I want you on my team, so does everybody else

Tattoo post number three comes in the shape of 20 year old Sebastian Ennis. I know you want your standard tattoo post but honestly, let me digress here, it's worth it. 

As well as having a completely bad ass sleeve and studying full time for his BA Hons in Film Production as a sound engineer, Seb also produces his own music. Under the alias In as Beast (which is actually an anagram of Sebastian, clever init, my name's an anagram of shit) he has had recognition from BBC introducing after sending them his track Constellations. Seb told me his main influence when producing is house music, but the list of specific artists that influenced him to start making beats and to continue doing so is insane.
"In particular I love J Dilla, Koreless, a lot of the producers on Hessle Audio, people like Pearson Sound, Ben UFO... I've been listening to a lot of machinedrum, I think his sound is subconsciously changing mine slightly the more I do."
"A lot of my main influences are hip hop based so people like Pete Rock, 9th Wonder, Madlib. I'm into a lot of the newer ones too like Julio Bashmore."
"I listen to a wide range, from indie to hip hop, but I'm still discovering my sound"


 

Sick, right?! I know what y'all really want. Here you go... 

How old were you when you got your first tattoo?
I was 18 years old

Which was the first?
The outline of the day of the dead skull

Which one is your favourite?
Probably the buddha on my inner bicep, I'm quite a fan of dot work and the dot work is quite complex on it around the leaves. more the technique, rather than the actual design itself

Are there any meanings behind your tattoos?
Not particularly, I've always been interested in tribal but I didn't want the lazy approach of going in and saying I want that one, I sat down and told the artist what I wanted and after a process of back and fourth, we came up with tribal that has other elements in it. The script on my left forearm probably has the most meaning, it was a tribute to Gil Scott-Heron after he died. I've always been into writing so after he passed I was quite saddened by it so I thought I'd get some of his work on my arm, cus I know I'll always be a fan. Its from one of his songs/poems called Spirits

A lot of people are big haters of tribal tattoos, did that cross your mind when getting your sleeve?
Not at all, I have a lot of people in my family with tribal tattoos. I've always done art at school so from an early age (year 6/7) I had a big interest in Maori/Polynesian designs so I researched it a lot before. I also made sure I went to an artist specialised in that kind of style. I think people worry about tribal tattoos because they know if you get a lazy design a lot of people are going to have it, but mine was done to how I wanted it so it wasn't an issue.

How long did it take to design?
Probably about two and a half months for the artist to design it for me, and then I think it was all in all about four or five long day sessions over a period of two years

Where did you get your tattoos?
Barry Louvaine House of Living Art in Earlsfield

Are you planning any more tattoos?
I'm due to start another half sleeve that will continue with the tribal theme, there's more dot work from what I remember of the design as I asked my artist to include more of that. Then a mask that has headphones on it cus I'm really into sound, that'll goes across to my left pectoral, as a continuation of the sleeve. All of that will hopefully be done by March. After that I'll probably start on my back piece, I'm thinking a gypsy pin up girl in day of the dead style.


Did you worry about how having a sleeve may affect your future when it comes to careers?
Yes and no, my mum has tattoos so she's fine with ink but she always told me to never get my hands or my neck tattoo'd, so from an early age I always agreed with that. In terms of my sleeve, I don't plan on going into an academic background so it's not such an issue. For interviews and things a long sleeved shirt will completely cover it.

Have you ever had any negativity towards your tattoos?
Oh yeah a lot, when I was working in retail I'd have people tell me I was going to regret it when I'm older but I disagree. To me they're memories, it's my arm and I don't really care what I'm going to look like when I'm older.

Any advice for people thinking about getting a tattoo?
My main advice would be if you're not sure, don't do it. But if you're unsure of pain or having to have a meaning behind your tattoo, I think that's quite pretentious, the fact that you over think it takes the meaning away. You get it because you want it, don't worry what anybody else thinks, it's on your body.


