interview with Roberto Villanueva | tattoo style | design 14/09/2019
Hello Roberto
Villanueva! Thank you so much for taking the time to answer some
questions for our readers. You have a really interesting style and I
bet you are a great inspiration to many artists out there.
Q: How long have you been tattooing?
A: I started tattooing in 2012 my girlfriend helped me start in this
world as she constantly encouraged me to buy the machines. She
always believed in me.
Q: What kept you motivated during the process? We all know
that every beginning is hard.
A: I had a lot of support from my family and friends. Seeing that my
first clients were happy with the work done and seeing that little
by little I was mastering the technique, kept me motivated.
Q: How much time took you to gain confidence in your work?
A: One year after starting, I had the opportunity to start in a
tattoo studio. I managed to learn a lot and be able to gain more
confidence.
Q: You do almost all kinds of tattoos. Do you have any favorite?
A: I feel super comfortable doing the style I do in my latest
tattoos, the mix of comic and realistic.
Q: Being a tattoo artist is not an easy job. Being creative
every day can be a challenge. How do you get inspired? As I see
different kinds of tattoos, I bet you draw a lot before a session?
A: That's right, I spend a lot of time designing and drawing. I find
my source of inspiration in many places, artists and tattoo
artists inspire me, I also get inspired by reading books and comics.
Looking for art history reference: sculptures, paintings, drawings.
- Tell me more about your way of connecting with the
clients.
When they contact me, I always suggest them to come to the
studio so we can work together on the artwork. I ask them to come
with some inspirational photos and then together we reach the final result.
Q: Do you think it's necessary to have some formal art
training in order to get better knowledge and results in this job?
A: In my case, I don't have any formal art training, but since
childhood I've been to drawing classes and have been self-taught.
I love to learn new techniques every day.
Q: As a very talented and creative person, do you plan to
try a different style some time in the future? How much is important
to experiment?
A: I think that in this world like everything related to art, new
styles must be (continually) experienced. This helps you grow
professionally and personally.
Q: Color or black and gray tattoos? What's a more of a
challenge from a technical aspect?
A: The technique that has cost me the most is doing black and gray,
because I have always drawn with acrylic paints and oils (color),
working the technique of realism has cost me a little more.
Q: Do you travel a lot, like visiting tattoo conventions,
expos etc? Do you have any favorite artists you look up to?
A: It is very enriching to travel for work, you learn a lot. First
of the new artists that you meet and then the experiences that you
have after the trip.
-My favorite artists and my biggest references in the world of
tattoo are:
@kasasink
@exclusivejuan
@homzs
Q: What is your advice for those who are willing to start
tattooing?
A: I advise all the people who want to start tattooing to have a lot of
patience, to be constant in their work and most importantly to draw
a lot.
Mr.Roberto Villanueva Thank you so much for the interview.
Kind regards,
The team