Hello Krish Trece! Thank you so much for taking the time to do this interview. Please start by telling something about yourself and your beginnings. How old you were when you first got interested in tattoo art? I was born in Girona, Spain also known for being Salvador Dali's birthplace, so I grew up surrounded by imagery of his surreal worlds where the boundaries of creativity are nonexistent. He truly inspired me to pursue in the field of arts, a place of comfort for me. My favorite thing to do as a kid (and now) was to visit art and history museums. I have always been mesmerized by oil paintings, graffiti, sculptures and all the classic culture in general. I would say my interest in the tattoo field started when I was 18, when I got my first tattoo. This opened my eyes to a whole different world, I was instantly captivated with the creativity, culture and technique and I still am to this day.

Q: Was it hard to learn the basics? Did anyone help you?
A: Yes, it was a very hard process. I come from studying arts so I did have a foundation, but keep in mind there were very little options out there back in the day. I basically was self taught and assisted seminars and many illustration and color courses until I found a studio that welcomed me, and provided me with a safe space to continue growing and learning in this field. This said, it's a daily process to get to the level of mastering this art form.

Q: How important is talent?
A: Dedication and passion are in my opinion, the best way to grow as an artist. To invest your time learning and doing something you love. I believe is essential for us to obtain the best results because this makes you want to establish more time practicing and learning new techniques. The end result is to continuously grow as an artist. I believe these aspects will reflect in your artwork and profession in a positive way. Curiosity opens your eyes to endless knowledge and creativity. As tattoo artists, we are asked to continuously develop and create unique pieces on a daily basis, this is why I believe all this is essential for us to provide our clients with our best work and skills possible.

Q: How long took you to gain confidence?
A: You are in constant evolution and growth, but I can say that every time I tattoo, I gain more confidence in my work and in myself.

Q: Is neo traditional style your specialty?
A: Yes, I'm passionate about the neo traditional style and I consider it to be the style I work with. I have dedicated years to acquire the knowledge, skills and techniques it takes to work this form. This has lead me to discover my own style within. My creative curiosity has taken me through a path where I have approached a more classic predominant style, combined with a nature inspired earthy toned color scheme. More than ever, I now feel I have found my style inside the neo traditional methodology, but this doesn't mean I have stopped here, I still have so much to learn!

Q: What are some of the most difficult/time consuming parts to work on while doing a neo traditional tattoo?
A: Every tattoo style has its difficult parts to master. I would say the hardest aspect of the neo traditional style is the amount of time you have to dedicate towards it's process. There is a lot of research and design required in aspects like: composition, perspective, drawing techniques, color and visual detail. All these steps are crucial towards the outcome of a proper neo traditional tattoo. You have to create a unique piece entirely out of an idea and this takes a lot of time.

Q: Do you feel like you have more creative freedom doing this style?
A: Absolutely. You are essentially creating a piece based out of an idea or image and making it your own. Your perception and creative insight is valued in this style, so there is definitely creative freedom.

Q: Would you try different tattoo styles in the feature?
A: The neo traditional style is my absolute passion. It is a style with so many layers and branches, I literally feel I will never stop learning and have so many aspects to master and sub styles to discover. This said, I admire many other styles and believe it's very important to learn from all these fascinating talented artists. It's truly amazing to see what is being accomplished by so many professional and brilliant artists nowadays.

Q: Do you like digital art?
A: There is nothing like a piece of paper and a pencil. I have so much respect for the artistic techniques and materials but there is a huge advantage in using digital mediums to create your designs. The process is so much less time consuming! I think every artist goes through this particular challenge. We are here to create unique designs for our clients nearly on daily basis, and it's not the easiest thing to do. This gives you a quicker way to try out compositions, try color combinations, save, delete or combine sections, the possibilities are endless. Another advantage is that you can organize your work all in one place, take it with you wherever you go.

Q: How long do you work on one big tattoo? How do you comfort your clients during the long sessions? A few words on what to do/eat before a long tattoo session?
A: When asked for a large project that takes a lot of time and dedication, I always like to explain how the process works so my client is fully aware of how the session or sessions will be going beforehand. We all know, to stay hydrated, stretch during breaks and to eat well that day is very important but to keep the communication open is essential. I like them to know they can always let me know how they are feeling at all times. It is extremely important for me that they have the best experience possible. I also like to recommend my clients to see it as a "treat myself day", to come in wearing your most comfortable clothing, to bring your favorite snacks and entertainment, this will definitely help to keep your mind off the painful parts and the long hours!

Q: How do you feel knowing that someone trust you enough to let you mark them for life?
A: It's a huge responsibility that shouldn't be taken lightly! It takes even the most skilled tattooers years to be able to do a tattoo correctly. This is why we can never stop learning and perfecting our technique. To see your client come back for more or bump into them when years go by, and they still love the tattoo, this means the world to us tattoo artists.