interview with tattoo artist Adrian Lindell

 Hello Adrian Lindell! 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’ve been tattooing since november 2015. So I'm pushing 3 years at the moment! What inspired me to start was probably the “Miami ink” TV shows that aired in Sweden a couple of years back. My dad always told me when we watched the shows together that I should be tattooing because of my big interest in art. I didn’t really think of it that much until I discovered Instagram I guess.

Q: Was it hard to learn? Is apprenticeship a good idea?
A: The learning process was hard at first but I didn’t really think of it as hard. More challenging I would say. I’m still learning to this day and I think I won't ever master the craft of tattooing to a full extent. I hope I won't at least because then I think I’ll grow tired of it. Apprenticeships is the best way to learn and to learn how the industry works, but it’s key to find a serious mentor that really want to see you grow and become a better artist. I actually started at home way back but I didn’t really understand anything until I started working in a studio.

Q: How would you describe your style? Would you give it a name?
A: It’s hard to create a “Signature look”. It feels like so much has been done already so I really like seeing new unique styles showing up here and there. I feel like I haven’t found my own style yet. It’s constantly changing but lately I’ve been quite fund of the double exposure/realistic style with heavy contrasts. That has been done a lot but I’m working on getting my own twist on it.

Q: How important is to know how the skin might react to certain inks?
A: I’m only working in black and grey at the moment so my technique applies to all of my clients. But If I work with any colors, the ink and skin type plays a big role. I’d say the darker the skin tone, the more vibrant colors I use.

Q: How you do these hyper realistic tattoos, what's the secret? heh
A: My tip on getting a realistic look is just to put a lot of time and effort, use heavy black in the darkest areas. The white and black in the design must complement each other to get that 3D look and really make the finished result pop. I guess that’s all I can share!

Q: How important is to experiment? Have you ever tried something different than the style you are known for?
A: Experimenting is very important in finding your own style and making things interesting. I guess that’s the best way of creating your “signature style”. When I was new, I took all kinds of work from old school, neo trad, japanese, scripts... The list goes on but I felt black & grey realism was for me. So yes, I have tried some different styles than the one I’m known for.


Q: What do you like the most about being a tattoo artist?
A: The things that I cherish the most is all the friends I’ve got through tattooing both clients and artists. I’ve learnt a lot about myself aswell. It’s also awesome I get to travel this much and still get paid for it! I don’t really put any energy in the competition and negativity that is flying around. I know there is a lot of it but I’d rather lift people up than to talk shit and drag them down. In the end it just comes down to me so I guess I'm my own competition.

Q: Any advice for the new artists?
A: Go to an art school and learn. Get that solid base to start from. You wouldn’t trust anybody with the tattoo machine who doesn’t have any artistic background, right? Even if you have talent, it’s still a good idea to take art classes. After that you should be out looking for a studio you think you’re going to learn from. Go to the shop and introduce yourself personally, It’s a way more efficient than just shooting an email.