Exclusive interview with Denis Decaroli by Iva Kanceska 6/08/2009  


Q: When did you start tattooing? Can you tell me about your first experience with tattoos?
A: My first tattoo machine I bought was in 1997, on a tattoo convention in Italy, but in that time it was just for fun, in my spare time and i also had another job. From 2004 I started tattooing professionally . My first experience with tattoos, was when I was 15. I was tattooing myself under the foot. That was a small heart, done with hand, single needle and pen ink..

Q: Which designs are your biggest challenge to tattoo?
A: Portraits, are the most complicate for me, I need put all my energy on them.

Q: What is your biggest inspiration?
A: My biggest inspiration is INTERNET..ha...ha...ha... I'm not very good on drawings, so I need to take a reference from internet or some books. I also don't have a favorite style, I try to do anything, so I need to look many different references to get my inspiration.

Q: What is the most difficult in making a color portrait tattoo?
A: The difficult in color portraits is to arrive very close to the real colors of the pic u should reproduce, also some portraits or realistic tattoos have a lot of details, so you need patience and time.

Q: What do you think is the best way to learn how to tattoo?
A: Going on tattoo conventions, look some good artists works. Right now in this era of internet you have a many tattoo forums to understand some skills, also drawing can help a lot, but I think to become a good tattoo artist you need to be born for this, and need passion for tattoos, not just to see this as a good business.

        

Q: What equipment do you use and which one do you prefer?
A: I use many different kind of equipment and I made machines. I use Rotary and Neuma machines. It depends of which style of tattoos you want to do, but for me one of the best tattoo machines is "Next Generation". Also I use many many different kind of inks. I think the best are Enternal, Intenze and some of Milenium's collection are cool.

Q: Tell me more about the tattoo machines powered by air.
A: Those are the air machines -NEUMA, provided by Carson Hill -an amazing artist. Is little bit different from the normal machines. The skin is more soft and is different feeling when the needles touch the skin. Is a very great invention, very light and is possible for sterilization because they don't have the electrical part. Is something different, and I recommended to all tattoo artists! The only problem is the air compressor, because is heavy and complicate for travel, but its good in shop. The new NEUMA machines are accomplished to connect to a normal power supply, so don't need anymore air compressor.



Q: Some say there was a “Tattoo Renaissance” around the 1990s. They say there were a lot more people getting into the industry with fine art degrees, there was the birth of the Internet, there were conventions, more magazines started coming out for the public, instead of just trade magazines. How do you feel about that?
A: Yes is true, but I think the real RENAISSANCE OF TATTOOS is more after year 2000, start arrive many young tattoo artists with high level of their work. Now is more easy to done tattoos, because you have many good supply to choose, the best machines, the best ink, the best needles. You can order from the internet and arrive direct to your home. 10 years ago that was impossible, the problem now is the level of tattoos, VERY HIGH, so it become more difficult for the competition.

Q: What about the tattoos you’re currently wearing? Where they come from, what's their significant etc?
A: I have tattoos done from all over the world, most I done in Italy, the other I made in Cuba, Brazil, Mehico, Germany, Taiwan, Thailand, and now ill stay to finish my back piece in China, from FU HAILIN who is amazing tattoo artist and good friend of mine.

Q: If you could tattoo anyone in the world, alive or dead, who would it be?
A: Something that I really want to do from many years is a JAPANESE ROBOT, like GUNDAM or GRENDIZER, with Japanese classic background, for me it looks very cool. Maybe one day I find the customer for this...

Q: Where do you see your art and creativity going in the future? Will you be tattooing in the next five years? Ten years?
A: I hope that I'll work in some quality tattoo shop, where the customers understand the quality of tattoos and ask for them.

Q: What can we expect from you in the future?
A: I hope in the future that my level of tattoos will become more and more high, and maybe I'll open my own tattoo shop in some cool place.