interview with Nicklas Wong |Cartoon style | denmark 11/07/2014
Hello Nicklas Wong! Thanks so much for taking the
time to answer some questions for our magazine.
Let's start with some basic info about you...
First of all, thank you so much for wanting to do the interview! :)
I feel honored!
Q: How old were you when you first got interested in
tattooing? How did you develop your tattoo skills? Did you
apprentice?
A: I have been drawing for as long as I can remember, my childhood
dream was always to be a character developer for disney/pixar, but
my skills were in my paper drawings, not in computer designing
unfortunately. So I put my animator idea on ice, and for a few years
I didn't know what to do with my life, the only thing I knew is that
I wanted to draw for a living :). While I was in college at the age
of 17 I had my first tattoo, a big ass tribal! I was really badly
executed by a local biker in his shop (the only shop in town who
tattooed underage kids), after I had this made I could only think of
that I could have done this a thousand times better, so when I
turned 18 I went to the bank, and I took out all of my savings that
my parents had put aside for me, and bought a tattoo kit! I tried to
make some tattoos on myself and my friends, but they came out even
worse then any tattoos I have ever seen, so I thought that this
might not be for me anyway... A few years went by and when I was 20
I was just travelling a bit, working as a bartender in France, and I
saw an job ad offer online, from a guy that I truly admire here from
Denmark, his name is Sшren Lind or Doktor Lind, one of the greatest
Japanese artist in my opinion. He took me in as his apprentice, and
I still work for him today in his shop in Copenhagen. He had the
perfect skill set to teach me, big bold lines, solid coloring, and
he understood my idea with my crazy drawings! :) Still owe him
everything that I am capable of today.
Q: I've seen so many tattoo artists in my
life, but I can tell you that I really find you a bit different. At
age of 23, seems like you're very talented, tattooing only three
years, your work is outstanding!
How would you call your style?
A: Thank you, I would first of all call it Cartoon, I'm very
inspired by the old hand-drawn Disney movies. I try to distance
myself a little bit from the new-school genre even though It's my
favorite, but I try to make a big deal out of not having my projects
looking like any other tattoo artists :)
Q: Do you draw a lot? Tell me about the making process.
A: I Draw ALOT! I always try to find new techniques and new shades
that I can use in my work. Usually, the client come in the shop
prior to get tattooed, we sit down and talk, figure out some wacky
idea and sketch a little together, and then I take it from there :)
Q: Would you say that color tattoos are more
challenging to work on?
A: No I definitely think that I have a much more relaxed approach to
my color pieces, then to my b&g work. I like having both dark and
light contrast and color contrast when I work, because when you do b&g
you only have the light and dark, and for a really successful
cartoon it has to contain color :)
Q: Have you ever
copied a ready-made design or you strictly prefer
custom artwork?
A: Of course I have done flashes earlier in my career, but now I
only do custom work, I like to put a little bit of myself in each
piece I do.
Q: Do you have any other jobs/hobbies outside tattooing that
helps you to get inspired?
A: No not atm, but I have been thinking a lot about doing a bachelor
degree in character-developing to help me with inspiration and
hopefully to do some short films on the side :D.
Q: Talking about the style... Would you say that one style
should be recognizable for the artist or a tattoo artist should be
able to work on any type of style? What are your thoughts about
this?
A: I think it is impressive when people are able to work in all
styles, and I respect that alot, especially when they still manage
to do everything custom! But for me I Think I do a better job when
I'm really passionate about the piece, and when I do my cartoons I'm
passionate every time, I lie in bed before a piece and can't sleep
cause I think about how I want to put the colors and shadings, and
then I know It's the right thing for me!
Q: As an artist, what are some of the greatest obstacles?
A: The greatest obstacle is definitely to match your idea with the
customers, sometimes It's a long and hard process.
Q: How is the feeling to be only 23 and being a tattoo
artist?
A: Haha I actually tend to grow a big beard during the winter so
I'll look older, then I generally feel that my new customers will
trust me more :D But I'm very humble by the great responses I get
for my work and I tattooed a lot of big pieces on other tattoo
artists lately, which is the biggest honor for me!
Q: What are some of the coolest experiences with the
customers?
A: When they become your close friends over time.
Q: Being a tattoo artist is really responsible, hard job.
What is the best lesson/motto that keeps you
forward?
A: It is a very big responsibility to mark another human being for
life, so I will only continue to do this for as long as you can show
up at work with a big smile in the morning. I was never in this for
the money, but for the satisfaction of seeing the result of many
hours of hard work, nothing beats that feeling!
Q: Any tips for the new artists?
A: Work hard and draw a lot! Drawing teaches you almost as much as
doing the tattoo itself :)
Please share your contact info/website.
Shop: Enter the Dragon Tattoo, Badstuestrжde 3, 1209 Copenhagen,
Denmark
Tlf: 0045 32201631
Instagram: @TattoosByNicklasWongK
https://www.facebook.com/nicklas.kold
www.facebook.com/nicklaswongtattoo
Email:
Tattoosbynicklas@gmail.com