This is an interview that is the combined questions from THIS messageboard and from a Tattoo magazine in Russia, which is why the questions are written weird - its all been translated into English: enjoy.
1. What is your art education? What are the main stages of training as an artist and tattoo-artist you would single out in your life?
-I would say that anytime someone hold a pencil they are training, in tattooing however an apprenticeship is the key - the foundation, the starting point to which your career is built on. I apprenticed under Jim Wolfe at Tattoo Zoo in Ft Walton Beach FL.
2. Each of us has our priorities. I mean, the names and artworks, which we delight, give us a new impetus for own creative growth. Which of tattoo-artists or artists influenced by your personal vision tattoo?
-The guys I work with, the staff at ALL OR NOTHING TATTOO here in Atlanta are my primary influences.
3. Your work recognizable. Looking at Bloody Chest or Chest Clown begs the word "brutality". I saw your big art-works in process, so to speak, at different stages, and each element is viewed as finished, self-sufficient pattern. Often used dark background - this author's style or a reception for the benefit of filing other colors? Or the possibility of continuing to link with future tattoos?
-I use primarily dark backgrounds when the foreground is dark in tone, but I also use it to make the colors appear brighter, and yes, it does in fact make it super easy to tie stuff together.
4. In my opinion, broad and bold strokes on the canvas personalized product. Reviewing your art-works I think you are doing a lot for one session and with decent speed! How much time has taken, for example, work on Chest Clown? And what is the complexity of the work on the chest? What kind of difficulties at this work?
-The vast majority of my work is an all day long event - 10-15 hours of brutality, its rough on me and on the client, but because most of my clients fly in from all over the world, I have to get a LOT done in a short period of time.
5. How do tattooing process less painful and more comfortable for both tattoo-artist and for the client?
-I believe the environment I provide helps a lot, we watch movies, sports, DVDs whatever and it takes the clients mind off of the stress, and my mind off of the pain in my back resulting from holding perfectly still for 12 hours.
6. In practice, each of us constantly experimenting with the equipment, inks, needles, etc. And always, even finding the optimal solution for one or another work, we will continue these experiments. It's like a disease. The The issue of the inks. What brands are you prefer? Or are you using inks of different manufacturers?
I have a gigantic collection of ink and I use them all for different effects, I discuss this in length on my seminar DVD "THE WHOLE ENCHILADA" vol 2 which can be purchased on
http://www.strangleholdmerch.com - its complicated because there are so many different ways to achieve different effects, so I break it down in that film as best I can. There is never one ink that makes everything - I use about 13 different companies inks.
7. How often do you mix colors in the cap, rather than use ready colors?
-NEVER, I mix everything in the tube "on the fly" the same way you would if you were painting. Again, this is explained in vivid detail in "THE WHOLE ENCHILADA" series.
8. Many of tattoo-artists use white inks to obtain a more solid colors. As in the painting. Are you using this way?
Yes, sort of, I use white to blend in the tube and give me various shades, tones and hues, of whatever is coming straight out of the bottle - varying everything utilizing darks and lights to create unique mid tones and highlights.
9. Another purely technical matter. In many art-works, particularly where small parts used, it is difficult to work with "magnum". How often do you use round needles for coloring?
Never. I use the corners of the mags. Highlights are different but for blending ALWAYS mags. 7,9,11,13,etc.... all the way up to 45 mags.
10. What kind of tattoo-machines do you use to perform in various tasks? Again this is complicated, I set up at least 6 machines for every session sometimes as many as 10 machines all with different needle groupings and styles of needles for different effects, I go through an entire set up of machines in the Tattoo seminar DVD.
11. Often in our work we do the tattoo in different styles. Customers coming to the studio very different in terms of perception, tastes and desires. However many great Masters are different and recognizable in their own inimitable style, which they develop and improve. What do you think, how justified attempt a tattoo-artist to work in various styles? How often you work in different styles? What is this? Is it necessary additional experience, or did it this way divert tattoo-artist from his own style?
-Versatility is the cornerstone of tattooing. the ability to create art on the fly in multiple styles and execute them all perfectly is the ultimate goal. It is extremely difficult, and many artists will just pick something and stick with it, unfortunately clients generally will commission a variety of styles from the same artist, so we have to be versatile... at all times, or starve. especially as young artists. as artists mature, they develop recognizable styles, and many get trapped by that. Its an unfortunate side effect of success, however my new works that will be coming out in 09 I have some surprises planned. An entire new direction.
