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Tattoo Artists Interviews Tattoo Artist Joe Capobianco Interviewed Tattoo artist Joe Capobianco is someone who hardly needs any introduction. I asked Joe to share his experience and wisdom as a veteran tattoo artist in this short interview shortly before I caught up with him at the Melbourne Tattoo Convention where he appeared after a hiatus from the tattoo circuit.Give us a little background on Hope Gallery and the other guys working there. Well what Can I say, we started Hope because we were unhappy with the way that the previous shop that we were working at was being run. We decided that if it were our place, it would be comfortable, and classy for our clients, and a place we'd like to go every day. What made you decide to become a tattoo artist? I was actually asked to get into the business. The fella who apprenticed me had seen a bunch of my art, and thought I'd make a good tattooist. So I took the leap, and started my apprenticeship.
Tattoo work by Joe Capobianco © How has your work developed over the years?I stated in a busy street shop, and did nothing but flash off the wall. Which was great experience, than when I moved to a second shop, it was again a street style shop. But we were ale to develop our own style off of the flash. We weren't expected to just reproduce stuff off of the wall. We encouraged our clients to stary from what they saw, and let us run with the designs. Most of the time people liked the idea that they were getting a custom tattoo. And the more work we did, the more we strayed from the flash. And "Whammo" we're a custom shop. What is your favorite style? I enjoy doing human figure stuff, Mainly pin up style stuff. Some realistic, but I really enjoy doing more animated style pinups. I grew up on Bugs Bunny, and Daffy Duck cartoons, So I have a great appreciation for animation. What advice would you give to new artists coming through who are trying to make a name for themselves? Draw, draw your ass off, and than draw some more. Learn to walk before you try to run. The basics of tattooing are hard enough, when you start developing a style, before you know the basics, you tend to learn a lot of bad habits.
Tattoo work by Joe Capobianco © Are you glad to be back on the road again doing the convention circuit?Hell yes, although my girl, and our dog probably hate me for it. I've got a convention, or guest spot like every 4-6 weeks, and I'm on the road 4-10 days at a clip. But a mans gotta do what a mans gotta do. No really, It's something I kinda need to do, and get outta my system again. Than I can settle down again for a while. Hit me with your funniest tattoo story! That's a tough one. I once had a customer ask me for a tattoo that was a play on the copportone suntan lotion add, which was a little girl on the beach having a little dog tug on her bikini bottom. But he wanted the whole scene to look like it took place on the moon. You know little martian, and her moon dog. I do pinups so I do a moon dog, and a pin up style martian. Thinking that's what he wants. He sits for like 6 hours, and we do the whole thing. We finish up he gets up, and he looks at it in the mirror and says, "wow this is great, completely not what I expected". I respond with "what did you expect"? He says "well I wanted the little girl, and dog, but as martians. But this is so cool". I was like I can't believe this guy let me do such a play on his Idea, and not say anything. But I guess he trusted me, and all in all he was happy with the tattoo. Sometimes you never know what your gonna end up with... See more of Joe Capobianco's work HERE
Tattoo work by Joe Capobianco © Popular Tattoo Designs: angel tattoos, black and gray tattoos, butterfly tattoos, celtic tattoos, dragon tattoos, erotic tattoos, heart tattoos, female tattoos, flower tattoos, Japanese tattoos, kanji tattoos, lower-back tattoos, religious tattoos, rose tattoos, star tattoos, tribal tattoos, more tattoos >> View 1000's of Tattoos in This Massive Collection of Tattoo Art! |
