Total Tattoo Issue 200 Magazine March 2022

THE UK’S BEST SELLING TATTOO MAGAZINE
Featuring: FREDDY NEGRETE - A Godfather of Black & Grey Talking Guns, Gangs, God & Tattoos
ANGEL - The tattoo & graffiti artist rewriting the script • DRAZ PALAMING - A riot of colour realism
JULIAN BOGDAN - Limited colour palette Unlimited creativity • SETH ARCANE - Geometric & Graphic
TTM200 £4.99 MAR 2022 Ornamental Blackwork • WE ARE 200! - LOOKING BACK WITH THE TOTAL TATTOO CREW - PLUS LOTS MORE
CONTENTS & FEATURES
FREDDY NEGRETE TOTAL TATTOO AT 200!

16 One of the pioneers of black & grey talks 26 We look back, and forward, with the
guns, gangs, God and tattoos crew behind the mag
ANGEL GALLERY
40 The ground-breaking woman from Brazil 50 A selection of the best work from all
rewriting the script for tattoos and graffiti over the world
DRAZ PALAMING JULIAN BOGDAN

62 Taking colour realism from the Philippines 72 Proving that a limited colour palette can
to the world lead to unlimited creativity
4 TOTAL TATTOO MAGAZINE

TTM ISSUE 200
REGULARS NEWS & REVIEWS
8 If it goes on in the tattoo world,
it goes in here
SUBSCRIPTIONS OFFER
102 Your chance to bag a bargain
12 issues delivered to your door
SETH ARCANE REGIONAL DIRECTORY

84 Tattooing around the world and 103 Find the best studios in your town
or apply to join our listing
back again
All correspondence should be sent to
44 ALBION ROAD,
GREAT YARMOUTH
83
LIZZY HAS HER SAY
Former assistant editor shares her
NR30 2JD.
thoughts on private studios
TEL: 07776221612
email: totaltattoo@totaltattoo.co.uk
www.totaltatToo.co.uk
Total Tattoo Magazine No.200 March 2022

Published by KNT Publishing Ltd.
All rights reserved.
Printed in England on re-cycled paper by Buxton Press Ltd
Distributed by Seymour Distribution
PORTFOLIOS
94 Andrew Kosmin • Michael Heath • Cover: Adam Peter Hicks
Pete Murray • Debbie Jones
TOTAL TATTOO MAGAZINE 5

EDITORIAL 200
We are officially 200!
So here we are, at our two hundredth issue! I am not

usually one to shout loudly or to take praise particularly
well, but even I can recognise the huge task that we
have managed to achieve between us through all those
18 challenging years. Without wishing to sound old,
time really has passed by so quickly. Working to a
monthly deadline certainly brings into sharp focus the
ticking clock through the weeks and months.
So much has changed over those years, not only within

the pages of this magazine but also in the tattoo world
as a whole. I can remember being able to identify a
tattooist simply by looking at his or her work. We would
often challenge each other to this in the Total Tattoo
office! And, whilst I like to think that skill still exists to a
small extent, with some classifications of tattooing –
black and grey, for instance – there are far too many
excellent artists, making it impossible to keep pace with
the surging tide of pure class that is sweeping across the
world.
When I first got involved with the tattoo world, one of

the best things was the huge sense of community, and
the crazy fun parties that would follow each convention.
It was here that friendships were forged and characters
would develop and, even now, the stories of those crazy
nights still twinkle in my memory.
When we started the magazine back in 2004, we were

always aware of the huge responsibility we felt to
nurture and promote tattooing, and represent it to a
wider audience in the most professional way that we
could. It is fair to say that we learnt a lot on the way. I
look back at some of those early issues with a healthy
mix of pride and also some slight embarrassment. As the
designer, I can hold my hands up to some marvellously
shocking experiments in those early days, but I do feel
we managed to find our feet pretty quickly.
Total Tattoo magazine, like the tattoo world itself, has

grown to become more professional. The design has
become slicker and we have managed to maintain the
best quality paper and thick card covers to ensure that
the magazines remain looking good for years.
Looking back, there have been so many highlights; for

me, one of the best was my trip to China to judge at the

convention in Shanghai; plus the many trips around Editorial team
Europe and all over the UK; the literally thousands of Perry Rule
fantastic, talented artists and people we have Sally Feldt
interviewed and who have graced the pages. We
really have loved it all. Editorial
enquiries
More recently, with the effects of Brexit starting to editor@totaltattoo.co.uk
take hold, we have been presented with a new set of
Advertising
financial challenges, as paper prices rise and the
enquiries
cost of fuel chips away at our international sales. Adam Peter Hicks
There is certainly never a dull moment in the world of advertising@totaltattoo.co.uk
publishing.
Gallery
When talking to many of the old time tattooists, it is submissions
easy to slip into a state of melancholic, rose-tinted gallery@totaltattoo.co.uk
rear mirror gazing, thinking it was so much better
back in the day. But, in reality, I think we just choose Subscription
to forget the bad bits in preference to the great enquiries
memories of yesteryear. When you consider the subs@totaltattoo.co.uk
quality of everything in tattooing now, it is hard to
say which things were actually better in the past. The Social media
equipment is now more reliable, ink is brighter and Instagram: @totaltattoo
facebook.com/totaltattoo
stays longer, conventions have more amazing artists
than ever before, and the demand for tattoos keeps
Contributors
most artists busy all year round. Sure, there’s a ton Adam Peter Hicks • Lizzy Guy
of politics, but there is in every part of life. The Tattoo Journalist
We at Total Tattoo have been truly blessed over our

200 issue history and we always try to remain
humble. Our role has always been to nurture and
promote tattooing as an art form, assist in its
development where possible and to pass it on in a
stronger and healthier position when the time comes
.
I would like to thank every artist who has ever been
kind enough to send in a picture of their work,
everyone who has ever bought a copy of the
magazine and all the people who have supported us
along the road in any way at all. Particular thanks
also to the advertisers that have supported Total
Tattoo over the years and all the people in the
background who step in and help when the going
gets tough. Thanks for last 18 years, and here’s to
the next.
Perry
Editorial Team
editor@totaltattoo.co.uk

PORTFOLIO- PETE MURRAY
citadel tattoo - @petermurrayartist

TOTAL TATTOO MAGAZINE
NEWS & REVIEWS

Send your news, studio announcements, books or products for review, and items of general curiosity
and intrigue for the tattoo cognoscenti to: NEWS, TOTAL TATTOO MAGAZINE, 44 Albion Road,
Great Yarmouth NR30 2JD or totaltattoo@totaltattoo.co.uk
SCOTTISH SHOW POSTPONED FIND ALICE BYRNE

Organiser Jim has got in touch to let us An appeal has gone out on social media
know that the Scottish Tattoo to try to find 28-year-old Alice Byrne
Convention has had to be postponed yet (hashtag #FindAliceByrne).
again due to the ongoing effects of the
coronavirus pandemic. Alice went missing after a New Year party in
Portobello, Edinburgh. She was last seen at
“We have no choice,” he told us. “This is a around 10am on 1st January leaving a house
tough decision to make, but after extensive talks on Marlborough Street, having attended the
with the venue and relevant authorities, we can't Hogmanay beach party the night before. She
guarantee the convention will be able to run as was wearing a black top, black jeans and white
we would expect.” trainers. She is white, with short black hair.
But he adds, “We'll be back, and I guarantee Alice has a distinctive bat tattoo on her right
we'll be back with a bang!! Dates will be wrist.
announced soon. Tickets from this and
previously postponed shows will be valid.” Anyone with information should contact police
on 101 quoting reference 0647 of 2nd January.
O N E D
P OSTP

TONGA TRAGEDY PAINTED LADIES
Check out these Painted Ladies

by artist Jessica Harrison,
Many lives were affected by the recent volcanic
created from 'found' ceramic
eruption and tsunami that devastated the beautiful
figurines.
Kingdom of Tonga in the South Pacific.
Jessica lives and works in Edinburgh
We were sad to hear that the first confirmed fatality was
and is based at the Edinburgh
Angela Glover, who ran an animal rescue shelter there and
Sculpture Workshop. She exhibits her
was married to tattooist James Glover. According to press and
work internationally and is
social media reports she lost her life trying to save her dogs.
represented in numerous collections,
both public and private. She became
Lots of you will know James from when he ran Happy Sailor
an academician of the Royal Scottish
Tattoo for many years in London. He and Angela relocated to
Academy in 2015.
Tonga six years ago. James opened a studio there, which he
named Happy Sailor Tattoo Tonga. He survived the tsunami,
The Painted Ladies are available as
but his home and shop were also lost in the horrific disaster.
both sculptural pieces and limited
edition prints.
Our thoughts go out to James, to everyone who knew and
loved Angela, and to all the people of Tonga. James's former
jessicaharrison.studio/work/pai
business partner Tota, of Happy Sailor London, has set up a
nted-ladies
GoFundMe page to try and help James rebuild his life:
jessicaharrison.studio/products/
painted-lady-prints
www.gofundme.com/f/happy-sailor-tattoo-tonga-
wiped-out-by-tsunami

AIDAN MANN
R.I.P.
Heartfelt tributes have been paid to tattooist Aidan Mann (Zen Black)
of Sailors and Scoundrels Tattoo in Newtownards, Northern Ireland,
who was fatally stabbed in a busy street in broad daylight.
Aidan was a much-loved artist and irezumi specialist.
The tragedy happened at 11am on Monday 3rd January in Church Street,

Downpatrick. A man has been arrested on suspicion of murder
and police have appealed to anyone with information
(such as dashcam footage) to call 101 quoting reference 497 of 03/01/22.
Our thoughts are with Aidan's family, friends and work colleagues
at this sad time.
AND FINALLY
History was made in New in broadcasting for nearly
Zealand in December twenty years and said in press
when Oriini Kaipara interviews that it was a dream
became the first woman come true to be anchoring the
with a moko kauae to read 6pm bulletin.
the news on primetime
television. Watch the video here:
facebook.com/TheNation
Oriini is deeply committed to alNews/videos/93491017
her Maori heritage and 7400599
received her traditional chin
tattoo in 2019. She has worked

INK BAN LATEST INKED IN
You're probably all too aware of the ink ban Professional networking platform
that's now beginning to bite in EU countries. LinkedIn probably isn't the first place
Due to the post-Brexit NI Protocol, these you'd expect to find portraits of visibly
drastic restrictions on the use of certain key tattooed people... which is why
American accountant Jessica Leonard's
pigments are also affecting tattooists in
profile pictures have caused such a stir.
Northern Ireland. And they could soon be on
their way into law across the whole of the With the encouragement
UK. of her employer, Evolution
Capital Partners in
Cleveland, Ohio, Jessica
posted a photo showing
off her extensive ink –
alongside a more
conventional headshot.
In press interviews she is

reported as saying she
hoped the contrasting
pictures would “resonate or help someone who
may have experienced judgment or bias in the
past”. In response to tens of thousands of social
media comments, Jessica said, “I never in a
million years thought this post would touch so
many people, I appreciate all of your comments
(even the not so nice ones – I hear you too).”
We understand that draft documentation heralding the
next stage of government consultation is expected to
be published this spring. CHINA TATTOO BAN
As ink manufacturers race to develop alternatives and China has banned football players in its
launch them onto the market, here's a reminder of national team from getting tattoos.
what this infamous REACH legislation is all about – just
in case you're not up to speed. The Chinese authorities have also announced
that players with tattoos will no longer be se-
'REACH' stands for Registration, Evaluation, lected for the team – and any who already
Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals. It's a body have tattoos are being advised by the country's
of legislation aiming to ensure that all the thousands General Administration of Sport to get them re-
and thousands of chemical substances used in industry moved.
and in everyday life are safe and won't harm anyone.
These chemical substances of course include the This follows the trend of official disapproval of
ingredients in tattoo inks. ink being shown on screen; for the past two or
three years, many sportspeople in China have
The REACH legislation is already in place in the been covering their tattoos before appearing in
European Union. With Brexit, EU REACH was public
automatically brought into UK law. The UK
Government now needs to decide how it should be
applied here, and whether the restrictions in force in
the EU are appropriate for the UK too.
Let's hope our industry's voice is heard in this vitally

important consultation process.

BOOK REVIEW
Bangers & Flash by Sam Collins does exactly what it says on
the tin. This book is a tasty, top quality collection of clean, solid,
traditional tattoo designs.
The Gentlemans Tattoo Flash website describes it as “one banger

after the other, full of skulls, ships, eagles, snakes, girls, hearts, roses,
daggers, panthers, tigers, crosses and so much more... it's THE Street
Shop Bible!!” and we can't argue with that.
Scheduled for release at the end of January or early February,

Bangers & Flash is a hardback priced at £40. If you manage to get in
quickly with a pre-order via www.gentlemanstattooflash.com
you you might be in with a chance of acquiring one of the first 50
copies that come with a limited edition print.
ALICIA CARDENAS
R.I.P.
Body modification artist and tattooer Alicia Cardenas was one of six
people to lose their lives in a tragic shooting incident in Denver,
Colorado, in December.
Alicia, who many will have met when she worked the Brighton Convention, was a well known
figure in the body mod world. Describing herself on her studio website as “a proud Indigenous artist
born and raised in the city of Denver”, her career began in 1994 when she embarked on a piercing
apprenticeship at Bound by Design at the tender age of 16. In 1997 she opened her first shop,
Twisted Sol. Her journey as a tattooer began in 2008, and in 2009 she opened the Sol Tribe studio.
Alicia was also a mural artist (inspired by ancient designs), and a cultural anthropologist and
collector of cultural artefacts. She also taught classes on safety in the body art industry and served
on the board of directors for the Association of Professional Piercers.
The Sol Tribe studio became well known for its inclusivity, and Alicia has been described in various
press interviews as “a beacon of light”, “a powerhouse”, “a beautiful artist” and having “a
humongous heart”. She will be much missed by all those who knew her, and by all the various
communities to which she contributed such love, energy and passion.
Our thoughts are with Alicia's family, friends and work colleagues at this sad time.

