new interview raw style

[BRANDON BOND]

Skin art Magazine):So I was going through an article on you from Tattoo Revue from a few years ago, and I noticed that you spoke a lot in that article about how you felt that your skills had improved greatly right around that time...as if you'd reached a breakthrough point in your growth as an artist. While the tattoos in that article are badass, they don't compare at all, I think, to the work you've sent us recently. What do you have to say about your continued (and continuing)growth?

(Brandon Bond):At that point I noticed a breakthrough for sure. At that point I started pushing myself harder than ever. I opened ALL OR NOTHING shortly after that and all hell broke loose. I remeber a quote from that, something about "I can feel a very distinct style on the horizon and I am pushing towards that". The artists that have come through ALL OR NOTHING have helped push me further artistically than I could have ever done on my own. Working with other motivated artists everyday to produce more dynamic and bold art keeps me in check. I have spent hours and hours drawing, experimenting, discussing, arguing, suggesting, pushing, and creating with my staff, those guys are incredible. Without them (and a lot of hard work) I would probably still be doing work similar to what was in that article. If im not growing as an artist I dont want to do it at all. I no longer HAVE to tattoo from a financial perspective, and people ask me all the time WHY I still do it so often and so intensly, and thats just it. I want to be better, I want to grow, and so does my staff. I think thats all it takes really.

I know when I look back at writing that I did even a year ago, I think I was a total jackass a year ago and that I knew nothing about writing. I always wonder when that kind of creative maturing will reach a plateau--like when will I stop looking back at things I wrote last week and being able to see huge amounts of growth in that time. When you look at your old work, do you get a similar sense? I know you were precocious as a tattoo artist from the beginning, but do you find yourself picking apart old pieces?

Yes, I use my own old photos everyday. I think thats when an artist really begins the journey of finding his/her own voice. I stopped referencing other artists, and focused on my own. I can tell by looking at any of my pieces what could have been better, and then try and accomplish that the next time I attempt related imagery. An artists portfolio should tell a story of either stagnation or growth. To look at your own work critically with an open mind and a few people you trust who share talent gives you a window into yourself stylistically and if you steal from yourself enough times, your work all begins to be "recognizable" and stylized. This is actually a covered intensely in our tour of seminars.

Where did you create this newer style of work from?

I wanted to combine realism with illustrative execution techniques. In other words I wanted it to look like a painting based in realism, but to do a piece 100% realistic is extremely boring visually. I want to give it life, color, vibrance and intensity, to make it jump off the skin and b1tc4 slap you, now that is a goal. So thats what I want to do before I completely retire and I am knee deep in it now.

I cannot find one piece of negative space on any of your color pieces, whats that about?

Negative space on a color image is a lazy tattooer. If your going to color something then why half ass it? I color from LINE to opposing line, or shape to shape, if there is a highlight, I put white, or yellow, or green, or blue, or SOMETHING! We are not in the 1950's and I don't want my art to look like it came from then either. We are trying to produce the 2025 type s&!t at our studio, and I think that leaving no negative space is an important jump. The colors look bolder and brighter, and the flatness of blank skin disappears.

Where has the world of collaborative tattooing taken you artistically
in the last year?

Further than I could have ever gone on my own in another 15 carreers of workaholism. I learn from every collaboration we do. It is the absolute height of art and growth. The way I look at tattoos is affected by challenging myself to work with another artist who I respect. Its nerve racking, intense, and occasionally uncomfortable, but it creates change and anyone who fears change in their portfolio is not growing at all. If Im not growing I dont want to do it... honestly. Tattooing with another artists favorite ink or machines, and using different lighting and colors in the imagery is like a window into another artists secret creative process with an all access pass VIP style. My backpiece is a collaborative work, my new studio ( www.antiartelite.com ) is set up specifically for doing collaborations. I cannot explain the magic that happens to your vision by doing this with someone you can be yourself with. My work changes slightly with every artist I work with and I can always see the reciprocal occurances in the other artists corresponding portfolios. Its like setting your creative gasoline on fire and drenching it in truckloads of gunpowder. Albie Rock, Dave Tedder, Nate Beavers, Sean Herman, Josh Woods, Lenny Lenn, Joe Waulken, and Joshua Carlton have all had an influence on what I do as a result of hours and hours of intesive focused debate while creating mutual works of art together. I will continue to work in this manner regardless. Its so personal and beautiful, its confident and scary at the same time. Im all tingly just thinking about it. Your gonna make me all misty and stuff man...

