could do better, or not the “traditional“ way…

Are there tattoo artists that you consider your teachers or major influences?
Of course there are a few who influenced me in the first few years, I think everyone needs someone as an “idol“ in every kind of art… but for a few years now I’ve tried to not look at any works by other artists, so that I can create my own form of art without any influences from other artists…

How long have you been doing this work?
For about seven or eight years now

Who taught you?
I started working and learning at mystery touch tattoo, where I still work today, we are nine artists working here together, and of course you can learn a lot when you are working together with nine artists every day! but I also learned a lot while travelling, on conventions, while doing guest spots anywhere and talking a lot with the artists there…

How much does the person asking for the tattoo influence your creation?
Most of my customers just come to the shop and say: you can tattoo whatever you want… for me the best way to work on customers is when I know the people a little bit from some sessions before, know what they like and how they think.. then it’s easier for  me to create something for them when they have no idea what they want.. the easiest way is when they come with a spoken idea, and I can create it out of my mind…

What was the first tattoo you ever did?
I think it was a sacred heart on the chest of one of my best mates, it looked horrible… I did a cover up on it a few years ago

And what was the first one that you got on your own skin?
My first tattoo was a cemetery around my wrist, also covered now

What are you working on now?
A lot of cool pieces today I’ll start a new chest piece with a dragon… I’m already excited about what it will look like J

What is your philosophy?
Live and let live

Sebo
Mystery Touch Tattoo

Ludwig-Binder Str.9, 8200 Gleisdorf (Austria)
www.mysterytouchtattoo.com

At Mystery Touch Tattoo, in Austria, we find a tight-knit group of nine artists, each with their own style and creativity. But it is Sebo, with his powerful, decisive line, who has attracted our attention. His intense use of colour is an expression of a unique, unmistakeable style, which is also constantly evolving. Sebo tells us: «There’s so much to learn every day when you’re working alongside nine artists! But I’ve also learnt a lot from my travels, at conventions and when I’ve stayed somewhere and I’ve met other artists from the area…».

The subjects we can see in his tattoos include flowers, skulls, soft toys, animals… and in all of them there is a recognisable soul which emerges from the abstract, a contemporary creativity which combines comic and street art styles in a series of genius strokes. A brilliant artistic vein expressed on the skin!

Sebo explains: «I was getting bored with all those “rules” about tattoos and how an image has to look… so I started thinking about how I could do it better, outside the “traditional” box.»

Read the whole interview with Sebo Tattoo Artist

Sebo
Mystery Touch Tattoo
Ludwig-Binder Str.9, 8200 Gleisdorf (Austria)
www.mysterytouchtattoo.com

How long have you been doing this work?
Joey: I’ve been drawing all my life but have been tattooing and studying tattoos for around nine years now.
Wang: I first trained as a painter and graphic designer. I moved into tattooing around three years ago.
Who taught you?
Joey: I didn’t complete an apprenticeship in the traditional definition of the term. I studied art, cosmetics and interior design before being exposed to tattooing as an artform. I was lucky enough to have had the opportunity to travel across Asia, Europe and America learning from some amazing artists. I just asked as many questions as I could and learnt as much as possible.
Wang: Originally I studied painting and design. Then for a short while I worked at a tattoo studio in Ireland but came home to Hong Kong and trained under Joey.

Are there any tattoo artists that you consider as your mentors or major influences on your career?
Joey: Of course there are many fantastic tattoo artists that I look up to. It would be hard to choose just a few but Horiyoshi, Filip Leu, Shige, Paul Booth and Xoil are some of those on the top of the list.
Wang: For me I really like a lot of Jeff Gogue’s and Dmitriy Samohin’s work. Buena Vista in Germany too. But as Joey said there are many points or sources of inspiration.

What was the first tattoo you ever did?
Joey: The first tattoo I ever did was an eagle head.
Wang: Funnily enough mine was quite similar, it was a color bird in flight.

And what was the first that you got on your own skin?
Joey: Quite a large phoenix from a tattoo friend in Beijing.
Wang: Some small stars that I got covered up pretty soon after.

What inspires your art? (Waterbrush Tattoo)
Joey: It’s a little hard to say! People come to me with some great ideas and the artwork develops. I’m also always studying not only art but all forms of design. A lot of the time these are not related to tattooing but the skills inevitably end up being transferable. There are always new concepts and dimensions to explore.
Wang: I’m always researching as well. I think the inspiration comes from the freedom to not only express myself through art but also to constantly refine and play with the boundaries. I love shifting the pieces around and experimenting with combinations.