FREDDY
NEGRETE
on Guns, Gangs, God and Tattoos
Freddy Negrete spent the majority of his early
years in prison. As a gang member, he
experienced significant bloodshed, a sense of
belonging to his homies, and the establishment
of a connection with his Chicano ancestors.
Negrete is the real deal, honing his tattoo skills
while incarcerated and then sharing them with
the rest of the world after his release.
He is widely regarded as a pioneer of black
and grey tattooing.
Interview by Adriana Barros
Photos by Adriana Barros; tattoos and more courtesy of Freddy Negrete
TATTOOIST INTERVIEW
‘I feel at peace with myself, with

what I’ve gone through,
what I’ve done to other people.
I feel forgiveness. I do my best to be
a good person now’
Freddy with homies Maton and Huero Tovar
Can you tell us a bit more about
your upbringing?
I am Mexican American. When I was two
and my sister was four, my parents went
to prison. My dad was a Latino gangster
– a Zoot-suiter guy. My mom was a
Jewish immigrant. A lot of Jews settled in
Boyle Heights, East LA, and many young
ones took on the Chicano culture. My
sister and I were placed in a foster home.
It was a white middle-class Mormon
foster home. It turned out to be pretty
abusive for us. The foster mother was
erratic. She used to beat us a lot.
You became a member of the

Chicano gang ‘La Sangra’ as a
teenager. Why and how did that
come about?
I think my foster parents were quite
prejudiced. They disliked Mexicans. Their
thing was they won “foster parents of the
year” for taking in interracial kids. Even
Freddy tattooing Jack

though we were Mexican, we weren’t
very dark; we still looked white. Part of
the abuse was them constantly
hammering in “What a lazy and terrible
Mexican I was”. I knew a lot of the
Mexican kids at school. I used to say,
“Yeah, I’m Mexican too!” The white kids
that I ran around with were also bad. We
were the bad kids.
I finally rebelled completely, ran away

from home and ended up going into
boys’ homes. Then I just made that
transition to where I took on the Chicano
culture because I was Mexican. I
remember running away from placement
and going to the Mexican part of San
Gabriel, the white neighbourhood I grew
up in. I was all Cholo-ed out and
everything. I just joined the gang.
son Isaiah and Freddy

TATTOOIST INTERVIEW
Freddy with Jack Rudy and friends

And it made you feel part of a family?
It did, yeah. I felt like I was a part of something when I was in the
Chicano gang. I was completely immersed in it. Nothing else existed
around me besides being in this gang and embracing the ways of
this gang, including gang war. Consequently, I ended up
institutionalised from the age of 12 until I was released from Youth
Authority at 22. The longest period I’d be out was two months. I was
never able to last much longer than that.
How did you start tattooing? And what are the

characteristics of Chicano style tattoos?
To start with, this is the late ’60s, early ’70s. Our older homeboys,
when they got out of prison, you’d see them, they would have these
big hand-poked tattoos that looked really sick. Peacocks were a big
thing because many of them were heroin addicts, and they got the
peacock supposedly to hide the track marks.
I’ve always been able to draw since I was a child. Of course, the
artistic aspect of the Chicano gang, I became all about that. We’d go
out, five or six of us, and spray paint on the walls. I was the one that
did the actual tagging. It was highly stylized. It was artistic.
I also became the little homeboy tattoo artist. One older guy in
particular was cool to me: Little Bunkie, a prison tattooer. He showed
me how to make my rig out of a toothbrush, sharpened guitar strings,
and wrap thread, as well as how to make stencils. He taught me a lot
of things. Many of the tattoos we were getting were of the gang’s
lettering, “Sangra,” with the addition of “SG” initials. Chicanos are
big on lettering; when I was in prison that was all we cared about.
Fancy handwriting and Old English lettering were so admired.
I understand they created the inks by burning things; I’m

not sure if it was printed paper at the time.
It was either plastic, like a chess piece, or baby oil, anything that
would give off black smoke. Then you’d harness that smoke with a
paper bag or something and then scrape off the residue with a razor
blade and then turn that into ink, mix it in with water and a little bit
of soap. The ingenuity in there is incredible; it’s like three-quarters of
the whole tattoo world today uses rotary machines. The machines,
the stencil paper, all those things came from prison.
Outside his old shop in Santa Barbera

Jack Rudy taught you how to use
Danny Trejo & Freddy Negrete

the modern tattoo machine. You
gave him special thanks in your
book ‘Smile Now, Cry Later: Guns,
Gangs, and Tattoos’.
When I got out of California Youth
Authority, I set up with my homemade
machines in my kitchen. I was doing
prison-style tattooing out of my
apartment and people loved it.
Meanwhile, Charlie Cartwright and Jack

Rudy had opened up Good Time
Charlie’s shop in East LA. I noticed that
Jack’s art looked like the original stuff
done in prison. I was like, “Okay, this
guy knows. He’s either been there or he
knows what’s going on.” I would do
tattoos, send people to Jack, “Go show
him this”. Then Jack would send people
to show me some. Finally, somebody
came and said, “Hey, Jack wants to meet
you”. We got along really well.
There wasn’t much interest in me there

with Charlie and the other guys, as it was
kind of like a biker shop. Jack was still a
Cholo guy. There were a lot of white
Cholos. Jack was from a neighbourhood
called Ochentas, and he has his
nickname ‘Huero’ because he was white.
He was into cars and art. As soon as
Charlie turned Christian and quit, Ed
Hardy bought the shop. Jack told Ed
about me, and then Ed said, “Let’s get
this guy down here and hire him”.
Freddy and son Isaiah

TATTOOIST INTERVIEW
Did Ed Hardy invite you to work at
his shop?
No. Jack did everything. Jack hired me.
Then I remember when Ed was going to
come down to meet me.
Hardy made the journey from San

Francisco to East Los Angeles to meet
you?
Yes, he came with Bob Roberts. It was a
crazy day because we closed the shop
early. Then some of my gangster friends
came to visit. Ed and Jack and Bob were in
the back talking. I was talking to my
friends. Then these other two gangsters
went to the door, insisting that we open the
shop and tattoo them. They started rattling
the shop’s cages. I went over there, telling
them, “Look, we’re closed.” Meanwhile, my
friends went out the backdoor and came
around and just started stabbing those
guys. It was a mess. Fortunately, nobody
died. Ed was just like, “What’d I get myself
into?” Other than that, it was an experience
for me to see Ed’s work. I hadn’t seen his
work yet. When he broke out his pictures of
backpieces and sleeves, I just hadn’t seen
tattooing on that kind of a scale. I could see
Ed Hardy’s greatness. I was happy to get
under his wing and learn whatever I could
from him. I learned everything I could from
both of them – Jack and Ed.
Mark Mahoney also supported you,

and you’ve spent over a decade
working at his studio, Shamrock
Social Club in Hollywood.
Mark’s great. He does beautiful work. His
Freddy tattooing his son Isaiah
unique style has caught on as a style all on
its own – the single needle, fine line style
that so many people are doing now, where
they do little tiny tattoos. He’s not only one
of the godfathers of black and grey, but
he’s the godfather of that single needle,
light image, small, fine line tattoo. He’s just
a good guy. We’re just excellent friends. I
could probably move on and do my own
thing easily. But I support him, and I
support his shop. I appreciate working
here.

Freddy, Ed Hardy and son Isaiah
You are also recognised as one of the Did you expect tattooing to become
godfathers of black and grey, fine this mainstream?
line tattooing. How does that feel? Maybe not to this extent, but I could see that
I don’t know how it feels. I still got to keep it would be popular. If I went to Disneyland,
that humble attitude because I feel like it people would see somebody full of tattoos
wasn’t this great accomplishment. I went to and they’d be like, “Oh, my!” They didn’t
prison and learned how to tattoo in there. It know what to think. But all the little kids
just so happened that tattooing became so loved it! They’d run, “Look at the tattooed
popular – ironic how all the pieces fell man!” So I knew if the kids love it, they’re
together. I’m thankful to God for that. The going to love it as adults. It was fun to watch
one who helped me see that the most would how it unfolded and became this popular.
be Ed Hardy. He was a visionary. He was
always saying, “What you guys are doing is The interest in tattoos is still growing.
great. This is going to catch on.” He knew I don’t think it’s hit its peak yet.
exactly what he was doing. He was forging I think it will always be enticing for two
this path. All we had to do was jump on and reasons. One is that it hurts. There has to be
follow his lead. a measure of toughness to get it. The other is
that the imagery is more on the dark side.
Imagery that is underground and dark will
always have some draw to it.

TATTOOIST INTERVIEW
Not everyone is aware, but you spent some time in
the film industry. What was your breakthrough film,
and what were your responsibilities on set?
Probably the breakthrough film was “Blood In Blood Out.”
That was the first one I worked on. That was the one where I
could influence it because they were looking for Chicano-style
gangster prison tattoos. Also, I helped them when the process
they were using didn’t work.
The process in terms of creating tattoos on the body?

Yes. They were trying to do big tattoos with this tissue paper
and print this stuff. It just didn’t work. It just ended up
smearing all over. I had a back-up plan to print stencils, wipe
them down, and use refillable markers. I just put this tattoo ink
in those refillable markers, freehand them, and draw them on.
Then on that film, they hired this man Freddy Blau, who had
invented the correct process for tattoos in movies. They asked
me to work with him. I could’ve been like, “This is my way. It’s
working,” but I saw that he had a better process, so I worked
with him and transitioned all our artwork into his method.
Then he and I became partners. I went on to do 30-plus
feature films [including ‘Austin Powers’ and ‘Blade’] and a lot
of TV stuff in addition to that.

Freddy tattooing Jack Rudy
Concerning your family, I am very

sorry for the loss of your sons.
Lorenzo was the youngest, and
Isaiah was a tattooer, like you.
Would you mind sharing a
memory of each of them?
There are so many fond memories that I
have of my sons. Sometimes painful to
talk about it. Lorenzo, we had a tattoo
shop in Santa Barbara, and I had an
apartment upstairs, so we lived upstairs
in this apartment, and the tattoo shop
was all downstairs. It was an amazing
situation. He just loved that whole life. I
just recently posted a picture of him at
the Ratta Tattoo shop. That was the name
of it.
In my bedroom, I had a two-way mirror

to look out and see the whole tattoo shop
from my bedroom. I’d wake up and look
out the window. Then I saw these two
girls come in. Then they went, “Ah!” They
screamed and ran. I was like, “What?”
Then I saw Lorenzo running. He chased
them off. That’s one of the fond
memories I have.
With Isaiah, there was so much because

we worked together. We did everything
together. We lived together. We worked
together. We were like a team. That’s like
getting half of yourself cut off. I have so
many fond memories of him. I think just
working together. At one convention, he
and I did a collaboration tattoo on
Jeremy, the owner of Sullen Clothing. We
both sat down and did the most beautiful
tattoo. That was a great day. We all went
out for dinner. That’s a fond memory with
him.

TATTOOIST INTERVIEW
Thank you.
There are so many more. I remember that was a great day.
“Live a happy life in the midst of sorrow” is something

you have stated. Is that what you are doing?
That’s what I’m doing my best at. It’s so hard to deal with loss. I’ve
dealt with it in many different ways, like just ignoring it, putting
everything out of my mind, and not wanting to see any pictures of
them.
Which is avoiding the pain.

Yeah, basically. Just escaping from the pain. I’ve found peace in
God. I rely on God. I believe in Jesus Christ. I’m Jewish – my
mother’s Jewish.

TATTOOIST INTERVIEW
You studied different religions too, I look at my past and I say, “I was not a nice
haven’t you? guy. I was violent”. When I was using, I was
You know what? Even when I was a indifferent and didn’t care about anything or
Christian before and I studied to be a anybody. I’ve shot people. I’ve done crazy
pastor, all that stuff, I learned so much stuff when I was a kid in a gang. I needed
about the Bible. But it wasn’t until I got redemption. It makes sense to me because of
into the AA programme that I started to Judaism, the atonement, the sacrificial lamb;
see God differently. This was because Jesus’ sacrifice. It provides redemption for
they teach you to rely on God as you me to where I feel at peace with myself, at
understand Him. They’re not trying to peace with what I’ve gone through, what
teach anyone doctrine or anything. There I’ve done to other people. I feel forgiveness.
is a God; there’s a creator; there’s a I do my best to be a good person now.
great being. All you have to do is believe
and rely on Him, and He’ll give you what Everybody struggles with something
you need to overcome this drug addiction – anxiety, mental health, family. I
that you have no power over. believe that, if we examine life
deeply, we all require some sense of
If you know an addict or you’ve ever direction.
been an addict or alcoholic yourself, you We need a higher power. Especially today
know how difficult it is, how impossible it because, years ago, we had so much faith in
is. Being a part of the program and the things that were just around us, and we
having that relationship with God, I just respected authority. Now we have so many
took it like that, like I’m not trying to get questions about just who we are and how we
a connection with any church or any live, and what we’re doing. We’ve created
denomination. It was just God and me. this modern society that is the end of us.
That eventually led me back to Jesus There’s no faith in how we’re living.
Christ, not Christianity, but Jesus Christ,
because that part of God, it’s the only Instagram: @freddy_negrete
place where I see and understand Web: www.freddynegrete.com
redemption.

TOTAL TATTOO AT
200
Perry, James
& Sally
in Conversation
Total Tattoo has reached the
dizzy heights of its two
hundredth issue. The original team who
The first ever issue
launched the magazine in 2004 was Sally

Feldt (Editor), Perry (Designer) and Jo who
sold the adverts. To be honest, we had
hoped to last at least one year. But,
eighteen years later, the mag is still here
although some of the crew have moved
on, and we’re still trying our best to be
the best. We thought it was time to look
back over those two hundred issues and
talk to some of the key figures who have
got us to this place.
We started our chat with the three editors who

have steered the good ship Total Tattoo, Sally,
James and Perry.
26 TOT0AL TATTOO MAGAZINE

Words, Perry, James and Sally • Pictures by various artists
SPECIAL FEATURE
Sally: I was fascinated by tattoos since
Sally back in the day
Perry back in the day

I was a child. In my early 20s, I studied
photography at college and my degree
show was on women with tattoos. This
was in the mid-1980s and at that time
there were no tattoo magazines. When
Skin Deep magazine was launched in
1993, I sent my work to them and
became a regular contributor from 1994
onwards. In 1998 Skin Deep was bought
by a new publisher, Jazz Publishing
owned by Stuart Mears. That was when I
took over as editor after Annie, the
original editor, stepped down and
became the designer. In 2000 Annie
decided to leave publishing altogether. I
had known Perry for many years; he was
Total Tattoo web site

a graphic designer so I asked him to join
me and take over from Annie.
Perry: I had been self-employed for

more than 10 years, working in the music
industry, designing record covers, all
through the 90’s. I had become a bit
jaded with that industry when Sally
asked me to join Skin Deep. It seemed an
exciting challenge and, like a lot of things
in life, it just fell into my lap. I hadn’t
been too involved with tattooing before
that. I had a few tattoos, but nothing
serious. But the more I got into the tattoo
world and started attending conventions,
the more and more I fell in love with it.
The Total Tattoo Stall

We worked together in a small office in
East London for several years, during
which time we became increasingly
disgruntled with Stuart Mears and his
lack of empathy and understanding for
the tattoo community. He only ever
seemed to see tattooing as a way for him
to make money. He had no real love of
the industry. After one too many
confrontations, in which he tried to
dictate the content of the magazine, Sally
finally decided it was time for her to
leave.

Sally: At that time there was a massive
ethical issue over magazines carrying
tattoo supply adverts. It wasn’t something
tattooists wanted, for fear of scratchers
getting their hands on kit with no idea
how to use it. Stuart insisted the supply
ads went in Skin Deep purely for
financial reasons. After wrestling with my
conscience, I knew I had to leave. Perry
and I had always talked of producing our
own magazine and it seemed logical that
now was the time, so he left Skin Deep
too soon after I did. In many ways we
were pushed into it.
TINA KORHONEN Perry: Back then, there was no social
When did you work for Total Tattoo? media and the only way to promote a
I did my first cover for Total Tattoo in 2006, and my new project like Total Tattoo was to
last photos for the magazine were around 2014.
attend all the conventions and rely on the
goodwill of the tattoo community.
What was your role with the magazine?
Fortunately for us, we had the support of
Photographer.
so many artists and fans.
What was your favourite contribution to Total
Sally: We did a business course and
Tattoo?
each borrowed several thousand of
This is a tough question, but the very favourite is
pounds – some from the bank and some
probably Nikole Lowe one from January 2010 (Issue
from relatives – and put everything on
63).
the line to get the magazine off the
ground.
How do you view Total Tattoo now?
I have fond memories and all the respect for Perry,
Perry: At that time, pictures for the
Sally, James and everyone else who has made the
magazines was still actual photographs
magazine happen. Happy 200th issue!
that needed to be posted to us and then
individually scanned in. So we had to
What are you doing now?
spend thousands of pounds on a scanner
I am still doing portraiture photography in many forms
to get the quality we needed. How times
and styles, mainly of musicians and rock stars. I sell
have changed!
prints through my shop, too:
Sally: The most crucial step was
securing a distribution deal with a
company called Warners, which meant
the magazine would get out into the
shops and newsagents. With that in
place, everything became real. I
remember going to the Mantra Tattoo
Convention in Cheltenham, shortly before
Issue 1 came out. We were all handing
out flyers telling people Total Tattoo was
coming. The buzz about the magazine
was electric.

