Interview with Müllner Csaba | tattoo realism | Hungary 26/11/2012
Hello Mr.Csaba! It's a great honor to talk with
you about your art. You have a pretty unique style and your tattoo
technique is more than outstanding. I mean, It's like seeing those
faces right in front of me! Ha! Seriously, I've seen a lot of tattoo
artists in my life, but your work is really something different and
simply fascinating!!
In the very beginning, let's start with some basic info.
Q: How long have you been tattooing?
A: I started in ‘99, after 3 months of studying, living in a tattoo
studio.
Q: Why a tattoo artist? Was it your dream work, something
that you've always wanted?
A: This is a rather long and sentimental story, its essence was born
from the coincidence of a place and a person which despite the fact
that it has changed my life and I have became a tattoer, later
turned out that it was only my illusory fiction. It was about a girl
and a place where I thought I want to live, so I started to think
about what I should do and the idea came to became a tattoo artist
and open a tattoo salon there. Actually I didn’t open it, I could
never commit myself to anything.
Q: Artists are constantly making some changes in their
style, technically and artistically. How has your work developed
over the years?
A: It’s true enough, but just until someone finds himself and his
own style. Of course there are also some eras within, such as the
blue period of Picasso, but these go to the same direction. However,
in order for this to happen many things should be obtained, which is
not only related to art. I’ve changed a lot because of an accident
that happened to me a half year ago, when in the height of 30m my
parachute closed and I crashed. Since that I walk with a stick but I
don’t really care, I just fell sorry that I can not fly for now.
Than I started to work in much more details, because instead of
extreme sports I’d rather painted and my direction was always the
hyper-realism, it can be seen at my tattoo works too. In many ways I
am a fatalist, I believe that there are no coincidences. But that
was just an example, there are many other necessary things in order
a person to became as he is. Our art comes from our existence.
Anyways now I fell like I have found what I was searching for in
painting and tattooing too. Finally it started to emerge after all
these years.
Q: Tattooing is very creative work. How do you get inspired?
Do you use some other art mediums to get inspired such
as painting, photography etc?
A: The inimitability is the definition of art for me, so this
inaccessibility is my inspiration. Fortunately now it is the
renaissance of realism, if there is a good theme what is more than a
simple still life or a nude, that is real art for me. One Kazimir
Malevich was enough, anyone could make the same. But not Sandorfi or
Helnwein. Otherwise yes I’m painting. Even, painting is on the first
place, it’s above all but I haven’t really published it yet, later,
all at once.
Q: Portraits are probably the most remarkable designs in
your art portfolio. Do you consider this type of work as your
specialty?
A: I would rather say, it’s the realism but my real specialty is
when I shoot myself the composition with models, costumes, fake
blood etc.. This is an upcoming process, right now I am assistant of
a famous fashion photographer because I want to learn how to use the
light. At a large composition I would take only one work a day and I
work with a complete crew to prepare the sample, (hairdresser, make
up artist, photographer, models etc..)
All the painters used to paint models, even they used photograph,
scenery, etc.. (eg. the camera obscura from the 1900s) Well, that’s
what I would like to transfer into tattoo making, on my opinion it
makes tattooing individual and artistic.
Q: What part of doing a color portrait is most challenging?
A: The realistic visualization, that my hand tries to achieve what
in my head is, even thought it have never succeeded..It’s important
to illustrate as similar as you can if you have to illustrate not
just a face but an entire person. Thus in case if we have the chance
the best way is to shoot photos of the person on our own. Besides
the biggest challenge is if we want to create something that has
never existed before, it’s almost impossible but at least we should
try.
Q: Looking at some of your masterpieces makes me wanna get a
tattoo. :) Are you always "the main" creator in someone's
tattoo idea? Are you always supportive to the client's idea?
