January 2026
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Excerpts from exclusive interviews in our premier issue available 01.01.2026.
TAM is concentrated on Niche & Sub Niche Topics, you won`t be disappointed!
Nick Caruso – USA
Of all the tattooists that you’ve met and befriended during your career, which one left the most lasting impression on you and why?
That’s another question that I can’t really answer. There isn’t one single person who has left a lasting impression on me. I try to learn what I can from every tattooer I meet, I try to keep an open mind. Even if I am learning what not to do. People who have left a lasting impression on me, well that’s a small group. Eric Perfect, Elio España, Steven Huie, Mike Maney, Mark Harada. Those guys helped me out, and continue to help me out, since my career was in its infancy. They actually sat me down and would give me good advice, really give feedback on my work and my habits. I appreciate real constructive criticism. Instead of someone saying “yeah, that looks great,” I’d rather have someone say,“that looks okay, but this would make it better, and this is why.” Really explain it to me in an honest and direct way.
That small group you mentioned are all top notch tattooers, Eric Perfect, Elio España, Steven Huie, Mike Maney, Mark Harada, I know each one and you could not have surrounded yourself with better people.
Which habits, pieces of advice, constructive criticism did you value the most?
The best thing I could hear from someone is not only that something looks messed up and wrong, but why is it wrong, and how can I fix that. That could be anything from making needles, color choices in a tattoo, or the drawing itself. Coming over and saying “oh that looks cool” is not doing the tattooer any favors. I always try to be as honest as possible with my coworkers and peers, and I know a lot of people dislike me for that quality, but I never saw the point in lying to save someone’s feelings. You’re not doing that person any service.
Jihwan Ryu – Korea
Of all the tattooists that you’ve met and befriended during your career, which one left the most lasting impression on you and why?
There are so many of them. But I would say there are two people. first one is Roberto a.k.a ERROR. I met him around 2017 at seoul and Barcelona during my band Europe tour, he showed me his studio, He gave me a tour of his private studio, and I was overwhelmed with energy. Among the mysterious books, machines and sketch papers, I was excited and thought to be the beginning of my new adventure as a tattoo kid. He tattoos the natural and invisible worlds in his own way, and I felt friendly because I thought it resembled the way I saw in my childhood. He gave me some advice, and I’m still trying to put them into practice. Even now, we are very close friends, and we have a lot of deep conversations. In my mind, he feels like the second mentor.
The second is FERGUS SIMMS Melbourne’s Traditional Tattooist. I often visited a tattoo parlor called melbourne tattoo parlor, which was a veteran tattooist who worked there for a long time. (He now lives in New York) We talked a lot about jokes and funny things. In those conversations, I could feel his seriousness about traditional tattooing. He is someone who has actually improved his profession a lot as a profession. That’s what I wanted to learn. I learned a lot from his tattoo mindset.
A lot of tattooists’ styles, including myself today, were inspired by someone after all. It takes a lot of humility to say it as my style.
(It’s like a band. You have to know a lot of musicians back in order to do music.) He was cautious about traditional history. And I was able to realize the objective position myself. And I thought deeply about the direction to move forward between his art collection and station and it helped me a lot.
Bob Nelson – USA
Of all the tattooists that you’ve met and befriended during your career, which one left the most lasting impression on you and why?
There are so many great people in tattooing that have inspired me and helped me along the way. However, of all the tattooers that I’ve met, Chris Garver has left the most lasting impression of course.. as a mentor and friend.. no one has shown more patience and shared more trade secrets than him. It would be fucked up to say that anyone other than the one who sacrificed their time and energy to teach them wasn’t the most important. I must also give credit to all the other artists that work, and have worked at Five Points because as someone once said “It takes a village….”
Oak Adams – USA
Solid lines and shading are the foundation of a good tattoo, besides placement what do you do to make sure your work ages well?
Going as big as possible to fit the area is a big one, especially in the style I do. Trying to pack too much shading or details in an area that’s not big enough is going to get muddy.
Separating blacks to lights. I read a book by Ansel Adams years ago and he talked about the perfect picture. A picture that can be read and understood in a split second. It takes only a second for the viewer to like it or not. If it’s not readable quickly you’re less likely to move on. It was the 40/40/20 rule he mentioned to capture the audience. In any variation. 40% black, 40% mids and 20% white (or skin). Or mix it up to 40% black 20%mids 40% open, etc. Really got me thinking, if it’s quickly readable then it has a better chance of being readable over the years too.
I started tattooing with my buddy Walt Watts years ago and he taught me to squint at your tattoo to see the shapes and contrast as a shape. Then I realized that’s what it will look like in years too. So, keeping it as readable, simple and contrasted as possible is going to make it last. Keeping enough space between flow and the main object to keep it readable quickly.
