Interview with Talented Realism Tattooer Duncan Whitfield

I’m a eager wildlife photographer, significantly birds.   I’ve at all times had an curiosity in them ever since I used to be a child. I consider that understanding how birds behave and work together with one another helps relating to composition. To make it plausible.  I like to make use of my pictures wherever I can as I get an actual sense of accomplishment from taking {a photograph} proper via to a accomplished tattoo.  It means there’s a way more private contact to the tattoo for the shopper as nicely. 

Birds should be one of many hardest issues to {photograph} although.  There are such a lot of elements that should be thought of.  There’s the data of your digital camera gear, geography, climate, species, time of day, timing and luck.  The whole lot has to align excellent to get the right shot off.  Then the topic has to play ball. It must be shut sufficient, the fitting place and naturally the lighting must be proper.  Of all of the pictures I’ve taken, not as many as I would really like have ended up as tattoos.  It’s an ongoing journey.  One that’s actually rewarding.

On that very same topic, what makes an excellent reference picture for a tattoo, and vice versa – what traits of a photograph inform you that it could NOT make an excellent tattoo?

In the end it would come all the way down to distinction and emotion.  With a portrait that shall be a facial features and with wildlife that’s more likely to be motion.  And in each cases, the attention degree/contact with the lens can clinch one picture over one other. 

I additionally know that you simply was once knowledgeable graphic designer.  In what methods has that given you a leg up in your tattooing profession?  What’s one actually necessary factor to bear in mind when engaged on one thing digitally to be integrated right into a tattoo?

I used to be a graphic designer for 13 years.  That point spent behind a pc designing promotional materials within the company world has given me a useful data of digital picture manipulation platforms.  Predominantly Photoshop and illustrator.  Each of which have proved to be my daily staple relating to tattoo composition.  Composition itself is such an enormous a part of graphic design that it was solely pure that the expertise on this discipline would translate nicely and profit tattoo design. 

Other than the bodily toll it should take in your physique day after day, what have you ever discovered to be probably the most difficult a part of being a tattoo artist? 

How about probably the most rewarding half?

I feel it’s with the private portraits of just lately misplaced family members and pets.  There’s undoubtedly been some emotional moments with purchasers with the massive reveal.  It must be that or what I touched on within the first query. Taking a photograph out in nature and bringing it proper via to a completed tattoo.

If you happen to may now return to while you first began tattooing and inform your self three necessary belongings you want you knew again then, what would possibly these be?

To not educate your self to tattoo for one.  Like I did.  It’s a for much longer laborious course of than an apprenticeship. It was a method to an finish for me however I might at all times suggest an apprenticeship now.  You’ll develop sooner and with authenticity.

Give your self a break, don’t say sure to all the things simply to please different individuals.  It’s really easy to burn out and it creeps up on you.  You’ll be able to’t please everybody.  Attempting to is the quickest path to failure.  Don’t fear about reserving your self too far forward.  I do know this is usually a little bit of an obsession for safety within the early days however it might rapidly get out of hand and earlier than you understand it you’re working 6 day weeks with no breaks.

What about three belongings you want every of your purchasers/collectors knew, as a way to prevent each the complications?

Strategy enquiring a couple of tattoo as you’d some other skilled service.  DM-ing me with ‘Hey Bro, I wanna get tatted ASAP.  I’m determined bro. Get me in bro.” will simply get your message deleted.  There appears to be a direct correlation between not following directions after which radio silence in case you do reply to that request. Many artists are very busy and it’s disheartening to reply requests to ghosting so that you rapidly develop a sixth sense to time wasters.  It’s not meant to trigger offense to potential purchasers, it’s extra about defending your individual psychological resolve.  There’s solely so many minutes in a day and we now have to make them as productive as attainable.  I take all my enquiries through e mail so there’s a paper path of the dialog.  It undoubtedly avoids confusion.  My recommendation is hold communication to 1 platform.

