Issuu

VOL 1 // 2016

INK

Limited Edition

Heather Mclean P hotographer Peter Bennett WORLDEQUAL.COM

Front Cover Model: Heather Mclean Hair and makeup Amy Rachel Clarke Photographer Peter Bennett Back Cover Model: Julia Pydynowska Photographer: Laelia Milleri Designer: Claire Garvey

© 2015-2018 Copyright EQUAL AND EQUAL MAGAZINE. The publisher of Equal Magazine, assumes no responsibility for the accuracy of the content placed in its publications. For the avoidance of doubt, Equal Magazine gives no warranty or guarantee in regards to any information placed in this publication. This publication is proudly designed by worldequal.com

on the Cover…

Heather McLean

World Equal

Contributors / Editors

Shelley Rodgers.............................................4 Kieran Sherry.................................................4 Christine Lynn................................................4 INK.................................................................. 4

Equal Ink

EQUAL Fashion Contact: Contributors / Editors: Shelley Rodgers, For submissions and advertorial enquires: Kieran Sherry and Christine Lynn E: equalfashionmagazine@gmail.com Design and Layout: Coolsticky12 T: +44 (0) 77 1026 0041 worldequal.com

Christine Lynn - Blue Sphynx Tattoos.........6 Inky Dogg Tattoos.......................................16 Tatt House....................................................20 Stevie Badger – Cusick Tattoos.................24 Luna Sangre.................................................28 Cam Lamley – Tattoo Artist........................32 “Mr.Iceland“ Gunnar Valdimarsson..........36 Jay Freestyle.................................................40 Brian Tipping...............................................48 Leon Krieft aka Lèon World.......................58 Heather Mclean...........................................62 Jamie Lee Knott...........................................74 Rob Ratcliffe – Border Rose Tattoo Studio... 78 Maxime Parker............................................82 Michal & Marta Konior-Przybyła...............86 Diane Barker................................................92 Marta Konior-Przybyła................................94 3

Shelley Rodgers Founder / Editor / Owner / Photographer

Kieran Sherry Editor / Partner / Writer / Musician / Artist

INK K Christine Lynn Columnist / Alternative Section / Model / Tattoo Artist

S 4

Woman on suitcase Iva Michalak Photography 6

Christine Lynn High Fashion, Lipstick and Tattoos

I started to get interested in tattooing when I was a young child, I can’t remember the age exactly but I remember standing outside a local studio with my older sister while my mum was inside. I think I was about eight or nine.

The noise is the thing that I remember the most. It was summer so the windows and door were open and that buzz from the machines got me hooked. always got excited when I heard it, much in the same way when I walk into a convention hall now. Its strange, to a lot of people, that noise is frightening but to me, it was quite electrifying. Kind of like the perfect mixture of excitement, joy and complete comfort. Do you know that feeling of being in your element? That’s it. Only exhilarating at the same time. From then, I always loved walking down that street and as I grew, I got more curious and would make excuses to go in. That studio sold jewellery and alternative clothing so I normally used that as a good reason. When I was thirteen, I began getting piercings done, of course hiding them from my parents like most teenagers. Only I wasn’t going through a rebellious phase, I think I just wanted to be involved to be honest. Anything to get into the different areas of the studio and a chance to have a quick look or question the staff a little. I’m sure I was a right pain! At fourteen, I got my first tattoo. I wasn’t sure what to get and finally decided on getting my best friends name at the time. I thought it was the best thing ever! Haha. From then, I would get a small tattoo from time to time and again, I think it was more about being in the studios and around the workings of them rather than the actual tattoo. Maybe that’s why I have them all covered now! But I was addicted to the industry and I wanted to know everything there was to know. I was always planning something or thinking about it, probably boring my friends to death always talking about it! My parents weren’t too happy about my fascination with tattooing but told me if I could show them that there was any way of getting work from it, they would let me put my main focus on art at school but unfortunately at the time, no local studios would open their doors, not even for free 8

work experience. I ended up focusing on media studies, thinking that it just wasn’t a realistic career move. When I turned eighteen, I had been making more ambitious plans and wanted to start a full back piece. It was about a year into working at this that my artist; Snoopy (Tattoos by Snoopy, Glengormley) agreed to let me help out in the shop and try to learn what I could from watching him work. \That was a life changing moment. From that day, I never returned to my university course or my job in M&S. I was fully committed and never felt as comfortable making a decision in my life; that’s if I even waited a second to make it! I’ve been tattooing for four years now and they have been the best and most interesting, exciting and challenging years yet. Not a day goes by when I’m not learning something new, artistically and technically. I like to explore different styles and do a wide variation of work. I’m always looking for new inspirations and given the volumes of amazing tattoo artists in the world, I have new inspiration by the load! I don’t want to be dedicated to one style as I feel it keeps the interest and mind working, to try and improve at the different styles that are available, to be more diverse. It’s good to challenge yourself. I’ve always said from a young age that the high paying doctor and lawyer jobs weren’t for me, that it was important to be happy and I really couldn’t be happier. I’m working at my dream job and I look forwards to it everyday! Snoopy’s studio is great, its so relaxed and friendly and he has really been the best mentor to me. I grew up going into studios that were full of intimidating staff and very little communication between tattooists and customers so now I am so grateful to be somewhere that I feel makes clients feel welcome and comfortable. I love my customers! I have a lot of really cool pieces and having a client trust you with their body, that’s amazing. There really are no words for that. I still have days when I’m driving to work and it sinks in and it’s like a whole new wave of appreciation. That definitely keeps me humble. 10

