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Tattoo Burst Interview
1. Tell me please, how have you come to the tattoo art?
I grew up in an artistic household, with a brother and sister who also drew and painted, so making art was simply what we all did around the house. I took art seriously, as I was terrible at sports, and became enamored with album cover art- this was back when albums were still 12 inches across and the cover art was a big deal. I was into the Iron Maiden art by Derek Riggs, along with a strong Giger influence and a touch of Michael Whelan… so I did these album covers for a few years, barely ate but managed to do art for a living. When I was 16 my sister Hannah suggested we go and get tattooed, an idea I immediately liked, both for its rebelliousness and its artistic potential. This was around 1984 or so, when not much was happening in tattooing except for a couple of pioneers like Ed Hardy, Kari Barba and Jack Rudy. I asked the tattooer who did my first few pieces if I could get an apprenticeship, but I was 16 and he basically laughed in my face. So I continued to do the freelance illustration until I was 20, always with the goal of one day tattooing, when the opportunity came along. In 1988 I got an apprenticeship with Bob Oslon of Chicago.
2. What an art education do you have?
I had a few short classes on figure and portrait drawing in my teens, which were definitely helpful, and since then I’ve always tried to get into figure drawing workshops occasionally, since drawing the human figure is an essential fundamental drawing skill. Besides that, I’m self-taught… I just always have a project going on. Tattooing has been the biggest part of my education as an artist… as a tattooist, you need to be ready to perform well in many kinds of projects, and there is no bullshitting- the finished results have to look good, period. So there’s a fair amount of pressure. Hanging around with other tattooists and collaborating with many of them has also been a large part of my art education- you can’t learn in a vacuum.
3. What painters have influenced you?
As a young kid I was exposed to the great masters- DaVinci, Van Gogh, Rembrandt.. then some more contemporary artists such as Max Ernst, M.C.Escher and Salvador Dali. More contemporary painters include H.R. Giger and Zadizlaw Beksinski. Some present-day painters I like a lot include Alex Grey, De Es Schwerberger, Robert Venosa and Peter Gric. My wife Michele Wortman is also a huge influence on me as an artist, even though her sensibilities are almost completely opposite of mine.
4. What tattoo-artists have influenced you?
That’s a long list. Earlier I mentioned Ed Hardy- although he is primarily known for the cheesy fashion clothing you can find everywhere, in the mid 1980s he was the publisher of the Tattootime books, which were critical in helping promote tattooing as a fine art. In these books he showed not only a lot of his own amazing and innovative work, but also work by some of the other pioneers at the time, many whom I count as influences- Jack Rudy, Leo Zulueta and of course the late great Greg Irons. During my career I have been influences by many artists, but particularly the ones I have worked on collaborative projects with- Eddy Deutsche, Marcus Pacheco, Aaron Cain, Don McDonald, Jon Clue, Nick Baxter and many others. Many of the artists I count as influences are half my age. I’m not too proud to admit that.
5. How do you demand now? Have you a long waiting list? (I think you have probably a long waiting schedule ...)
I’m not taking a lot of new appointments, and particularly very few new clients. My schedule is very full of non-tattoo stuff, so I am lucky if I get in 7 or 8 good solid days of tattooing per month. So I mostly try to keep up with my regular clients, while still allowing some space for a few new clients every now and then. I try not to book more than 7-8 months in advance, since I don’t like having my schedule weighed down like that. I am confident I can find appointments when I want them.
6. What forms of promotion and advertising are most good (effective) for professional tattoo-artist in your opinion? Of course, it is not counting the great tattoos, which he should do.
The great tattoos are almost the whole picture. Take Jeff Ensminger for instance- many of you have probably never heard of him. He goes out of his way to not get noticed. But his work is so amazing that he can stay as booked as he wants, even without any promotion at all. So high quality work is the big thing. If you still need help getting noticed, use every channel available- magazines, Facebook, having your own personal website with an up-to-date portfolio, occasionally doing articles or art features with magazines outside of tattooing such as music publications… the goal is to get the work out there so the right audience can see it. If you believe you have a lot to offer as an artist but are not getting noticed, that’s what you need to do. Most of these promotion methods are free, but require a little effort and networking.
