MURKADO

What motivated you to get tattooed in the first place?

• I don’t think I can pinpoint one specific influence that motivated me to get tattooed. Lots of my artistic idols when I was a kid were heavily tattooed.

• My dad also has a weathered Canadian flag tattoo on his arm. That was probably my first exposure to a tattoo

Do you remember what your first tattoo was?

• I got my first tattoo when I was 19. It’s the sine wavelength on my wrist.

• I used to be fascinated with eastern philosophy and psychedelics. A wavelength felt like a great way to represent the cyclic change I was reading about and experiencing in my life. I had the design planned out for a year or so.

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

• My ideas for custom tattoos come from lots of places: cultural symbols, cheesy old proverbs, bullshitting with my friends, etc.

• I’ve also gotten a few tattoos simply because I think they look badass.

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

• American traditional resonates with me more than lots of other styles and I love how it looks.

• That being said, I have lots of different styles of tattoos and am still finding new appreciation for the tattoo traditions of other cultures.

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

• I used to live with one of my best friends. We named our house Taj Mahal and got matching “taj” stick & pokes before he moved out. That tattoo reminds me of those times and makes me feel closer to him.

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

• I think my elbow and spine were the spiciest.

While getting a tattoo done, how do you prefer to pass the time?

• I find that it depends on the situation and my state of mind.

• I once got a tattoo from Cody Dewald while watching the classic film “Cool Runnings”. Besides being hella hungover that was a great tattoo session.

Has having tattoos had any impact in your personal life?

• Yeah, most of my family isn’t a fan of my tattoos. They’re old school Hindu and often tell me that I’m ruining my body hahaha. I used to keep them concealed at family gatherings but I’m slowly caring less and less.

Do you have any favourite tattoos?

•  My current favourites are the sun on my back (by Yoel Rich @skeleton_jelly) and the dragon on my foot (by Tyler Baillie).