When a client comes to you and says "do whatever you want", how do you
decide what to tattoo on them?

I'm extremely fortunate to have the clients I do, most of them pick a body part and say "fill it up". This freedom allows for an incredible level of consistent experimentation and motivation. This is one of the reasons I still tattoo even though I no longer need to from a financial perspective. I keep a heavy black
file folder with me at all times that contains hundreds of sketches,
photos, images, disks and tattoo ideas. I work to overflow this folder
constantly. On the day of a clients appointment, I just lay out a few
printouts and drawings that fit the body part, and explain what
direction I'm pushing towards finally allowing the client to select
the style or imagery he or she is most enthusiastic about. I stay up
late into the night regularly; researching, drawing, printing, all types of images that intimidate my artistic confidence. I want to do tattoos that are extremely hard to
do. I am seeking imagery that I think I cannot tattoo. Clients really
dig going through all the secret files, and sometimes they argue over
who gets what, but nothing is wasted. I discuss a lot of this process
and how to emulate it in my seminars. If the tattoo artist is into a
day of challenging himself and the client is into the imagery and
ideas, the artwork will reveal that focus, if the artist is not into
it, well... you know how that ends up! My clients are the coolest most
badass m***erf***rs on earth. I love every single one of them as
though I were related to them.

Where do you see your work going in the near future? Have you noticed any particular trends or themes in your current stuff?

YES. I have just recently discovered a new top secret way to lay out all this "ala prima" style work in a more flowing total piece as opposed to a stagnant flat execution. In other words to combine that style with the flow and positioning of the imagery on the body, to work with muscle movement and to really bring more depth to it all. First we had to figure out how to make it look good without lines and all, and then how to make it brighter, and now I want to make sleeves and backpieces lay out and show movement and excitement. I feel that this will be the next level and I am working towards that every day.

I'd also like it if you talked some about color, specifically, since your colors are so spectacular.

Everyone asks us what kind of inks we use and machines and all that (btw its waverly tattoo pigment these days) but in all honesty its the application of the tattoo that makes it so different. The way its blended in the actual tube while its being applied. We did not invent this, Eric Merrill, Albie Rock, Joe Capobianco, Nick Baxter, and all the Darkside tattoo crew were doing it back in the day and we are simply expanding upon that style of color blending.

Tell me about your new book "WHORE".
We wanted to make something that was "real". Something hard to read from an emotional perspective, and honest. I think the book is cool, we worked for over two years on it every day while building the new studio ( www.antiartelite.com ) it
has been a rough ride for sure. I wanted to reveal a little more of how I feel about tattooing, retirement, money, love, abortion, sex, what the f@#k ever ya know? I get a different reaction from everyone I talk to about it, but no one has EVER told me "that was boring" , or "I got what I figured Id get outta that". I felt we had to take it to a new level.

I was wondering about why you chose to present all the images in black and white in Whore, especially since you're known as a master colorist in the tattoo world. I was thinking maybe that the black and white imagery is meant to take the emphasis away from the art and put it on the words--to allow the language and imagery to integrate in a way that it might not otherwise. I know I've thought a lot about how it doesn't matter what I write in these f@#king tattoo magazines because people are only going to look at the pictures anyway, and I think we are likely sharing a similar audience. Were you trying to get the audience's attention away from the art to hear what you had to say? Or something else?

Several reasons, thats one of them for sure, to put more of the focus on what little text there is compared to most "books". It is an art book, and every page explodes with art, so to subdue that I felt was important. I also wanted to make something that no one would ever expect. I feel like colored imagery would be as expected as a bunch of stupid naked girls, so both were removed (mostly). When a person finishes my book, I would like them to be suprised. Also I feel like the text is somewhat bitter and cold, burned out almost, and black and grey convenys that delapidation more than color. It more intense and with the pages being all collages of drawings, text and photos, the static pallette provides cohesion in a world of chaos.

You mentioned retiring and without ruining anything from your book, what can you tell me about that?

