Welcome to Tattoo-info.info.

Meet Hector... he tattoos at the shop on Mondays, and well, I'll let his picture and interview speak for itself.

1. How long have you been tattooing and how did you get started?

I been Tattooing since 2003  and I started without knowing anything about tattooing I never had a tattoo apprenticeship of any kind, not because I didn't want to, but there was no one good around to  show me, so I took matters into my own hands and worked really hard to get where I am now.. I am still working super hard!!!  :)


2. What is your favorite style of tattooing?

I always wanted to be set apart from the bunch, I wanted to  do something different and unique , you can tell that my style can vary a lot , all depends on the client and what kind of ideas they bring to the table...


3. Who have you been tattooed by and who's on your wish list?
I been very lucky to  get tattooed and became best friend with some amazing artist but don't like to drop names ..lol.. I have great RESPECT and LOVE for them.


A wish list of Artist... mmmm Well there are many artist that I want to get tattoo by but I don't like to  live off expectations.. I believe once  the time comes, whoever is next, is next

4. If I wasn't a professional tattoo artist I would probably be:

Funny question... Well couple of professions..
1.- I have a I degree Genetic Engenier and Biotechnician  =)
2.- I love Cooking maybe i would of end up as a  CHEF 
3.- Unemployed  Musician 

5. One piece of advice for someone looking to get tattooed:

A TATTOO WILL SET YOU  APART.. ... think really hard about
the tattoo that you are about to get... you don't want to be part of a generation of shooting stars on your ribs  or an internet tribal...!!!! Be UNIQUE!!!!

The shop will be closed from Thursday, September 16-Monday, September 20 while we put on the Paradise Artist Retreat.

We will re-open Tuesday, September 21 for regular business and we will be answering phone messages and emails at that point. Until then enjoy the website and if you can stop by the show!

Tim is our newest addition to the staff and he's one of our talented full time resident artists. Him and Kelly often compete for who can change their hair color the most, but I must say, in my honest opinion, Tim has the edge...

1. How long have you been tattooing and how did you get started?

I started tattooing professionally in 2001 after honing my skills for a short while on my far too trusting friends. I am primarily self taught however have learned tons from all the great artists I have had the pleasure of working alongside.I am always drawing inspiration from my surroundings and evolving my art.

2. What is your favorite style of tattooing?

My preferred and most notable style would be a very bold illustative style. I'd say it's rather cartoonish with some realistic elements, usually emphasizing or over emphasizing any combination of readability, depth, fit, flow, saturation, and shock value. I believe in applying a bold tattoo that is there for the long haul. I probably tattoo 99% of the skin on a color tattoo

3. Who have you been tattooed by and who's on your wish list?

I am currently having a full sleeve / coverup done by the fantastic Tony Ciavarro, who is a great inspiration to me. Some artists I'd love to collect tattoos from: Jime Litwalk, Joe Capobianco, Jeff Gogue, Jimmy Lajnen, Jeff Ensminger, Jessie Smith Lots of guys whos names begin with a J.

4. If I wasn't a professional tattoo artist I would probably be:

A secret agent.

5. One piece of advice for someone looking to get tattooed?

Don't walk into a tattoo shop and first thing out of your mouth say " How much does a tattoo cost". That just makes it cost more.

Gabe is the shop owner and he's kind of like the troll in the basement, but he's actually the computer geek upstairs. You might catch of glimpse of him in the tattoo shop, but more often then not he's got his face buried in his computer in our offices above the shop working on websites for tattoo artists or our tattoo convention the Paradise Tattoo Gathering.

1. How long have you worked in the tattoo industry and how did you get started?

I started hustling tattoo websites for Darkside Tattoo in 94/95ish. I realized I couldnt really afford the tattoos I wanted to get but was real sharp with computers and started trading computer work for large tattoos. the computer work turned into a lot of new customers for the shop, so we decided to do websites for other talented tattooers and TattooNOW was born.

2. What is your favorite style of tattooing?

Personally I have a lot of color tattoos, some realistic, some illustratory, one or two surrealistic... I have plans to get some black and grey work done...