7. Do you work only with your own sketches?
Yes, as a rule. I already know I can duplicate something like a copy machine, so I don’t need to prove that to anybody. I have no interest in copying someone else’s art- why are they coming to me for the tattoo unless they want my art? Don’t insult me by hiring me as a simple technician. Many artists feel this way, and it is justified. If you are a client and you approach an artist with a sketch, you need to be prepared to let that artist redraw the idea into something that conveys the same idea but in their own artistic style… so choose an artist whose style you can relate to, instead of trying to force them to work in a style that is not their own.
There are some artists who would be more than happy to copy anything they are brought, who might think my attitude is wrong or egotistical… but everyone has their specialties. I am not doing hundreds of tattoos per year, only dozens… so I need to make each one count. When I die, my portfolio will be what remains.
8. How do you relax?
My wife and I live in the country in a beautiful natural setting with some nice trails… so being outside, maybe doing simple garden work, is a great way for me to get away from the everyday stresses. But making art is a joy. When everything else is chaotic and things seem crazy, sometimes those hours spent tattooing are the most relaxed times. Anyone who makes art for a living is truly blessed.
9. Do you have a need to have a rest from your work in general?
I don’t need to escape from art… but I can only handle people in limited doses. I enjoy interacting with my clients and with other artists, especially with my tattoo schedule being sort of spread out like it is… but I am essentially a solitary person, and I need more time alone than almost anyone I have ever met.
10. Nevertheless, you tattooing sometimes as a specially invited guest at some studios and at some tattoo conventions. What conventions do you attend and on what principle do you choose them?
At this time I am not doing any conventions or guest spots, and am tattooing only at our private studio here in the woods in the American Midwest. I did a lot of tattooing at conventions- hundreds of them- but I have paid my dues and no longer need to travel to convenience my clients. Anyone who has been to the studio here understands that this is a truly perfect environment for the kind of large-scale work I do, and can expect better work from me here than they could possibly ask for on the road, where I am out of my element.
11. In what studios you can work as the invited guest?
I believe my time as a traveling tattoo artist has passed, and there will be no turning back.
12. What kind of tattoo-artists do you maintain friendly relations?
I interact with many other artists on many different levels… for example, I work in collaborative projects fairly regularly, as I mentioned earlier. My wife and I have also been involved in hosting a few events where tattooists have been invited to come work on painting projects in front of an audience- for anyone interested, I made a 50 minute documentary called Innerstate, available at www.tattooeducation.com, showing a great example of one of these events. Currently I am working with about 35 other artists on a large book of biomechanical tattoo design, which I hope to be releasing later this year… this has been done by having a private online gallery where participating artists can post sketches and others can download them, work on them in Photoshop or other mediums, and the re-upload them. It’s been an awesome project, and a great example of how artists in the 21st century can interact creatively on a more intimate level. This is my idea of a perfect project.
The types of artists involved in these projects all tend to be the kinds that put their art first, not their egos… who are genuinely interested in seeing what others are doing, who want to be blown away by new art, not compete with it. A hungry, open creative mind… that’s the kind of tattooer I am interacting with these days.
13. Who from modern (today's) tattoo-artists is most interesting to you?
The short list? Here in the States, I am collecting a lot of work from Don McDonald… I like Nick Baxter’s stuff a lot, and I already mentioned Jeff Ensminger… some others I have collaborated with recently are Adrian Dominic and Dan Hazelton. Juan Salgado from Puerto Rico is really tearing things up, and Leo Lavatori from Brazil is doing some really original stuff. I like the biomech work from Markus Lenhard of Berlin, and have been a longtime fan of Boris Lazslo from Hungary. This is a really partial list…I’m sure I’m forgetting a lot of people. I’m impressed by a lot of tattoo art these days- great time in history to be involved in this profession.
14. If you have the opportunity to change something in your life, what would you change?
More time to paint! Maybe a 30 hour day…
15. What do you know about the tattoo culture in Russia? Do you communicate with anyone of the Russian tattoo-artists? If it is so, how can you assess their level?