Avoiding tangents as well. Especially in tattooing. With the aging/spreading of the ink in skin, tangents are going to start blending together quicker.
Ross Nagle – IRL
Yea, talk about being in the magical kingdom of a legend, better than Disneyland! A lot of legendary rock stars and movie actors/actresses were tattooed by Bob there. Anyone in particular of who you thought of then?
Spotlight Tattoo, to me is the holy grail (in my view) in what a straight up no bullshit tattoo shop is. It is probably the opposite of what new guys and girls look to build these days but I feel that is what a tattoo shop is. Bob and Charlie truly built something there that cannot be replicated. When I worked there I felt I had reached the pinnacle of tattooing in a way. I was more blown away getting to work with bob and all the guys at the shop more than the list of famous people that got tattooed there over the years. But one day I was smoking a cigarette with Baby Ray outside the shop leaning up against the fence when I realized it was the exact spot Eminem was posing for those iconic photos in late 90s after he got tattooed by Mister Cartoon. That was around the time I started tattooing when those photos were taken. I don’t get impressed by celebrity stuff but that was wild thinking of the timelines etc. But Spotlight is the truth. Bob was a true king! I feel very lucky to have experienced that and spend time with Bob. Charlie Roberts is a dear friend of mine. He used to come guest a lot. He was actually with us when my daughter passed away.
Teddy Ferrer – USA
The new generation of tattoo artists are not doing apprenticeships today, do you think learning from online courses, tattoo schools or from YouTube videos can be a replacement for a real apprenticeship?
Tattoo schools are a new thing, they weren’t around in my generation. Back then, the only real way to learn was through classic training, working directly under a master. An apprenticeship has always been the more respected way of learning because nothing replaces that time spent side by side with someone who can teach you the intricacies of the craft; the technique, the discipline, the respect for the art.
You learn things that can’t be taught in a classroom or through a screen, like how to build a machine, how to read the skin, how to move while you work. Those lessons come from years of hands-on experience and mentorship. The traditional apprenticeship might be tougher and take longer, but it’s what builds real artists. You just can’t get that level of understanding from YouTube or a quick course.
OT – Tokyo, Japan
Many new generation tattoo artists don`t take into consideration how a tattoo ages. Besides strong lining, how important is shading for you?
When thinking about how a tattoo will look 10 years from now, I believe that packing flat gray—like in traditional Japanese tattoos—is probably the most reliable approach. Subtle gradations tend to blur and fade over time. That said, my style involves quite a bit of contrast and soft shading, because how it looks right after completion also matters to me. So I try to create a clear contrast between dark and light areas, always keeping the long-term appearance in mind. And of course, shading is essential when it comes to expressing my own style.
Todo Brennan – USA
You love Neo-realism tattoo designs, Why is that when there are so many other styles of tattooing?
Neo-Realism for me is the most challenging and looks amazing when done right.
Realism in itself can be challenging, and a lot of people get it wrong, what do you think is an important element in Neo-Realism?
To me Neo-Realism has structure to support longevity where hyper realism tends to lose support and falls apart over time. I do like to see line support or dark backgrounds to help push the natural colors in realism.
Dave & Joe Mowers – USA
Trial and error period.
DM – Yeah, so we were just talking to Pete about it and he says “What are you doing that for? Why don’t you just use-” And he tells us what he used. I don’t even know if he did it intentionally, (saying) what it was because things were still secretive back then to a degree. It was just like this glowing light appeared. Like, holy crap, why don’t I just use that? And then everything like night and day it changed, you know, because of that. So it was just getting to know people and everything. Especially with Rob and him knowing other people better (it) opened up certain doors and avenues for me. Even with red, I had a couple of reds I would use and it would kind of heal orangy on people. Or they might heal kind of too dark or whatever. And through that too, I found out what would work better, whatever everybody else, you know, the few people out there, what they were using. We started using that. Rob was just a very positive influence on me.
Nico Cennamo – Switzerland
Eus is a master tattoo artist, I remember he drew some fantastic Celtic flash sheets in the 80`s and 90`s, real money makers. Eus is a really good machine builder as well, you were very fortunate to establish a connection with him.
If Eus is reading this what would you like to say to him 30+ years later?
Yes, he mostly did Celtic and tribal flash and tattoos in those days. He also was beautifully tattooed in the Celtic style by Ronald Bonkerk, from Zaandam, Netherlands.
I would like to thank Eus immensely for believing in me and passing on all the important knowledge he was willing to share, about machines, needles, techniques, and life experience also.
He and his wife, Anita, always treated me like family. I used to work in his shop and sleep in a room in the back of it. Full immersion. He gave me access to his library, so at night after tattooing I would read and study and draw from as much reference as possible. Great memories. Very fortunate and thankful to have met Tattoo Eus!!
