tattoos and

illustration
An introductory workshop

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 Lucy Hammond

● Experienced freelance digital and

graphic designer & illustrator
and tutor.
● Has worked with bands, brands,
businesses, and conventions.
● Handpoke tattoo artist
(blackwork). Apprenticed in 2010.

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Education & Industry
Entry (Lucy)
● After a career as an electrician and
drummer, completed a HNC, HND
and a BA in Graphic Design.
● Got in to graphic design and illustration
whilst touring and designing
merch/posters for bands.
● Currently works with Newcastle College
in Marketing/tutoring as well as
freelancing with various clients and
also hand poked tattoos.

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Martha Laverick
● Freelance illustrator and
teacher in training.
● Experience working with
clothing brands, small
businesses, and
conventions.
● Tattoo apprentice
(machines).

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Education & Industry Entry
(Martha)
● Foundation Diploma in Art and Design
(1 year).
● Foundation Degree in Animation (2
years).
● Top up year in Creative Enterprises,
graduating with a BA Hons.
● Gained clients during university
through posting on social media and
taking part in college work experience
and through studio community.

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intro to tattooing
a quick run through

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traditional neo traditional

Eve Mansell Kike Esteras

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realism water colour

Inal Bersekov Maggie Paletta

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tribal new school

Instagram.com/tattoorich Victor Chil

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blackwork japanese

Tom Ffalcon Jonathan Seguin

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 ...and everything else

Charline Bataille Mr. Heggie Instagram: europeanson.420 Instagram: deadbirdflying_ok

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pathways in to tattooing
Apprenticeships

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Apprenticeships

PROS:

● Free education in to a career

● Learn from someone experienced
● Important mentor/student relationship
● Learn from the inside
● Best entry in to the industry

CONS:

● Usually a lot of hard labour before touching a machine

● Long hours, often 5-7 days a week
● No set time
● Unpaid
● Hard to find

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Other ways...schools, teaching yourself, etc.
PROS:

● Learn at your own pace

● Schools etc are sometimes more
accessible

CONS:

● Less accepted within the industry

● Harder to get chair at tattoo shops
● No shop knowledge
● Health and safety

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process of design
A quick run through

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Key words
● WALK IN: clients who visit the shop
with no prior booking, either with or
without an idea.
● APPOINTMENT; clients who have
already booked in with an artist and
have discussed designs in a
consultation.
● FLASH: pre-drawn sheet of designs
which will be tattooed multiple times.
● PRE-DRAWN: an artist’s original
drawing available to be tattooed
(usually only tattooed once)
● CUSTOM; a design drawn to meet the
clients brief.
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Digital tattoo design

PROS:

● Easy & Quick

● Portable
● Easy to make amendments
● More accessible

CONS:

● Drawing preference
● Less ‘intimate’
● Bigger competition
● Easy to steal

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‘hand drawn’ designs

PROS:

● Physicality
● Better control over tool pressure
● ‘Original Copy’
● Improve drawing skills

CONS:

● Easier to make mistakes

● Less portable and accessible
● Harder to figure out scale etc

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 any questions so far?

let’s make a stencil

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lgbtq+ tattoo artists
General Instagram hashtag #QTTR
Tiff Lee (CA) @tiffleetattoo
Doreen Garner (US) @flesh_and_fluid
Pina Tattoo (US) @pina.tattoo
Nomi Chi (CA) @lizard__milk
Sanyu Tattoo (US) @sanyutattoo
@queertattooers
@queer_tattooers
@wolfgore
@uvethekid
@apropertattoo
articles
https://i-d.vice.com/en_uk/article/7xqdpg/11-queer-poc-tattoo-artists-to-follow-now
https://www.huckmag.com/art-and-culture/queer-tattoo-artists/
https://i-d.vice.com/en_us/article/434g5m/9-queer-tattoo-artists-to-follow-now
https://www.playboy.com/read/queer-tattoo
http://gomag.com/article/10-queer-tattoo-artists-following-instagram
https://brokenpencil.com/features/the-new-tattoo-underground
https://www.manrepeller.com/2019/03/women-tattoo-artist-interviews.html
https://readinsideout.com/artists/profiles/queer-tattoo-artists-to-watch/
https://i-d.vice.com/en_uk/article/a3aad8/mknz-queer-feminist-fat-friendly
-hand-poked-tattoos
https://www.wired.co.uk/article/tattoo-ideas-design-instagram-artists
https://www.gq.com/story/stick-and-poke-tattoos-style-rachel-howe

documentaries
Needles and Pins - https://www.channel4.com/programmes/needles-and-pins/episode-guide
CBC Art Hurts series -
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yCD9-_bShZs&list=PLoRdH3LAgmi-4fbv6qKaEvJeBAe92cyDm&index=7&t=0s

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