Today we’d like to introduce you to Travis Tolin.
Travis, please kick things off for us by telling us about yourself and your journey so far.
Growing up, I was always fascinated with art. From taking art classes to doing graffiti with my friends, I’ve learned a lot over the years and one thing for sure is that tattooing is my life. Originally, I’m from the northwest, I spent the early years of my career learning in Seattle and up until four years ago, I found my place in Arizona. I’m currently at Mastodon Custom Tattoo and have been there for the past three years, it’s a wonderful shop and gives me the freedom to travel the states and hopefully the world shortly.
Can you give our readers some background on your art?
My style of tattooing is rooted in American Traditional. With clean bold lines and strong shading, I set up the foundation for a tattoo that will last a lifetime. Taking those principles, I apply them primarily to plant life and organic elements in a way that I feel is a bit different from others. What I hope to accomplish with my work is that I can bring joy to clients and educate the world about what a good tattoo is. Tattooing is about trust and if you trust in your artist you’ll always be happy.
Artists rarely, if ever pursue art for the money. Nonetheless, we all have bills and responsibilities and many aspiring artists are discouraged from pursuing art due to financial reasons. Any advice or thoughts you’d like to share with prospective artists?
If you’re just starting out as an apprentice, I suggest getting a morning job, typically apprentices aren’t paid and are scheduled from 12 pm to 9 pm which is fairly normal hours for a studio. If you’re already stable and are looking to expand your clientele, I would suggest advertising as much as possible. I started by passing out cards at local shows, offices, and coffee shops. Once you reach a certain point, you’ll start to notice a drastic difference.
What’s the best way for someone to check out your work and provide support?
You can see and support my work by following my social media, as well as booking tattoo appointments and commissions for custom art!
Contact Info:
- Address: 1925 W University Dr. Mesa, AZ 85201
- Website: www.mastodontattoo.com
- Phone: 602-565-9474
- Email: travisjamestattoo@gmail.com
- Instagram: @travis_tattoo
- Facebook: @travisjamestattoo
- Twitter: @xtravis_tattoox
Image Credit:
Abel Magana
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