How much does the person getting the tattoo influence your creation?
Joey: Clients find me for my style. But in regards to subject matter and size of course their preferences largely guide the process.
Wang: A great deal. As Joey said we can’t pretend to do someone else’s style. But we know that clients will be living with the art so we discuss and collaborate as much as possible.

How important are the colours and machines in the creation of a tattoo?
Joey: I have strong preferences for the type of ink and machine I can use. I trained on the old style machines and just can’t use anything else! It’s important to feel that the machine is simply an extension of myself. I work with a specific station setup.
Wang: When I was learning I played around with a few different types of machines so I’m a little easier on that front than Joey : ) Inks and especially colors are very important for me too though.

Can you briefly describe your technique?
Joey: I’m classically trained in Chinese calligraphy and a few different types of Asian art. For me there are many adaptations and techniques that are derived from these traditions, especially when used in a modern format.
Wang: My background in painting and design helps me view tattoos in a certain way. Although of course there are the same rules of tattooing everyone has to follow.

What do you like best about your job?
Joey: I don’t see it as a job. It’s just what I was meant to do.
Wang: Creating art and being able to work with some incredible clients, what’s not to like?

What are you working on at the moment?
Joey: Because of the size of the pieces and my clients’ schedules there are always many ‘in progress’ projects. I’m working on a full leg dragon,
another client with a full leg phoenix, a Buddhist full back piece, a detailed black and gray sleeve and quite a lot of other great pieces. Again, it’s hard to pick just a few!
Wang: There are a few full back pieces that are going to be a lot of fun. But for me I love drawing skulls, they always makes me happy and I always look forward to those!

What is your philosophy?
Joey: It would be hard to summarize in just one line so I’ll refer to the studio’s philosophy: ‘Art is not a mirror to reflect the world, but a hammer with which to shape it”
Wang: I’ll go with Joey’s answer on that.

Interview released on January 2013

Joey Pang, Wang – Tattoo Temple
18’th floor Tak Woo House, 1-3 Wo On Lane,
17-19 D’Aguilar Street, Central, Hong Kong (China)
www.tattootemple.hk

«Art is not a mirror which reflects the world but a hammer with which to shape it.»

This is the philosophy of Tattoo Temple in Hong Kong. That’s where we met Joey and Wang, two artists who, have successfully and cleverly combined their tattoo talent with techniques learned in the study of painting and Chinese calligraphy.

Joey says: People come to me with big ideas and so we develop the artwork for them. I also study constantly, not only art but also all kinds of design. Often there’s no connection with tattooing but you can end up transferring any kind of experience.»

The Asian painting tradition and modern forms of expression lead to extremely elegant creations: the tattoo machine is as delicate as a paintbrush and the ink creates overlapping patterns and exquisite transparencies, worthy of a watercolour painting.

Wang says: «I think that the inspiration comes from the freedom not only to express myself through art but also to add finishing touches and always play around with the limits.»

Read the whole interview with Joey Pang and Wang

Joey Pang, Wang – Tattoo Temple
18’th floor Tak Woo House, 1-3 Wo On Lane,
17-19 D’Aguilar Street, Central, Hong Kong (China)
www.tattootemple.hk

Who can resist the age-old charm of Polynesian tattoos. Given a new twist and a personal touch, tribal designs are always claiming their place on our skin.

They can adorn the lower back, belly button or waist… like seductive decorations that accentuate our desire to enjoy our bodies.

These designs are inspired by nature and the animal world. Thanks to their composition with clean lines and geometric designs as well as the skill of the tattoo artist, tribal art lets us make our dreams become reality.

For the people of Polynesia every mark on the body is a sign of rank and social status, family and life achievements. So don’t underestimate the meaning of these geometric designs. Every detail, from a small triangle to a curved line, has a precise meaning; together with other decorative details, they can create a tattoo to tell your story!
The gecko: this is one of the most commonly found animals in Polynesian tribal tattoos and is considered a lucky charm. Meaning: regeneration, adaptability and the ability to survive.
The turtle: symbolises family, calm and courage.

Complete photo gallery in Tattoo.1 Tribal #69

Religious tattoos are becoming more and more common in the tattoo world, especially among deeply religious people.
In most cases tattooing a religious icon or symbol expresses one’s personal relationship with their faith.