I worked my first convention last year, the Titanic International Tattoo Convention Belfast which I will be attending again this year as well as the International Amsterdam Tattoo Convention. It’s such an incredible feeling, working alongside artists that I love and aspire to and booking my first international clients for Amsterdam is almost incomprehensible at this point. It’s definitely a ‘pinch me’ moment haha. Tattooing has been such an amazing lifestyle to me so far, and that’s what it is, something you eat, sleep and breathe. I’m so excited to see what it holds in the future!

The world of modelling agencies required certain specifications; weight, height, clear skin – no tattoos or scars, age, etc. and while many still do hold to these; with wider acceptance, they have definitely slackened. After all, they must cater for what their clients want and change with the times to allow for that. Designers such as Dolce and Gabbanna and Chanel have welcomed tattooed models to their runways as well as the likes of Valentino and Calvin Klein using tattooed models in their recent advertising campaigns. Magazine covers no longer shy away from featuring tattoos and are instead embracing it; positioning their cover models in such a way that emphasises their body art. Media and retailers are not just targeting the ‘alternative’ rock kids with their DM boots and torn up jeans with tattoos anymore either. High street retailers such as H&M and Online shopping giants ASOS and BooHoo have also promoted the use of tattooed models in advertising campaigns; using them to advertise their huge variety of styles and products to consumers of all interests worldwide. Beauty and health retailers are joining the celebration of body art too; using tattooed models to relate to their consumers. Cervena Fox and Kristen Leanne; two stunning, professional and extensively tattooed models and business ladies are both approached regularly by health and beauty companies such as Bellami hair, MateFit, Urban Decay and Too Faced to endorse their products through social media. This could be by posting a selfie with the product, a video of them using or recommending the product or offering out discount codes with their names on it to go and buy the product. Point being, these industry giants are choosing tattooed models to represent their products which are aimed at all varieties of women world wide! It is acceptance of how tattoos appeal to masses of markets and not just campaigns of products covered in skulls and studs.

Through increased positive media endorsements, we are seeing less negativity linked between celebrities and their audiences. We see the likes of One Direction; a boy band which targets young girls and would have been considered to be required to keep a clean ‘good boy’ image so as to promote appropriate influential qualities, showing off new pieces. The product is still the same more or less and having extensive or daring tattoos such as facial tattoos has not effected how their target audience sees them as a creative force. Its not encouraging parents to stop taking their kids to their shows. Justin Bieber has women swooning over him across every continent, not because of his tattoos but despite them! It’s a revelation for tattoo collectors everywhere! For a tattooed woman to feel comfortable flaunting her art in her miss sophisticated get-up whilst having cocktails with friends or for a lawyer to not feel like displaying his passions or memories through his body art is compromising to his professionalism. Could this be the end of negative stereotyping that pushes us into certain discrediting categories for expressing ourselves on our skin? I say hallelujah!

Contact details Blue Sphynx Tattoo In association with Tattoos by Snoopy 15A Ballyclare Road, Glengormley County Antrim, BT36 5EU Phone: 07823883422 christinestattoos@hotmail.com

Snoopy is one of Northern Irelands longest serving tattoo artists, serving more than 33 years in the industry and tattooing professionally for 25 years. He is a multi-award winning artist who has tattooed across the world, from the UK to Russia, the Artic Circle to Lyle Tuttle’s convention in St. Louis, America, meeting and being inspired by a lot of great international artists along the way. 16

Snoopy’s portfolio hosts every style of tattooing, although his true interests lies in bold colour pieces, whether they be abstract pieces, freehand pattern work or one of his personal favourites; cover ups. He enjoys having new challenges, one of the main things he likes about his job, quoting “I couldn’t do the same thing day in day out.” Snoopy gets his daily inspiration from the challenge of new pieces and conquering new styles, his latest acquisition being the abstract watercolour style, which he would love to be doing more of.