3. Who have you been tattooed by and who's on your wish list?

Hmm, well, Ive been working on the collection for a bit and very lucky. Some notables are Joe Capobianco, Tin Tin, Nick Baxter, Yang Zhuo, Oleg Turanskiy, Tony Ciavarro, Mike Demasi, Jeff Gogue, Alex Depase, Lou Jacque, Dana Helmuth, Durb, Dee Dee Seruga, Nate Beavers, Johnny Berrios, Julio Rodriquez, Sean Ohara, a few others... Lots of lasering from Jack Morton of Rethink Your Ink. In a few years I'll have all the crap off me and all good tattoos! I have a few big spaces left, but want to put some large tattoos on them, so the wish list has to be pretty short... I have an appointment just about set with Guy Aitchison (!!!). Id also like to get tattooed by Bob Tyrrell, Robert Hernendez, and Filip Lieu... A big Gogue piece, maybe another big Joe Capobianco piece maybe... Jime Litwalk too. I think thats it...

4. If I wasn't working in the tattoo industry I would probably be:

Probably freelancing for big corporations and spending the loot on vacation with my family.

5. One piece of advice for someone looking to get tattooed:

Tattoos are easy to put on, and difficult to take off. The art of tattooing really is about doing it perfect the first time. not an easy task!
 

Despite what her picture may indicate, Kelly Doty is in fact alive, and not a zombie. Aside from being alive and well, she also tattoos at the shop full time, not to say the undead can't tattoo, but it's just not the case in this instance. 

 

1. How long have you been tattooing and how did you get started?

I've been tattooing since october 2007. I'd always wanted to tattoo, but I'm shy and that made it hard finding an apprenticeship. So I finally gave up and was focusing on my comic book career when I went with a friend who was getting some work done, and one of the artists saw my sketchbook. A week later I got a call asking if I wanted to interview for an apprenticeship. I was lucky that way.


2. What is your favorite style of tattooing?

I really like pseudo-realistic color work. I like to take the subject matter and exaggerate certain aspects and play around with perspective or focus to make it more dynamic but still render it in a realistic way. Also I like tattooing animals that look all funny.


3. Who have you been tattooed by and who's on your wish list?

I've been tattooed by Stefano, Jeff Ensminger, Jimmy Lajnen and Scotty Munster to name a few. I have a huge wishlist of artists I want work by. I think I'm going to run out of skin before I'll get everything I want. But I definitely want pieces from Luca Natalini, Nick Baxter, Jeff Gogue, and Nikko Hurtado.


4. If I wasn't a professional tattoo artist I would probably be:

A comic book artist. Probably an inker. Although for a brief period after I saw 8 Mile I thought I could be a freestyle rapper. I might still use that as a fallback if this whole tattoo thing doesn't work. My beats are just too fresh.


5. One piece of advice for someone looking to get tattooed

Don't worry. The more you get yourself worked up the worse you make it for yourself. Also eat a good meal and get some rest before you come in. I know that's technically two pieces of advice but they're kind of related so I can squeak by, I think.
 

We're happy to welcome Ivana to the states for the first portion of her guest spot at Off the Map Tattoo! She'll be here tattooing until September 7, and then back for the second leg of her guest spot September 21-30.

She still has some tattoo availability to stop by or call the shop to set up an appointment for a custom tattoo from an amazing international tattooer!

It's hard to segway into this one because I'm talking about myself, so I suppose I will just say read on about me! I'm Mary and I'm the shop manager of Off the Map Tattoo!

 

 1. How long have you worked in the tattoo industry and how did you get started?

I started at the shop in June of 2007. It was actually a fluke how it got started really. I was searching for a new place to get tattooed and Off the Map Tattoo came up in google, when I was perusing for tattoos I saw an ad that they were hiring. I emailed on a whim, interviewed the next day, got offered the job and promptly quit my "real life" job of 8 years to start working at the shop. It turned out to be one of the best decisions I've ever made,

2. What is your favorite style of tattooing?

I'm particularly drawn to bio-organic and bio-mechanical tattoos. I love how they can be conformed to flow with the shape and form of all bodies regardless of shape and size. I am also a huge fan of really colorful and super solid traditional tattoos. 

 

3. Who have you been tattooed by and who's on your wish list?

I have had the opportunity to be tattooed by so many tattoo artists. Since I started working at the tattoo shop I've been tattooed by Jeff Gogue, Guy Aitchison, Carson Hill, Johnny Berrios, Mike Cole, Orrin Hurley, Dee Dee Seruga, Timmy B, Durb, Shawn Hebrank, Nathan Kostechko, Tattoo Andy, Muriel Zao, and Paul Acker. As far as my wishlist, it changes a lot but some constants are Nick Baxter, Jeff Ensminger, Markus Lenhard, and Adrian Dominic.

