HUMANS have been have always been drawn to visual art since almost the beginning of time.
And when we see children having fun painting each other’s faces, it can be an indication of the desire to put art on the human body.
Tattoos for tribal people in a traditional setting can also be symbols associated with their beliefs or social status.
Nowadays, urban people mostly tend to use tattoos as a fashion statement.
Other reasons include expressing personality, explaining a personal story, marking memories of life events or associating their symbolic tattoo design with some spiritual meaning.
A tattoo artist, who can also be called a tattooist, is a person who does such body art for others as a business and, in some cases, as a hobby.
A tattoo artist with more than 10 years of experience under his belt is Baxx Jordan.
He noted that there has been a significant increase in people getting tattoos in recent years – both sexes of various ages and occupations.
“Any stigma surrounding this ancient body art has long since faded. The perception of tattoos and tattoos seems to have undergone a significant change. More and more people have started to appreciate tattoos as art or a form of expression.”
Baxx said tattoos were certainly no longer about gangsterism, adding: “Nowadays, it’s not just men who like tattoos because more and more women are getting them too.”
In fact, most art lovers are quite receptive to the idea of wearing tattoos. For some, it’s like wearing a beauty accessory.
Baxx, who co-owns Blackout Tattoo Studio in Kuching, believes many tattoo businesses are doing well because the trend is gaining popularity and many people admit having a tattoo makes them feel good and in the loop.
“It’s like they see tattoos as having the ability to shape their identity in a unique way – a special kind of self-expression.
“And the fact that they want it permanently on their skin shows their commitment to it,” he said.
According to him, elderly customers are more likely to choose a well-thought-out design – something that has more meaning.
“Our work gives people the opportunity to explore different art forms. In addition to tattoos, our artists can do many other types of art and everyone can enjoy the experience of seeing different types of intricate art.
“Among them are ‘back artwork with Borneo designs’ and ‘wood prints’, as well as oriental designs (Japanese and Chinese inspiration), paintings, and woodblocks,” he said.
According to Baxx, Blackout Tattoo Studio is a team of eight tattoo artists.
He and two friends started the Studio in 2017.
Why Blackout?
Baxx replied: “Honestly, it has no special meaning. That word just popped into my head when I thought about the name. It stuck and became part of the Studio’s name.”
He said his studio uses modern methods and machines and tattoos are done quickly, neatly and cleanly.
“But surprisingly, there are customers, especially tourists, who still prefer the traditional hand tapping method.
“So, we introduce tattoo artists with this special skill to them. The traditional method uses a needle attached to a stick and the ink is tapped into the skin.
“Most tourists who want traditional tattoos choose Iban designs. They want to have the tattoo as a souvenir from Sarawak. It makes them feel the tattoo has more meaning than the modern motifs they can get everywhere – even in their own country,” he said.
The quality of the artwork
He also said the quality of the artwork is very important because it can distinguish a good tattoo artist from a sloppy one.
“So, before getting a tattoo, some research is needed. You need to look through the tattoo artist’s portfolio. As with many things, one’s past work speaks volumes.
“The look and feel of the shop can also give you an indication of the type of tattoo artist you will get. A clean and hygienic environment is also a very important criterion,” he stressed.
He added that he likes to do “blackwork tattoos” — a type of body art that uses only thick black ink to draw neo-tribal patterns and other geometric shapes.
“This type of tattoo uses only true black – no shading, no blending. I also love woodblock printing, the oldest technique used in fine art printmaking.
“An artist carves an image onto the surface of a block of wood, leaving the print side flat with the surface while removing the non-printed part.
“How long it takes to complete the work depends on the type of design.”
According to Baxx, there are many ways to make prints. For him, it’s placing a carved block of wood on a flat surface and then inking all over it.
After that, the fabric or paper to be printed on will be placed on a wooden block.
High pressure is required — either by stepping on it or pressing it hard until the image is completely transferred to the fabric.
Baxx said among the different categories of tattoos are Black-Grey tattoos, traditional Borneo tattoos, Chinese calligraphy tattoos, new school tattoos, old school tattoos and portraits.
Everyone will have their own reasons for choosing a certain type of tattoo.
“Our job is to do what our clients ask and not be nosy unless our advice is asked,” he added.