He has always incorporated his own style into his work to give it some individual flare. Its important to him not to fall into the same footstep of artists whose work closely resembles that of those who inspire them. Snoopy draws inspiration from artists such as Roman Abrego for bold colour, Jay Freestyle for abstract work and his all time favourite, Dmitriy Samohin. He doesn’t try to replicate their work, but instead uses his inspiration to build on his own style. It is important to Snoopy to have a relaxed and friendly relationship with his customers. He holds a lot of respect for them and loves his client base, explaining that he can enjoy having a laugh with the people he gets to tattoo. He has created a welcoming environment in his studio, where customers can be sure to be greeted with a smile and a cup of tea. Snoopy describes his studio as “Professional, hygienic and friendly, without any attitude”. The studio works by appointment only throughout the week and has a walk-in day every Saturday. Customers are welcomed to call in any time; there will always be someone there to offer advice and assistance. The studio hosts a large collection of reference art and also has a full time piercing service for which appointments are not required.

FEEL FREE TO CALL IN OR CONTACT THE STUDIO VIA: Phone: 07767304545 Address: 15A Ballyclare Road, Newtownabbey, Co. Antrim, Bt36 5EU, Northern Ireland snoopytat@hotmail.co.uk 19

Belfast Tattoo Artists Alan Hindes, Mark Hindes & Gerry champion Tatt House is an award winning tattoo studio in Belfast Northern Ireland. On board we are three artists Alan Hindes, Mark Hindes and Gerry Champion who specialise in different styles of tattooing. Tatt House has only just recently won the WORLD TATTOOING AWARDS 2015 held in the TITANIC BELFAST!

Mark Hindes

Alan Hindes is an award winning artist who specialises in black and grey photo realism. Mark Hindes speciality is bold, bright, eye popping images Gerry Champion specialises in clean custom lettering. Tatt House operates by appointment but also offer ‘walk ins’ depending on availability. Tatt House also have on board with them Andi from Ignition Body Piercing every Tuesday. Gift vouchers are available and come in any amount, they make the perfect present for a loved one. Tatt House amazingly offer free off street private car parking. You will be met by nothing other than perfect customer service in their studio at Tatt House.

Call in for a chat or telephone the studio. Phone: 028 90600697 Address: 198 Kingsway, Belfast, Antrim BT17 9AD, United Kingdom 22

Gerry Champion

Gerry

Stevie Badger CUSICK TATTOOS INTERVIEW WITH STEVIE BADGER & YVONNE GIVEN

STEVIE BADGER

Q1 Yvonne: How long have I been tattooing? A1 Stevie: I’ve been tattooing coming up to seventeen years now and I can’t think of anything on the planet that gives me more pleasure, it’s just such a rewarding skill to have.

tattooed by him, in Northern Ireland he’s a very well known and respected tattoo artist, there are a lot of artists that I’d look up to like Snoopy from Glengormley he gave me my first job working in a proper studio. Just like Pert first started I was working from home.

Q2 Yvonne: How did you begin your career, with an apprenticeship or self taught? A2 Stevie: I’m self taught and as far back as I can remember it’s something that has always been a dream of mine, even from primary school, from I could lift a pencil, when everyone in my class was all sitting round in wee circles doing reading and sums “maths” I was up the back either drawing or making models of stuff, kinda left to do my own thing.

Q5 Yvonne: Do you have any preferred styles i.e. realism, traditional, Japanese? A5 Stevie: prefer really detailed type tattoos like small fiddly type designs but I’m an all rounder in all types and styles, well apart from tribal “I HATE tribal and absolutely refuse to do it”.

Q3 Yvonne: What was the first tattoo you ever did? and how did it turn out? A3 Stevie: Well to be honest my first ever tattoo I did was on myself at the not very bright age of ten, I kinda stole a bottle of Indian ink from school “I know naughty-naughty”.

Q6 Yvonne: How do you approach each tattoo and what process do you go through as you create it and bring it to life? A6 Stevie: When I approach a tattoo or a design I’m always already tattooing it in my head even doing the stencil I’m going threw how I’m gonna do this and that, what colour is gonna look best beside this colour it’s hard to explain but I see it in my head and put a lot of effort into transferring it to skin, as there’s no room for errors as its on you for life.

I drew a stick man Saint on my forearm got my compass and scrapped it into my arm then poured the ink on to it then rubbed it in, I thought it was amazing lol, well until my mum saw it and beat the living poop out of me then made me “shave” it out with my dads cut-throat razor, that hurt more than the hammering from my mum and the tattoo, but it didn’t stop there, I just kept doing more and more on myself so by the time I reached first year at secondary school I had a full sleeve of Indian ink of really stupid designs, if I’m honest no 1 told me they didn’t come off lol, I still have the worm I did age 10 coming out of my belly button lol. Q4 Yvonne: Who are your main influence’s? Is there anyone you would consider a muse in regards to your own work? A4 Stevie: Well my main influences at an early age would have been Pert from the Ink Castle in Belfast, but back in the day he would have been working from his mums back hall with people queuing up in his back garden and he done my first proper tattoo “which helped cover the stick man Saint on my forearm lol” even to this day I still get

It’s horrible LOL I would rather spend two or three hours talking you out of it than just doing it and taking your money.