Sometimes though, we are fascinated by a holy figure or a divinity, just because we identify with something it represents or simply because of its breathtaking iconographic beauty.

While we can draw on philosophies and thoughts from other religions, the important thing is to remember that for other people they are religious symbols and we should recognise and respect their meaning.

In this gallery you’ll find tattoos of traditional Christian images.
Jesus: the son of God, who came to earth to show men that God is love and justice. Jesus died on the cross to save sinners.
The Virgin Mary: the Divine Mother, Jesus’ own mother, pure and immaculate. Her name is Mary, from the Hebrew Maryàm or Miryàm, and means Lady.

When you want to design a beautiful lettering tattoo, start with the initial letter.

Then trace the guidelines:the top of the initial (1), the top of the lower case letters (2), the bottom of the lower case letters (3).

If you want to add some decorative elements such as a diamond in the middle (a larger, diamond shaped part in the centre), trace a line in the middle too (4).

___

The lower case letters are drawn inside the guidelines (1+2) and must have the same base width (5), the same spacing (6) and the same angle (7).

A classic example of script embellishment is shading. It can be added from the bottom to the middle of the letter, leaving the top half white so it looks like the words have been lit up from above (1).

Alternatively, the shading can be added to the bottom and top of the letters, leaving the middle section white so it is highlighted (2).

Published in Tattoo Idea 175 and 174

TATTOO SCHOOL
DRAW YOUR OWN SUGAR SKULL
Designer: Alan Oliver

1. Trace the guidelines
2. Draw your skull
3. Trace the lines of a letter X on its side, then draw the crossbones
4. Draw the central decorations
5. Draw the large decorations on the sides
6. Fill in with the smaller decorations
7. Add the shading
8. Job done!

Duke Riley: Photo by Rob Howard

What inspires your art?
Principally, a lot of my artwork references maritime folk art and scrimshaw, however, my influences go a lot further beyond that.  When it comes to tattooing, I’m also interested in medieval woodcuts, engraving and alchemist drawings.  And most recently I’ve been looking at a lot of Lubok art.

What relationship is between your work on paper, mosaic and tattooing?
I think that making mosaic is similar to tattooing in the sense that the imagery is be defined by hard edged lines and there is a certain permanency to both the act of tattooing and mosaic-making.  Whereas with paper, there is the flexibility of mixing paint or going over things twice.  You tattoo a line and it is there.  You put a tile into place and you don’t change it.   There is no going back.
The drawing style that I use has had a huge influence on my tattooing.  But my tattooing has also had a huge impact on my drawing.  It is a symbiotic relationshop that goes back and forth all time.  They continually affect each other.

Can you briefly describe your technique?
I primarily use linework in tattooing, though I sometimes do some stippling and on a very rare occasion I’ll add a tiny bit of red or solid black.  But on most occasions, it’s just solid black linework.  I try to create a variety of different thickness of the lines and go back and calligrify and stack the outlines to give them a different feeling, so that they grow thicker and thinner in different areas, kind of like the feeling of an engraving or like the mark from a pen and ink drawing or a woodcut.

How long do you do this work?
I think I started in 1993.  Yeah, it’ll be 20 years this winter!

Who taught you?
Steve Williamson from Art Freak in Providence, Rhode Island.

How much influence your creation the person who asks the tattoo?
In a way, my clients influence my work quite heavily in that all of the work I do has traditionally been custom. More recently I am working on doing my own set of flash that people can choose from, but right now I work with people as they come to me with their own ideas.  That doesn’t necessarily mean that I’m going to do just what they ask, but hearing people’s ideas keeps it interesting.  I do have some pretty set feelings about what’s going to look good and how to approach the tattoo. Naturally, after the consultation when they come back to get the design, I give them some time to look at it and negotiate any last minute changes that need to be made.  It’s definitely a collaborative process.

What was the first tattoo you’ve created?
I guess I carved my initials into my arm with a knife when I was in 12 years old and rubbed some ink into it.
The first one I did one someone else was a cockroach I did on my friend Vec’s leg.

What are you working on now?
Right now I’m in London.  I’m doing a little guest spot at Shangri-la a few days a week and I have a studio here where I’m working on some large scale drawings as a follow-up to a performance piece that I did in Shanghai in the spring.

What is your philosophy?
I’ll get back to you on that…

Duke Riley
East River Tattoo
72 Union Street, 11222 Brooklyn, New York (USA)

www.eastrivertattoo.com
www.dukeriley.info

Interview released on November 2012