Freddy Corbin was born in Tampa, Florida, in 1966, grew up in Sacramento, and at 18, went to San Francisco, California, to pursue a career as a tattoo artist. Joshua Golden gives him his first professional tattoo at Lyle Tuttle’s shop. Corbin spent a lot of time at studios and received body art from various […]
Category: Interviews
Taki: One of America’s Finest Japanese Tattoo Artists
Takahiro “Taki” Kitamura was born in Tokyo in 1973 and moved to the United States with his parents when he was two. His father taught for 18 years at the University of California, Davis (UCD), and his mother instilled Japanese culture in her children, from cuisine to folktales, to preserve their history. Kitamura got his […]
Stephen C Stratton: The Journey of a Tattoo Anthropologist
Stephen C Stratton, a youngster in the late 1970s, tattooed his buddies with a popsicle stick and taped sewing needles. At The Needle Master studio, he got his first professional tattoo, a Lambretta-scooter motif connected with the Mod revival subculture. Stratton joined the military and became a nurse a decade later. Because tattoos were frowned […]
Ilya Cascad: Interview with Precision Tattooist of Ornamental Illusions
A native of Russia and resident artist at the acclaimed Love Machine studio in New York City, Ilya Cascad works hours on end to finalize geometric, motion illusion patterns on the bodies of his clients. “Symmetry” and “precision” are words that best describe Cascad’s tattoos, done in black ink; however, recently implementing color to arm […]
Rope Bondage: Dirty Archangel and Shibari Dream Team Photographed in NYC
We started with email correspondence with the author of “Lust is My Favorite Sin” and photographer of this remarkable “Shibari Project,” Dirty Archangel is his artistic name. A Turkish immigrant and citizen of New York City, who’s day job are taking professional cityscape pictures of the Big Apple. Because a photoshoot like this one generally […]
Shiran: Finding Freedom Though Traveling and Tattooing
Giving beautiful tributes to Etta James, Nina Simone and Sam Cooke — Shiran could have easily become a professional illustrator, but somehow ended up in the tattoo field. Shiran is engaged to tattooer Artem Koro, who has been her rock through thick and thin, such as a long recovery after her leg and hand were smashed […]
Lisbon Tattoo Fest: Interviews with Alexandre Abreu, Mauro Amaral, Andy Kemp & Alberto Solposto
On the same weekend of “Black Friday” and barely weeks away from Christmas, the Lisbon Tattoo Rock Fest held its event on that long weekend at the “Tejo Sala” conference building, which is annexed to the Altice Arena and with a beautiful view of the Tagus / Tejo river. Entering the Lisbon Tattoo Rock Fest, […]
Yanina Viland: Painting, Tattooing and Creating Positive Experiences
We met up with tattoo artist Yanina Viland in her new private studio in Lisbon, Portugal, located in the traditional part of the city that overlooks the Tagus river. She smiled, showing us her balcony—the outdoor space where she spends time just chilling and collecting thoughts. Her dog BB King, a friendly mutt she adopted […]
Chris Garver Interview: Tattooing from the Gutter to the Top
In a summarized historical explanation, the “Tattoo Renaissance” began in the late 1950s with tattooers like Lyle Tuttle, Don Nolan, Zeke Owens, Ed Hardy, and others pioneering the way. “Between the hippie movement of the late ‘60s and the feminist campaigns and rights movements, the tattoo industry saw itself in the midst of a rebirth […]
Jenna Kerr Interview: On Design, Passion, and Flight
If you have an eye for Baroque and Art Nouveau-inspired tattoos then you might already be familiar with Jenna Kerr’s work. Her work has certainly garnered attention over the last few years; glistening gemstones and intricate gold inlay brought to life in staggering detail. The style in which they are evoked calls directly back to […]