MURKADO

When and how did you decide to become a tattoo artist?

• I decided to learn how to tattoo following the lockdown since I was newly unemployed, and had no real prospects in my degree that suited me. The long story is that I’ve always had a back-of-mind interest in tattooing, especially since back in junior high a teacher of mine suggested that I do it. That lead me to draw my own tattoo designs later on, which I am very glad I never followed through on.

How long have you been tattooing for?

• I’ve been tattooing since July 2020. I practised consistently on fake skin and myself until my first tattoo on someone else in August. The pacing was quite quick, but with no work, no school, and nothing but time, I was really able to dive in, ask artists questions, get help on how to keep my space sterile, and absorb a lot of tattoo content.

How did you develop your style of tattooing?

• I’m still in the process of developing my style, mostly focusing on simple and traditional style art with smooth line work. As I get better, I want to move into slightly more realistic illustrative work. I currently take inspiration from classical etchings and old illustrations from children’s books when it comes to further developing my style.

Do you have any mentors that you’ve been learning from?

• Neighbourhood Nick has been my earliest mentor. Because of his support, I felt good about starting to tattoo. As I learn more, I know I can ask him about nitty gritty details to improve what I do.

What is your working process like when someone pitches you an idea for a tattoo? How do you go about creating the final design?

• I feel my process is pretty standard. If someone doesn’t pick up a flash piece, they show me an idea and I usually tailor the design to them, so that it can come out as unique as possible.

Have you ever refused a design idea from someone or vice versa? Are there any types of tattoos that you would refuse to do?

• I’ve never had to refuse any tattoos outright, but I’m very reluctant to do any overtly religious/culturally sensitive tattoos because there are a lot of factors to consider to ensure it’s tasteful. I would really rather not be sent work from another artist too. Since I’m working my way up to consider myself a tattoo artist, it’s harder to claim that when you copy other people’s work.

What are some types of designs that you enjoy doing or would like to try doing more of in the future?

• I want to do anything semi realistic. I feel like it poses a challenge to me that I really want to tackle.

Are there any tattoo artists out there that inspire you?

• @subdidink is one that immediately comes to mind because we started tattooing around the same time and his growth has been astronomical.

• Artists like Jason Ramos (@jasonramosandson) inspire me because they’re able to create a crazy amount of depth and detail in their realism without grey washing and instead can use stippling throughout to create different values.

• I have a love for traditional and classic prison tattoos as well, which I was first introduced to through Sailor Jerry and Horiyoshi III’s work before looking for other pioneers in American and Japanese styles to get a proper background.

• @neighbourhood_nick for the sick fine line work, @politeslut has the most perfect lines I have ever seen. A few other dope artists to mention: @jalapenospring,@ jills_nipples, @alvarogroznyy, @dirtedustin, and @slowerblack. I’m still figuring out my style so I’m sure there will be more where that came from.

What motivated you to get tattooed in the first place?

• My reason for getting tattooed is probably pretty similar to most. While I didn’t really have family members that were tattooed, I was really drawn to people with body art in media. I always knew I wanted to endow myself with all kinds of art and small mods, but I had to hold off for a while since my family was much more conservative when I was younger. My love for art and drawing as a kid played a big roll as well. It wasn’t until I started to run in circles with people who had very visible tats that the itch became unbearable. By the time I was getting more, it was to learn more about the process so I could start doing it myself.

Do you remember what your first tattoo was?

• I got my first tattoo in 2019 at 23 years old in Vancouver at Gastown Tattoo Parlour, which was done by Boone. I remember it well because it was my first summer without any classes since I started university. Admittedly, I feel like I wasted Boone’s talents a little bit since all I asked for was traditional style script that read “Bounce Back” along the side of my Achilles heel. But I wanted something small, non-offensive, and slightly meaningful to start. It was a cheeky double entendre for when I tore my achilles and literally could not jump for a year, so when it fully healed, I didn’t just bounce back, I also got my “bounce back”.

• In hindsight though, I definitely should have filled the hour with one or two more small pieces so that the $200 dollar minimum would have been used a bit more efficiently, but I had no “ragrets” at the time.

How many tattoos do you currently have?

• At the time of me writing this, I currently have about 30 small pieces mostly scattered around my legs and torso, a good handful of which are done by myself.

How do you decide on what type of tattoo design(s) to get prior to booking an appointment?

• At first, it was a lot of me designing the tattoo since I could draw them out. But picking the right artist is always number one. Picking an artist with a style you’re into will always go well, because even if they make changes, chances are you’ll be into it.

What do you like about the particular style(s) of tattoos that you've chosen to get done?

• I gravitated to more bold traditional inspired pieces because they tend to pop out more on darker skin. But I can’t say every tattoo needs to be legible from across the street, so I’d be into getting more abstract and fine line work done in the future.

Do any of your tattoos hold any personal meaning to you that you’d like to share?

• I tattooed “NYM” on my thigh as a tribute to my Mum, who used to always say “I’m not your mate”. It’s how a Nigerian might say that they’re not your equal, and it’s what I would usually hear when I talked back to her or did anything disrespectful. Technically it was a loaded phrase for me, but I find it pretty sentimental now.

• I also have olde English script which reads “bandit” (done by @politeslut) just below my chest, as a tribute to an alley cat that a partner (at the time) and I time took in. One day he stopped coming around after bonding for a whole summer. Not sure what happened to him, but after he got over being aggressive and “bite-y”, he was a cuddliest friend I ever had.

  
  

What were some of the most painful spots to get tattooed for you?

• Sternum, ribs, and (on one occasion) my thighs. The thighs were a killer only because they were pretty big pieces with VERY bold lines, and the artist was known to have a bit of a heavy hand, so my legs felt shredded by the end. But I’ll rest easy knowing that those ones will last without a doubt.

Has having tattoos had any impact in your personal life?

• Having tattoos has had little to no effect in my day-to-day, since all my tattoos are in easy to cover areas, but particular family members do not know I have any, or that I tattoo. After I graduate, that will most likely change, but I don’t want any family freaking out before then.

Do you have any favourite tattoos?

• Some favourites are my good luck dice below my belly button done by @neighbourhood_nick, the snake on my chest and traditional cuff around my left ankle (both done by @dirtedustin), the “bandit” script, and the Benin bronzes depicting the king and queen mother on my thighs done by @spencerevanstattoos.

Who are some of the artists that you've been tattooed by?

• I have pieces from @boonenaka, @neighbourhood_nick, @politeslut, @spencerevanstattoos, @durtedustin, @painbutmakeitart, and @100mphvomit (Marshall NoShoes).

What artist(s) would you like to get tattooed by in the future?

• I definitely want to get pieces from @jalapenospring because I connect heavily with her style and how it strikes that perfect balance between dark and beautiful. If I somehow make it to Sweden, I’d love to save up for a big piece by @alvarogroznyy just for the beautiful flow and smoothness of his work. And @jills_nipples if at possible because their chrome work is truly unmatched.