SPECIAL FEATURE
JILL FELDT
When did you start working for
Total Tattoo?
I’ve been with Total Tattoo since 2006.
First I was the Advertising Manager, then
I moved into doing the sub-editing and
proof reading. I still remember the
incredible feeling of loyalty, friendship
and support that came from our
advertisers and I'd like to thank them for
helping to make my job so much fun.
What is your role with the

magazine now?
I’ve been doing the sub-editing and
After several months of hard work, Issue 1 hit
proof reading for the past 10 years. I
the shelves in October 2004. James
absolutely love it. All the ‘raw material’
Sandercock became a member of the team
around the 10th issue in the summer of 2005. for Total Tattoo comes to me in the form
of interview transcripts etc, and I re-work
James: You guys had come down to the Swansea it and polish it into what you see on the
show and I had gone along because I have always pages of the magazine. For me, the most
had a love of counter-culture alternative lifestyles. I had important thing is to remain invisible
my camera with me, because I was working as a within that process; it’s the voice of the
newspaper photojournalist. I just bumped into Perry. person being interviewed that counts. I
He had a big camera and so did I and we just hit it off. always try to keep in mind how I might
He told me about his magazine and straight away I feel as the interviewee... and now here I
said “I’ve got an idea for a feature on this good ol’ am in that position myself!
tattoo shop in Bristol called Skin Deep, with Dave
Ayres and Ozzy.” I had a vision of doing it in black How do you view Total Tattoo?
and white, with grainy, gnarly photos. Perry then I’m always blown away when I see the
introduced me to Sally and by the end of the day; I finished magazine each month. It’s like,
was commissioned to do the piece! That feature went how on earth did we do that? When
down so well and that’s how I joined the team. Perry sends me the final proofs to check,
and I see all the Word documents I’ve
James now
been working on magically transformed

into gloriously colourful page layouts,
it’s a wonderful moment. Total Tattoo has
become a big part of my life, and I love
being part of the Total Tattoo family. I’m
so glad Perry and Sally (my sister, for
those of you who don’t know!) decided
to take a chance on me all those years
ago.

I’m currently taking a short break from
the magazine. Sally’s taking care of the
sub-editing and proof reading in my
absence (so it’s all in very safe hands)
and I’ll be back on board soon.

Sally: We were really fortunate to have so
James back in the day

many great people around us who
supported us in our new venture. Doralba
Picerno, an amazing photographer who was
part of the freelance team from the very
beginning; Ester Segarra another fantastic
photographer who did a lot of our early
covers along; Steve Jary agreed to work for
the magazine for free to help get it off the
ground and did a lot of show coverage;
Travelin’ Mick who did so many great ethnic
historical travel articles. We obviously had
an idea of our vision for the magazine but
we were really open to the input of all the
freelancers and many of them brought so
many ideas for features. It felt like a really
strong team.
James: For me, that’s what was so exciting.

Your ideas were heard. I had always wanted
to write for magazines and, with Total
Tattoo, I found that. It was great to be part
of a group of people who wanted to push
the quality and standard of tattoo
publishing, bringing in professionals as
opposed to ambitious amateurs.
LIZZY GUY Moskowitz in issues 170 and printed magazines are

When did you work for 171. During that time I went to struggling against mass social
Total Tattoo? New York and met some great media that steals our attention,
I started working for Total artists, but sitting to talk with and they need to be supported
Tattoo in late 2014, and left Marvin and Clayton was a more than ever. Despite this,
‘officially’ in 2019, although I once-in-a-lifetime experience. I Total Tattoo still has a place in
still pop up every now and could have listened to them for tattoo and ‘alternative’ sub-
then. hours... actually, I think I did culture. Long may it continue.
listen to them for hours. I also
What was your role with really loved the interview we What are you doing now?
the magazine? did with Danny Elfman. What I’m tentatively balancing my
I started off making cups of tea an amazing opportunity! work for the NHS whilst doing
and doing administration. a Masters Degree, parenting
Then... I don’t know, what was How do you view Total and still helping out with the
my role? Co-editor? Tattoo now? mag. I’ll sleep when I’m dead!
Advertising assistant? I did a I think Total Tattoo has come a
bit of everything! I preferred long way, and all involved
doing interviews to selling should be proud. It’s really
advertising though. shifted the paradigms of what
a tattoo magazine can and
What was your favourite ‘should’ be. You’ve taken risks
contribution to Total on things like taking models off
Tattoo? the covers and bringing
My favourite contribution was important discussions on
the interviews I did with everyday issues into the field.
Clayton Patterson and Marvin It’s an inconvenient truth that

SPECIAL FEATURE
Sally’s favourite cover
Sally: It’s interesting to realise how times have changed.

At that time if you had a man on the cover, sales figures
would plummet. So we had to play the circulation game
and keep putting tattooed women on the cover, but we
introduced interviews with the cover models to make them
more than just eye candy or, if we featured a female
tattooist, we might put her on the cover. We would feature
clothing designers and lifestyle articles and tried hard to
re-invent the tattoo magazine genre, while still building up
a successful business.
Perry & James voting at the Liverpool convention. Photo by Steve Mannion

Perry: What do you think you’ve taken
from having worked on the magazine?
Sally: I left in 2013 for reasons of mental health,

both my own and my husband’s. Then I had a few
years of being totally exhausted and burnt out. The
job takes everything from you. You have to dedicate
your entire life to making it the best you can. I took a
couple of years completely away from the tattoo
world. In 2015 I was diagnosed with breast cancer
and, after that, I started to look back at my time in
the tattoo world with such warmth and love. I began
to attend a few conventions again.
I learnt so much from being with Total Tattoo. Not
only how to launch and run a magazine publishing
JO KERNAHAN business but also how to value my time and my
When did you work for Total Tattoo? health. I learnt business skills and people skills, and I
I started in 2004 with Sally and Perry even made some wonderful friendships that last to this day.
before the first shiny, beautiful issue hit the It was an amazing time in my life. I’m proud of what
shelves. We all went along to the Mantra we achieved and I’m proud of where Perry has taken
Convention at Cheltenham Racecourse to the magazine since I left.
raise awareness and meet lots of folk from
the industry. James: All those times we used to talk about re-
designing and re-formatting the mag and we were
What was your role with the maga- always advised against it by the distributors. But in
zine? the end, as things changed, it allowed a financial
My role was chief biscuit bringer-inner, tea freedom to follow your heart and let go of the old
bird, fag smoker and Advertising Manager. constraints. Being a small independent publishing
Firstly we gathered in an office in a bad bed- company, you are able to be nimble enough to
room in Perry’s house. That was interesting! respond to the market on a month by month basis.
Then a few months later we moved to our It’s a very different magazine now. You include
lovely office by the River Stort in Bishops information on techniques and obviously supply
Storford adverts. Was that a hard decision to make, Perry?
What was your favourite contribution Perry: Yes, I struggled for ages, as it was one of the
to Total Tattoo? founding principles of the magazine. But, as tattooists
My favourite contribution (do you mean ar- were sharing so much information online and supply
ticle?), I must say the ‘You’re Never Naked companies felt free to sell to anyone without any form
With a Tattoo’ calendar was, to my mind, of restriction, it seemed ridiculous that we held on to
genuinely fantastic. All the artists involved a principle that very few others shared.
were such good sports and the buzz around
that was crazy fun!
How do you view Total Tattoo now?

Some of my best memories were chatting to
the old school artists; the laughs we’d have
hearing the tales of the history of tattooing
from the artists who were there.

I’ve gone back to my roots, if you’ll pardon
the pun, being a freelance stylist and hair
colour technician. I’ve also become a mum.

SPECIAL FEATURE
James: I wanted to ask you, Sally… I reached a point where as
Sally now
the editor I began to burn out. My father had recently died and I
felt I’d lost my mojo for working with the magazine. I struggled
for about a year after I left, where I was just completely lost. I
was no longer ‘James from Total Tattoo’. It took a long time to
rebuild myself. Was it similar for you?
Sally: Yes, absolutely. I had six years of being ‘Sally from Skin
Deep’, then for nine years I was ‘Sally from Total Tattoo’. It is
your whole existence, your working and social life, every
weekend away. I loved it, but a time came when I just had to
leave and remove myself completely. That’s why I avoided
conventions for years although my love of tattoos remained. I
know I’ll never have another identity like that, it can never be
replicated. It took a long time to really be able to look back with
so much love for what we created.
James: I feel it was a time where we documented changes in

tattooing that will never happen again. People that weren’t there
Perry now
will never know tattooing as it was. I felt that we were very much
a part of those changes. Other magazines started to look like
Total Tattoo, other people’s convention coverage started to look
like ours. So I do feel our articles were a major part of that
creative shift that was happening around that time. We all grew
and changed together, tattooing grew and we grew with it.
Total Tattoo sticker free with issue 120

James visiting Paris
Perry: When was your golden period working with the

magazine?
James: For me it was probably during the early Paris convention

years. I learnt so much about writing from Sally and I’ll always
appreciate the time she spent educating me into writing concisely,
with structure and flow. Becoming the editor of a magazine that I
loved was a huge honour. Perry and I travelled and had some
amazing times together.
Sally: My golden period with the magazine was probably 2005-

2007. We were established and felt we knew what we were doing.
The London Tattoo Convention started at The Truman Brewery in
2005. That was a highlight for us every year. We launched our
‘Naked Tattooists’ charity calendar at the third one in 2007, which
was such a blast. Those two or three years were golden. Business
was good and the vibe in the industry was buzzing. We were
working hard but not yet burnt out.
Total Tattoo T-Shirt design
Perry judging at Brighton tattoo convention

SPECIAL FEATURE
Perry getting tattooed by Kurt Wiscombe
Total Tattoo’s first convention in Newcastle

Perry: So how do you guys
view the tattoo world now?
Sally: I only really see it through the

magazine and artists I am friends with
or follow on social media. I haven’t
been tattooed for quite a few years
but, weirdly, I have recently had the
urge to get tattooed again. The artists
I see now simply blow me away. One
Perry’s favourite cover
of the big changes, which has

happened gradually, is the loss of the
shock value tattooing once had.
When I got my first tattoo in 1981, it’s
hard to get across just how
outrageous it was for a woman to get
a tattoo back then. Is it a good or
bad thing? Who knows! Maybe it’s
both. I see the prevalence of tattoos
in everyday life now. It’s absolutely
the norm to see heavily tattooed
people working in banks, hospitals,
offices, shops, on TV and in sport. It
seems so strange to think it was ever
an issue.
James: Up until Covid, I was still

coming to shows like the Big North. A
few people would recognise me but,
on the whole, I have the anonymity to
wander around freely. I made some
great friends during my time with
Total Tattoo but I knew that the
moment I stepped off the roundabout,
they would carry on without me. I feel
very peaceful that it was a big piece
of my life that is in the past. I still love
tattooing. My house is full of tattoo
artworks. I’m surrounded by it.
Tattooing has its place in me, even if
my place in it has changed.

ESTER SEGARRA pictures I did for the It’s
When did you work for Something Hells hair salon. They
Total Tattoo? had just opened in London and
My first contribution for Total TT featured them in the
Tattoo was for issue 3, January magazine. As a result of that,
2005. And my last was the we became friends and business
London Tattoo Convention in partners and Miss Betty became
2012. Wow! That is seven years! my hairdresser, defining my hair
So many memories… looks for the following 10 years!
What was your role with How do you view Total

the magazine? Tattoo now?
I was a contributing Writing this has brought a whole
photographer. Because of my lot of nostalgia for that time. It
work as a music photographer, I was great! I loved being part of
was able to request interviews the team, getting to know new
with musicians and feature them people. One of the best
in the magazine. I started doing magazines I had the pleasure to
interviews and photos of work with. It helped me
musicians and their tattoos, then professionally and personally photographer and I am also
I went on to do covers and too. When I started, it was a venturing into astrology. Last
other photographic assignments new magazine, and it has been year, I released an astrology-
like conventions etc. great to see it grow and based planner called
become the iconic magazine Cosmoplanner (www.cosmo-
What was your favourite that it is today. The world planner.com). You can also
contribution to Total needed Total Tattoo and I am so see my photography work here:
Tattoo? happy to have been part of its www.estersegarra.com.
I have many great memories history. The pandemic has brought
and it is hard to choose one… many questions and I am still in
but I think my favourite What are you doing now? the process of finding some of
contribution has to be the I am still working as a music the answers. Watch this space!
Perry: What was your favourite cover and article
James’ favourite cover

that you are most proud of?
Sally: There are so many to choose from. It’s tough to

narrow it down to one! For me the ‘Naked Tattooists’
calendar was one of my favourite projects. It was such fun
and the top artists who took part were so brave to do it.
The pictures still make me smile, and of course we raised
lots of money for charity. I also remember Travelin’ Mick
interviewing Filip Leu for us, which was the first time Filip
had spoken to a UK magazine. That was so special.
James: We did a supplement called ‘Masterpieces’ which

was one of the first ever illustrated covers we had done. It
was a showcase of some amazing artists, Henning
Jørgensen, Filip Leu, Han from King of Kings, Jeff Gogué.
These were the people who were supporting the
magazine. I can still look through that supplement and be
inspired by the quality of the work.

SPECIAL FEATURE
Sally: That was always our watchword: quality. Quality
Total Tattoo Naked Tattooists Calendar

paper, printing, pictures and content. But we had fun too, like
when we gave away a free tea bag with every copy, because
tattoo shops run on tea! Total Tat-Tea! That issue is one of my
favourite covers.
Perry: My favourite article that I ever did was about the

Skuse family, Bristol Tattoo Club, which we ran over three
issues. It’s everything I love about tattooing and Jimmy Skuse
was so generous with his time and knowledge. The problem I
find these days is remembering who we have featured and
who we haven’t! So many have come and gone along the
way. For me, one of the constants has always been Lal Hardy.
He’s always been a steady influence for all of us in the
industry and his support has been there for all three of us.
Sally: We’ve always done our best to represent the artists as

accurately and truthfully as we could. We always let them be
themselves, never putting the writer before the art.
Perry: So the next question is

what are you guys doing
now? What is life like after
Total Tattoo?
Sally: I now live a much quieter life

on the Isle of Mull, off the west coast
of Scotland. I work part-time in a
shop in Tobermory. I’m still writing
though. But now it’s books for
children rather than articles about
tattooing. I recently won the Scottish
Book Trust New Writers’ Award. I’ve
actually been back sub-editing Total
Tattoo for the last couple of issues to
give my sister Jill a break, which I’ve
loved. I’m now seven years clear of
cancer and life is great.
James: The same as Sally, but in

my own way. I realised when I left
the magazine a few years ago that I
needed to simplify my life massively.
I worked in care for a while and I
trained to become a yoga teacher. I
have become a mentor to the next
generation of yoga teachers. I still
live in Bristol but try to spend as
much time out of the city as possible.
The simpler life is, the better it will
become.

