Junior Artist
Styles:
- Black and grey realism
- Nordic inspired wood carving
- Etching
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Interview with Luke Dickinson Tattoo Apprentice
What was your first tattoo?
So my first tattoo was a big colour piece on my ribs, ribs suck! The artist quite rightfully tried to talk me out of it but I let my ego get in the way.
What inspired you to get into tattooing? I’ve always been drawn to the dark and curious side of things, the things that were out of the norm. That led me to watching tv shows like miami ink and listening to heavy metal and seeing my idols covered in tattoos, I fell in love with the art form from there.
Now you have transitioned from an apprentice to a full blown practising tattooer, looking back, what are the biggest lessons you have learnt?
Leave your ego at the door, but stay confident enough that you’ll put some amazing art on people.
With this, what are the top 3 snippets of advice you would give to aspiring tattooers and other people currently undergoing an apprenticeship?
Christ I could give you a hell of a lot more than three!
1.Get the sketchbook out and draw, whenever and how ever you can, I’ll sit on the hospital ward I work on drawing spheres to shade them in different ways and practise different techniques or shapes, the amount of finger waves, shaded spheres and random words I’ve drawn in an a6 sketch books is insane.
2. Listen to the people teaching you, to everything they say and watch everything they do, because even when your thinking you’ll remember them, they might not make sense in that moment but when you put them into practice without thinking…it’ll click.
3. Good communication, I think this transcends an apprenticeship, asking questions doesn’t matter if you ask 4 or 5 times or if the question makes people chuckle, your mentor should prefer you to ask than get something wrong.
What has it been like learning and working with Mark Weatherhead as you mentor?
I’ve learnt a hell of a lot from Mark, I don’t come from an academic art background so until my apprenticeship i was pretty much self taught, and since joining the One for Sorrow team my exposure to the world of art has exploded. He’s also showed me some pretty good bands and his film recommendations aren’t too bad sometimes.
What does OFS mean to you?
OFS means great art, in an awesome environment with amazing clients, with artists that care. It’s about welcoming the darker side of things. It’s opening yourself up to the curious and being accepted for who you are no matter what.
Art is the people!
Outside the studio, you also work as a mental health worker, does your experience with this area help or influence you in anyway not only as a person but also in the tattooing side of your life?
It’s definitely helped me understand more about people and myself. It’s probably made me more understanding to what people are going through. It’s definitely influenced my art and help me accept who I am. Big part of it has been like how people perceive different arts and the psychology behind why people get tattooed and And their experience of the tattoo process and the effect the tattoo has on them afterwards.
Whats been your favourite tattoo related experience so far?
Tattooing, my first tattoo was one hell of an experience.It was on a really good friend of mine.She put full trust in me.Talked about the design for a little while.I was nervous going into it if I was more nervous for the half an hour before she arrived. But it just felt natural doing it was black was doing the right thing.
… your worst?!
So I was a fresh face to 18-year-old who thought getting my ribs tattooed with a big colour piece for my first one would be a good idea. After a couple of hours in the chair, I quickly learned it was not! The tattoo artist was great.He tried to advise me not to because it will hurt a lot of my first tattoo, so I’m going to put down my own ignorance and stupidity price for that.
Whats your favourite style or styles of tattooing?
I am really enjoying a black work/woodcarving style stuff. I am just kind of finding my feet in the industry. So I’m gonna try everything and I really wanna push myself I’m not put myself in a box too early if you know what I mean?
Who or what are your main artistic inspirations?
Artists like Paul booth, Beksinski, Gustav Dore, that list is always growing though.
3 things you love?
- My dog Lemmy.
- Mountaineering and sleeping outdoors, especially listening to the rain on my tent.
- A really good burger
3 things you cant stand?
- When people are rude and not understanding for no reason.
- When people say harry potter is better than lord of the rings.
- When people cook a steak , anything more than medium.
How did you first hear about the studio?
I was following Mark know social media for a while when I was doing some research for a piece I wanted, decided to book consultation and that was May 2021.
Do you remember your first impressions of the studio?
I was blown away by how it looked inside, the mix of curiosities and artistry has always impressed me, there’s not a day when I don’t enjoy being there.
Has there been any memorable moments you can think of while you’ve been in the studio?
Too many to count and not enough space in these interview questions for all of them. Ones that come to mind have to be getting given my first machine, the first tattoo I’ve done. Or when I was getting my chest tattooed before my apprenticeship and counting the light fixtures to get me though the last hour of a day session.
Anything else you would like to add?
Art is the people…. ask me what I mean when you see me in the studio.