12. Tattoo on hands - is that you often have to do. As far as I know, not all such tattoo art works withstand the test of time (although nothing is forever). All the features of the case to the skin. The same applies to the footsteps. Are there any nuances in the tattooing at these places?
-Hands, feet, throats, yes sir - whole different ballpark, different rules, different needs, different machine speeds, different application. I cover this in the "WHOLE ENCHILADA" as well as tattooing on different skin types, ie thicker, thinner, darker, lighter etc... tattooing is fluid and you have to adapt to every canvas.
13. Another feature of your work - the juiciness, and color brightness, even when not using a wide range of colors (inks). How do you reach such effect? Is it deal in thech of solid and the flat coloring, or the ability to combine in contrast warm and cool colors?
-the war of dark vs light - is what is making those images stand out and seem more dimensional, starting with black and leading all the way to light whites, yellows etc. It is not rocket science, but I too struggle with it on every piece. Most younger artists will simply color something one solid tone and that makes it look flat and boring, I tell people on our technical tattoo forum (
www.allornothingtattoo.com ) ALL the time - MORE MID TONES, MORE DARKS - everyone seems to do the brights super bright but without contrast that's all you have got and it sucks.
14. When you preparing a flash of the future tattoos, how you take into account the anatomy & prominence of the body during placing tattoo? Can it use these features to ensure that finished tattoo on the body looked more impressive?
-Placement, layout and execution - is everything - the ability to work the image into the natural anatomy of a client is key.
15. How often do you have to work by free-hand? Most Russian tattoo-artists prefer to work by free-hand, not using transfer paper.
-Hahahah - again, its all the "The WHOLE ENCHILADA" there is a time for stencils for sure, and there is a time for sharpie marker drawings all over someone, I tend to do both, in the SAME tattoo. I will stencil aspects of something and then draw the rest on to fit. Dave Tedder, from All or Nothing Tattoo here in Atlanta is the "sharpie master"! he taught me a lot and continues to.
16. What do you know about the tattoo culture in Russia? Do you communicate with someone of the Russian tattoo-artists? If so, how can you assess their level?
-I don't know anyone from Russia. However I have seen shipping orders for "The Whole Enchilada" going in that direction so someone over there knows us I guess!
17. What would you advise to young tattoo-artists in Russia, how to build their education to make a minimum of errors and quickly start to do artwork, for which will not be ashamed?
My answer would be the same for any country - WORK with artists that are BETTER than you. If you are the best artist in a shop you are going to develop more slowly, when I was a young artist I put my ego aside and always wanted to work with artists who were better than me, that way I learned something everyday. Many young artists don't want to do this because its more fun to be a big fish in a small pond, however, if your trying to get better, you have to be around better artists.
18. In your opinion, what the most effective ways (methods) for the development of tattoo-artist profession? What forms of training are most important? Master-classes on DVD? Visiting of the Convention? Working in a studio near professional tattoo-artist watching the work? Magazines, books on tattoos?
YES - every single one of those, all of them - do as much as you can as hard as you can and live for tattooing. Your work will reflect that.
19.After all the tattoo's you have done. Is their anything you have not had the chance to tattoo that you would like to ?
-yes, I have a secret file of new stuff that I will be doing in 09.
20.Your completely successful. What grades did you get in high school?
-Bad ones!!! I was expelled from 14 schools, I had a lot of issues as a youngster, tattooing saved my life.
21. You just completed a Documentary, "VICKtory to the Underdog" about pit bull rescue, what was the most horrible thing you have seen with the dogs during the filming of this movie? What was the happiest moment during the filming of the movie?
-The worst, was all the shelters full of dogs that were scheduled for death, millions and millions of dogs, and the piles of dead dogs after "gas day" we chose to not show that in the film, because it was literally THAT disturbing. It is implied though. I wish I had never seen that.
-The BEST, was going to VILLA LOBOS in California, it was amazing, they take great care of the dogs and they are saving a LOT of dogs.
22. Are there any subject matters you will not tattoo? Swastikas, Gang signs, revolting s%^t, "F*& You"s?
Nope, Ill tattoo anything, I am after all just the messenger, what people want to put on themselves is up to them.
23 - Do you feel the popularity of the various ink shows (Miami, LA, London) will help educate the main stream society and make tattoos (especially those on mostly visible skin, such as the forearms) more acceptable?