Q7 Yvonne: Do you spend a lot of time with a customer during the design phase, discussing the final outcome? A7 Stevie: I try to spend some time with the customer but sometimes there’s just no time to actually sit them down for a chat, I’m either busy tattooing a customer or the customer has no time, but if I can’t get time then the front desk gets as much info as possible then we can build up a picture of what there looking done.

STEVIE BADGER

Q8 Yvonne: What is your favourite part of being an artist? A8 Stevie: Well that’s an easy one, I absolutely love it, it’s such an amazing job and so rewarding and I don’t mean in money ways, I was in the army for seventeen and a half years patrolling the streets of Belfast during the height of the troubles when I started tattooing so I left to pursue my childhood dream I only had a clatter of months to serve to qualify for my twenty two year pension but left all the same and don’t regret my decision one bit, it’s a passion and it always will be. Q9 Yvonne: Do you think the tattoo industry and people’s attitudes have change since you started tattooing? A9 Stevie: Yes I do big time, tattooing or being tattooed has always been a kind of hard man type thing, well in 26

Belfast it has, if you had tattoos back in the day then you were considered a hood or a thief and given a wide birth, but from the likes of footballers and Miami Ink and London Ink hitting the screens it’s exploded in the last ten years, is that a good thing you ask “well it depends on how you look at it” good for tattoo artists back then when people wanted to be like there idol, but as for Miami Ink/London Ink and eBay, now every Tom dick and Harry want to be Ami James or Kat Von Dee etc... seven or eight years ago there would have been at least five or six tattoo studios through out the whole of Belfast, Wash studio being at least five to ten miles away from each other now there’s about FORTY EIGHT plus in Belfast alone, not to mention the kitchen wizards doing them from home with there £50 eBay starter kits giving people all sorts of airborne diseases some with actual studios

CONTACT DETAILS Stevie Badger Cusick Tattoo 142 Shankill Rd, Belfast BT13 2BD Open Times Tuesday: 10am-6pm Wednesday: 10am-8pm Thursday: 12pm-6pm Friday: 10am-6pm Saturday: 10am-6pm Closed Sunday & Monday Phone: 028 90 278935

Luna Sangre Tattoo Artist

Luna Sangre is an Established Tattoo Artist currently working at Old London Road tattoos in Kingston upon Thames. It’s a fantastic studio and everyone there is super sweet, a bit eccentric and incredibly artistic which makes for a fun work environment.

There is Caz who works the front of house and does an amazing job of keeping the appointments rolling in and basically organises their lives at work. Emma is their shop manager and does her best to pander to all the artists and shop needs and is also a stellar piercer. Their other piercer Vesper hails from California and is also an awesome lady. The artists consist of Edgar who loves portraits in black and grey or colour, Marie who does beautiful flowers and animals in her own soft style, Vlad who specialises in old school and dot work with a little Japanese thrown in there for good measure.

Luna has been tattooing for about twelve years now and has travelled worldwide inking as she goes. Luna can work in many styles but loves working in her own style which she would probably class as a neo traditional mixed with a bit of realism. Luna has a strong love for colour or black and grey as long as the subject matter is a great idea. Luna still does the little tattoos that many deem unworthy of tattooing after this long in the industry. Luna tells Equal “If you bring me in anything weird or creepy to tattoo I will be very happy but team those with a lady face or pin-up and you’ll have a very happy Luna that will periodically make little ‘squee’ noises and dance in my seat while I work”.

Emil loves a bit of new school mixed with watercolour. Dan and Lauren love some realism and Chris is our resident Disney freak, although if you come in for a Pokemon tattoo chances are Chris and Marie will have a fight to the death over it. Not forgetting their wonderful cleaner Kelly who makes sure the studio is consistently sterile and tidy.

Luna is a very organised individual and likes to have all sketches ready in advance. she has done several conventions and even been lucky enough to pick up some awards along the way yet has no plans on doing any in the coming year as she tells us “I just want to chill out and enjoy the good company at work for a while”.

The BOSS lady Ren runs a tight ship where they work hard and are looked after in return. “I am happy to say I work with a great bunch of people. It has taken a long time for me to find a place that feels like home and I’m glad I’ve ended up at Old London Road“, the glowing Luna tells us.

You’ll find the Lovely Luna at Old London Road tattooing or even when or taking consultations and if your lucky dancing around the studio idiotically or attempting to irritate her workmates with silly Irish jokes, “thankfully they are all extremely patient”, laughs Luna.

Cam Lamley TATTOO ARTIST

Cam Lamley is a keen black and grey artist based in Dundee, Scotland. The award winning artist started as a receptionist in a studio in Perth but soon realised that in order to progress he would have to move on. Cam spent a year in a studio in Dundee before moving on to Otzi Tattoos in Glasgow where he continued to progress with his tattooing.

