FROSTY

I was born and raised in South Central, Los Angeles. I am a black and grey tattoo artist. I started my tattoo career back in October 2013, and throughout the years, I have concentrated on doing black and grey realism tattoos. With over 8 years of experience, I have worked with clients to create unique and custom pieces that fit their personalities ⸺ What did your family and friends think about you getting into the tattoo business? My parents weren’t very supportive in the beginning since they thought art/tattooing wasn’t a great career choice as far as being able to be financially stable or successful. My friends, although they were always supportive since the beginning they’ve sacrificed their skin to allow me to practice when I needed to ⸺ What would you say is your favorite part of the job? My favorite part of the job is seeing the tattoo finished, not to forget, connecting with awesome new clients ⸺ What was it that initially sparked your interest in tattooing? I’ve always loved the lifestyle of tattooing; it wasn’t until I started getting tattooed that I really got interested in actually tattooing ⸺ Was it hard getting an apprenticeship? How was yours? It was definitely hard getting an apprenticeship, especially in Los Angeles it’s not easy getting your foot in the door. I like to say I’m self-taught, although I did surround myself with artists that I admired and did my best to soak up as much information as I could ⸺ Are there any tattoos you would refuse to do? (face, private areas, etc.) Definitely, fingers are a big no for me ⸺ What do you think is in store for the future of tattooing? I believe tattooing is evolving very fast, and we have better resources than we did 5 years ago. I could say it will change for the better ⸺ What is the most important advice you can give someone new to the art of tattooing? My best advice is to stay true to the craft, respect its study and work hard. Tattooing is not for everyone; it’s a blessing and privilege to be able to tattoo for a living. If you’re looking into starting to tattoo, do a lot of research, go to conventions, meet artists, and stay hungry; the rest will come to you naturally if you’re doing things right. ✕

I was born and raised in Ukraine. I liked to draw comics and graffiti, so I went to art school. When I was about 18 years old, and I was studying design at the institute, I saw an interview with Martin Scorsese (my favorite director), where he talked about the important role the production designer plays in the process of creating a film - storyboards, scenery, props … And I realized where I wanted to stick my artistic skills. So I started looking for ways to get into film and television and eventually met the chief artist of one of the largest TV channels in Ukraine, Ilya. He showed me how everything works in film and television production, and I worked with great pleasure for seven years on various cinema and television projects in Ukraine and abroad. I even met my future wife Kate on one of the projects, and we decided to make our common dream come true and move to the USA. Already in Los Angeles, I realized that now is the right time to do what I had loved since childhood, and I wanted to try to realize another dream of mine, my passion. Now I work in my private studio in Los Angeles and help my friends in Ukraine defend their home, their right to life, and freedom.

What advice would you give to someone about getting his or her first tattoo? (A tattoo virgin) Listen to the artist you have chosen. Follow his advice and recommendations. After all, you chose him because you like his tattoos, so giving him complete freedom to work on your idea is the key to success and happiness.

5 Years Tattooing

Los Angeles, CA Location

Independent Artist Neotraditional Realism Specialty

@hook_tattoo Instagram jackhooktattoo @gmail.com

What do you expect from your clients? I want them to be more open to new ideas, not always referring to old Pinterest sketches. There is much more a tattoo artist can do for you when you trust him.

Who are your favorite artists? Ukrainians. They are the most talented: Aleksandr Grebenuk, Slava Bodrov, and Dmitriy Samohin.

Are there any tattoos you would refuse to do? (face, private areas, etc.) Yes, young people sometimes ask to get a tattoo on their faces, and I dissuade them from such decisions. If your body is completely covered with tattoos, and you still can’t stop, then I will discuss a face tattoo with the client. But not in the case when you have a little star and an infinity sign on your wrist, and you decide to make an even greater challenge to society because of a lack of attention to your person or as a sign of protest; I am standing for a creative approach to tattooing. ✕