When I had arranged to visit Eternal Tattoos in Dorking, my first thoughts were, ‘Dorking, That’s that huge town by the side of Heathrow airport. It’s going to be fun trying to find the studio in such a big place’. I was in for a big surprise. Dorking is one of those places that has a big reputation for a very small place for some reason. Dorking is a very neat and tidy provincial town with some great looking timber framed buildings and quaint little shops. Yes, it’s close to one of the busiest airports in the world but it has refused to give way to the sprawling masses and retains it’s feeling of rural Britain. Nestled in between a couple of these slightly up-market boutiques and bistros is Eternal Tattoos. The shop front is very subtle, in-keeping with its surroundings but once through the door you are greeted by some brightly colourful hand painted mannequins and a vast array of tattoo inspired clothing and a good selection of body jewellery as well as hundreds of sheets of tattoo designs. If this wasn’t enough of an assault on your senses, you can guarantee that there will be a huge smile and friendly attitude awaiting your entrance from one of the staff at Eternal Tattoos putting you instantly at ease.
I started tattooing in 1990 from a studio just up the road in South Norwood. Some friends of mine used to have work done there and they found out the tattooist needed someone to help out. You know the sort of stuff, doing the drawing and sweeping the floors. I did that for about five months. He wanted me there seven days a week and I used to go away with my boyfriend at weekends to bike rallies. So I left there and managed to get some of my own equipment and worked from home for four or five years after that. So I’m pretty much self-taught. I did have some help from other artists over this period though. Lee from Worthing helped out quite a bit with advice, ideas and techniques as well as lots of other artists, which at the time was very useful. Not too long after this Barry Louvaine asked me to come and work with him in his studio. He had wanted me to go and work with him pretty much all the time I was working from home but the circumstances weren’t quite right at the time. But eventually I did go and work for him, which was great and I worked with Barry for two and a half years, picking up some very valuable tips.
Our first shop was quite a small affair down one of the side streets and we ended up extending this. Dorking being Dorking we were told that we wouldn’t get planning permission but luckily we did and the shop grew. When we moved to where we are now, we didn’t need planning permission as I feel that we had established ourselves within the community and had shown that we weren’t going to bite anybody’s head off or lower the tone of the neighbourhood. So we moved from the side street to the high street position we are now in. In hindsight, I don’t think we would have been allowed to move directly onto the high street. It’s funny how stigmas are still prevalent about the tattooing industry. As it is Dorking council will only allow us to tattoo downstairs, as they need to keep the retail space out front of shop. Which is fine with us as it gives us and our customers more privacy.
If Wetherspoon Move To Dorking This Is What Will Happen To The Shops There Now
We do have a room upstairs but that is used mainly for body piercing and consultations and it allows disabled people access to the studio too.We have found that as we are now on the high street we have far more walk-ins with people stopping to look through the window just to see what’s going on.
We used to do lots of conventions but having a daughter has slowed things down a bit. I have worked Dunstable with Theresa Gordon-Wade and one other tattooist many years ago. I remember us all being squashed into the one small booth, which was interesting to say the least! Recently I have worked at Ink n Iron, Colchester, Derby and the Mantra shows. I have worked abroad quite a bit too and have worked the convention in Breda in Holland. Whilst I was working from home, I used to travel over to Holland quite a lot and work over there. I very nearly moved over to Holland at one point. I got the approval to work in some of the shops over there and would spend two out of every four weeks tattooing in Holland. I was really busy from the moment I got there. We used to go to a lot of bike parties down on one of the small islands in the southern region of Holland and I very nearly opened a studio there. This was about twelve years ago. I’d also really like to get out to the States this year if possible.
One of my favourite things about this job was the fact that you didn’t have to wear a uniform, there aren’t really any set hours, no nine to five and I thought that it could help me to travel the world. I’ve done a fair bit of travelling but the world isa big place.