SPECIAL FEATURE
DORALBA PICERNO What was your favourite upheld the same quality
When did you work for contribution to Total standards. It is still a labour of
Total Tattoo? Tattoo? love to Perry and it shows.
I was on board from the very Can I have two? Going to St
beginning! And I still do Petersburg to cover the Tattoo What are you doing now?
contribute the odd article or Festival in 2007 was I am still contributing to the
tattoo show coverage. When extraordinary. I met some magazine, albeit a little less
Sally and Perry came to me amazing people and learnt to than I used to. I do a lot of
with the concept for the drink vodka like the locals do! Urbex photography, I have
magazine, I was sold. I trusted I also found myself in the heart published a few books
them and I believed in their of the Borneo forest talking to (including 3 on tattoo art) and I
vision. I loved it then and I some of the last Iban tribal am working on a project to
loved it now. people who have old highlight the heritage of
fashioned designs. I stayed in tattooing in port cities in the UK.
What was your role with their long house, shared meals,
the magazine? spoke to a few elders who
I used to shoot lots of covers were tattooed in the traditional
for Total Tattoo, I would style, it was pretty special.
interview artists and do profiles
and, of course, tattoo show How do you view Total
coverage. At the beginning, for Tattoo now?
a few years we also Total Tattoo has changed and
incorporated tattoo-themed evolved in a way that is very
fashion shoots with small much in tune with the times. I
independent brands. These love the smaller format and the
were very time-consuming to new artwork-oriented covers. It
organise, but ultimately a lot of has always had a lot of
fun to shoot too. integrity and it has consistently
Sally: Perry, how do you see Total Tattoo in the next

five or ten years?
Perry: That’s hard. We have started to move into putting on a

couple of conventions. The financial future is pretty tough for
printed magazines, because of the increase in the cost of paper,
printing and distribution. But hopefully we can continue for a
while longer. I still believe that every genre needs a magazine
that caters to its needs. That may be an outdated view but I still
love the physical printed item in my hands. I’m hoping that as
long as we continue to have the support of the industry and all
the amazing advertisers, we’ll keep going for as long as possible.
I’d love to think that someone will come along to pick up the
mantle and take it to the next level, in the same way that
tattooing has grown. But I still absolutely love it and always have.
I feel honoured to promote and represent tattooing and hope that
we have done it justice over the years. I’m not a natural writer
and will never be the editors that you two were, which is why I
rely so much on the support from all the people behind the
scenes, like Lizzy and Jill. And without them, I would struggle. It’s
always been a collaborative effort and that’s the strength of the
magazine. It’s only as strong as the strength of its parts.

“Tattooing transcends
any language barriers
and becomes a language
of its own”
ANGEL
TATTOOIST INTERVIEW
Angel moved from her native Brazil to London

a few years ago and is now making her name
in the world of tattoos and graffiti. She
specialises in script tattoos and, as part of the
Sacred Lettering Collective, always aims for the
highest levels of creativity and originality. Her
positive, determined attitude has seen her
through dark times; she is a young woman
who defies expectations and is most definitely
writing her own script.
Can you tell us a bit about yourself and how you got into
tattooing?
I am originally from Brazil, about four hours from Rio de Janeiro. I
was artistic as a child and I would always draw on myself. I was not
so good at the academic side of things in school, but I loved art. I
was fascinated by tattoos even then, even though they weren’t that
common. My auntie had one though. She was my favourite auntie.
She really influenced me a lot. I lived in a very touristy area near the
beach. I started doing henna tattoos on the seafront in about 2000;
it was very popular back then in the beach markets. I was also
working in a restaurant at the same time. My auntie and I would go
to the market and see people tattooing and piercing in the back of
vans, so that was my first real experience of it. I got my first tattoo
when I was just 14.
I saw the potential of doing henna tattoos full time so I quit my job at
the restaurant. I loved drawing and was doing my own designs. I
showed them to a tattooist and they offered me a job on the spot!
What brought you to the UK?

I had always wanted to come here. I fell in love with the culture, the
language and the history. Originally I came here as a tourist. I had
planned a short trip but ended up staying much longer and then I
made up my mind I wanted to move here.

I’ve noticed a lot of references to
God and the Bible in your work “I had to come through a very
and in your social media posts.
What role does religion play in dark period before I could see
your daily life?
I am a believer and I consider myself a
Christian. I was born and raised as a
the glimmer of light”
Catholic but, around seven years ago, I
gave my life to Christ and that was a
massive turning point for me. Since then I
have never had any cause for regret.
From that moment I have always given
myself respect, and positivity has entered
my life.
I had been having a really bad time. I
was suffering with depression, everything
was very negative and things felt like
they were going down. I was searching
for some kind of spiritual guidance. I
tried spiritualism and many other forms
of religion. Then I was in my room one
night, praying, when I had an encounter.
I didn’t see anything but I just felt it was
Jesus. I knew then what I had to do and
from that moment, my life changed.
Things have become clearer and more
positive. I had to come through a very
dark period before I could see the
glimmer of light. It was the very best
thing that could have happened to me
and I am very grateful. People can mock
but, for me, it’s very personal and I do
believe!

TATTOOIST INTERVIEW
Does your belief come through in your work?
Yes, I think this kind of positivity is really important. Whenever I
paint, I include the word ‘Grace’ because it is with God’s grace that I
am able to paint. There was a time of my life when I didn’t think I
would be here now.
Is there ever a conflict between your religion and your

career?
There is a big taboo with tattooing and Christianity, but I think the
way I put myself out there, the way I interact with people means I
can share the goodness of God when I am doing my work. People
talk a lot about the conflict between religion and tattooing, but I
don’t really see it.

Another fascinating aspect of your
life is that you were a competitive
bodybuilder. Can you tell us about
that?
It was about three years ago. I was
really into power lifting. That was my
main interest for a long time. Then in
2019 I decided to enter a bodybuilding
competition at Olympia in London. I did
it as a challenge to myself. As I said, I’d
had a bad period of depression and I
never thought I would have the self-
discipline to commit to such a thing. It
was really difficult to get into shape. I
had to be so strict about everything I ate
and stick to my training times.
Olympia is one of the biggest
competitions on the circuit. But I think the
biggest competition I had on that stage
was with myself. I never expected to win;
it wasn’t about that for me; everybody
on that stage was already a winner in my
opinion. It was an amazing experience. I
don’t know if I would do it again now but
I loved it at the time.
Is there a parallel between the

drive to achieve in bodybuilding
and to be successful in tattooing
and graffiti?
The discipline and dedication required to
excel in any field will always pay off. My
tattooing got better during that period
because I began to believe in what I
could achieve and I became more
focussed. The desire to do better actually
helped to make me to be better. If you
have a positive strong drive in one area
of your life, you can use that to create
positive energy in every aspect of your
life.

TATTOOIST INTERVIEW
Have you ever experienced any

form of sexism or racism within
the world of tattooing,
bodybuilding or graffiti?
It’s pretty equal now. When I started
tattooing it was not very common to see
girls doing it. It was a very male-
dominated world, especially back in
Brazil. It was hard to get into the
industry, and there was a period early
on when I had to keep stopping and
starting. I was young, female and I didn’t
have enough tattoos. At that time, as a
woman, you would be expected to do
the piercing but not tattooing.
I came to the UK in 2005 and it was just
becoming more common for women. I
never experience any problems here. I
know clients would maybe not trust you if
you didn’t have enough visible tattoos
but there was no actual discrimination
that I was aware of.
Now you have your head, throat

and neck tattooed.
Does this attract much attention?
I get a lot of different reactions but I
have to expect that. In London it’s much
more acceptable. I live near Camden
Town and it’s not unusual to see people
with tattooed faces. If I visit somewhere
posh, it can cause more of a reaction.
The work was done about three or four
years ago by a Russian guy called
Gromov. I love his work.

You are a prominent member of the Sacred
Lettering Collective, who tattoo and graffiti
together as a crew. Can you explain how that
came about?
It started around 2019 or ’20. Me and two friends,
Nerok and Spyar, had been talking for a while about
getting a crew together so that we could create art,
support each other and extend our social networks.
The pandemic came and we decided to use the time to
get together and just jam. Another friend was a graff
artist who was also learning to tattoo, and he brought
along his mate Nerks. It was an amazing day, we had
loads of fun and it’s grown into a really tight crew. It’s
like a family. We are all into lettering and script. We’ve
had about half a dozen jams so far, all over the place.
We meet, we create and, although we are all different,
we have a shared interest. So we’re very excited for
what 2022 has in store.
When you get together, do you all work

collaboratively on the same piece?
No, we all do our own pieces but we pick an area and
work alongside each other. We are hoping to do an
exhibition of our work. We are trying to promote
lettering and street art as much as possible. We tag all
our pieces and people are starting to get to know us.
Script graffiti has always had crews that work
alongside each other; we have them in Mexico and in
Brazil but until now we didn’t have one in London.

TATTOOIST INTERVIEW
Are there rules between the crews
and is there ever any rivalry?
There are rules about painting over
someone else’s work. You need to know
whose work you are covering. If it’s a
famous graff artist, it needs to be
respected and left for a while. If it’s a
fresh piece, you need to allow it to have
time before you cover it. There is a bit of
politics involved but usually everyone is
super-friendly.
There are some places that have “legal”
walls where you are allowed to paint, but
a lot of people still love to do illegal
paints, on trains and places around the
city. That can be a real adrenalin rush,
especially if it’s in a difficult or
dangerous place.
I think it’s great that graffiti art is being
seen as real art. There are so many
people involved on lots of different levels
and it can co-exist in many different
“Whenever I paint, I include the
cultural worlds, from the underground to
art galleries. Anyone can do it, but you
word ‘Grace’ because it is with
have to be prepared to get cold and
dirty and it’s very physical. It can really
God’s grace that I am able to
make your arms and body ache. I never
expected that! paint”
Are there any credible training
schools for graffiti?
Yes, a lot of great artists in London do
workshops. It’s the same as tattooists
doing seminars. In some ways it’s similar
to tattooing; you have different size nibs,
some for filling large areas, some for fine
lining.
Do you find that your tattooing

and graffiti are influencing each
other and growing together?
Totally. I can see a massive shift in my
work since being with the Sacred
Lettering crew. It’s a never-ending source
of inspiration and creativity. You have no
idea how massive the impact has been
on my tattooing. In London, I don’t see
many girls specialising in script. There
are a few outside of the capital. People
are starting to search me out and I’m
very blessed to be able to specialise in
script and dark lettering which is the style
that I love.

TATTOOIST INTERVIEW
When creating script, are there
construction rules that you need to
adhere to?
Yes, depending on the style of lettering. If
you are focussing on gothic style, they
need to be made up in a particular way.
Once you understand that, you can
change it to become more stylised. If you
are doing a more cursive font or
copperplate, you need to follow the
structures to ensure that it reads right.
You have to work with the body, which
can give you more freedom to flow with
the shapes, and you can add some
flourishes to enhance the body’s
movements.
Do you have a particular way of

creating your tattoos?
Sometimes I do some preliminary
sketches to get an idea going, but mostly
I like to work on the spot. I talk with my
customer for a bit and I get a feel for
how the style will suit them and a sense
of the type of person they are. Usually I
draw it on freehand. It has more energy
and flows much better with the body than
using a stencil.
Do you plan to travel much when

it’s allowed again? I understand
you are in the process of applying
for a visa to work in America.
Does this mean we will soon be
losing you?
No! I’m planning to travel back and forth
and spend time both here and there. I
have some great friends over there and I
want to work with them.
I love doing guest spots and having the
opportunity to visit places that you
wouldn’t necessarily go to otherwise.
Because your work is popular
somewhere, you get to go and
experience wonderful places and
amazing people. Even if the money might
be less than we earn at home, the
experience is always priceless. Tattooing
transcends any language barriers and
becomes a language of its own.
Instagram:
@angel_tattoouk
@sacredlettering

GALLERY
Please send gallery
submissions to:
44 Albion Road
Great Yarmouth NR30 2JD
Email pictures to:
gallery@totaltattoo.co.uk
Images need to be
300 resolution
hattie cox, tudorrow tattoo dale gliddon, the dealership
antonia, point zero

GALLERY
kyle warwick, fat fugu matt axe, evil from the needle
gillan turner, augharas eye

matt stopps, origin tattoo

abbie morphew, hollow bones beth rose, calamity tattoo
arron fitchett, gold irons tattoo
stephanie white, cock a snook

GALLERY
duncan henderson, djh tattoo mike boyd, the circle
pete murray, citadel tattoo
mira paramonova, fat fugu

eva ardi, lucky rabbit tattoo cult anthony lennox, artium ink
doko ink, manafifita
brogen whalley, indelible ink

GALLERY
GALLERY
mark love, twenty two volts
danielle merricks, ophelia bespoke
dario, monarch tattoo (australia)

liam sheard, shedwolf tattoo

dani j, parliament tattoo
anna oliviera, electric artz

j.p. equinox tattoo

GALLERY
leviticus, tattoo emporium daryl healy, the painted man collective
barawski, six bullets
blaire thomson, custom inc

adele potts (ireland) mike bays, studio 6 timmy collins, tattoo collective
mumbia (denmark)

GALLERY
chris harvey, flora and fauna tattoo
carlos zucato, kings cross tattoo
tank, wilde ink
gary parasi, mayday tattoo co (usa)

lukas kay tattoo dom joel, whitfield tattoos
inky joe, hollow bones tattoo javier rodriguez, always grateful (spain)

GALLERY
berty william hill, samsara ink loic, blind design
lisa ammer, opus magnum tattoo studio (germany)
lionel, out of step (france)

Draz Palaming is an amazing young
tattooist from the Philippines, who specialises in super
saturated realistic portraits that radiate a warm and gentle
light. However his illustrative style has helped establish
him as so much more than a photo-realistic tattooist.
It’s a great pleasure to introduce him to you here.
Can you tell us a little about yourself?

How long have you been tattooing and
why did you start in the first place?
I’m from Quezon City, Philippines. I’ve been
tattooing for ten years now and I specialise in
illustrative colour realism. I started tattooing
when I was 19. I was at university and I was
looking for a freelance job that didn’t have a
fixed schedule because I was studying. I was
living with my best friend and one day I
watched his brother-in-law have a tattoo
session with a well-known local artist. That was
the first time I saw a tattoo being done. I was
amazed and curious at the same time. I didn’t
realise that I was watching the session for
three straight hours! That night I felt like giving
tattooing a try. Shortly after that, I fell in love
with tattooing.

Interview by Perry • Photos courtesy of Draz Palaming
TATTOOIST INTERVIEW
‘The most
important thing is
the underlying
meaning or emotion
that you feel just
by looking at a
tattoo’

Do you come from an artistic
background? Do any other
members of your family work with
in tattooing?
I don’t come from an artistic family, but I
found the love of my life through
tattooing. My wife had her first piece
from me. Then, after she gave birth to
our daughter and after resigning from
her corporate job, she began tattooing
too. Since then we’ve worked together in
the same studio and we enjoy it so much.
How is tattooing viewed in the

Philippines? Is it an acceptable
profession?
Discrimination has decreased as the
years have gone by. People here have
started to see tattoos as a passion and a
fashion. They are even seen as status
symbols since we are a third world
country and not everybody can afford to
get one from a professional tattoo artist.
What attracted you to photo-

realistic tattooing and did you
learn other styles of tattooing
before specialising?
Before I started to specialise, I learned
how to tattoo everything, like bio-
mechanical, Chicano, tribal, and
Japanese. Then I saw some of Dmitriy
Samohin’s work around 2012 and it blew
my mind. That was when I decided to
learn how to do portraits and colour
realism.

TATTOOIST INTERVIEW
Your work incorporates very high

levels of technical discipline and
skill. What has been the hardest
part to master and why?
I think the hardest part is to be consistent
with every piece because there will
always be different factors to consider
like client’s skin, personality, design
placement, complexion and any health-
related issues.
What part of the tattooing process

do you find most satisfying? Is it
the designing, the application or
the completion?
For me it’s the completion because I
always want to see how the tattoo that I
made complements my client’s body and
how it will improve their self-confidence.
And sometimes – if it’s a memorial piece,
for example – I can see how it’s helped
them to cope or move on from their
personal problems.

With the increasingly high
standards in tattooing, how do
you keep evolving as an artist and
tattooist?
For me, tattoo conventions and
competitions have played a big part in
my development as an artist because
there is always a new challenge. I love
the atmosphere of conventions, especially
if I’m surrounded by talented artists from
around the world. It’s inspiring for artists
to meet each other, compete and learn
at the same time.
If you keep pushing yourself

towards higher and higher levels
within photo-realism, is there a
danger you will burn out and lose
your love for it? And what can you
do to stop this?
The idea of burning out is non-existent for
me. Realism is not bound by any rules or
traditions so you can keep it simple and
subtle, or you can go wild and crazy.
What are the most important

elements of your tattoos?
The most important thing is conveying the
message within every tattoo, not just in
realism. Of course things like details,
composition, placement, saturation are
all important but, for me, it’s the
underlying meaning or emotion that you
can feel just by looking at the piece. That
is the most important thing.