Well, people work to make money, so I worked hard... real f*****g
hard, for a really long time. 7 days a week 14 hour days for over a
decade, people don't even believe that, hell I don't even believe
that, but we got a LOT done in a short period of time and I think no
one can argue that. The money was good, and so was the ride. I made a
lot of good investments and built a studio that produces a generous
amount of revenue. I no longer HAVE to work so I'm slowing down. It
hasn't worked yet, cause working is all I know. I still work 7 days a
week on something, I still run three businesses, I have a staff of
over 20 people, and I still tattoo every week, so its not like I'm
fishing or sleeping in past 9 am yet... but I'm working towards that.
There is a secret message written backwards at the bottom or every
page in "WHORE" that explains it all in a pretty upsetting and rude
kinda way. The text starts at the last page and ends on the first one,
its pretty unique.

As far as tattooing goes I am no longer tattooing at conventions
because I want my guys to get some spotlight, I love them and they are
family to me. I will still be AT the conventions supporting my guys and teaching seminars, while partying it up. Guest spots are not something I'm interested in
anymore either. Packing all that equipment and moving around and
flying and getting cabs and all that f*** IT! Its not fun, and its not
cost effective so why do it, if I want to fly somewhere, its not going
to be to do work, I never flew anywhere without my equipment until I
went to Hawaii THIS YEAR, and it was awesome. To not have to check all
my gear and wake up to go to some strange shop is not fun at all, but to fly
somewhere and actually enjoy the food, and do dumb s**t like
snorkeling or cliff diving, now that's f*****g awesome. I still
tattoo because I love tattooing but I never planned on doing that
forever, in fact I did it all saying to myself, "this is not forever,
if you kill yourself now working, you wont have to later" and I hired
a great financial advisor... my father. So now when I tattoo its
because I want to tattoo, not because I need the money or whatever. I
think the current pieces I'm doing reflect that different motive now.

You recently started Stranglehold Publications and merchandise.
What's available through Stranglehold? www.strangleholdmerch.com is
the website, and it is a collection of books, shirts, tattoo chairs,
original paintings, sketch books, framed prints signed, tattoo
equipment, armrests, stickers, HUGE mag tubes, collaboration tables,
and other high quality, high end tattoo type s**t. It is really
exciting, the stuff were moving is top of the line in every way. We
could not find the equipment we needed to do all the crazy stuff were
doing, so we started building it. Every time a tattooer came to our
studio to get tattooed, they always asked about all our stuff, so we
decided to make extras! They are movin' like crack rock. We are
introducing more items every month in our "spare time" whatever that
is?

Tell me about the seminars your teaching.

We cover EVERYTHING and we are doing like 18 shows on the tour this year.
I start at the beginning and discuss image placement, selection of illustration, photo reference, body positioning, cropping an image, enlarging, talking clients into bigger and better artwork, beginning a custom portfolio, and then begin an technical discussion. An open discourse of question and answer involving everything from making the stencil, whether to even use lines or not and how to properly do both, machines, needles, ink selection, color pallette, COLOR BLENDING, how to get a client to be able to sit longer, highlights, negative space, and when a tattoo is really finished.

Then we enter a discussion of how to properly photograph and image, what magazines are looking for and how to get the right shots. Unhealed vs. healed tattoo photos, background, cropping, printing etc. Where to send it (all attendees recieve the "secret list" of worldwide publications, contact numbers, editors names, best times of year to send your s&!t etc.) How to get an ARTICLE in a tattoo magazine, what to send and what NOT to send, when and how often to send it, as well as web presence, promotion, running a buisness, attracting great artists to work for you, the price of tea in china, and what the f@#k ever anyone wants to know - I also generally give out free beers to anyone who wants a "frosty beverage". (beers depending on convention rules).


In the articles I've read about you, there isn't much about your personal life. If that's by choice, that's cool. But if you'd like to talk about family, it might be a refreshing change for folks. There's some family stuff in the book, so I thought it might be something you'd like to talk about.