Well not only does September bring the Paradise Artist Retreat, it also brings some seriously bad ass tattoo artists to the shop! Check out this amazing roster of national and international tattoo artists visiting next month!

Ivana traveling from Sydney Australia, September 2-7 & September 21-30.

Luca Natalini traveling from Italy, September 8-12

Thomas Kynst traveling from Deventer, Netherlands from September 8-11.

Jeff Gogue traveling from Grants Pass, OR from September 12-14.

Cory Norris traveling from Grass Valley, CA September 13-15.

Call the shop to discuss tattoo appointments and availability.

Chloe joined the Off the Map Crew in December 2009 and now tattoos full time at the shop! She's a huge Star Wars nerd, and her laughter (and jingly keys) can be heard from miles away. Read on to get to know her a little bit better!

1. How long have you been tattooing and how did you get started? 

I've been tattooing for five and a half years and been in the industry for seven and a half. I started out in an internship at a local studio in Worcester when I was 17, moved on to an apprenticeship in another local studio, became a licensed artist at 19 and have worked in a few different studios in and around Worcester, including Unholy Grail Tattoo. 
 
2. What is your favorite style of tattooing? 

Definitely full-blown color leaning towards realism. I love tattooing animals, plants, landscapes, insects, fantasy creatures and cartoon characters.
 
3. Who have you been tattooed by and who's on your wish list? 

I've been tattooed by:
Hector Cedillo of Off the Map Tattoo and Unholy Grail Tattoo
Angel Santana of Unholy Grail Tattoo
Carlos Lopez of Tattoo101
Nick Chaboya of Seventh Son Tattoo
Jimmy Lajnen of Fish Eye Ink
Ben Reigle of Off the Map Tattoo
Kelly Doty of Off the Map Tattoo

In the future I have plans to or hope to be tattooed by:

Nick Baxter
Jeff Gogue
Dee Dee Seruga
Phil Young
Theresa Sharp
Scotty Munster
Bob Tyrrell
Mike Cole
Christian Perez

As well as getting more work by Carlos Lopez and Ben Reigle

 
4. If I wasn't a professional tattoo artist I would probably be: 

A puppet maker, the style of which is seen in The Dark Crystal, Labyrinth, Jurassic Park, and the older Star Wars movies. Although it seems as though the art of puppetry and animatronics in general is a dying art form due to the overwhelming influx of CGI
 
5. One piece of advice for someone looking to get tattooed: 

I've definitely got a few. Don't get a tattoo just for the sake of getting a tattoo. Get something that will be meaningful to you and that you'll actually want for the rest of your life. If you're getting a tattoo just for the sake of it because you think it'll make you look cool or tough, rest assured that that reasoning will just make you look like an idiot. Don't get tattooed by the first person available. Even if you've put a lot of thought in making sure you're getting a design you really want, all tattoo artists ARE NOT created equal and you are likely to get a poorly executed tattoo if you rush into picking your artist. Do research on various tattoo artists by looking through their portfolios (the internet is SUCH a powerful tool!) and fined an artist who's STYLE you like. Then go to them with your idea and be open to their personal, professional, and artistic opinions. DO NOT price-shop for a tattoo. You wouldn't price-shop for a heart surgeon, would you? A tattoo is going to be on you for the REST OF YOUR LIFE!!!!!! If you're getting a tattoo you should be shopping around for quality and professionalism, not for the person who will do it for 13 dollars, a button, and half a pack of Rolaids! 

Since we're absolutely crazy, we figured August would be a good time to travel to Phoenix, AZ. Luckily Durb, and the crew of Hell City, make it well worth the trip, despite the unbearable heat. Tim Senecal, Kelly Doty, Mary, Brian and Gabe are all flying out to the Arizona on Thursday August 26 and will be working the tattoo convention and representing Off the Map Tattoo, TattooNOW as well as the Paradise Artist Retreat.

If you're in Arizona and close to Phoenix, we seriously recommend you check this convention out. It's one of the best in the country and not to be missed! Kelly and Tim will be tattooing at the show too, so if you're interested in getting work from them give the shop a call to set something up. Brian and Gabe will be doing a TattooNOW seminar for tattoo artists who are looking to learn more about internet exposure and building a larger tattoo clientele. And Mary will be sitting at admissions working for Durb & strategically writing on papers to look like she's busy like so:

Ben and Chloe will be at the shop holding down the fort and still tattooing, but keep in mind our front desk staff will be limited, so if you call and don't get an answer, you can always stop in or leave a message and we'll get back to you as soon as we can!