TATTOOIST INTERVIEW
Do you get to tattoo many travellers? And do

you need to adjust your technique to deal with
different skin types?
We don’t have fair skin in the Philippines, but I have clients
from many countries so I have got used to tattooing
different kinds of skin every single working day. My
favourite types of skin to tattoo on are Japanese, Korean,
and Chinese. They are perfect for tattooing and healing,
based on my experience. I always adjust my colour palette
and strokes, based on the client’s skin tone, choice of
subject and placement of the design.
How important is the relationship between you

and your client?
It’s important that my clients understand how I work before
we get started. My process is a mixture of old school and
new school techniques in terms of creating the design.
Usually I don’t do pre-drawn designs; I prefer to lay out
my piece directly on to the skin. That way I can see the
flow and maximise the potential of my artwork. During the
process I really want my client to be as comfortable as
possible so we can finish what we set out to do that day.

There is always a question over the longevity of
super-realistic tattoos. What are your thoughts on
this subject?
There are many factors that determine the longevity of the
pigments in the skin. We just have to figure out what’s best for
the client’s tattoo in terms of choice of colour, technique and
subject matter.
I would guess that you get asked to tattoo similar

images many times. Is it a challenge to find good
source material for portrait tattoos that is both
recognisable and original?
As much as possible, I try to use different references from
those I’ve already used. And I never copy my reference
material 100% exactly. I always modify the design so I have
space to insert my identity as an artist. Adding special twists
to a piece is the key to making it your own and defining your
style.
What is the secret to a great portrait tattoo?

It’s the emotion.

TATTOOIST INTERVIEW
Over recent years there have been

numerous developments and changes
within the tattoo industry. What is the most
valuable change for you?
I think the wireless tattooing system was a huge
leap for the industry in terms of convenience for
artists and safety for our clients.
For your style of work I know that the

equipment you choose is very important.
What do you use and how does it influence
your work?
On a daily basis and at conventions, I use FK Irons
machines and StarBrite inks. A powerful and
reliable machine is vital for long sessions, and
vibrant colours are important to make wild
masterpieces.
I see that you are a sponsored artist for

StarBrite. What does sponsorship mean for
you and for the company?
I’ve been using the brand for almost ten years now.
I really love the company and their products. They
have a lot of colours to play with and their
pigments are the most vibrant. I also love how they
support artists like me and constantly make the
effort to improve their products.

TATTOOIST INTERVIEW
What memories of your career will
always stay with you?
When I won Best in Show at the
Singapore convention. It was very
emotional for me because the crowd
went wild when they saw the piece that
I’d done and I’ll never forget that.
How has the pandemic been for

you and what long term affects do
you think it will have?
Because of the pandemic and lockdowns,
we did not operate for nearly four
months. We realised that we had to
adapt to survive so we invested in
personal protective equipment and
adjusted our safety protocols so that we
could continue tattooing.
If you could go back in time and

give yourself some advice when
you were starting out, what would
it be?
Draz, you should go to more
international conventions. Ha ha!
Are you still as passionate about

tattooing as you were when you
first began?
Yes, I am still passionate about it and I
feel like I’m just getting started.
What is your philosophy of life?

‘Be kind, because everyone you meet is
fighting a harder battle.’
How do people go about getting

work from you?
They can always check out my social
media accounts on Facebook
(facebook.com/drazenpalaming)
and Instagram (@drazpalaming)
for inquiries and appointments.

Interview by Total Tattoo • Photos courtesy of Julian Bogdan
I spent quite a while trying to track down

Julian for this interview; wherever I went, I
always seemed to have just missed him!
Our paths finally crossed at the 20th Dublin
Tattoo Convention in November 2021,
where we made arrangements to meet up
for a chat at one of his more permanent
residences, Six Bullets Tattoo in London.
What was it about London that attracted you and enticed you to
stay?
I’ve been in England for almost five years. I’d travelled a lot with my girlfriend
and we were very familiar with London. We liked it, so we stayed here. This year
we’ll be applying for settled status. I like the tattoo scene here. The customers are
really familiar with tattoos and tattoo culture, and it seems a lot more acceptable
for younger people to have visible tattoos on their hands etc.
Can you tell me about how you got into tattooing in the first place?
I originally started tattooing in France, where I did my apprenticeship. I had to
clean the studio and I learned to solder needles and do all the designs. I worked
there for two years and then left during my third, about six months after my
apprenticeship ended. I had become burnt out with constantly drawing everyday
and I really needed to stop.

TATTOOIST INTERVIEW
“When you only

think about
tattooing, it’s
not balanced.
Painting helps
to create that
balance”
For the next year I went travelling with a friend, around France,
Germany and Switzerland. When I came back to France, I stayed
with a mate who knew a tattooist who was looking to take someone
on. I showed him a few of my designs and he said I could start the
next week. So I thought why not? That was when I completely fell in
love with tattooing. I’d originally studied advertising, so my designs
then were completely different to my style now.
After I left that shop, I moved to the South of France and eventually
opened my own studio in a small town. But I was still young, and I
wasn’t really ready for it. It was an interesting time though and it
definitely forced me to grow up.
That was about ten years ago. I left France then and I’ve never been
back. I was quite happy to leave. From there I went to New
Caledonia, a tiny island which is a part of French sovereignty and sits
between New Zealand and Australia. I was only supposed to be
there for a month but I stayed four or five years. I just never got
around to leaving! It’s a really interesting tropical island. I got to
know some of the other artists there, who were mainly Tahitian,
Maori and Australian. Obviously there is a huge Tahitian culture in
New Caledonia, so a lot of customers wanted traditional imagery. It
was great, but being so small there wasn’t a big art or music scene
as there would be in a European city.

I notice a very definite shift in your
style of work in the last few years.
What influenced this change in
direction?
The change happened because I became
bored with my style, and tired of using
software to create everything. I was
basically looking at pictures on Google,
changing them slightly with Photoshop
and putting them on my customers. I
wanted to go back to my pencils, and
draw something from scratch. I wanted
my work to be more creative and
original.
I remembered when I started tattooing

and I used to draw a lot, but that was 15
or16 years ago. The internet was
different then. My Space was only just
starting and there was no Instagram!
Back then the customer would go to the
nearest tattoo shop and ask for what
they wanted, which ranged from
Polynesian to Japanese. So you had to
be able to do everything, which made
you a more all-round artist.

TATTOOIST INTERVIEW
You have become well known for your split Hannya
designs. How did this come about?
One of the things I love about tattooing is the freedom to be more
creative. I am doing a lot of things like Hannya masks, but that is
mainly because my customers are asking for them. That’s
definitely been led by the Internet. One day I posted a picture of
a split Hannya mask and ever since then people have been
asking for them. If I get bored of that image, I’ll just stop doing
them.
You seem to tattoo a lot of hands. Are there any issues

or problems with tattooing this area of the body?
I do get to tattoo a lot of hands. They can be quite technically
demanding and each one is completely different. I have a lot of
large scale work in progress too, which is very satisfying. Every
day is a different challenge. I wouldn’t say I get bored of
tattooing but, after 15 years, I love it when I come across
something that’s technically outside my comfort zone. I enjoy the
challenge of developing my skill set.

Your colour palette is limited but strong, giving your
work a very identifiable edge. How much of a
conscious decision is this?
Going to New Caledonia influenced my colour palette a lot.
Because it is such a tropical place, you can’t have too much
colour, so I worked a lot in black. It was when I came to
London that I started to add one touch of colour, such as
yellow or red, to contrast with the black. The skin colour in the
UK is also lighter so I could start to experiment with a bit
more colour.
Can you tell me a bit about the equipment you use?

My equipment has changed slightly. I’m sponsored by Stigma
and I really enjoy their machines. I used to be against all the
‘no cable’ technology, but they sent me a machine and I was
converted from coils. It’s the only rotary I can line with. I can
also pack black and colour with it too. And when you want to
travel, you just need the cartridges and one machine and
there you go – sorted. But I still use my coils sometimes too.

TATTOOIST INTERVIEW
How do you feel about passing on

your skills?
Having an apprentice is interesting because
you learn a lot as you teach people. It can
be beneficial to both parties. I don’t really
get tattooed as much anymore. I had my
legs started four years ago, but they’ve not
been finished. I’d love to have my back
done, but I don’t know if I’m ready. I don’t
know if it’s because I’m older or because
I’ve had more tattoos, but it definitely hurts
more.
What are your thoughts on

conventions?
Over the last 10 years the only big
conventions I’ve done are Melbourne and
Sydney. They’re both good shows.
Melbourne is amazing. Australia is amazing
in general. I have a lot of conventions
planned for next year, in London and across
Europe.

Did you enjoy the Dublin show?
Yeah, I really like small conventions. They’re usually very friendly
and Dublin was great.
What or who has influenced your style?

I’ve allowed myself to be influenced by people around me. I always
loved Neo-traditional and Japanese style but, as I’m not Japanese, I
didn’t want to rip off someone else’s picture. When I started my
apprenticeship, the girl I was learning from did a lot of realism so I
was doing that too. In New Zealand I met an amazing young artist
called Currar Whitham-Field (@filthytattooart). He got me into neo-
trad. I was drawing everyday with him and we were both learning
together and inspiring each other.

TATTOOIST INTERVIEW
You’ve worked at a lot of London
studios. What have you gained
from them?
Just before the pandemic, I started
working at Black Garden, which really
influenced my Japanese artwork. The
artists working there, Cesar, Tutti and
Rodrigo, were so inspiring. But Covid
happened, and they had to close the
studio for a while. So I opened a private
studio with Elmo Teale (@elmoteale). It’s
quite a small place though and I realised
that I wanted to work somewhere bigger,
so I’m now opening another, large
studio.

TATTOOIST INTERVIEW
What do you do when you’re not
working?
When I’m not tattooing, I’m trying to
paint a lot more. It definitely helps my
tattoo art. When you only think about
tattooing, it is not balanced. Painting
helps to create that balance which I
definitely need.
Tattooing can be all-encompassing. I’ve

had to ask my girlfriend to help with my
emails as I just couldn’t keep up with the
tattooing, designs, painting and
everything, as well as answering
messages. I usually tattoo three or four
days a week. I keep one or two days to
do the designs. I try to get them done in
a specific time so I’m not drawing after a
long day at work when I’m tired. The rest
of the time is to chill and spend time with
my girlfriend.
What plans do you have for the

future?
I would like to travel more but being in
London is expensive, so you have to
work a lot to save money! Realistically,
I know I’ll never be able to buy a house
here. If the opportunity to retire and live
elsewhere came about, I’d probably take
it. I’d like to go to Berlin.
Insta: @ julian.bogdan.noir.corpus

LIZZY ON...
Too Many Cooks comes from sharing the craft studio, especially if the location
with others, and how that must was also the artist’s house. I
Shops Spoil the Broth?
affect an artist’s practice. Surely also wonder how tattooists feel
being amongst other people about this. Perhaps that’s too
When I was more involved in
who live and breathe tattooing mistrusting or dismissive of me.
Total Tattoo than I am at the
must be nurturing for the soul? Whilst I don’t wish to scare
moment, I would listen to
One thing I remember hearing anyone, I’m probably not alone
tattooists talk about moving into
from tattooists is that working in this thinking, and it’s
private studios to keep their
alone can breed stagnation and obviously part of a bigger
costs down, so they could keep
artist’s block. Sure, there’s conversation that needs to
more of their profits and avoid
inspiration out there, but pictures happen on all sides.
giving their hard-earned cash to
online and in print aren’t the
the studio owners. As I continue
same as seeing something in the As I continue to witness splits
to witness this exodus and see
flesh or talking through ideas in within studios as tattooists
artists switching from one studio
person. quibble over a few percentages,
to another, I’ve been wondering
I see shops and relationships
what is the point of it all?
Another thing I find concerning fracture. And with that, the
about the single tattooist or camaraderie and cultural
There’s a reason why shops such
small team studios is the richness that I (and so many
as New Wave, The Family
potential lack of safety. After others) love to see within the
Business, Sacred Electric,
more and more victims have tattoo world dissolves and ebbs
Ultimate Skin and Northside
come forward about their away. A single person studio
Tattooz are so iconic – because,
experiences of sexual abuse might pay you a few extra bob
come hell or high water, they
within the industry, I’d think per month, but if you love the
are a constant front in an ever-
twice before I went to a small craft so much, is it really worth it?
changing cityscape. I love how
generations of families will go to
the same studio, and how
studios evolve and grow with the
times. It would be so sad never
to be a part of a studio with
such history or atmosphere!
Even with newer shops, there

may not be as much ‘history’,
but the people – artists and
clients alike – make the history.
The stories and banter, the good
and bad days, all of those
moments absorb into the client’s
experience and the artist’s
creativity. As cosy as a private
studio is, I can’t help but feel
that the experience for both
parties may be somewhat
lacking. Sure, you’ll get a nice
tattoo (and that’s obviously why
you’d go there in the first place!)
but what else do you get and
what might you miss out on?
I also consider the creativity that

“I’ve been tattooing for
about 24 years... I feel
like I have a foot in the
past and in the present,
which is cool”
SETH
ARCANE
Interview by Total Tattoo • Photos courtesy of Seth Arcane
TATTOOIST INTERVIEW
Seth Arcane was the archetypal travelling

tattooist. From his native South Africa he
headed to Germany; from there he came
to the UK and spent time developing his
tattooing; then he set off to see what the
rest of the world had to offer. During his
travels he mastered many styles of
tattooing before returning to the UK and
focusing on his now signature style of
geometric, ornamental blackwork.
Why did you finally stop travelling and put down

roots, Seth?
After years and years of travelling, guest spots and living out
of a suitcase, one day I’d just had enough. I enjoyed working
in different places, but constantly packing and unpacking
became so tiring.
What first brought you to England all those years

ago?
I came to England to tattoo. The scene in South Africa, where
I’m from, was so small I figured that I should go to the US or
the UK. I spent a year in Germany first, which was interesting,
to say the least. Most of my time was spent working second
jobs and not actually tattooing because my tattoo work wasn’t
at such a good standard. Then I went to Edinburgh where I
became friends with some of the people from Tribe Tattoo.
They put me in contact with Dave Crossley from Caledonia
Sun. He was looking for someone to work with him, and so
that’s where I went. I was there for quite a while.

You also spent some time in
Australia, didn’t you?
Yes, I worked with Rhys Gordon at Little
Tokyo in Sydney. I met him while I was in
Germany and again in London. This was
before tattooing really took off in
Australia. There may have only been a
couple of good studios, so they were
really busy. Back then I was doing
everything, style-wise. Rhys was doing
Japanese and his guest artists were doing
a mix, so I did a lot of the walk-ins.
People don’t really do the ‘learn

everything’ way anymore. We’re in a
different world with tattooing, but I still
think it’s good to be able to do
everything. I’ve been concentrating on
the style I do now since 2013 or ’14 but
I’ve been tattooing for about 24 years.
Part of me feels old; I can get cranky and
I sometimes look at the scene now and
question what’s going on, feeling that
people are losing touch with it. But,
equally, I feel like I have a foot in the
past and the present, which I think is
cool. There is so much more to do in
terms of tattooing and experimenting
with new projects. It still feels exciting to
me.