I have always kept my private life very private, and I feel like that was probably a good decision. My book is very genuine and has some deeply personal and f@#ked up things in it. We explored relationships and family to a large degree. The most important thing in my life is my family, and that extends beyond my parents and my wife. My staff, my artists, webguiys, promotional people, advertisers, accountants, graphics people, friends, clients, and everyone involved in the ALL OR NOTHING family. I was raised by great people who I still am extremely close to and they taught me some incredible principles about caring and nurturing those close to me as well as not taking any s&!t from anyone. I apply those lessons in my everyday life in tattooing and running buissnesses. Its what makes me the person I am, and the people around me are invalueable.

You have won more awards this year than anyone on the touring circuit, how many have you won?
To be honest with you I have no idea, its always an honor to win something but thats not really what its all about anyways, its about the art first, and then of course its about the money. No one goes to all the trouble to drag an entire tattoo studio onto an airplane and fly it all there for free. So the money is important. BUT we do have a LOT of trophies - we had to make our bathroom at the shop the trophy case, because Im not the only one winning them, we have an army of artists who all seem to win something at every show somehow. We care about tattooing more than some, and in all honesty the quality of work at the shows is mildly decreasing as the big name artists start not showing up anymore, the artists with less experience begin to populate the shows. So the well known artists that actually do show up stand out like a turd in a punchbowl.

Anything you would like to say to the our readers?
Yes, buy my book! Its availible NOW through www.strangleholdmerch.com it is very wierd and exciting, and full of art, short stories, photos and chaos. Dont let anyone ever tell you that you dont deserve the things you want, don't do drugs, carry a loaded gun and don't pull it out unless you plan to kill someone, the saying "once you go black you never go back" is not true, strippers are people too give 'em some money, get a dog and take care of it, make as much money as possible everyday, have a lot of sex, always know that resentment brings sucess, stay focused, don't be afraid to do exactly what you want, how you want, for yourself, your the one thats gotta die when its time for you to do so live your life the way you want to, college is a huge watse of time and money and so is sleep, Christmas is the best holiday, don't breed, the world is a cold dark place so your responsible for making your corner shine, no matter how much money you made yesterday you start everyday at zero, being famous is dumb, don't steal, treat your family with respect, stockpile all the ammunition you can get, stop wasting time reading this and go produce something with your life, stand on your own two feet, don't be lazy, find what you want and TAKE it cause no one will hand it to you, don't take any s&!t from anyone, don't let people tell you what to do, and remeber if all else fails, you can always be a serial killer.


www.allornothingtattoo.com
www.antiartelite.com
www.brandonbond.com
www.myspace.com/brandonbond
www.myspace.com/atlantaart
www.strangleholdmerch.com
www.davemftedder.com
www.imyourenemy.com
www.seanherman.com
www.natebeavers.com
www.joshwoodkowski.com
www.albierock.com
www.myspace.com/antiartaon
www.myspace.com/strangleholdmerch
www.myspace.com/aonteam

ALL OR NOTHING TATTOO AND BODY PIERCING
2569 south Cobb Dr. Suite A
Smyrna, GA 30080
_________________


TOUR INFO!!!! heres the cities, info and dates:

July 7-9, 2006
LIVE FAST - Omaha Kustom Kulture Show
Mid America Center Omaha/Council Bluffs, Featuring cars, hot rods,
art, music, and the world's best tattoo artists. Lodging: Country Inn
& Suites 712 322-8282
info: www.golivefast.com
email: tattoorevival@yahoo.com
Contact: Marcy 979 542-5662
No seminar at this one either BUT DAVE MF TEDDER and NATE BEAVERS will be there to work!

Aug. 11-13, 2006
11th Annual South Florida Tattoo Expo
Coral Springs Marriott Resort
11775 Heron Bay Blvd Coral Springs, FL 33076
Hotel Reservations: 954-753-5598
Contact: 954-343-5585 or wogprincess@aol.com
www.floridatattooexpo.com

September 8-10, 2006
5th Boston Tattoo Convention
The Boston Center for the Arts 539 Tremont St.
Boston, MA
www.bostontattooconvention.com
natan@bostonconvention.com

Setpember 8 - 10 2006
12th Annual North Carolina Convention
Greensboro, North Carolina
Marriott downtown Greensboro
336-275-7161

September 15-17, 2006
Atl's Southside Tattoo Expo
Griffin, GA
Phone: 770-227-4994
www.inkwizzard.com
ravebombinc@aol.com

September 29th - October 1st, 2006
2006 Jacksonville Tattoo Convention
Hyatt Riverfront/ Downtown Jacksonville, Florida
Daughertyjack@hotmail.com
www.conventionpros.com
DOUBLE BOOTH at this one and a BIG SEMINAR we will have FIVE ARTISTS wrecking house at this one!

