www.reneeruin.com: August 2011

Wednesday, August 31, 2011

Miss Industry | Jewellery

http://www.missyindustry.com/

Featured Tattoo Artist - Andrew Mcleod

Name: Andrew Mcleod
Age: 45
Location: Melbourne

What attracted you to tattooing?

"Having a fascination with tattoos from a young age, seeing a tattoo on a guy that was done in L.A. when i was 16 that had real clean lines and super bright colours, tattoos from Guy Aitchison, Eddy Deutsche, Marcus Pacheco and the like in the early 90's really opened my eyes to what was possible with tattooing."

How did you get into the industry?

"My first break was meeting Guy Aitchison in 92 and him letting me do a tattoo with his equipment it was a totally nerve racking experience, a year and a bit later i finally got an apprenticeship when a couple of friends put in a good word for me with a tattooer they knew."

Was it hard to find an apprenticeship?

"It was very hard to find an apprenticeship lots of hanging around tattoo shops, i really wanted Trevor Mcstay to apprentice me but he really didn't have the time to put into it, he was however really encouraging and i owe a lot to him."

How many years have you been tattooing?

What inspires you?

"I get a lot of inspiration from the people i work with and most of the guest artists we've had over the years but really its the customers ideas that keep me going, having said that there are definately times when I'm a bit uninspired."

Who are your favourite tattoo artists?

"So many....some of them are Dan Higgs, Bob Roberts, Mike Wilson, Chad Koeplinger, Rico Daruma, Ed Hardy, Steve Byrne, Jakob Morley, John Entwistle, Alf Mingins.....there's heaps more of course."

How would you describe your tattoo style?

"Traditional is what i mostly do but also the odd Japanese piece and i really enjoy doing traditional in black and grey."

What have you learned in your 18 years in the industry?

"I've learned what I'm good at and what I'm not, I've learned how to make a clean solid tattoo and not to try and get too fancy, I've also learned about how to be more efficient with my time, getting the work/life balance thing right and never to judge a book by its cover."

What advice do you have to people considering careers in tattooing?

"You need to get an apprenticeship with someone who knows what they're doing and put in the hard yards, making needles, working on machines, drawing, learning good hygiene habits etc. its not an easy job it can be mentally and physically taxing. Please don't do it because you think it would be "cool" or you are "pretty good" at drawing."

What are some of the best things you have experienced as a result of your career?

"One of the best things would have to be the friendships I've formed, I've met tons of great people over the years and two of my best friends are my business partners Jane Laver and Kate Knowles who are both crucial in where i am today. I'm also proud to have had the opportunity to be part of Chapel Tattoo and see it grow to what it has become today."