SO MUCH YES. For any of you interested in listening to more of Seb's stuff as In as Beast, you'll find it here. If you're too lazy, have another




peace xo

It usually doesn't rain in Southern California

After long anticipation (I'm sure) I'm back with another tattoo post! This time our subject is my best friend of eight years Oscar Coles (you might remember his sister Chloe from this post)



























Recently moving to Detroit to study at Wayne State University for his second year of his BA in History, Oscar is quite possibly one of, if not THE coolest person I know (it must run in the family~~~). Over the years he's introduced me to Spekuloos (it is insane) and kept reminding me to never care what anybody else thinks.

I'll now divulge you hungry lot in some of the conversation we had the other evening via Facebook, so forgive me that the interview isn't that long, but I also believe his new and *cooler* American friends beckoned him away with shots. I would've done the same. Wanker.

How old were you when you got your first tattoo? 
18
Which one was your first? 
The skull. Then the thunderbird, then the ship, then the lines around my skull. My last two were my Che (Guevara) quote and my lucky one.

Which is your favourite? 
I don't have a favourite, all of them are as important as the other.
Are there any meanings behind your tattoos?
My luck one I got because I feel I have had a really good life so far and I'm lucky for the opportunities and people I have and have had in my life. The ship is also to remember to never settle, always be adventurous and keep moving.

Where did you get your tattoos? 
One place in Northampton did a couple, and two separate shops in Manchester did my others.
Any other tattoo ideas in the pipe line? 
I'm thinking about the Detroit Tigers D logo, it's cool. Maybe some more Sailor Jerry ones, or Tyler or Frank lyrics.
Sick! Any advice for people thinking about getting tattoos? 
Get them! If you want something, get it. Don't let other things change your mind about it.

Short but sweet, you get the idea.

Flapjacks and snattoos.

I know I've been slack, please forgive me, I'll update you on my life in another post. But what you're here for right now is my first (of hopefully many) tattoo post!

I give to you, one of my fave uni gals and course friend, Emma, the total babe.

Emma is one of two girls I met on the first day of my course induction at uni and we've been friends ever since, she's hilarious, she's a sassy lil thang, and she has tattoos. Perfect for my first tatt post malark.

How old were you when you got your first tattoo? 
Eighteen, legal age!
Which one was it? 
Um, I got the three arm tattoos done in one session because it was cheaper. 
Which one is your favourite? 
Probably the rose or the skull, just because they're the most... not artistic but best drawn out ones.

Are there any reasons behind your tattoos or do you just like them? 
There are reasons behind all of them, but when people ask I don't want to sound like a sob story... well not a sob story but it's just unrelated issues to people asking. My skull is a jokey way to look at dying. I used to get anxiety about dying and he reminds me to not take life so seriously, which is why he's wearing a hat. The card in his hat is the highest value card in a deck, which is a metaphor for the highest valued thing in life, that and not caring, that's whats important.

Where do you go to get your tattoos? 
A tattoo shop in Welling called Demon Ink. My friends suggested it to me because when I originally told them where I wanted to go to get tattoos they were warning me not to and suggested another place that does awesome line work.

Do you plan on getting any more?
Um, I don't have any in mind at the moment, I've always had these in mind. But if one pops into my mind I'll get it done. I'm not serious about any more though because I think I went a bit crazy as soon as I was legal to get tattoos. I wanted my Deathly Hallows tattoo when the final film came out but I was under age, I decided to wait to get it done. I didn't want to go somewhere dodgy because it's going to be on my body for life.

Do you have any advice for people that are thinking about getting tattoos? 
Draw them out yourself, or if you can't draw have a long discussion about the tattoo with the artist. What you have in mind might not necessarily work as a tattoo but an artist will always pull it into one for you. But have a good idea, don't go to a shop blind. I think you can get silly tattoos, but as long as you like them and don't care what other people think about them, you're fine. 

Like I said, such as sassy babe. She's currently running an awesome music blog which you should definitely check out.

Actual proof that we're mates, standard drunk photo. I'm a scary mohoe.