October 6th, 7th, 8th 2006
Beer City Tattoo Convention
Four Points Sheraton Milwaukee Airport
4747 South Howell Ave. Milwaukee, WI 53207.
Call 1800-558-3862 for reservations mention the convention for discounted room rates.
info: 1800-541-8239. Log onto www.tattooedkingpin.com or e-mail tattooedkingpin@yahoo.com.

October 26-29, 2006
14th New Orleans Tattoo Voodoo Expo
The Katrina Komeback
Landmark Hotel, Metairie, La. 800/277-7575
Contact info: 901/324-7924 (message) 901/324-7940
tattoovoodoo@aol.com
www.southerncomfortexpos.com

January 18-21 2007
Rick's 12th International
Tattoo Convention
Green Bay, Wisconsin
Oneida Casino & Radisson Hotel Complex
(920) 494-7300 to make reservations, mention the convention for discount
http://www.tattoosbyrick.com/conv_12.php

Jan 26-27, 2007
Gold Coast Tattoo Expo
Greater Fort Lauderdale-Broward County Convention Center, Ft. Lauderdale, FL
Contact: 561.265.4302
Hotel: 800.443.3545
www.goldcoasttattooexpo.com
peter@standardevents.com

Mar. 29-Apr.1 2007
8th Tampa Bay Tattoofest
Double Tree Wesatshore Airport Hotel
Tampa, FL
Contact: 888-837-1560
Hotel: 813-879-4800
www.tattoofest.com
tattoofest@aol.com

and the PHILLY tattoo convention KINGPIN dates forthcoming

more shows to be announced..

Heres what the seminar covers...

EVERYTHING!

"Tattooing from Beginnning to End" Presented by Brandon Bond of All or Nothing Tattoos Seminar Fee's: $125.00 - 150.00 depending on venue (CASH ONLY) No Preadvanced Purchases will be taken!! This is a first come first serve basis, so be sure to register early when you arrive at the convention.


Selection of illustration
Photo reference
Body positioning
Cropping an image
Talking clients into bigger and better artwork
Beginning a custom portfolio
Machines
Needles
Ink selection
Color pallette
COLOR BLENDING
How to get a client to be able to sit longer
Highlights
Negative space
When is a tattoo is really finished?
Open discourse of question and answer involving everything from making the stencil, whether to even use lines or not and how to properly do both.
How to properly photograph an image, what magazines are looking for and how to get the right shots. Unhealed vs. healed tattoo photos, background, cropping, printing etc. Where to send it (all attendees recieve the "secret list" of worldwide publications, contact numbers, editors names, best times of year to send your s&!t etc.) How to get an ARTICLE in a tattoo magazine, what to send and what NOT to send, when and how often to send it, as well as web presence, promotion, running a buisness, attracting great artists to work for you and much more!!
"I start at the beginning and discuss image placement, selection of illustration, photo reference, body positioning, cropping an image, enlarging, talking clients into bigger and better artwork, beginning a custom portfolio, and then begin an technical discussion. An open discourse of question and answer involving everything from making the stencil, whether to even use lines or not and how to properly do both, machines, needles, ink selection, color pallette, COLOR BLENDING, how to get a client to be able to sit longer, highlights, negative space, and when a tattoo is really finished.

Then we enter a discussion of how to properly photograph and image, what magazines are looking for and how to get the right shots. Unhealed vs. healed tattoo photos, background, cropping, printing etc. Where to send it (all attendees recieve the "secret list" of worldwide publications, contact numbers, editors names, best times of year to send your s&!t etc.) How to get an ARTICLE in a tattoo magazine, what to send and what NOT to send, when and how often to send it, as well as web presence, promotion, running a buisness, attracting great artists to work for you, the price of tea in china, and what the f@#k ever anyone wants to know - I also generally give out free beers to anyone who wants a "frosty beverage". (beers depending on convention rules).

