ANDREW BURNS

Andrew Burns, 41 years old, has been tattooing for around 13 years and is the owner of 2 studios in Dundee (both called carpe diem).

Who/where do you get your inspiration from?

I get my inspiration from all kinds of animation; I’ve always loved it since I was younger, and a lot of retro games/cartoons are my main inspiration.

What advice would you give to someone about getting his or her first tattoo? (A tattoo virgin) Relax; it is going to hurt a little, but don’t listen to other people’s stories. It’s almost never as bad as you are expecting, and be absolutely sure it’s what you want.

What did your family and friends think about you getting into the tattoo business?

My friends were very positive about it, and my family wasn’t sure I was making the right decision, but it all worked out in the end. My mom is a worrier, so I’m glad that she can relax now.

What would you say is your favorite part of the job? My favorite part of the job is creating a piece that someone has visioned and for them to be over the moon with it, tattooing is definitely a type of therapy for some people.

What was it that initially sparked your interest in tattooing? I was always good at drawing/painting, but tattooing was never something I thought about; it was when I had a proper look and realized it was so much more than old traditional flash; the possibilities are endless.

Was it hard getting an apprenticeship? How was yours? I was very fortunate that a friend of mine was an experienced tattoo artist, took me under his wing and made it very easy for me in the end. At the start, it was frustrating, and I almost quit a good few times.

Are there any tattoos you would refuse to do? (face, private areas, etc.) The only tattoos I’d refuse to do would be ones that are in poor taste, for example, racist or extremist views.

Have you ever had a bad tattooing experience, and what was it? The worst experience I had was when a client could not sit still, and they were sweating so much that the stencil vanished halfway through. ✕

13 Years Tattooing

Dundee Angus, UK Location

Independent Artist

Gaming Black and grey Specialty

@andrew_burns_tattoo

Instagram andrew_burns_97 @hotmail.com