TO CONTACT CAM REGARDING APPOINTMENTS OR TO FOLLOW HIS WORK, PLEASE USE THE INFORMATION BELOW: Telephone: 01382 864414 | Address: 76 Bell Street, Dundee | Instagram: @camlamleytattoo 32

camlamleytattoo@hotmail.co.uk

Wanting to start his own venture in the industry, Cam moved back to Dundee and went into partnership with Jaggy Leigh in his shop; Venus Ink, where he has been working for the last year. Cam has always tried to stay as diverse as possible in terms of the styles he works with but has always found himself being drawn back to black and grey. He has recently made the decision to focus solely on progressing with his black and grey work rather than covering all styles. Between having high contrast, a surreal edge, or a distinctive combination of geometric dotwork and shading, Cam’s work definitely stands out from the crowd.

Cam humbly talks to us about the awards he has won, quoting “I personally felt a great sense of achievement for every award I have won but deep down I believe it’s the clients reaction that really counts.” Cam enjoys working conventions, stating the Liverpool Show is his favourite and he plans to be there every year. As a sponsored artist, he is grateful to be part of the Barber DTS team and for the assistance he gets from them, from promoting his work to keeping him stocked up in supplies. His future plans are to keep evolving with his black and grey style of tattooing and to focus on his shop in Dundee. He summarises how he feels about his job, quoting; “All in all I wake up everyday and feel lucky for the fantastic job I have and what amazing people I have met along the way, including my bros from the TeamForkLift Pro-Team. Yeah it has its ups and downs but that's the way you build character.”

See more > 34

“MR. ICELAND“

GUNNAR VALDIMARSSON TATTOO ARTIST Element Tattoo Oslo

GUNNAR VALDIMARSSON IS A SPECIALIST REALISM TATTOO ARTIST BASED IN OLSO, NORWAY. HE ENJOYS DOING BOTH COLOUR AND BLACK AND GREY REALISM PIECES AND LOVES THAT HE GETS THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO BOTH APPROACHES OF REPLICATING REAL LIFE IMAGES ON THE SKIN EQUALLY.

Social Links >

follow me on Facebook and Instagram 36

Gunnar took up tattooing full-time in April 2011. He became fascinated in the craft during his time in America, where he studied audio engineering. After school, Gunnar hung out at a local tattoo studio; ‘Ascension Tattoo’ and the art form has never left his mind since. After finishing school in 2009, Gunnar moved back to Iceland to pursue a career in audio engineering and graphic design. However, unable to shake his love with tattooing, he quit his job in 2011 so he could dedicate all of his time to the craft. That same year, the artists at The Icelandic Tattoo Corp welcomed him to be part of their team. Gunnar is mostly self-taught, having learnt a lot from his experiences of working alongside and getting tattooed

by some of the world’s best artists, quoting “That has been the best learning experience for me.” Gunnar also gets the opportunity to work amongst great artists at conventions across the world, including the New York convention where he won eight awards in September. Recent travels include trips made to tattoo a number of professional football players. When talking about his approach to tattooing, Gunnar explains that he does not like to over complicate things. His goal is not to overlook any details but to focus more on the whole piece rather than tiny details that people won’t see. His aim is that“when people see the work, they say wow even before they get up close and then get something extra when they get up close.”

Contact Details gunnariceland@gmail.com

Gunnar tells us that the most important thing for him in staying motivated is looking at the work being done by other artists on a daily basis. From this he draws inspiration and a push to better himself everyday. In November 2014, Gunnar opened his own studio in Olso, Norway alongside the brilliant Christine Marie Rødahl. Since then, they have hosted some great artists such as Levgen Knysh and Valentina Ryabova. There are now five artists working in the studio. One of the things Gunnar loves most about his job is how diverse his clients are, explaining; “One day I might have a 180kg body builder in my chair talking about food supplements and the next day a woman talking about her job as a police officer.” To follow Gunnar’s work and updates about conventions, you can use the following information. For appointments, Gunnar prefers to be contacted via Facebook. Address: Professor Dahl’s Gate 8, 0355, Oslo, Norway

follow me on Facebook and Instagram

jayfreestyle.com

Originally born and raised in South Africa, tattoo artist and painter Jay Freestyle grew up in a conservative Chinese family during difficult times for his beloved home country. The absence of a real creative scene in Johannesburg forced him to immigrate more than 10 years ago and he has been living and working in Amsterdam ever since. His artistic nature deeply inspired him to stray away from the traditional expectations of his family and rather develop his lifelong passion for body art. Being self-taught, his techniques and style are always unconventional. All of his work is created on the spot and literally free-styled during the session.

The spontaneity of his tattoos is the secret of what makes every single piece so unique. Breaking away from existing boundaries, the final artwork is always a great surprise to the collector. "Most describe my style as water-colour, and it definitely holds elements of such, but personally it is more. I prefer to combine various styles and techniques, such as geometrical shapes and pointillism, while at the same time mixing realism with abstraction, but at the end it all depends on the collector getting the piece." Jay's Love for travel makes him a regular visitor in all parts of the world, gaining fame for him through major tattoo convention as well as guest spotting in Leading tattoo studios. Coupled with strong work ethics and ambition, he has become a multi-award winning tattoo artist with a waiting List of up to a year.