A: That’s really kind of you! Of course I make you a tattoo heartily
any time haha. I like when clients give me the idea what they want
to have but then I got free hands. Fortunately I am in a really
lucky situation because I can take only those who don’t really tell
me what to do. As a client, even a laic starts telling the tattoo
artist what to do and how to do, from that point the individual art
stoppes and the result is just a tattoo, not a work of individual
and pure art. In turn it’s like painting just the psychic is
different.
Q: Many humans emotions captured on the skin, every detail
is captured on skin. Just wow! How do you make it so real? What's
the secret? :)
A: Actually I try to strive for what you just told me and illustrate
feelings in tattoos or paintings. This makes a work photo realistic
but not the homogeny technique. I’m really happy for your question
that you realized that, but I have never felt that I reached that
point in my work. At creating of portraits or I would say at
creating of more complex tattoos the result is always assured by the
summary of several smaller and bigger components at the same time.
This is much more complex than writing down in few sentences.
Anyways I recorded my entire techniques with description,
illustration in a video on a website which I’m going to publish in a
few days. Everything can be followed on my FB or my websites.
Q: After all those years of experience, is
there any dream piece
that is still undone?
A: There are still a lot to do! As I mentioned before I would like
to start creating tattoos from a new aspect. Find individual themes
and work together with a whole crew, like at fashion photo shoots or
at creating hyper-realistic paintings, than I would maybe correct
the sample with my hand. This would lead to totally individual
tattoos which you can’t find in the Google. In addition I try to
experiment some new techniques in tattooing which no one has ever
used before, but it’s not public yet. All these need a lot of time
and a suitable place which finally I’ve found in Paris after all
these rambling years. Paris is the capital of arts and culture, so
right now I am working on to establish my own tattoo shop there.
Q: What reaction from the clients makes you happy? Are there
any crazy experiences with the customers you would like to share
with us?
A: Certainly I’m happy if I see that the clients are proud, happy
and they feel that they got more than they expected. If I have this
experience it refreshes my spirit and gives me more energy to work.
Crazy stories I have a lot, I’m a hedonist and my entire life is
about it. Regarding the clients there are some really crazy stories
but it would rather fit another kind of magazine haha.
Q: Seems like you love to work on
many different mediums. From tattoo art to custom made paintings on
canvas. I even, saw a snowboard too - really cool! Which one is your
favorite, where do you find most creative freedom?
A: I could not live for only one thing. Beyond tattooing there is
also painting. By the way the snowboard was only occasionally, it
was created for an exhibition where different tattoo artists created
custom-designed snowboards. But where I could find myself or I would
say I try to oil-painting where in bigger size I can
illustrate different feelings in hyper-realistic style. It has a
meaning, at least I hope and the biggest challenge is the kinetic,
the contrast between light and shadow and the two-dimensional
display of the movement.
Q: What kind of supplies you use? A: Sometimes I use pastel, but I don’t take it seriously because
it’s not so timeless. It’s just because of practice, the real is the
oil.
Q: I totally relate your painting style to your tattoo
style.
Do you find
painting as a self-expression, or it's just a great hobby?
A: Painting is not a hobby, it couldn’t be. Painting means
everything for me, I subordinate everything to it including my
relationships, too. This needs a whole person and there are many
things you have to give up. There are paintings which I haven’t
published yet but I will soon. Those really show my personality and
of course if someone is tattooing and painting at the same time,
these two elements will meet one day and their style will be united.
Q: Art could be a great influence on someone's personality.
What is the best lesson that you've learned from your art journey?
A: We should sacrifice everything what we have and accept if it
makes us mad or ruins our relationships. In this way maybe we are
able to achieve our aim or not.. Art is a savage lover. But everyone
has the right to be crazy-said Dali.
Q: Do you have any advice for
the new artists?
A: There is only one thing: never be satisfied with yourself, never
love your creation, this is the only way to be good. This kind of
frustration has to come from your soul, not from false modesty. If
can help to act beyond your borders.
You can find me on Facebook as Müllner Csaba and
www.tattootechniques.com
Thank you!