Interview with tattoo artist Timothy Boor
Hello Timothy Boor! Thank you
so much for taking the time to do this interview. Please start by
telling us something about yourself, how it all started? I was always into drawing and painting. I thought tattooing would
be a great way to make a living by pressuring my own art. I started
drawing at a young age and took oil painting lessons when I was 10
at a local gallery for a couple years. I started
tattooing when a friend of mine opened a shop and gave me an
opportunity to learn.
Q: How long have you been tattooing?
A: I've been tattooing for about 6 years.
Q: Do you have any influences?
A: I'm inspired by too many artists to name. There are so many great
artists out there to look up to and inspire me to be better. I see a
new artists everyday.
Q: Some people say that it is possible to be self though
artist. Your thoughts?
A: I cannot say it is impossible to be a self taught artist because
I know many who have become great tattoo artists. I went through a basic
apprenticeship but I also learned a lot by getting tattooed by
people who specialized in the area I wanted to learn more about.
Q: What is your favorite
tattoo style?
A: I love to do realism/surrealism. I like when people give me
themes or ideas to work with and let me come up with my own visual
interpretation.
Q: Tell me more about the portrait
tattoos.
A: I have always loved to draw faces and copy photos. Even when I
was young my favorite artists were the masters like Da Vinci,
Caravaggio and Michelangelo. I liked the way they were able to
capture expressions. It impressed me and I try to do that in my
work.
Q: Nowadays, people are coming up with
many creative ideas for a tattoo. Any bizarre requests?
A: There was a guy that approached me to do a tattoo about
bestiality. He wanted it to be somehow classy and passionate.
Needless to say I passed on that piece.
Q: Is there any "dream piece"?
A: Yes and no, not one thing in particular but being able to do
tattoos that lean toward my style and allow my interpretation are
what I would love to do more.
Q: Your paintings are awesome. What kind of
supplies you use?
A: I use Grumbacher and Windsor and Newton oil paints. I use brushes
from many different companies and surface wise I use linen canvas
and boards.
Q: "Sea of Irony" oh Gosh, that one is really
impressive...
A: That's when I did a series of different sea traveling vessels.
It's about having what you want, be so close but yet so far away at the
same time.
Q: What keeps you motivated?
A: Actually the clients. They come up with ideas that wouldn't have
come naturally from my mind. It's challenging to merge their
ideas with your own and come up with something that suits both.
Q: What is the best
lesson that you learned from you journey?
A: Stay humble and always realize someone out there is better than
you and is someone you can learn from. The day you stop learning is
the day you stop growing and start become stagnant as an artist.
Q: They said "The real artist is never truly satisfied"
There is always something new to accomplish, something new
to try... What are your goals?
A: I'm definitely not satisfied. I critique my own work harshly. My
goal is always the same, to grow as an artist and keep pushing
myself forward. You can check out my portfolio at Paul Booth's Darkimages.com and
timothybboor.com