Best Beauty Salons In Dorking South, Dorking
My aim is to get this studio established and then start to get out in the world and start having a good look at what is around me. I’ve been very lucky and have been involved in tattooing for my whole career short of three days spent as a waitress. I managed to take my art A level two years early then went on to do a foundation course at Bristol a year early.
At the moment there is a great team working at Eternal. At the moment we have myself, Sophie, Dee and Robb tattooing and Claudia piercing. But boy, have I had some bad experiences with staff. I’ve had people stealing equipment, money, and jewellery. One day we had our window smashed because a guy working for me at the time was bragging that it was his shop and decided to place a few bets whilst playing pool, and lost owing some money and of course the other bloke wanted his money and took it outon the window of my shop!
But now we have the best team we have ever had. Everybody is here for the long-term and we can all cover the whole range of tattoo and piercing work that gets asked for. And we all get on really well with each other and spend a lot of our free time together too. I love the family atmosphere we have created here.
Per4store Tattoo & Piercing Berlin
My tattooing style would have to be described as colourful butterflies, koi and floral I guess. I suppose you could say it was quite feminine. I really do like black and shading work too. One of my earlier influences would have been Paul Booth and Jonathan Shaw. I’d love to do more of that type of work. Over the last few years, I have been doing quite a bit of Maori inspired pieces and I’m getting into Old School work as well. The work I like doing the most is very accurate and intricate pieces. I suppose your style must change over time and I’ve been doing this now for close to fifteen years now. Lots of things outside tattooing influence me everyday as well.
I’m still not the most technical person when it comes to tattoo machines but I can strip it down and get the best out of each of my machines. I think having the guidance and help early on has helped as well as being taught how to make needles helps enormously. I think that if you have good needle groups then half of your problems are solved. Being self-taught, I’ve tended to stick with the same needle groupings but I have started over the last few years to use different patterns and my work has improved immensely. Watching and talking to other people at conventions has helped a lot with my work. I know it’s really hard to go up and ask someone questions about their technique but I don’t think anyone hasn’t helped me out with an answer.One of my early inspirations has to come from going into lots of bookshops with my Dad and finding a book in tattoo designs. The imagery in that book has stuck with me ever since. People that inspire me at the moment are artists like Bob Tyrrell, How a guy can produce such work after only tattooing for eight years is beyond me. I think it is really good that the current tattoo apprentices will be able to learn more in the next few years than it took me to learn. I mean Robb my apprentice will be able
My tattooing style would have to be described as colourful butterflies, koi and floral I guess. I suppose you could say it was quite feminine. I really do like black and shading work too. One of my earlier influences would have been Paul Booth and Jonathan Shaw. I’d love to do more of that type of work. Over the last few years, I have been doing quite a bit of Maori inspired pieces and I’m getting into Old School work as well. The work I like doing the most is very accurate and intricate pieces. I suppose your style must change over time and I’ve been doing this now for close to fifteen years now. Lots of things outside tattooing influence me everyday as well.
I’m still not the most technical person when it comes to tattoo machines but I can strip it down and get the best out of each of my machines. I think having the guidance and help early on has helped as well as being taught how to make needles helps enormously. I think that if you have good needle groups then half of your problems are solved. Being self-taught, I’ve tended to stick with the same needle groupings but I have started over the last few years to use different patterns and my work has improved immensely. Watching and talking to other people at conventions has helped a lot with my work. I know it’s really hard to go up and ask someone questions about their technique but I don’t think anyone hasn’t helped me out with an answer.One of my early inspirations has to come from going into lots of bookshops with my Dad and finding a book in tattoo designs. The imagery in that book has stuck with me ever since. People that inspire me at the moment are artists like Bob Tyrrell, How a guy can produce such work after only tattooing for eight years is beyond me. I think it is really good that the current tattoo apprentices will be able to learn more in the next few years than it took me to learn. I mean Robb my apprentice will be able
0 Komentar