I’ve emailed back and forth a few times with Sergey Bardadim over the past decade or so… that guy’s always impressed me, and I think he was probably one of the Russian artists who was responsible for elevating the art form 15 or 20 years ago. I know there have been many others, but he stood out at the time… I think one of the things that we in America noticed about Sergey and some of the other Russian artists from that time was that they were doing truly amazing technical work- amazing detail and clarity- without having very much exposure with the modern techniques… almost like they were able to see tattoos in magazines, realize what was possible, and then apply that to what they were doing. Usually it is hard to learn like that.
16. All over the world the tattoo industry endures the present boom. What in this popularity of tattoo is positive and what is negative, at your sight?
Mostly I just think it’s positive… I think it is natural for humans to want to be tattooed, and the present popularity is due mostly to the high quality of art that is available on skin these days. As long as we in the industry keep up the good work, we’re going to stay busy. It’s only a negative thing if you are a mediocre artist who stays busy by being an aggressive businessman. If that’s the case, you won’t welcome artists better than yourself. But I have no sympathy for so-called artists who aren’t ready to dedicate themselves to doing the best work they can, even if it means having to work hard when their friends are out drinking and playing. That’s just how it goes. I believe your success as a tattooist should be based on the merit of your hard work, period. During a big boom time like this, any time the numbers are down a little, the artists who are the laziest or the least dedicated will struggle the most. That’s life.
17. Where do you set up the images at all? How are they created? How do the ideas come into your head?
Different for every project. Some will come fairly spontaneously- a quick sketch with a simple basic idea to start it from is all that’s needed. But others go much deeper- I may spend years thinking about a big painting project before doing it. An artist won’t necessarily “see” the finished vision in their head before doing it… maybe an elusive flash, but that’s it. The rest is a process of gathering up your intentions to aim your creative energies in the right direction to fulfill that elusive vision. Usually this will consist of a process of imagining all the steps… OK, first I’ll get the flow worked out in a small sketch, than the lighting refined in a larger sketch… I’ll lay down the dark brown first, then the tan, then the yellow… smooth blend after the yellow, let it dry, then the white glaze… after enough years of plotting out the course of projects this way, it becomes possible to visualize an art piece as an overall creative intentional entity, and also as a long list of steps. But the actual vision- the concrete picture that comes from it all- the artist doesn’t get to really see this until the art piece is done.
18. Whether is it possible that you are in your project take as a basis for someone else's image, theme, idea, sketch?
All artists take inspiration and ideas from other artists. It’s impossible not to. The important thing is to always make it your own vision… if you like the lighting effect in another artist’s work, try applying a similar effect to your own drawing- don’t just copy their drawing. In applying it to your own composition, you change it and make it your own, and that’s part of the larger artistic evolutionary process we are all a part of. Influence is good, copying is not. I think that any artistically active individual is capable of knowing the difference between the two.
19. What is besides tattooing and painting on the present carries away you?
In February my wife gave birth to our daughter Kaia Rose. We have been artistic partners for 20 years, so this is a huge event for us. Right now Kaia is pretty much our whole universe.
Come see our galleries at www.hyperspacestudios.com, which also has a YouTube channel including videos of events we’ve been involved in. I also have an educational website, www.tattooeducation.com, where I answer questions from other artists. There is also a catalog there with many of the finest educational books and DVDs available in the tattoo industry. Finally, please check out www.protonpress.com- the books we’ve published are listed there, but we have also published some pretty exciting music, and there’s a free MP3 player there for you to check it out… a soundtrack for the creative mind.
Coming up in just a few weeks, Guy and Michele will be visiting the Old School Tattoo Expo in St. Louis, Missouri which runs from November 13-15. Organized by Bill DeMichelle of Tattoos.com and the legendary Lyle Tuttle, the Old School Tattoo Expo is one of the top tattoo events of the Fall season and features topnotch artists from around the world. On Saturday the 14th at 11:00am, Guy will be holding a free 1-hour seminar for professional tattooists only. The seminar is intended to showcase Guy's latest educational book, Reinventing The Tattoo, and will run through a brief explanation of the basic design and technique points that this massive book and DVD cover. The seminar will also include a Q&A session for artists wanting to know more about educating themselves and keeping up with the cutting edge of what the tattoo industry has to offer. For more information about the convention, go to their site at www.oldschooltattooexpo.com.
