Tattoo Services at SkinArtJ Tattoos in Edmonton
Hi, thanks for tuning in! This is the SkinArtJ YouTube channel. My name is Alana, and I’m here with SkinArtJ herself, J. I’m going to start with a quote today about art:
“Don’t think about making art; just get it done. Let everyone else decide if it’s good or bad, whether they love it or hate it. And while they’re deciding, make even more art.” — Andy Warhol
What do you think about that, J? Is there a little grain of truth to it?
“Oh, 100%! I’m very much a fan of Andy Warhol, and I really agree with that. It’s someone’s opinion towards your artwork; someone can love it, and someone can hate it. At the end of the day, that is their opinion, and they can like what they like.”
“Excellent!” I respond. “I also have another statistic here: while many people think that tattoos are declining in popularity, studies have shown that tattoos are actually increasing in popularity—up 21% since 2019 and still growing. One reason tattoos are still so popular is that they are becoming more accepted in today’s society. Is that something you’ve experienced? Do you think tattoos are becoming more popular?”
The Growing Popularity of Tattoos
“I would agree,” J responds. “In general, you see that in the tattoo studios; there’s a huge demand for it. So there’s a lot more studios that have opened in the city, in the world—just in general, it’s a lot more socially acceptable. People are becoming a lot more creative with how they’re expressing that artwork, and you’re seeing now people literally creating, essentially, like paintings on someone. So I would say it’s definitely blown up a lot.”
J’s Tattoo Journey
“So, how long have you been tattooing yourself?” I ask.
J replies, “So, I started when I was 19. I usually ballpark it around six or seven years, kind of thing. Don’t quote me on exact years—I don’t pay too much attention; I just keep moving forward. But I’ve been doing that and pursuing it since then. I haven’t stopped, and I’m 31 now, so I’m on the gravy tree.”
“Excellent, excellent!” I add.
Tattoo Styles and Specialties
“What tattoo style do you do best, or what’s your favorite?” I ask.
J responds, “I do tend to focus my interest or my artwork towards neotraditional, illustrative, some fine line, and geometric. Those are the ones that are really standing out to me right now with what I’m pushing.”
“For people who aren’t familiar with the term neotraditional, can you explain what that is?” I inquire.
“Neotraditional is a mixture of different lines. It derives a lot from traditional, but it has different hues to it, right? You’re seeing more complexity; the subject matter is a lot more diverse, and you’re seeing styles that are blowing up within this. It can get a little more realistic or maybe a little more cartoony but still is encapsulated with neotraditional—so it’s a mixture of seeing traditional and just seeing it stretch.”
“Excellent!” I reply.
Current Projects and Interests
“So, J, can you tell me about some of the other things you do?” I ask.
She replies, “Some of the things that I’m pushing or exploring at the moment are going to tattoo conventions, getting into that, and really enjoying it. I’m getting to see a lot more different styles. I’ve been working a lot on my flash pieces, so I’m really a homebody with that and just focused on creating artwork. In general, I’m also looking to create a lot more branding of merch, so pushing more into bookmarks and stickers. Down the road, I’m thinking about going into a little bit of sweaters and shirts.”
“Excellent! That’s very exciting,” I respond.
Equipment and Technology in Tattooing
“What kind of equipment or technology do you use at your tattoo shop?” I ask.
J answers, “Right now, I’m using the Axis. It’s a machine that I’ve had for a few years now. It’s been really good for what I want to see with my work, and getting the versatility of switching my stroke lengths and being able to have one machine that does it all instead of having multiple setups. I like simplicity; I like things to be very organized, so it does help me in that regard. It’s very nice for the versatility of the cartridges I use, which can vary from Quadron to the Deadly Norse tattoo supply stuff to Helios—trying different brand names.”
“Excellent! Is there a lot of different technology that’s emerging for tattoo artists right now?”
“Oh, it’s blowing up! There are machines non-stop being made that are pushing the quality of the machine itself and keeping it very accurate to how it needs to hit for the skin, to have the least amount of trauma. Also, in general, creating something more compact and a little more convenient for the artist. There’s a lot of branching for it. I’m finding even with that, there’s still even great material out there which stays more loyal, as commonly said, ‘Stay loyal to the coil.’ Love coils—the same stance for the convenience of what I look for; I just prefer the pens next.”
“Excellent!” I add.
Art Process and Digital Technology
“And what about art—are you drawing on pieces of paper? What’s your art process? Is that also based in technology?” I ask.
“I have switched over to technology just for, once again, my benefits and my own anxieties. I switched over to the iPad; I use Procreate. I find it super helpful for what I need to stay organized and help my brain wrap around things. It allows the layers, which is the same concept that I was using with something that, as I was told, is called onion skin, which is essentially see-through transfer paper to draw on top of. I used to carry tubes;
I used to carry tons of books, and I just found myself very unorganized with it and messy. So this has allowed me to advance in a way that I’m able to keep everything organized and clean, which helps my mental health.”
“Is taking your art somewhere to work on something you do, and therefore it’s more transportable? Or do you like to stay at home and create your art?”
“I do enjoy taking it with me to other places because I’ll get the urge to draw randomly in other places. It doesn’t matter if I’m necessarily out—I do like going to coffee shops and drawing at points or sitting in a restaurant and just drawing. It is extremely handy for that.”
“Excellent! And I know that you have an urge to travel. When you’re traveling, I’m sure it’s nice to have everything in one location and not have to take a bunch of pens and tubes and papers.”
“Exactly!” J replies.
“Excellent!” I respond. “Well, I’d love to see some of that art someday.”
Ideal Clients and Professional Growth
“So, J, can you tell me who your ideal client is?” I ask.
“My ideal client is someone who’s respectful, consistent, on time, willing to engage, able to speak up about any changes they want to see on the artwork, and just being open to the process.”
“Excellent! Do you like first-time tattoo clients or people that have had dozens of tattoos already?”
“Honestly, both are great. It’s wonderful seeing people that have other tattoos because they know what they’re getting into; they know what to expect for their pain tolerance, so that part is great to work with. But in the same stance, it can still be equally rewarding and humbling to be someone’s first tattoo.”
“Excellent! I love that.”
Goals and Future Vision
“What’s one thing you try to be better at every day?” I ask.
“One thing I’d say is to be better at my mental processing, so just in general, the thoughts that I’m entertaining. The repellent of my artwork and creating things and being able to express.”
“Excellent! I love it.”
Biggest Goal Right Now
“What is the biggest goal that you have for your tattooing right now?”
“The biggest goal I have for my tattooing is just building a really nice, solid foundation with some clients and being able to do a little bit of guest work.”
“Excellent!”
Connect with Skin Art J
“If anyone out there is interested in learning more about Skin Art J, or looking at her gallery, or booking a consultation, you can visit her website at www.skinjtattoos.com or her Instagram channel @skinartj.”
“And yeah, I think that’s everything that we have today! Thanks so much for joining me.”
“Thanks for having me,” J responds.