ARTIST INTERVIEW
What led you to your current
tattoo style?
I started off as a graphic designer in
South Africa and worked for a couple of
ad agencies. I think that has influenced
how I approach my tattooing. It took me
so long to realise... not so much what I
was good at but what I enjoyed doing
and what came naturally. It took years to
come back to my graphics background
and then it all clicked.
It wasn’t down to me deciding “I’m going

to do this now”; there was more of an
evolution. When I was in Sydney, doing
a lot of walk-ins, I noticed there was a
resurgence of tribal. Tribal is one of those
styles that people either love or hate.
Back then, I didn’t like it so much,

thinking about the spiky stuff from the
’90s. I figured that if I was going to be
doing it, I had to make it interesting for
myself. I played around with stipple
shading and fading, then people started
to see that and they liked it. I felt it had
potential but I still needed the work to
harmonise. In a way, it’s a bit like
Japanese tattooing; you don’t just bang
anything on; you consider where you put
the waves, the imagery etc and you look
at how you accentuate the piece. That’s
what really got me pushing myself, to get
the body emphasising the tattoo and vice
versa.
There’s a lot of technique involved with

the style I do, such as packing the black
in and getting that solid. Even with the
dot work, I like to think that what
separates mine from other people’s is my
technique. When you come up close,
there’s a texture to it.
“Tattooing can be a
transformative thing.
I guess my work speaks
to some of my clients in
a spiritual sense”
How do you create your designs?
I feel lucky that I have clients who have a lot of trust in me and don’t
see what they’re getting before the appointment. There may be a
small brief via email so I have some idea what they want. I usually
ask for some pointers or reference from things I’ve done previously.
I specify it must be my work because within geometric there are
different styles and it’s hard to get into someone else’s way of
thinking.
I also try to get a feel for who the client is. I like it when people tell
me about their backgrounds. For example, if someone is from
Lithuania, I’ll look at traditional art, history and culture from
Lithuania. For me, it makes the research fun. If you go to Google
and just type in ‘mandala’, that’s not as interesting as researching
something from a person’s heritage. My clients seem a little surprised
at how long I take with it. I don’t know how much time I put into
researching and the drawing in total! You also have to figure out
how the imagery would work as a tattoo, which comes long before
the actual designing takes place. Something that works well for me is
not to do a complete finished drawing. I used to find that I’d do a
perfect stencil, then put it on and find that the body has distorted all
the straight lines.

ARTIST INTERVIEW
Are your designs digital or hand-
drawn?
I do a combination of both digital and
hand-drawn artwork. A lot of my designs
are done digitally, but then the tattoos
are executed by hand, so it’s a mix of
the two. I have a separate Instagram
account for my other artwork, the
unrelated painting and designing.
Recently, I did an experiment. In the last

lockdown I did a series of paintings that
were more tribal inspired, with imagery
influenced by South Africa. I started to
draw a grid with a ruler and pencil. So I
had the grid, which was my starting
block, and then I decided not to think
about what I was going to put in. Just go
through the process, with no image in my
head, filling in the grid and seeing where
it goes. It was such a fun way to work.
As it started to fill out, I could see

something happening, without the
mindset of needing things to be
symmetrical. It was nice to work without
a plan. From the photos on my social
media, they may look like they’re digital,
but they’re ink and paint. They’re quite
bad actually; there are lots of
imperfections! I guess the digital thing
comes with pieces that I’m hoping to
tattoo, and the drawing comes from the
joy of taking a paintbrush, pen or pencil
and just using it.
I look at my wife Inma, she’s always

sketching. I think I’m too impatient. I get
an idea for a painting and I don’t want
to waste time sketching for it. I just want
to get on with it! It’s the same with
clients. They come in for a consultation
and I will cling film their arm and literally
make some scribbles that I can’t even
barely make out, but that’s all I need. It
makes sense to me. I just need to map
something out quickly. If I get an idea, I
never write it down neatly. It could even
be a scribble or a word; I’ll know exactly
what it is.

How difficult is it to keep
progressing as a tattooist and an
artist?
It’s not about reinventing yourself; it’s
about bringing it all together, the history
of the work, the progression and the
experimentation. I love what I do, but I
also love to play around with doing
things differently or introducing
something new or fresh.

ARTIST INTERVIEW
Does tattooing have a spiritual
element for you?
Tattooing can be a transformative thing.
Some of my clients are deeply spiritual
and I guess my work speaks to them in a
spiritual sense. There are many reasons
people get tattooed; because it’s
fashionable or as a rite of passage;
maybe they have been through some sort
of experience that tattooing will help
them move towards or from, whether
that’s good or bad. Then there’s the
purely aesthetic side as well.
I think some people assume I’m a bit of a

hippy. Personally, I think the most
important aspect of a tattoo is the
aesthetic. Some people may feel that
they want to cram everything into their
tattoo because it’s very personal but
cramming too much in will make the
piece look shit. After the look comes the
meaning. People often have a very linear
way of looking at meaning. For instance
“I like dogs, so there must be a dog in
my tattoo.” Very literal. Or a montage of
images that represent things. I always
will listen to their ideas but there are
other ways of illustrating those things
without it being a picture book, so the
tattoo looks like it was meant to be there.

How has tattooing changed for
you over the years?
I don’t tattoo as much as I used to
because I want to have more time to
draw and paint. It’s why I only tattoo
four days a week. There is such a
responsibility to the client, in terms of
customised drawing and research in your
spare time. If you don’t create a balance,
you’ll get burnt out.
I started tattooing in 1998 so I guess I

caught the back end of the 80s wave. It
was a struggle, there was no Internet, no
YouTube, especially in South Africa,
there was nothing. And from the 2000s
there was a massive transformation. In
certain places I’ve worked I’ve found
myself getting caught up with the whole
‘old school’ mentality.
I left school not knowing what the fuck I

was going to do. I knew I liked art but
the extent of my knowledge was drawing
pictures. I knew nothing about
commercial art or graphic design. I
ended up doing National Service in the
army to buy time. A friend suggested I
study graphic design, which I thought
looked cool. After the college course, I
got into an advertising agency and I
hated it; working long hours doing
boring, boring stuff. I couldn’t see myself
doing 40 years of it! I started to notice
tattoos in movies and also through my
friends and the South Africa clubbing
scene. When I started tattooing in South
Africa I thought it was fun, but I didn’t
know where I could go with it, apart from
overseas. Since leaving South Africa, I’ve
been to every continent apart from South
America, which is where I’d like to travel
next.

ARTIST INTERVIEW
What are the best aspects of tattooing for you?

Sure, you can make good money and have a good life from
tattooing but I think one of the best things is that a tattoo is a
life-changing experience for some people. Once, I had a
client who had alopecia. Her only tattoo was a kanji. She said
that she often had to wear wigs and felt embarrassed, so
she’d decided she wanted her head tattooed. I was unsure at
first, especially as she wasn’t heavily tattooed and it was such
a visible area. It was an incredibly nerve-wracking piece, but
she came back a couple of months later, when it was healed,
and told me it changed her life. It had given her so much
confidence that she no longer bothered with wigs or wraps.
To help someone feel so empowered, that was the greatest
feeling ever.
At present Seth is working at Riverside Tattoos in

Wapping, East London. He has plans for a studio on
the south coast, but who knows? The open road is
never far away...
Instagram: @setharcane

PORTFOLIO- DEBBIE JONES
BROADSIDE TATTOO - @debbiejonestattoos

ARTIST PORTFOLIO
TATTOOIST INTERVIEW

PORTFOLIO- ANDREW KOSMIN
UKRAINE - @KOSMIN_TATTOO

ARTIST PORTFOLIO
TATTOOIST INTERVIEW

PORTFOLIO- Michael Heath
HIGH TIDE TATTOOS - @heath.tattoos

ARTIST PORTFOLIO

ARTIST PORTFOLIO

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0131 623 6565
Santa Cruz Kustom Club
58 Murray Place, Stirling,
147 Tattoos inkdependenttattoos@gmail.com FK8 2BX
147 Howard Street www.inkdependent.eu 01786 357 272
Glasgow G1 4HF SCKCTattoo@gmail.com
07341956662 Insider Tattoo www.SCKCtattoo.com
hello@147tattoos.co.uk 89 Henderson Street, Edinburgh, IG: @santacruzkustomclub
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IG:@147tattoos 0131 554 6083
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Aughra’s Eye Tattoo www.insidertattoo.com 7 Grass Market, Edinburgh,
93 Hope Street, Glasgow, EH1 2HY
G2 6LD Kraken Studios
2 High Street, Renfrew, 0131 466 0370
aughraseyetattoo@gmail.com sempertattoo@gmail.com
IG: @aughraseyetattoo PA4 8QR
0141 258 0706 www.sempertattoo.com
FB: /AughrasEyeTattoo
IG: @kraken_studios
FB: /krakenstudiosrenfrew StudioXIII
Blue Box Tattoo 3 Jeffrey Street, Edinburgh,
5 High Street, Dunfermline EH1 1DH
KY12 7DL Nest of Thorns
3/2 200 Bath Street 0131 558 2974
01383223313
bluebox@gmail.com Glasgow G2 4HG artwork@studioxiii.tattoo
www.blueboxtattoo.co.uk info@nestofthorns.co.uk studiox111.tattoo
IG: @blueboxtattoo IG: @nestofthorns.co.uk IG: @studioxiiigallery
FB: /StudioXIIIGallery
Electric Artz Tattoo Point Zero Tattoo
504 Duke St, Glasgow 322 Kirk Road, Wishaw, Terrys Tattoo Studio
G31 1QG ML2 7DD 23 Chisholm Street, Glasgow,
0141 556 4455 01698 305 099 G1 5HA
IG: @electricartztattoos pointzerotattoo@gmail.com 0141 552 5740
FB: electricartz IG: @pointzerotattoo hello@terrystattoostudio.com
FB: /pointzerotattoo www.terrystattoostudio.com
Ferry Road Tattoo Studio IG: @terrystattoostudio
154 Ferry Road, Edinburgh EN6 4NX Roseline Tattoo FB: /TerrysTattooStudio
0131 5555512 24 Kinnoul Street, Perth,
ferryroadtattoostudio@gmail.com PH1 5EX
01738 270 355 Twenty Two Volts Tattoo
IG: @ferryroadtattoostudio Suite 245, 11 Bothwell Street,
FB:ferryroadtattoostudio roselinetattoo@gmail.com
roselinetattoo.bigcartel.com Glasgow G2 6LD
IG: @roselinetattoos Contact Artists Directly via
Forevermore Tattoo @twentytwovolts
202, Hope Street, Glasgow, FB: /roselinetattoo
G2 2UG Utopia Body Arts
0141 332 9340 Ruby Tattoo Collective
26 Westwood Square, East Kilbride 15 McCombies Court, Aberdeen
forevermoretattoo@gmail.com AB11 1AW
www.forevermoretattoo.co.uk Glasgow
IG: @fmtglasgow G75 8JQ 01224 679 878
FB: /FMTGlasgow 01355 458120 info@utopiabodyarts.com
www.rubytattoocollective.co.uk utopiabodyarts.com
Inkdependent enquires@rubytattoocollective.co.uk IG: @utopiabodyarts
56 Dalry Rd, Edinburgh, @rubytattoocollective FB: /utopiabodyarts

Watermelon Tattoo Triplesix Studios Shipley, Bradford, BD18 4DH
19 Easter Road, Edinburgh, EH7 5PJ 24 Fawcett Street, Sunderland, 07730 272 692
0131 6652 1988 SR1 1RH roadhousetattoostudio@gmail.com
info@watermelontattoo.com 0191 565 6665 www.roadhousetattoos.co.uk
watermelon.tattoo www.triplesixstudios.com IG: @roadhousetattoostudio
IG: @watermelon_tattoo IG: @triplesixstudios FB: /RoadhouseTattooStudio
FB: watermelontattooedinburgh FB: /triplesixstudios666
Skinz Tattoo Company
0113 204 7848
White Tiger Tattoo
31 Market Place, Whitburn, Bathgate,
YORKSHIRE AND 318-322 Stanningley Road, Leeds,
EH47 0EU THE HUMBER LS13 3EG.
01501 228 460 www.leedstattoostudio.com
Info.at.whitetigertattoo@gmail.com 1873 Tattoo Club info@leedstattoostudio.com
IG: @white.tiger.tattoo Unit 1, Hanson Street, Thomas IG: @skinztattoostudio
FB: /whitetigertatt Whitworth Forum, Barnsley, FB: /SkinzTattooStudio
S70 2HZ
NORTH EAST 07710 699 670
leon.walker85@hotmail.co.uk
The Wolf Shed
19 Church Hill, Selby,YO8 4PL
High Bridge Tattoo IG: @1873_tattooclub 01757 335 233
15 High Bridge, Newcastle Upon FB: /1873tattoo thewolfshed@hotmail.com
Tyne, NE1 1EW IG: @thewolfshed @neilwolftattoo
0191 261 9473 Blue Collar Club Tattoo FB: /neilwolftattoo
dean@highbridgetattoo.co.uk Unit 7, 92 hardwood Street,
Sheffield, S2 4SE Ultimate Skin
IG: @Highbridgetattoo_ncl 33 New Briggate, Leeds, LS2 8JD
FB: /HighBridgeTattooNCL bluecollarclubtattoo@gmail.com
IG: @bluecollarclubtattoo 0113 244 4940
FB: @bcctattoo ustattoo@gmail.com
Lost Tower Tattoo Studio IG: @ultimate_skin
10a Tower Street FB: /ultimateskintattoo
Hartlepool Crooked Claw Tattoo
TS24 7HD 734 Ecclesall Road, Sheffield,
S11 8TB Wilde Ink - Tank
01429 271030 8 Silver Street, Wakefield WF1 1UY
@losttowertattoo 0114 327 1411
crookedclawtattoos@gmail.com 01924 298185
www.lost-tower.co.uk tattoosbytank@outlook.com
www.crookedclawtattoo.com
IG: @tattoos.by.tank
Masamune Tattoos FB: tattoosbytankuk
29 Front Street, NE16 4EA Easy Tiger Tattoo
003, Castleton Mill, Leeds, LS12 2DS
0191 488 6222
0113 887 0172 EAST MIDLANDS
masamunetattoos@gmail.com
www.masamunetattoos.co.uk www.easytigertattoo.com Annex Studios
IG: @masamunetattoos IG: @easytigertattoos (handpoke and machine tattooing)
FB: /masamunetattoos The Annex, Mark eaton Lane Derby
Follow Your Dreams Tattoo DE22 4NH
No Love Lost Tattoo Studio 160 Devonshire Street, Sheffield 01332 986 920
7 Tower Street, Hartlepool S3 7SG
TS24 7HH 0114 216 8078 Base Shade Tattoo
www.no-love-lost-collective.busi- IG: @fydtattoo 6 Church Street, Rushden,
ness.site https://www.facebook.com/FYDTat- NN10 9YT
@nolovelost.collective too 01983 316 055
FB: nolovelost.collective baseshadetattoo@yahoo.co.uk
Incredible Ink Tattoo Studio FB: /baseshadetattoo
Northside Tattooz 1887 Leek Road, Milton,
2 - Basement, Bewick Street, Stoke on Trent, ST2 7AQ Bunraku Tattoo
City Centre, Newcastle upon Tyne 07950283929 1a Victoria Parade, Leicester,
NE1 5EF incredibleinktattoostudio@out- LE1 5FG
0191 221 0328 look.com 0116 262 9401
low@northsidetattooz.co.uk FB: incredibleinktattoo info@bunrakutattoo.co.uk
www.northsidetattooz.co.uk @incredibleinktattoostudio www.bunrakutattoo.co.uk
IG: @bunrakutattoo
The Tattoo Station Red Tattoo & Piercing FB: /bunrakutattoo
20 Ridley Place, City Centre, Leeds Corn Exchange
Newcastle Upon Tyne, 0113 242 0413 Epona Art and Tattoo
NE1 8JN redtattooandpiercing@hotmail.co.uk Waterloo Yard, King Street,
0191 232 8491 www.redtattooandpiercing.com Southwell, NG25 0EH
studio@tattoostation.co.uk 01636 815 771
www.tattoostation.co.uk Roadhouse Tattoo Studio theresatattoo@btinternet.com
IG: @tattoostationnewcastle York House, 223 Bingley Road, www.eponatattoo.com