This will be a very different seminar from those you are used to and Brandon will also be doing a direct question and answer session for as long as it takes to answer all your questions. call 770 435 9966 for more info

[hiredgun]

That was a lot of reading!


Lucky for you, I like to read. among other things. You're tearing it up man. tearing it f@#king up.

[BRANDON BOND]

Going to print Aug 8th

Skin Art magazine


a sneak peak

Love him or hate him, Brandon Bond is one of the hottest players on the tattoo scene today. The pater familias of two studios in Northwest Atlanta, All Or Nothing Tattoo and the newly opened private studio A.N.T.I. Art Elite, Brandon has recently expanded his rapidly growing art empire by opening Stranglehold Merchandise ( www.strangleholdmerch.com ), which offers a collection of books, shirts, tattoo chairs, original paintings, sketch books, framed prints, tattoo equipment, armrests, stickers, collaboration tables, and other high quality tattoo gear. His new book Whore is the first publication. He tells us, I wanted to make something that was real, something hard to read from an emotional perspective, and honest. The culmination of his two years work on the project is an art book unlike any other, and it shows us a side of the artist that we seldom see in his public persona.


The book is novel in its structure and composition. There are moments of stark clarity, particularly in the excerpts from interviews with Sean Herman and Coral Pollack, members of the All Or Nothing family. Other sections break apart from the narrative that begins to emerge in the interviews; there are flashes of stories from Bonds life with images of whores and fights, tattoos and money, guns and drugs. Some parts, especially as the book nears its conclusion, feel like compilations of memorable Brandon Bond quotes, revealing random thoughts on life, women, violence, art, and vulnerability. The movement from the coherent to the chaotic meshes with the artwork, which roams from line drawings to tattoos, photographs to computer graphics. The words and the art form a collage that works to convey the conflicted, passionate tone of the mind of the author.


In the excerpts from the Herman and Pollack interviews, Brandon shares more information about his personal life than ever before. While he admits to being a shameless self-promoter, the barrage of publicity focuses strictly on his work, and Whore is the first time we get a glimpse at the man behind the art. When asked about this intimate portrayal of his personal life, Brandon tells us, I have always kept my private life very private, and I feel like that was probably a good decision, but his endeavor to say something new in Whore led him finally to reveal what he calls the deeply personal and f@#ked up things we see in the book.
One of the most important relationships he describes in the book is his bond with his father. Brandon writes in Whore, I respect him more than anyone on earthHe is direct, aggressive, wealthy, driven, focused, successful, intimidating, overbearing, loving, compassionate, and always on the move. These words could also describe the Brandon Bond we know today, but he writes, I was a loser, a stoner, an arrogant little f@#k when I was a kid. Brandon credits his fathers intervention and influence with helping him to grow beyond his unruly youth, and the book portrays the process of maturity he passed through to become the motivated artist and businessman he is today.


In Whore, Brandon describes himself as a person who has always been either loved or loathed, saying, I stick out like a turd in a punchbowl. He says that much of the flack he has gotten comes from his barrage of publicity of his All Or Nothing familys work, but he justifies his media saturation as smart business, writing, If no one knows youre good, then what f@#king good is it?


While he is grateful for the comfortable lifestyle tattooing has given him, he describes his grueling schedule and his sick work ethic as becoming increasingly unbearable. Brandon mentions in Whore that he plans to retire soon: I worked hardreal f@#king hard for a really long time7 days a week for 14 hour days for over a decade. This year, for the first time he was able to fly somewhere without his tattoo equipment, and he was excited to be able to actually enjoy the food and do dumb s&!t like snorkeling or cliff diving. He is still heavily involved in teaching his craft, both as a mentor to his All Or Nothing family and in his convention seminars, where he covers both artistic (image placement, body positioning, color palette, color blending, highlights, negative space, etc.) and business (how to get a client to agree to bigger work, building a custom portfolio, how to properly photograph an image, how to produce images that are publishable) aspects of tattooing.


