Click here to subscribe to our mailing list to receive 10% off your next shop purchase 
A glimpse at the tribes of tomorrow.
In my early years and pre today’s technology, I spent copious amounts of time travelling which exposed me to a lot of ‘dead time’. To fill the hours I would constantly sketch designs using a Bic ballpoint pen in magazines, working on concepts that I thought could work as tattoos.
The more I did the more interesting this idea of drawing on pictures became, I realised that without the restriction and expectation that comes with an actual tattoo I was free to develop my work at will, I was able to have fun where the consequence for error was nil. As a freehand tattooist, this approach allowed me to truly develop an aesthetic to my tattoos that I felt comfortable with.
As the years rolled by and the ease of access to technology increased I continued to work on this method of drawing on pictures. Producing the works digitally allowed me to create a more authentic look to the blackwork tattoo design and it made the whole process more inspiring. It has been the works I have produced in this way over the past decade where the evolution of both design concepts and technical application has culminated in an art exhibition I have curated called “Faces of the Future”.
This project brings together some of the most important and influential tattooers of today who are shaping what is known as the blackwork tattoo. Some of which have been leading the way in this field for as long as I have been alive and a couple have only just started out on their journey but already show great potential to keep the momentum moving forward.
Each artist was tasked with the mission to provide a tattoo design for the model I provided. Without the constraints of a client’s objectives for the tattoo, or the logistics of how it will heal, each was challenged to deliver the most progressive version of their work. I wanted them to draw influence from their vision of the future of tattooing and in turn, continue to shape the landscape both now and for the future.
This series of artwork takes you to the leading edge of blackwork tattooing, by the most renowned and respected in the industry, where you are able to glimpse at a future face of tattooing.
I thought it would be exciting to see what creations could come from others in the industry, so I reached out to a few friends to see if they would be interested in a collaboration in freedom of expression to share and inspire others in the industry. What has been truly great for me is this project has given me the chance to work with people I greatly respect and admire, people pushing their work, influencing tattooing in their own way and allowing me the opportunity to share this with the wider public. The interest that has been generated from sharing these images online has been something I couldn’t have anticipated with several of the large online media outlets featuring the exhibition, including “Tattoo Life” , “TattooDo” and “Skin Deep”, amongst others.
It has also made the pages of several physical magazines including the cover of “Total Tattoo” issue 180.
Each artist was assigned a unique picture to work on and this was chosen to complement their already established aesthetic within tattooing. I wanted a true representation of where they are currently but also where they are heading creatively.
The list of tattooers involved includes some of the most prominent names and will give what I believe to be a comprehensive overview of not only where the blackwork tattoo is currently, but also where it is heading and what the landscape of this genre will look like in the years yet to come. Where the social barriers of what is acceptable for people to look like have been broken down, free to express ourselves as we wish. This is our tomorrow!!!
Thank you for the interest, to learn more you can purchase the Faces of the Future book here.
H