-I think it put a lot of attention in our direction as tattooers, but I can not sit through an hour of that crap, I was on two seasons (cameo style) of LA INK, and its was so fake, so scripted, so contrived, that it makes me nauseous to watch. We have a youtube video of one of my trips out there to the madness:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PvB4PoneImQ
24 - What can be done to make ink more acceptable in the work place?
-Get more tattoos, good quality well done tattoos.
25- How do you think a show like LA ink compares to the reality of working in and running a tattoo shop?
-It does not compare in any way. There are no similarities at all. It is fake for TV.
26-What prompted you to start All Or Nothing Tattoo Pit bull rescue? Can you elaborate on this endeavor?
-I have been poor my whole life, and for the first time I had some money and some influence, I wanted to use the powers for good, we are working with many different charities now, but for some reason that is the one everyone wants to talk about? Its weird? But anyways, I can relate to the prejudice, and ignorance that is directed at these particular dogs all over the planet, and I knew I could help. So why not? The point is pick something and do something POSITIVE in your life, wounded soldiers, fallen officers, cancer, poor people, orphans or dogs, whatever - the dogs are simply a metaphor for doing something good with your life before you die... and I love dogs so it was an easy leap.
www.ATLANTAPITBULLRESCUE is our site and our myspace page is myspace.com/allornothingpitbullrescue
27-Are there any children in your future?
-I don't know, I'm not sure, with my schedule that way it is it is near impossible for me to even see my wife, much less get her pregnant. I do want kids, but I'm struggling to get through each day as it is. So who knows? Hopefully I will get my life back one day.
28-How can one get into your private Anti Art Elite studio to get work done? Do other artists from All Or Nothing Tattoo work there if it is not a collaboration with you?
-email
Nicole@allornothingtattoo.com she is my assistant and she is awesome. And yes, many artists have tattooed over there without me being present, but if its a cool tattoo, I will usually glove up and climb in anyways. The shop has two websites
www.ANTIARTELITE.com and
www.ANTIARTATLANTA.com
29. I guess the main question is.. "See You In Hell" the tattoo documentary from Stranglehold was released and at the end you are talking in general about a needed back surgery and the time off to do it, have you yet gotten the surgery?? Along with the vacation time to do it and recuperate??
-Nope, I'm still in pain everyday. I'm afraid to have the surgery, so I'm putting it off as long as I can. It blows.
30.
www.STRANGLEHOLDMERCH.com has seen an amazing amount of success since you started it, whats up with Stranglehold.
-Stranglehold March is a company, a publishing house, a movie making entity, a creator of books, a clothing line, hell we will sell anything on there! I wanted the ability to sell products without cooperate influence on the products, no censorship, total control, we have kicked ass. Its exciting and amazing, we have some pretty large surprises on the horizon for 09 with STRANGLEHOLD... stay tuned. And we have a pretty funny commercial for that company here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wYJomZuPXic
31. You have like a zillion websites, why do you have so many and what are they?
-Well none of our websites can even seem to fit everything going on with us, its crazy, and we burn through webguys like a hooker goes through condoms. Our main webguy is amazing, and I love him dearly, but even he can not seem to keep up with half of what we have going on so we just keep building MORE here's a list as of Christmas 08, we have two more coming online in January:
www.allornothingtattoo.com
www.strangleholdmerch.com
www.atlantapitbullrescue.com
www.atlantatattootv.com
www.tattooingatlanta.com
www.antiartelite.com
www.antiartatlanta.com
www.brandonbond.com
www.brandonMFbond.com
www.albierock.com
www.mjdunlap.com
www.chrisvennekamp.com
www.timorthtattoos.com
www.tattooingtheworld.com
www.antiartelite.net
www.HARDNOXinc.com
32. When are you going to slow down?
-As SOON as I possibly can, which may be never, I am responsible for all my guys and gals making money and I want to always make sure they are succeeding. It sucks, but it is all i know how to do. I don't even know what it is like to have a "normal" life, but I want whatever that is bad!
33. You just expanded "ALL OR NOTHING" into "DOUBLE OR NOTHING" tell me about that?
-We took over the entire building we are in, it was inevitable. It would have made way more since to simply build another studio at another location instead of under the same roof, but we all wanted to work together, so I too will be returning to work, now ANTI ART ELITE, Stranglehold Merch, ALL OR NOTHING, and Atlanta Pit Bull rescue headquarters, will all be under the same roof. Its insane I know, but it is what we decided to do. Pictures can be seen at:
http://www.allornothingtattoo.com/ga....php?album=148