When asked about the direction his artwork is heading now, Brandon is enthusiastic about his All Or Nothing staff. He says they have helped push me further artistically than I could have ever done on my own. Working with other motivated artists everyday to produce more dynamic and bold art keeps me in check. He describes the hours spent drawing, experimenting, discussing, arguing, suggesting, pushing, and creating with his staff as invaluable to his growth as an artist, and he credits them as being the reason why he still tattoos. Brandon says, I no longer have to tattoo from a financial perspective, and people ask me all the time why I still do it so often and so intensely. I tell them I want to be better, I want to grow, and so does my staff. Recently the All Or Nothing team has been experimenting in collaborative tattoos. He describes this new work, Tattooing with another artists favorite ink and machines or using different lighting and color in the imagery is like an all access pass into another artists secret creative process. I cannot explain the magic that happens to your vision by doing this with someone you can be yourself with. My work changes slightly with every artist I work with, and I can always see the reciprocal occurring in the other artists corresponding portfolios. Its like setting your creative gasoline on fire and drenching it in truckloads of gunpowder. The All Or Nothing family is fortunate to have clients who give them enormous freedom, which he says, allows for an incredible level of consistent experimentation and motivation.


Brandon describes his own growth as an artist, I use my own old photos every day. I think thats when an artist really begins the journey of finding his or her own voice. I stopped referencing other artists, and focused on my own work. I can tell by looking at any of my pieces what could have been better, and then I try to accomplish that the next time I attempt similar imagery. In the months before opening All Or Nothing, Brandon felt he was on the verge of a stylistic breakthrough, and the work he is producing today is the fruit of that time period. He describes the evolution of his style as a combination of realism with illustrative execution techniques. I wanted it to look like a painting based in realism, but a totally realistic piece is extremely boring visually. He wanted to develop a style that had life, color, vibrancy, and intensityimages that jump off the skin and b1tc4 slap you, and this is the work he is knee-deep in right now. While these brilliant colored images mark a Brandon Bond tattoo, he emphasizes, We did not invent this. Eric Merrill, Albie Rock, Joe Bianco, Nick Baxter, and all the Darkside Tattoo crew were doing it back in the day. We are simply expanding on that style of color blending.


His style is continuing to evolve: I have recently discovered a new way to lay out my work so that it forms a more flowing total piece as opposed to a stagnant, flat execution. I am getting better at combining my style with the flow and positioning of the imagery on the body, to work with muscle movement and to really bring more depth to it all. He also comments on the lack of negative space in his large colorful pieces, Negative space on a color image is lazy. If youre going to do color something, why half-ass it? I color from line to line, or shape to shape. If there is a highlight, I put white, or yellow, or green, or blue, or something. We arent in the 1950s, and I dont want my art to look like it came from then, either. We are trying to produce the 2025 type s&!t at our studio, and I think that leaving no negative space is an important jump to brighter, bolder colors.
Brandon gives valuable advice to new artists who are interested in developing their own unique style, An artists portfolio should tell a story of either stagnation or growth. To look at your own work critically with an open mind and a few people you trust who share talent gives you a window into yourself stylistically, and if you steal from yourself enough times, your work begins to be recognizable and stylized.


In the fashion of the mad genius he is, Brandon closed our interview with a barrage of advice for our readers: Buy my book! Dont let anyone ever that you dont deserve the things you want. Dont do drugs. Carry a loaded gun and dont pull it out unless you plan to kill someone. Strippers are people toogive em some money. Get a dog and take care of it. Make as much money as possible everyday. Have a lot of sex. Always know that resentment brings success. Stay focused. Dont be afraid to do exactly what you want, how you want. College is a huge waste of time and money, and so is sleep. Christmas is the best holiday. Dont breed. The world is a cold, dark place, and youre responsible for making your corner shine. No matter how much money you made yesterday, you start every day at zero. Being famous is dumb. Dont steal. Treat your family with respect. Stockpile all the ammunition you can get. Dont be lazy. Find what you want and take it because no one else will hand it to you. Dont take any s&!t from anyone. Stop wasting your time reading this, and go produce something! And remember, if all else fails, you can always be a serial killer.
See more of Brandons work at www.allornothingtattoo.com, www.antiartelite.com, and www.brandonbond.com.

[hiredgun]

i was feeling the whole interview until i got to the last part that said to stop reading and wasting my time.. THANKS, i th ought reading it all was the right thing to do!

[zoepluto]

What if you fail at being a serial killer too? Then you are s&!t out of luck I guess.

[seanherman]

another awesome interview.