Hypnotic Art Tattoo Abrakadavra Tattoo Art Cult Classic Tattoo
200 Queensway, Milton Keynes, Club 32 North Street, Romford,
MK2 2ST 66 Upper Orwell Street, Ipswich RM1 1BH
01908 989 695 IP4 1HR 01708 730 500
hypnoticarttattoo@gmail.com 014673213144 cultclassictattoo@gmail.com
www.hypnotic-art.co.uk contact@abrakadavra.com www.cultclassictattoo.com
www.abradavra.com
Mandala Tattoo @abrakadavratattoo Custom Ink Tattooing
11 Cross Street, Blaby, LE8 4FD 110 Cherry Hinton Road
0116 277 8222 All Or Nothing Cambridge
mandalatattoostudio@hotmail.com Tattoo and Piercings CB1 7AJ
IG: @mandalatattoostudio 80 Newland Street, Witham, 01233 414122
CM8 1AH info@custominktattooing.com
FB: /mandalatattooandbodypiercing www.custominktattooing.com
01376 519 602
aontattoo@outlook.com IG: @custom_ink_tattooing
Moonshine’s Tattoo Parlour
Unit 1, 1 Alexandra St, Stapleford www.aontattoo.com
IG: @1aontattoo Eternal Art Tattoo Studio
NG9 7ED 42-43 Viaduct Road, Chelmsford,
0115 837 2425 FB: 1aontattoo
CM1 1TS
Nottingham 01245 355 166
Contact Artists Directly via Black Galleon Tattoo Studio
22 Blackfriars Street, Kings Lynn, eternal-art@hotmail.co.uk
IG: @moonshinestattooparlour IG: @prizemantattoo
FB. moonshinetattooparlour PE30 1NN FB: /PriZeMaN
01553 777 322
FB: /blackgalleontattoostudio Factotum Body Modification
Nevermore Tattoo Parlour
Bishop Crewe House, North Street, 5 St John Maddermarket, Norwich,
Black Hope Tattoo NR2 1DN
Daventry, NN11 4GH 16 Trinity Street
01327 876 350 01603 618 188
CO1 1JN contact@factotumbodymods.com
nevermoretattoo@gmail.com 01206 548041
IG: @nevermoretattoo factotumbodymods.com
www.blackhopetattoo.com IG: @factotumbodymodification
FB: /nevermoretattoo IG: blackhopetattoo FB: /factotumbodymodification
New Mind Tattoo Black Plague Tattoo
25b Westgate (Second floor) Flaming Gun Tattoo
6 Pottergate, Norwich 16 Church Walk, Colchester
Huddersfield, West Yorkshire NR2 1DS CO1 1NS
HD1 1NP 01603 986764 01206 575705
01484 549077 www.blackplaguetattoo.co.uk www.flaminggun.com
IG: @newmindtattoo contact@blackplaguetattoo.co.uk flamingguntattoostudio@gmail.com
FB: newmindtattoo @blackplaguetattoo @flamingguntattoostudio
No 36 Tattoos Braintree Tattoo Studio Good Ship 13
36 High Street, Thrapston, 148 Coggeshall Road, Braintree 374 London Road Hadleigh,
NN14 4JH CM7 9ER SS7 2DA
07852 677 804 01376 560 633 07415 299 998
max649kemp@gmail.com info@braintreetattoostudio.co.ukw goodship13info@gmail.com
IG: @no36tattoos www.braintreetattoostudio.co.uk FB: /Good-Ship-13-Tattoos
FB: /no36tattoos
Colchester Body Arts Hollow Bones
Solemn Nights tattoo 41 North Hill, Colchester 60 London Street, Norwich,
20 Granby Street, CO1 1PY NR2 1JX
Ilkeston DE7 8HN 01206 768228 hollowbonestattoo@gmail.com
Enquiries@solemnnights.co.uk www.colchesterbodyarts.co.uk IG: @hollow_bones_tattoo
www.solemnnights.co.uk IG: @colchesterbodyarts FB: /hollowbonestattoo
IG: @solemnnights_tattoo
FB: solemnnightstattoos&FineArt Crossed Arrows Tattoo Indigo Tattoo and Piercing
21-23 St George Street, Norwich, 2 Lower Goat Lane, Norwich,
NR3 1AB NR2 1EL
Wills Customs Tattoo Studio 01603 886 143
59 Nether Hall Road, Doncaster 01603 762 636
crossedarrowstattoo@gmail.com indigotattooandpiercing@gmail.com
DN1 2PG www.indigotattoo.co.uk
01302 344907 FB: /crossedarrowstattoo
www.facebook.com/willscustomstattoo Jayne Doe Tattoo
@willscustomstattoo Crow Temple Tattoo
85 Prince of Wales, Norwich, 60 Station Lane, Hornchurch,
NR1 1DG RM12 6NB
EAST OF www.corvidaetattoo.bigcartel.com 01708 479 366
jaynedoeessex@gmail.com
ENGLAND IG: @crowtempletattoo
FB: /crowtempletattoo
IG: @jaynedoetattoo
FB: /jaynedoetattoo

Luna Blue Tattoo www.flamineight.co.uk Nemesis Tattoo & Body
92 Rectory Grove, Leigh-On-Sea flamineight@hotmail.com Piercing - Inverness Street
SS9 2HL IG: @flamineighttattoos 26 Inverness Street, Camden Town,
01702 875110 FB: /flamineighttattoo NW1 7HJ
lunabluetattoo@gmail.com 020 7419 8621
IG: @lunabluetattoo Flora and Fauna Tattoos nemesiscamdentown@gmail.com
12 Cody Road, London, E16 4SR www.nemesistattoo.co.uk
No Master Tattoos info@floraandfaunatattoos.co.uk IG: @nemesistattoo
67 Bridge Street IG: @floraandfaunatattoos FB: /mindtheink
Downham Market PE38 9DW FB: /floraandfaunatattoos
01366 381338 Never Say Die Tattoos
nomastertattoos@gmail.com Happy Sailor Tattoo 38A George St, Croydon
www.nomastertattoos.com 17 Hackney Road, London, E2 7NX CR0 1PB
IG: @nomastertattoos 020 7033 9222 020 3609 5317
Tattooed_tota@hotmail.com neversaydiettattoos@gmail.com
St. Giles Tattoo Studio www.happysailortattoo.com @neversaydietattoos
3 St. Giles Street, Norwich, NR11JJ IG: @happysailortattoo
01603 624 264 FB: /happysailortattoo Nikki Andrews Farino
st.gilestattoo@gmail.com Femme Fatale, London, E8 4TS
IG: @st.gilestattoo Inksmiths Of London 07773 363 305
FB: /StGilesTattoo 8 Chequers Parade, Eltham, London, nikkilolly@gmail.com
SE9 1DD IG: @nikkilollytattoo
Tattoo Art 020 8617 3338 FB: /NikkiAndrewsFarino
Dee Lane, 10 Looms Lane Inksmithsoflondon@gmail.com
Bury St Edmunds, IP33 1HE IG: @InksmithsofLondon Old Habits Tattoo
91284723939 364 Kingsland Road, London,
studio@tattooartbse.co.uk Kings Cross Tattoo Parlour E8 4DA
www.tattooartbse.co.uk 185 Kings Cross Road Tel no: 0203 609 0931
IG: @tattooartbse WC1X 9DR oldhabitstattoo@gmail.com
London www.oldhabitstattoo.com
Wolf & Arrows Tattoos 0207 8374 634
57 St Johns Street, Bury St Edmunds, kxtp@hotmail.co.uk Parliament Tattoo
IP33 1SJ www.kingscrosstattooparlour.com Unit D, Leeds Place, London
01284 701643 IG: @kingscrosstattoo N4 3RF
IG: @wolfandarrows 020 83510482
FB: /wolfandarrowstattoo Leviticus Tattoo Emporium www.parliamenttattoo.com
170 High Road (Cuthberts Alley) IG: @parliamenttattoo
LONDON Loughton, Essex, IG10 1DN
0208 502 4029 Santo Cuervo Custom
The Blue Tattoo FB: leviticustattooemporium Tattoos
2 Studland Street, Hammersmith, leviticustattooemporium@gmail.com 84 Green Lanes, London
W6 0JS www.leviticustattooemporium.co.uk N16 9AH
0208 746 3133 0207 254 1689
info@thebluetattoo.co.uk Lowrider Tattoo @santocuervotattoo
www.thebluetattoo.co.uk 311 Bethnal Green Road, London santocuervotattoo@gmail.com
IG: @thebluetattoolondon E2 6AH
0208 739 5115 Seven Doors Tattoo
Diamond Heart Tattoo Inquiry@lowridertattoolondon.com 55 Fashion Street, Shadwell, London,
Studio IG: @lowridertattoolondon E1 6PX
223 Broadway, Bexleyheath, DA6 7EJ 020 7375 3880
0208 304 1414 Low Tide sevendoorstattoo@gmail.com
bookings@diamondhearttattoo.com 19 Market Place, Southend-on-Sea, IG: @sevendoorstattoo
www.diamondhearttattoo.com SS1 1DA FB: sevendoorstattoo
IG: @diamondhearttattoo 01702 344 060
FB: /diamondhearttattoo lowtidetattoo@gmail.com Shall Adore
IG: @lowtidetattoouk 11a Kingsland Road London E2 8AA
The Family Business 020 7729 4647
58 Exmouth Market, Clerkenwell, Nemesis Tattoo & Body info@shalladoretattoo.com
London, EC1R 4QE Piercing - Buck Street www.shalladoretattoo.com
0207 278 9526 3 Buck Street, Camden Town, IG: @shalladoretattoo
info@thefamilybusinesstattoo.com NW1 8NJ FB: shalladoretattoo
www.thefamilybusinesstattoo.com 020 7482 0063
nemesiscamdentown@gmail.com Six Bullets Tattoo
Flamin’ Eight Tattoo www.nemesistattoo.co.uk 394 Camden Road,London, N7 0SJ
2 Castle Road, Kentish Town, NW1 IG: @nemesistattoo 07579 043 308
020 7267 7888 FB: /mindtheink sixbulletstattoo@gmail.com

www.sixbulletstattoo.com Body Art Southborough High Tide Tattoo Studio
IG: @six_bullets_tattoo 158 London Road, Unit 1 Reeves Yard, Warwick Road,
FB: /sixbulletstattoo Southborough, TN4 0PJ Whitstable, CT5 1HX
01892 524 704 01227 263 864
Studio Gaia gavdunbartattoos@hotmail.co.uk zbreakspear@yahoo.com
25a Perry Vale, Forest Hill IG: @gavdunbartattoos IG: @high_tide_tattoo_studio
London FB: /hightidetattoostudio
SE23 2NE The Custom Propaganda
www.studiogaialondon.com Tattoo Company
Unit 7, Botley Mills, Botley, Indelible Ink
studiogaialondon@gmail.com Southampton, SO30 2GB 351 Forton Road, Gosport,
@studiogaialondon 01489 325 341 PO12 3HF
IG: @custompropagandatattoo 02392 522 587
The Good Fight FB: /CustomPropagandaTattoo www.indelibleinkstudio
Cheriton, Queens Crescent, London, IG: @indelible_ink_studio
NW5 4EZ Dead Slow FB: /indelibleinkgosport
www.thegoodfighttattoo.com 9 Boyces Street, Brighton, BN1 1AN
IG: @nick_whybrow 01273 208844 Ink Generation Tattoo
IG: @clarawelshtattoos www.deadslowco.com 9A High Street, Ewell Village
IG: @taylormadetattooer contact@deadslowco.com Surrey
IG: @yorghtattoo IG: @deadslowco KT17 1SG
IG: @tamaraleedot FB: /deadslowco 020 3663 7788
IG: @oddhouse www.inkgenerationtattoo.co.uk
IG: @harpertattoo Electric Thaiger Tattoo info@inkgenerationtattoo.couk
2 Station Parade, Tweedy Road
Bromley, BR1 3NN @ink_generation_tattoo
The Inkstitute
26a Bostall Hill, London, SE2 0RA 0208 460 6160
info@electricthaigertattoo.co.uk Inked Moose
07565 920 158 204 Whaddon Way, Bletchley, Milton
FB: /Electricthaigertattoo
The.inkstitute88@yahoo.com IG: @electricthaigertattoo Keynes, MK3 7DG
IG: @the.inkstitute 01908 411 151
FB: /Tattooman888 Fat Rabbit Tattoos info@inkedmoose.co.uk
6 Church Walk, Banbury, OX16 5NY www.inkedmoose.co.uk
Three Kings Tattoo 01295 261 663
182 Deptford High Street, London, thefatrabbit@outlook.com Jammes Tattoo Studio
SE8 3PR IG: @fat.rabbit.tattoos 4a Corn Market
020 3612 9123 FB: /thefatrabbittattoo High Wycombe Bucks,
london@threekingstattoo.com HP11 2BW
www.threekingslondon.com Fine Art Tattoo and Piercing jammestattoos@gmail.com
IG: @threekingslondon Studio
6 York Street, Ramsgate, CT11 9DS FB: jammestattoo
FB: /ThreeKingsLondon @jammestattoo
01843 588 885
Ushuaia Tattoo London fine-art-tattoo@hotmail.co.uk
www.finearttattoo.co.uk Keepsake Tattoo
486 Fulham Road, SW6 5NH 145 South Street, Lancing,
020 8616 1760 BN15 8BD
www.ushuaiatattoolondon.co.uk/en Gold Irons Tattoo Club
41 Preston Street, Brighton, 01903 767776
IG: @ushuaiatattoo.london BN1 2HP www.keepsaketattoo.co.uk
FB: /ushuaiatattoo.london 01273 809 903 IG: @keepsake_tattoo
goldironstattooclub@outlook.com
Xotica Tattoo Company IG: @goldironstattooclub Lords Ink Tattoo Studio UK
737 Finchley High Road, London, FB: /goldironstattooclub 91 London Road, Bexhill on Sea,
N12 0BP
0208 445 0022 TN39 3LB
Gun & Pedal Brighton Tattoo 01424 224 233
info@exoticatattoo.com 21 Ditchling Road, Brighton,
IG: @xoticatattoo lordsinktattoostudiouk@hotmail.com
BN1 4SB
FB: /XoticaTattoo 01273 692 171 IG: @lordsinktattoostudiouk
gunandpedalbrighton@hotmail.com FB: /lordsinktattoostudioukbexhillonsea
SOUTH EAST IG: @gunandpedaltattoostudio
MI Tattoo Studio & Laser
FB: /gunandpedaltattoo
Braintree Tattoo Studio Clinic
148 Coggleshall Road, Braintree Higgins and Co Unit 1, 1 Green Street
CM7 9ER 69 Terminus Road, Above Coffee Eastbourne, BN21 1QN
01376 560 633 Republic, Eastbourne, BN21 3NJ 01323 343 638
www.braintreetattoostudio.co.uk 01323 301 973 www.mitattoostudios.co.uk
higginsandco71@gmail.com IG: @mitattoostudios
FB: braintreetattoostudio www.higginsandcotattoo.co.uk
IG: braintreetattoostudio FB/mitattoostudios