Always eager to continue growing and evolve his trademark style, Jay’s main focus is set on Large-scale tattoos. His vision is to create more than just a tattoo, “I want my art to be memorable to those who see my pieces and empowering to those who wear my pieces. I’m not Looking to tattoo the masses, rather the select few who share the same vision as me and who are willing to give up their bodies to immortalise a piece of art on them.”

Brian Tipping, owner of EyeCandy tattoo studio in Bangor, is rising as a top artist in Northern Ireland with his diverse portfolio of work and having won four awards since opening in 2011. Brian had

humble beginnings, using his artistic talent to do everything from painting shop displays to children’s bedrooms.

When Brian’s intrigue into tattooing began,the tattoo scene was not as we know it today; Studios weren’t as common and equipment was much harder to come by. Struggling to get a place in a studio at the time, Brian practiced on friends and family, learning how to perfect his technique, a time that he remembers as being fun and exciting but also somewhat of a challenging time; “Transferring from paper to skin was a long and frustrating process but also fascinating and joyful. Its 90% confidence and that’s easy to 48

have if your working on yourself or my brother or close friend ... you know they wont be too pissed off if you fuck it up.” Brian laughs. But with only a little direction from another local artist, Brian’s achievements have been huge.”When I think about what I’ve achieved, it’s not bad. To be honest I’ve never thought about that as I just plug away at stuff but I’ve managed to throw together a career and one that I genuinely love. I love going to work and still get excited at the thought of putting ideas together for whatever I’m doing.

I can provide a comfortable life for my family also, nothing extravagant but I don’t have to search down the sofa for loose change to order a chicken curry any more.” Brian jokes. After three or four years of selfteaching and practicing, Brian decided to open EyeCandy Tattoo Studio in 2011 with only himself and Rana Yavuz, who was brought in as a body piercer but has since become a full time tattoo artist working alongside Brian.

With a string of loyal clients that Brian had brought from his learning days and an assembly of new customers, the shop has been thriving. Brian has created a relaxed environment in the studio, telling us “I like to have music on and usually let the customer choose. I love my space and decorate it with things I like; geek stuff, mostly pictures and toy figurines. It’s really chilled out, the kettles always on and there’s always good banter with the other artists.” 49

When Brian’s intrigue into tattooing began, tattoo scene was not as we know it today; Studios weren’t as common and equipment was much harder to come by. Struggling to get a place in a studio at the time, Brian practiced on friends and family, learning how to perfect his technique, a time that he remembers as being fun and exciting but also somewhat of a challenging time; “Transferring from paper to skin was a long and frustrating process but also fascinating and joyful. Its 90% confidence and that’s easy to have if your working on yourself or my brother or close friend… you know they wont be too pissed off if you fuck it up.” Brian laughs. But with only a little direction from another local artist, Brian’s achievements have been huge. “When I think about what I’ve achieved, it’s notthe bad. To be honest I’ve never thought about that as I just plug away at stuff but I’ve managed to throw together a career and one that I genuinely love.

I love going to work and still get excited at the thought of putting ideas together for whatever I’m doing. I can provide a comfortable life for my family also, nothing extravagant but I don’t have to search down the sofa for loose change to order a chicken curry any more.” Brian jokes. After three or four years of self-teaching and practicing, Brian decided to open EyeCandy Tattoo Studio in 2011 with only himself and Rana Yavuz, who was brought in as a body piercer but has since become a full time tattoo artist working alongside Brian. With a string of loyal clients that Brian had brought from his learning days and an assembly of new customers, the shop has been thriving.

everything is right now and has no intentions for anything drastic as its important to him to maintain a balance of his love for tattooing and having a young family. You can catch up with Brian at the Maiden City Tattoo Convention and the N.I. Tattoo Convention this year or contact/follow him at 50 Grays hill BT20 Bangor, County Down. “I don’t know what I want to focus on style wise, if anything I’ve never been one to choose a path early but I’m sure it’ll work itself out. I’m happy with variety as long as I get to put my spin on ideas. I do mostly custom but 90% and prefer it but am happy with good reference.”

Brian has created a relaxed environment in the studio, telling us “I like to have music on and usually let the customer choose. I love my space and decorate it with things I like; geek stuff, mostly pictures and toy figurines. It’s really chilled out, the kettles always on and there’s always good banter with the other artists.”

All of the artists working in EyeCandy can bring their own style to the table, which is a huge positive to Brian as they can bounce off each other with ideas and motivation. As for plans to expand, Brian seems very content with how everything is right now and has no intentions for anything drastic as its important to him to maintain a balance of his love for tattooing and having a young family.

Brian has since brought in a few more artists; Neil and Scott, to help provide for the studio’s clientele demands and with vastly growing popularity and support, they too are sure to follow in suit of the studio’s success.

