Shane Tan was born in Singapore in 1984 and has had a passion for tattooing since he was a child. His immediate family members had tattoos, and they were acquainted with first- and second-generation tattoo artists. Tan’s father bought him a coil machine for his sixteenth birthday, which he taught himself how to operate. Spending […]
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High-Precision Realism: Interview with Tattooist Denis “Tidan” Torikashvili
Hailing from South Russia, specifically Rostov-on-Don, Denis “Tidan” Torikashvili began his tattooing career in 1997. That’s 23 years ago when there was barely an industry, acceptance, and fair working conditions. Tidan has had many setbacks and restarts, from moving and working in Moscow to London—the latter getting a big break at NR Studio in 2017. […]
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, […]
Color and Emotion: Interview with Tattooist Santa Perpetua
Brighton-based artist Santa Perpetua combines a lifetime using a variety of different artistic medium with an abstract, emotional approach to tattooing. The result is tattoos that combine the fluid vitality of nature with the technique of a traditional painter. She brings the same intuitive approach to all aspects of her practice, choosing to work out […]
The Diverse Illustrative Tattoos of Kuro
From 2008 to 2012 Kuro worked as a designer/art director for the Maco t-shirt-printing company and finalized projects for high-profile customers like L’Oréal, Microsoft and Hella. He also produced editorial illustration (including comics) for magazines and painted murals for restaurants in Athens, Greece. And in that time Kuro studied illustration, graphic novel and design at […]
Traditional Chinese Ink Wash Translated into Tattoos by Chen Jie
Chen Jie creates delicate “paintings” on skin. Here, the tattoo machine acts like a brush dipped in black ink, and Jie translates the subtly of this ancient artistic tradition. Her style, with its splashes of pigment, represents a modern form of ink wash paintings that adopts Western techniques. It’s fitting for the tattooing field, which is consistently innovating, refining, […]
Delicate Nature Tattoos that Empower by Emily Kaul
Inspired by “the gorgeous and glorious natural world,” Portland-based Emily Kaul became interested in tattooing once she got some ink for her herself. It was during this initial session that “she fully experienced the immense power that this art form could embody.” Kaul later got licensed and created a tattoo studio where her clients could […]
The Transformative Power of Interlocking Tattoos
Tattoos that reframe our perspectives on our bodies, and others’ bodies, are powerful pieces of art walking around in the world. That’s why interlocking tattoos, designs that connect separate limbs and people, are more than just the sum of their parts. Spreading tattoo designs across the body is not a new idea. Large-scale tattoo themes […]
Breaking the Taboo: 10 Daring Tattoo Artists From South Korea
In the past several years, South Korea has becoming a powerhouse for great tattoo artists. But technically, their practice is considered illegal in the eyes of the South Korean government. Why is this? The reasoning makes sense, but doesn’t reflect the current state of tattooing. Basically, tattoos are seen as a “medical procedure” that should be performed […]
10 Tattooers from Eastern Europe to Keep Your Eye On
With the soaring popularity of tattoos coupled with increased globalism, the world gets seemingly smaller and smaller—tattooists from across the world are easily inspired by cultures in foreign lands. Likewise, these artists also travel to tattoo shops in different countries and bring their unique style there. Illusion magazine has been an admirer of the work that comes […]