Take note of the model through which the artist you’re enquiring with, works.  Is what you’re asking for going to go well with their model?  If somebody emails me with a request that’s not suited to me I’ll at all times try to match them up with one other artist higher suited.

All the time state the place of the tattoo, ideally a photograph of the realm and as a lot reference/data as attainable.  Avoid sending an essay with very particular directions of the way it MUST all match collectively. A superb clear concept will suffice.

I might say at instances tattooing has had a profound have an effect on on my psychological well being.  On the subject of emotional pressures and the battle between enterprise and relationships.  I didn’t see both coming on the time.  I do a variety of memorial portraits and one explicit week I took on 3 very current bereavements and a pair of memorial pet portraits all within the house of 5 days.  That really hit me more durable than I anticipated.  I used to be already affected by delicate melancholy on the time and that was undoubtedly a set off.  I now attempt to by no means e-book too many collectively and have breaks in between.  That might be one thing I might advise to anybody.

Its very simple to get burned out while you’re working 6 days per week.  There’s extra demand in your time than you cut price for when you’ve a little bit of a ready listing.  You need to hold everybody joyful, your purchasers and private relationships alike.  It’s a balancing act I undoubtedly bought it flawed at instances.  I’ve introduced my ready listing down now simply so I can see the wooden for the bushes.  I at all times hold per week free each month.  It permits me to have house to maneuver individuals if I must, take time without work or on the very least I do know there’s a fireplace break not too distant.  It additionally permits you to tackle tasks you’d like to do this you would possibly miss out on in case you’re booked stable for a yr.  I at all times advise artists new into the trade to watch out to not over e-book.  It’s all about safety within the early days while you’re constructing a profile for your self.  However that turns into a little bit of a lure fairly rapidly.

I’ve now managed to separate tattooing from house life extra efficiently. I try to hold the two as separate as attainable. For me, that’s necessary.

Tattooing has blown up for the reason that age of social media. In what methods do you count on to see the trade to vary over the course of the following few years? What do you hope to see?

Im actually unsure. I may see extra personal studios cropping up.  Social media has allowed individuals to realize a shopper base with much less reliance for the necessity of publicity gained working in a highstreet outfit that may have been wanted earlier than ‘the Gram’ hit the scene.  A smaller extra intimate house can have a lot decrease overheads.  On the flip facet, the social dynamic in a much bigger studio is extra conducive to creativity I discover.  I prefer to bounce concepts off of different artists after I can.  You develop slower by yourself.  It’s a must to work more durable for inspiration.

So far as what I’d prefer to see?  I’d prefer to see simpler journey choices for artists.  I don’t know the way it could work logistically, close to visas and so forth however a extra official, simpler manner of working overseas could be superior.  To see the trade recognised for the progressive artwork type that it’s.  Acceptance has come a great distance however there’s at all times room for enchancment.

And lastly…I’m at all times interested in these two issues: how would possibly you put together to your typical full day session (I can think about they should be very tiring), and what’s normally going via your thoughts as you’re employed on every tattoo?

As I discussed about maintaining tattooing separate from house life, I normally do most of my design work within the studio.  I ‘attempt’ to get into the studio for 08:30 after dropping my daughter in school and my canine at day care and organize for purchasers to reach for 10:30/11.  That offers 2-2hr:30mins to organize for the day.  I’m large on the shopper expertise.  I need purchasers to go away having had an excellent day even when the tattoo harm like hell!  I feel good leisure is significant for shopper consolation and makes an enormous distinction to how nicely individuals sit.  I’ve solely ever had 4 individuals go out on me and I consider that’s all all the way down to the atmosphere you present the shopper with.  Nervous first time purchasers want time to acclimatise for my part.  I delay being prepared for them in order that they have time to get into a movie and chill out with a scorching drink and snacks.  So far as what’s going via my thoughts?  Nearly all the things! Ha! I’m very methodical as soon as I begin tattooing.  The design course of is the artistic bit for me, the tattooing is the concept execution.  I’m fairly relaxed as soon as I begin.