You can catch up with Brian at the Maiden City Tattoo Convention and the N.I. Tattoo Convention this year or contact/follow him at 50 Grays hill BT20 Bangor, County Down.

Brian enjoys working with a variety of styles rather than restricting himself to just one or two, promoting that you will never grow as an artist by staying within your comfort zone. From black and grey portraits to Japanese to colour realism, Brian’s talents expand to all genres. “I don’t know what I want to focus on style wise, if anything I’ve never been one to choose a path early but I’m sure it’ll work itself out. I’m happy with variety as long as I get to put my spin on ideas. I do mostly custom but 90% and prefer it but am happy with good reference.” All of the artists working in EyeCandy can bring their own style to the table, which is a huge positive to Brian as they can bounce off each other with ideas and motivation. As for plans to expand, Brian seems very content with how 53

Photographer Sebastian Bauer 58

Leon Krieft aka Lèon World I always wanted to be different, stand out from the crowd. In the nationwide tattoos people look surprised but appreciative.

My father Martin Krieft is a photographer and I had to serve as a model child. There I learnt how to pose properly and how to behave in front of a camera. I love to meet so many interesting people and cultures. That's why I love shooting in other countries. My dream is to travel the world meet new and wonderful people and experience many beautiful cultures. Belfast Alternative Fashion Festival in Northern Ireland is another part of the world that is allowing my dream to come true and I am so delighted and looking forward to being a part of it in November 2016. Leon is also currently the International FACE of ACE The Alternative Commercial Equal Agency. 59

Photographer Falk Rothaar

Photographer Sebastian Bauer

Photographer Falk Rothaar 60

Photographer Leon Cool

Photographer Sebastian Bauer 61

I am a single mother with three beautiful children. I work in a private day nursery. My main interest was training in the gym where I used to compete at a high level. My world revolved around training, dieting and competing! I loved it, although the judges didn’t appreciate the tattoos and shaved head! In that world they mark you down for being different. Unfortunately my first love was taken from me when I was diagnosed with a very rare muscle wasting disease, Dermatomyositis.

Heather Mclean I lost three stone of muscle in less than a year. It was a giant kick in the guts. I was really sick. It was out of my control. However instead of dwelling on the negative (quite frankly I was mortally depressed every time I looked in the mirror) I regrouped and battled on. I changed my goals. I still train in the gym. I beast my tiny baby weights. But I took the opportunity to embrace my other love which was frowned upon in the competing world. Tattoos! If I weren’t such a wuss I’d be covered head to toe by now.

I got my first tattoo at 14! And slowly started a collection. I love old school traditional tattoos. Amongst many other styles. None of mine have any deep meaning. I just got them cos I like them. Although I do have my mum and dad on there, with me for life! In the future I would like every inch of skin covered. I’m an all or nothing kind of girl. My mum asks me what the heck am I going to look like when i’m an old lady. Well I reckon i’ll look pretty awesome! Grey hair with a blue rinse, wrinkly skin covered in tattoos! They say you never feel any older, even when ur eighty, until you look in the mirror. So in that case, i’ll never change! Xxx

Photographer Peter Bennett Hair and Make Up Amy Rachel Clarke Model Heather McLean 65

Photographer Peter Bennett Hair and Make Up Amy Rachel Clarke Model Heather McLean 66

Photographer Peter Bennett Hair and Make Up Amy Rachel Clarke Model Heather McLean 69

Photographer Peter Bennett Hair and Make Up Amy Rachel Clarke Model Heather McLean 73

Jamie Lee Knott Dark Horse Collective, 31-33 Boldmere Road Sutton Coldfield, B73 5UY

Jamie Lee Knott, co-owner of Dark Horse Collective tattoo studio in Sutton Coldfield, is a rising talent known for his bold New Traditional style in tattooing. Although Jamie knew he had an artistic talent from a young age, he had never considered it as a career opportunity. It wasn’t until after a few varied jobs that Jamie was introduced to the industry by a few of his fellow students during his time studying Journalism at Wolverhampton University. After being acquainted with a few local artists,he found himself hooked.

Jamie never had the opportunity to serve an apprenticeship under another tattooist but Martin Jackson of Panther Crew tattoo studio in Wolverhampton, provided guidance with aspects such as health and safety, equipment and technique. This, alongside extensive research, was enough for Jamie to launch himself into his new venture. After spending six months self-teaching and practicing on family and friends. Jamie was offered his first studio position in Eye Candy Tattoos in Willenhall, where he stayed for a year before moving on to Vivid Ink in Sutton where he tattooed for a further two years. It was during this time that Jamie really developed himself as an individual artist in the tattoo world and found his true passion in the area of New Traditional, evading his original thoughts of becoming a predominately black and grey artist. “I think the main reason is I prefer to draw what is in my head and see that transition to the skin rather than being dictated by reference. I’m able to put my own spin on things by tattooing in the New Traditional style as opposed to realism.” During the two years Jamie spent at Vivid Ink, he found himself dedicated to leading his work down the path of New Traditional before deciding to open his own studio alongside good friend and talented artist, Rich Harris. “We were so excited to get started that we put an offer in on the first premise we saw and just eight weeks later,Dark Horse Collective was open for business.” Dark Horse Collective initially opened with a four-man team; Jamie, Rich, apprentice Kirsten Pettitt, who has since developed into a full-time artist producing beautiful work and Jamie’s tremendously supportive partner, Emma Regan who manages the studio as well as being the resident Body Piercer and Laser Removal Technician. The team strive to open a relaxed and welcoming studio, a “Studio that focused on the art and treated every client as an individual, a tattoo studio run by artists.”