Guy's book, Reinventing The Tattoo, and the seminars he's given have helped thousands of artists worldwide to improve their drawing and tattooing skills. Proton Press is proud to announce the second edition of Reinventing, this time as a 368 page full-color hardbound boxed set with an accompanying DVD. In this free seminar, Guy will be introducing this edition and showcasing some of the book's new features as well as screening some of its video material, and will hold a question and answer session afterwards. If you already have the first edition of Reinventing The Tattoo, this will give you an idea of how much the book has been changed, expanded and updated.
Guy will have a limited number of the books with him at the convention, and will be available to sign them. If you already have the first edition of the book, bring it with you to the convention and you can trade it in for $100 credit toward the new edition, which is priced at $250. The book is also available via Guy's online store at www.hyperspacestudios.com, or at his new educational website, www.tattooeducation.com.
Hyperspace Studios and TattooNOW present
Guy Aitchison's
Reinventing The Tattoo
2-Day Intensive Workshop
September 16-17, 2009
Hancock MA - Paradise Tattoo Gathering
This workshop is not for people who want easy answers handed to them. The most important things to learn as a tattooist are not simple tricks, but involve learning a whole new mindset and vision for how you draw and tattoo. For almost 15 years, Guy Aitchison has taught a number of different seminars on various subjects, but the best received of these has been Reinventing The Tattoo, based on a book that teaches a careful balance between drawing and technical skills.
This 2-day immersive workshop will consist of a series of lectures and presentations, with some followed by exercises for the attending artists that will be evaluated and critiqued on the spot. Participants will also be asked to bring photos of their own work, which will be projected on the big screen and discussed with the group. At the end of the first day, there will even be homework assignments that will be evaluated on the big screen the following day. No stone will be left unturned, and everyone will get the opportunity to home in on their biggest weaknesses and find answers to achieving the next level with their work.
This is a rare opportunity- Guy has held very few educational seminars over the past 5 years, and this is only the second time he has had the chance to extend the workshop beyond a single afternoon. By holding the class during the 2 days before the Paradise Tattoo Gathering, it guarantees that all participants will be able to give the class their full attention and make the most of the experience. The class will be limited to 20 participants, so reserve your spot now before they are all gone!
$500 for 2 days; you can register by contacting customerservice.hyperspace@gmail.com.
Spaces will fill up very fast, so dont hesitate!
Saturday, Feb. 28 at 11:30
Artists only, no charge
Guy Aitchison: Reinventing The Tattoo
Guy's book, Reinventing The Tattoo, and the related seminars he's given
have helped thousands of artists worldwide since 2001 to improve their drawing
and tattooing skills. Proton Press is proud to announce the second edition of
Reinventing, this time as a 368 page full-color hardbound boxed set with an
accompanying DVD. In this free seminar, Guy will be introducing this edition for
the first time. He'll be showcasing some of the book's new features and
screening some of its video material, and will hold a question and answer
session as well. If you already have the first edition of Reinventing The
Tattoo, this will give you an idea of how much the book has been changed,
expanded and updated.
Guy will have a limited number of the books with him at the convention, and
will be available to sign them. If you already have the first edition of the
book, bring it with you to the convention and you can trade it in for $100
credit toward the new edition, which is priced at $250. After the show, the book
will be available via our online store at www.hyperspacestudios.com.
Only** ONLY 30 SPOTS AVAILABLE **
Don't miss our live webcast of Visionary Art Los Angeles, Friday July 18 starting at 7:00!