Parlour No 95
95 Vicarage Road
SOUTH WEST The Opus Cartel Tattoo Studio
7a Riverside Place, St James Street
Watford WD18 0EB Black Chalice Tattoo Taunton, Somerset
01923 22183 Unit 4, Plaza 21, Edgeware Road, TA1 1JH
parlour95tattoos@gmail.com 01823 254434
www.parlourno95.com Swindon, SN1 1HE
01793 671 432 IG: @theopuscartel.tattoostudio
blackchalicetattoo@hotmail.com FB: theopuscartel.tattoostudio
Pain Divine
99 Church Street, Croydon FB: /blackchalicetattoo
Surrey CR0 1RN Purple Rose Tattoo
020 8686 6136 Blackfriars Tattoo 56 Staple Hill Road, Fishponds,
www.paindivine.co.uk 5 Maylord Street, Hereford, HR12DS Bristol, BS16 5BS
paindivinetattoo@gmail.com 01432 278 330 01173 300 123
@paindivinetattoostudio blackfriarstattoo@gmail.com purplerosetattoo@hotmail.co.uk
IG: @blackfriarstattoo www.purplerosetattoo.co.uk
Red Tower Tattoos
16 Market Street, Lewes, BN7 2NB Crow Quill Studio Valhalla
01273 011 667 63 Bedford Place, Southampton, 17 Fore Street
contact@redtowertattoos.com SO15 2DS Brixham
www.redtowertattoos.com 023 8034 0058 TQ5 8AA
IG: @redtowertattootattoos IG: @thecrowquill www.studiovalhalla.co.uk
FB: /redtowertattoos www.thecrowquill.co.uk team@studiovalhalla.co.uk
@studiovalhalla
Rising Phoenix Tattoo The Dealership Tattoo
28a High Street Mews, Leighton Studio
Buzzard, LU7 1EA Traditional Values tattoo
Unit 2, South Combe Farm 1-2 East gate, Joy Street,
01525 217 121 Shebbear, Beworthy Devon
studio@risingphoenixtattoo.co.uk Barnstaple EX31 1BU
www.risingphoenixtattoo.co.uk EX21 5RF 01271 523941
IG: @RisingPhoenixLeightonBuzzard 07909021691 traditionalvaluestattoo@gmail.com
FB: /rptattoo thedealershiptattoostudio@gmail.com www.Traditionalvaluestattoo.com/
IG: @traditionalvaluestattoo
Seven Sins Tattoo Eightfold Tattoo FB: Traditionalvaluestattoo
10 High Street, Horley, RH6 7AY 1 Heanton Street, Braunton,
01293 775 385 EX33 2JS Turquoise Blue Tattoo
info@sevensinstattoo.com Phone: 01271 523 732 112 Castle Lane West,
www.sevensinstattoo.co.uk/ www.eightfoldtattoo.com Bournemouth, BH9 3JU
IG: @eightfoldtattoo 01202 514 514 - 07812 938 174
Skinned Alive Tattoo artists@turquoisebluetattoo.co.uk
24 Church Street, Brighton, Equinox Tattoo Collective
BN1 1RB www.turquoisebluetattoo.co.uk
21 Bilbury Street, Plymouth, IG: @turquoisebluetattoo
info@skinnedalivetattoo.com PL4 0BH
www.skinnedalivetattoo.com FB: /turquoisebluetattoo
01752 952 741
IG: @skinnedalivetattoo equinoxtattoocollective@gmail.com
FB: /skinnedalivetattoo IG: @equinoxtattoocollective Zeppo’s Tattoo Studio
FB: /Equinoxtattoocollective21 56 South Street, Pennington,
Stay Much Better SO41 8DX
1 Beaconsfield Parade, Beaconsfield Living Art Plymouth 01590 676 348
Road, Brighton, BN1 6DN 87 Cornwall Street, Plymouth, info@zeppostattoo.co.uk
01273 564 494 PL1 1NX FB: /zeppostattoo.co.uk
www.smbtattoo.com
01752 253 418
IG: @smbtattoo
FB: /smbtattoo livingartuk@hotmail.com WALES
IG: @living_art_plymouth
FB: /livingartplymouth Broadside Tattoo
The Candle Orchard 38 Singleton Street, Swansea,
14 Eversley Road
Bexhill-on-Sea Needle and Fred Tattoo SA1 3QN
TN40 1EU 22 High Street, Littlehampton, 01792 455 000
@thecandleorchard BN17 5EE broadsideswansea@hotmail.com
info@thecandleorchard.co.uk 01903 733 622 IG: @broadsideswansea
www.thecandleorchard.co.uk needleandfred@live.co.uk FB: broadsideswansea
IG: @inkfred
Valhalla Tattoo Dexterity Ink
215 High Street, Bromley, BR1 1NY North Gate Tattoo Unit 9, Indoor Peoples Market,
Tel no: 0208 313 9470 13 Northgate Street, Bath, BA1 5AS Wrexham, LL13 8BE
info@valhallatattoo.co.uk info@northgatetattoo.com 01978 447 100
www.facebook.com/valhallatattoo215 www.northgatetattoo.com FB: /DexterityInkTattooStudio09

Different Dimension hello@bloodandhoney.uk Lux Tattoo
Unit 4, Pontcanna Mews www.bloodandhoney.uk 495 Bury New Road, Pretwich,
200 Kings Road, Cardiff IG: @bloodandhoney Manchester
CF11 9DF FB: /BloodHoneyTattooCompany M25 1AD
07413 383 323 01617720616
patrykmazurtattoo@gmail.com Chapters Tattoo Studio info@luxtattoomcr.com
www.surrealisticsanctuary.co.uk 51 Albion St, Birmingham B1 3EA IG: @luxtattoomcr
0121 233 3372
Maddie Roberts chapterstattoo@gmail.com Modern Electric Tattoo Co
44 Morfydd Street, Swansea, IG: @chapterstattoostudio 147 Golden Cross Lane, Catshill,
South Wales SA6 8BU FB: chapterstattoo Bromsgrove, B61 0JZ
tattoosbymaddieroberts@gmail.com 01527 759 434
IG: @maddierobertstattoo Cosmic Monsters
FB: /maddierobertstattoo Incorporated info@modernelectrictattoo.co.uk
3 High Street, Bromsgrove, B61 8AJ www.modernelectrictattoo.co.uk
Physical Graffiti 07863 135 814
124 City Road, Cardiff. CF24 3DQ cmitattoo@gmail.com Nala Tattoo & Piercing
029 2048 1428 www.cmi-tattoo.com Studio
pgct@hotmail.co.uk 81 Bolebridge Street, Tamworth,
IG: @physicalgraffititattoos The Church Tattoo B79 7PD
11 Church Road, Redditch, 01827 68 353
Stronghold Tattoo B97 4AB contact@nalastudio.co.uk
2nd floor High Street Arcade, 01527 759 852 www.nalastudio.co.uk
Cardiff, CF10 1BE thechurchtattoo@hotmail.com
07943 981 671 FB: /thechurchtattoo Seven Foxes Tattoo
www.strongholdtattoo.com 3 Kingsfield Road, Birmingham,
IG: @strongholdtttoo The Drawing Room B14 7JN
996 Manchester Road, Linthwaite 0121 610 0348
Sursum Tattoo Huddersfield, HD7 5QQ sevenfoxestattoo@gmail.com
11 Market Square, Narberth, 01484 937747 www.sevenfoxestattoo.com
SA67 7AU @thedrawingroomuk IG: @sevenfoxestattoo
01834 860 616 FB: thedrawingroomtattoos
www.sursumtattoo.com www.thedrawingroom.studio The Ink Spot
sursumtattoo@gmail.com hello@thedrawingroom.studio The Parade, Silverdale, Newcastle
IG: @sursumtattoo Under Lyme, ST5 6LQ
FB: /sursumtattoo Floodgate Tattoo Parlour
119 Floodgate St, Digbeth 01782 619 144
WEST MIDLANDS Birmingham B5 5SU tattoosbycookie@hotmail.com
07938 553847 www.theinkspotuk.com
B.W Tattoo Studios - floodgatetattooparlour@mail.com
Lichfield IG: @floodgatetattooparlour UFO Tattoo
9 Eastern Avenue, Lichfield, 1 Ipsey Street
WS13 6TE Folklore Tattoo Redditch
01543 898 766 119 Lichfield Street, Tamworth, B98 7AR
www.bigwillstattoos.co.uk B79 7QB 07926912524
IG: @bwtattoostudios 01827 768 446 tattoosbyufo@gmail.com
FB /BWtattoostudios folkloretattoos@live.com @ufotattoo
www.folkloretattoostudio.co.uk FB: tattoosbyufo
BW Tattoo Studios - Aldridge IG: @fts_tattoo
2 Rookery Lane, Aldridge, WS9 8NN FB: /folkloretattoostudio Vicious Pink Tattoo
01922 277 717 Suite C, 9a Willow Street, Oswestry,
bwtattoostudios.aldridge@gmail.com Hostile Souls Tattoo SY11 1AF
IG: @bwtattoostudios_aldridge 2a Cross Lane, Newton Le Willows 01691 570 427
FB: /bwtattoostudios.aldridge WA12 9QE viciouspinktattoo@gmail.com
01925 292421 www.viciouspink.co.uk
Blackfriars Tattoo hostilesoultattoos@gmail.com IG: @viciouspinktattoostudio
30 Union Street, Hereford, HR1 2BT FB: hostilesoulstattoos FB: /ViciousPink
01432 507 245 @hostilesoulstattoos
blackfriarstattoo@gmail.com NORTH WEST
IG: @blackfriarstattoo Imperial Art Tattoo
FB: /blackfriarstattoos 20 King Street, Bedworth,
CV12 8HT Ace Kustom Tattoo
Blood & Honey Tattoo Co 0247 664 0947 78 Church Road
Winchcombe Street, Cheltenham, www.imperialarttattoo.co.uk Manchester, M22 4NW
GL52 2NE IG: @imperialarttattoo Tel no: 0161 945 8433
01242 352 306 FB: /imperialarttattoo acekustomtattoos@gmail.com

All Style Tattoos Market Quarter Tattoo 028 9031 2036
28 Crellin Street, Barrow in Furness, 14 Market Street, Southport, www.asailorsgrave.co.uk
LA14 1DU Merseyside, PR8 1HJ asailorsgravebelfast@gmail.com
01229 838 946 marketquartertattoo@gmail.com @asailorsgrave
allstyletattoos@gmail.com FB: /MQTSouthport
FB: /allstyletattoosbarrow IG: @marketquartertattoo Bold Will Hold Tattoo
86 Lisburn Road, Belfast
Black Freighter Tattoo Co. Sacred Art Tattoo BT9 6AF
56-60 Lower Bridge Street, Chester, 497 Barlow Moor Road, Chorlton, FB: Boldwillholdbelfast
CH1 1RU Manchester, M21 8AG @boldwillholdbelfast
01244 297 528 0161 881 1530
theblackfreightertattooco@gmail.com sacredartmcr@gmail.com Kollective
IG: @blackfreightertattoo www.sacredarttattoo.co.uk Unit 5 The Maieston
FB: /TheBlackFreighterTattooCo Ballymun Road, Santry Cross
Shipwrecked Tattoo Dublin
Cats Cradle Tattoo Studio Company 00353830794567
29 Kay Street, Rawtenstall, BB4 7LS 12 New Street, Lancaster, LA1 1EG bluntforceink@gmail.com
01706 216 593 01524 874780 IG: @kollective13
catscradletattoo@gmail.com shipwreckedtc@hotmail.co.uk FB: kollective
IG: @catscradletattoostudio www.shipwreckedtattoocompany.co
FB: /catscradletattoo .uk
IG: @shipwrecked_tc
Dabs Tattoo FB: /shipwreckedtattoocompany
78b Eastbourne Road, Southport,
PR8 4DU Skin Kandi
01704 566 665 35 Westfield Street, St Helens,
Dabstattoos@btconnect.com Merseyside, WA10 1QA
IG: @tattoosatdabs 01744 734 699
FB: /dabstattoo/DABS Tattoo IG: @skinkandicustomtattoostudio
@leeguy @nh_tattoo
Heart of Ink Tattoo @jadelouisetattoos
47 Wigan Road, Ashton in FB: /skinkandi
Makerfield, WN4 9AR
IG: @heartofinktattoo Studio78 Tattoos
@johncrompton_tattoo 15 Earle Street, Crewe, CW1 2BS
FB: /johncromptontattoo 01270 581 581
studio-78@hotmail.co.uk
Indelible Ink www.studio-78.co.uk
3 York Avenue, Thornton-Cleveleys,
FY5 2UG True Colours Tattoo Studio
01253 280 457 14 Guildhall Street, Preston,
www.indelibleinktattoostudio.co.uk PR1 3NU
IG: @indelible_ink_tattoos 01772 378 565
FB: /indelibleinkuk www.truecolourstattoo.co.uk
IG: @truecolourstattoo
Infernal Rites Tatoo
71 Market St, Westhoughton, True ‘til Death
Bolton, BL5 3AA 13 Whalley Road, Accrington,
01942 811 132 BB5 1AD
infernalritestattoo@gmail.com 01254 433 760
IG: @infernalritestattoo Email: via Facebook
FB: /infernalritestattoo www.accringtontattoo.com
FB: /truetildeathtattoo
Inkden Tattoo
& Piercing Studio Year 23 Tattoo
50 B Coronation Street, Blackpool 3 Market Street Lane, Blackburn
FY1 4PD BB2 2DE
07957 021 702 www.year23.co.uk
inkden.tattoo@gmail.com Contact Artists Directly via
www.inkdentattoo.co.uk @year23tattoo
Inked Up Chester IRELAND

21 Eastgate Row North, Chester,
CH1 1LQ A Sailors grave
01244 638 558 139 Royal Avenue
info@inkedupchester.co.uk Belfast
IG: @inkedupchester BT1 1FH

Total Tattoo Issue 200 Magazine March 2022

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Total Tattoo Issue 200 Magazine March 2022

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THE UK’S BEST SELLING TATTOO MAGAZINE

FREDDY NEGRETE TOTAL TATTOO AT 200!

DRAZ PALAMING JULIAN BOGDAN

4 TOTAL TATTOO MAGAZINE

SETH ARCANE REGIONAL DIRECTORY

All correspondence should be sent to

Total Tattoo Magazine No.200 March 2022

TOTAL TATTOO MAGAZINE 5

So here we are, at our two hundredth issue! I am not

So much has changed over those years, not only within

When I first got involved with the tattoo world, one of

When we started the magazine back in 2004, we were

Total Tattoo magazine, like the tattoo world itself, has

Looking back, there have been so many highlights; for

6 TOTAL TATTOO MAGAZINE

We at Total Tattoo have been truly blessed over our

TOTAL TATTOO MAGAZINE 7

100 TOTAL TATTOO MAGAZINE

NEWS & REVIEWS

SCOTTISH SHOW POSTPONED FIND ALICE BYRNE

8 TOTAL TATTOO MAGAZINE

Check out these Painted Ladies

TOTAL TATTOO MAGAZINE 9

The tragedy happened at 11am on Monday 3rd January in Church Street,

10 TOTAL TATTOO MAGAZINE

In press interviews she is

Let's hope our industry's voice is heard in this vitally

TOTAL TATTOO MAGAZINE 11

The Gentlemans Tattoo Flash website describes it as “one banger

Scheduled for release at the end of January or early February,

14 TOTAL TATTOO MAGAZINE

‘I feel at peace with myself, with

You became a member of the

Freddy tattooing Jack

I finally rebelled completely, ran away

16 TOTAL TATTOO MAGAZINE

Freddy with Jack Rudy and friends

How did you start tattooing? And what are the

I understand they created the inks by burning things; I’m

TOTAL TATTOO MAGAZINE 17

Danny Trejo & Freddy Negrete

Meanwhile, Charlie Cartwright and Jack

There wasn’t much interest in me there

18 TOTAL TATTOO MAGAZINE

Hardy made the journey from San

Mark Mahoney also supported you,

TOTAL TATTOO MAGAZINE 19

20 TOTAL TATTOO MAGAZINE

The process in terms of creating tattoos on the body?

TOTAL TATTOO MAGAZINE 21

Concerning your family, I am very

In my bedroom, I had a two-way mirror

With Isaiah, there was so much because

22 TOTAL TATTOO MAGAZINE

“Live a happy life in the midst of sorrow” is something

Which is avoiding the pain.

TOTAL TATTOO MAGAZINE 23

24 TOTAL TATTOO MAGAZINE