The studio features a large open area, which has separate booths for each of the artists as well as private rooms if the client prefers and also private rooms for piercing and laser treatment. Its important for Dark Horse Collective that their clients feel as comfortable as possible and so they have added extra touches such as having TV’s in each booth,which can be a perfect distraction tool! “We pride ourselves on being as professional as possible but still maintaining a friendly and approachable atmosphere. We want to ensure that everyone that comes to our studio leaves nothing less than 100% happy, weather they’re in for a full sleeve, a nose piercing or have just popped in for a chat! Each client will have a direct consultation with the artist of their choice and each artist is capable of bringing something entirely different to the table.” Since opening Dark Horse Collective, the studio has brought five awards to their hall of fame; three of which are Jamie’s own personal achievements; “My most recent award was at Manchester Tea Party where I won Best Traditional. To say I wasn’t expecting it would be an understatement! I was competing against some amazing artists that I have looked up to for a very long time, and to win an award for the style of tattooing I most prefer just made it even better.” Dark Horse Collective have had amazing support since opening; being featured in their local newspaper three times now and look forwards to exciting new ventures, starting with their shop renovation to provide for their clientèle’s demands. Jamie is hoping to finalise dates for some exciting guest spots working alongside hugely talented artists at studios throughout the UK as well as starting their sponsorship of their local football team, Sutton Town.

As humble as always, Jamie ends by telling us “The support from our clients has been brilliant and we couldn’t have imagined things going any better, we now have four full time artists, Emma doing the piercing and laser and two apprentices. All of us have a very loyal client base and more and more people coming to us each day. The support we have received from our clients means everything to us, and we really wouldn’t be where we are without them. I’m very proud of what we’ve created so far and my main goal for the future is to simply keep producing work that I am proud of, enjoy and ensuring that all of my clients are 100% happy! We are very excited to see what the future holds for Dark Horse Collective. You can contact and follow Jamie and the rest of the team at Dark Horse Collective, 31-33 Boldmere Road, Sutton Coldfield, B73 5UY.

Rob Ratcliffe Rob Ratcliffe is a well-respected member of the industry and owner of Border Rose tattoo studio in Littleborough, Rochdale. After studying Art and Design at Rochdale College, Rob moved on - to Technical Illustration, in a time well before computers were used as an industry standard. After finding this to be boring and uninspiring. Rob propelled himself into tattooing and began working with local legend, Johnny Sparks. Rob served an old school apprentice..sh1p, learning all about the inner workings of the technical aspects of tattooing, from learning to make his own needles and pigment to designing and building his own tattoo machines and power packs. Rumoured to be the most lasered man in Europe, Rob has lasered over 40% of his body which as since been tattooed over as part of Rob’s project to achieve a full Japanese-style body suit by industry master; Filip Leu. This in itself is a reflection of Rob’s comes to his own work as although he is well experienced in all styles of tattooing, including his wealth of knowledge in the cover up area of expertise. Rob’s preferred style of work is large scale Japanese pieces. As well as being hugely successful himself, being featured in magazines such as Skin Deep and Total Tattoo and working conventiofls across the world, Rob runs a thriving studio, which hosts two other full time artists; Andy De'blasio, James Marland and apprentice Maaike DeHaan.

Body piercing and laser treatment are also offered at the studio from Liz Kenworthy as well as laser treatment by Billy Jones. It’s-a friendly studio where customers are welcomed to call in for queries or to discuss projects for all styles of tattooing, including custom work, re-do’s of older designs and cover ups. The studio will not replicate other tattoo designs but will be happy to design your own unique piece and has an extensive range of flash for inspiration. You can catch up with Rob at The International Amsterdam Tattoo Convention in May and The Titanic International Tattoo Convention Belfast this August.

BORDER ROSE TATTOO STUDIO 109 Church Street Littleborough OL15 8AA United Kingdom 07880 935828 borderrosetattoo.co.uk 81

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Photographer Agnieszka Olszewska Photography Model Michal Przybyla & Marta Konior-Przybyła 88

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Photographer Agnieszka Olszewska Photography Model Michal Przybyla & Marta Konior-Przybyła 90

Photographer Agnieszka Olszewska Photography Model Michal Przybyla & Marta Konior-Przybyła 91

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