____________ ___________
Click here for information about this project
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March 11th - 13th, 2005
10th Anniversary
Motor City Tattoo Expo
Detroit,
MI
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for more info
March 5th - 7th, 2004
9th Annual
Motor City Tattoo Expo
Detroit,
MI
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for more info
January 8th - 11th, 2004
Star of
Texas Tattoo Art Revival
Austin,
TX
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for more info
November 21st - 23rd, 2003
11th Annual
Richmond Tattoo Arts Festival
Richmond,
VA
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June 6th - 8th, 2003
2nd Annual
Hell City Tattoo Festival
Columbus,
OH
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May 29th - June 1st, 2003
7th
Annual Atlanta Tattoo Arts Festival
Atlanta, GA
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for more info
March 7th - 9th, 2003
8th
Annual Motor City Tattoo Expo
Detroit, MI
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February 14th - 16th, 2003
9th
Annual North Carolina Tattoo Convention
Greensboro, NC
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for more info
January 16th - 19th, 2003
8th
Annual International "Marked for Life" Female Tattoo Artist Expo
Kissimmee, FL
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for more info
January 9th - 12th, 2003
Star
of Texas Tattoo Art Revival
Austin, TX
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for more info
November 22nd - 24th, 2002
10th
Annual Richmond Tattoo Arts Festival
Richmond, VA
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for more info
October 12th - 14th, 2002
Massachusetts
Tattoo Festival
Worcester, MA
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for more info
October 4th - 6th, 2002
2nd
Annual Biggest Tattoo Show on Earth
Secaucus, NJ
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for more info
August 9th - 11th, 2002
Tattoo
the Earth
Oakland, CA
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for more info
August 2nd - 4th, 2002
Tattoo
the Earth
Chicago, IL
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for more info
June 7th - 9th, 2002
2nd
Annual Man's Ruin Tattoo Arts Expo
Decatur, IL
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for more info
May 31st - June 2nd, 2002
6th
Annual Atlanta Tattoo Arts Festival
Atlanta, GA
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for more info
April 25th - 28th, 2002
Tattoo
Tour - Minneapolis Convention
Minneapolis, MN
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for more info
March 14th - 17th, 2002
Crazy
Philadelphia Eddie's Tattoo Arts Festival
Philadelphia, PA
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for more info
March 8th - 10th, 2002
7th
Annual Motor City Tattoo Expo
Detroit, MI
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for more info
February 15th - 17th, 2002
North
Carolina Tattoo Convention
Greensboro, NC
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for more info
January 17th - 20th, 2002
Seventh
Annual International "Marked for Life" Female Tattoo Artist Expo
Orlando, FL
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for more info
November 15th - 18th, 2001
9th
Annual Richmond Tattoo Arts Festival
Richmond, VA
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for more info
November 2nd - 4th, 2001
3rd
Annual Texas Tattoo Round-Up
Dallas, TX
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for more info
October 4th - 7th, 2001
Massachusetts
Tattoo Festival
Worcester, MA
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for more info
September 28th - 30th, 2001
The
Biggest Tattoo Show On Earth
Secaucus, NJ
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for more info
June 29th - July 1st, 2001
Celebration
of the Skin
Muskegon,
MI
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for more info
June 8th - 10th, 2001
Man's
Ruin Tattoo Arts Expo
Champaign,
IL
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for more info
May 31st - June 3rd, 2001
The 5th
Annual Atlanta Tattoo Arts Festival
Atlanta,
GA
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April 2nd - 4th, 2001
Guest
Spot - Rebel
Image
South Rio
Grande, NJ
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for more info
March 29th - April 1st, 2001
Philadelphia
Tattoo Arts Festival
Philadelphia,
PA
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for more info
March 8th - 11th, 2001
Motor
City Tattoo Expo
Detroit,
MI
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for more info
January 11th - 14th, 2001
"Marked
for Life" Female Tattoo Artist Expo
Orlando,
FL
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November 16th - 19th, 2000
Richmond
Tattoo Arts Festival
Richmond,
VA
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for more info
November 2nd - 5th, 2000
Texas
Tattoo Round-Up
Dallas,
TX
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for more info
October 26 - 29th, 2000
New Orleans
Voodoo Tattoo Gathering & Exposition
New Orleans,
LA
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for more info
May 6th - June 3rd, 2000
biogenesis
julie
rico art gallery - 208 pier avenue - santa monica, ca 90405 - (310) 399-5353
featuring:
guy
aitchison - paintings / michele wortman -
multimedia / chris garofalo - sculptures
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