Spencer Green

“I remember the first time I entered a studio with my mum when I was around 8 years old. She had gone in to enquire about a tattoo and I spent ages checking out the flash on the wall. I specifically remember one taz design that stuck in my head and inevitably lead me to loving traditional tattooing. I even begged my mum to try and get me booked in for my 18th birthday!”

“The most rewarding part about tattooing is honestly seeing peoples reactions when you do a good job, it feels good to help people feel more confident in their own skin. Other artists in the studio I work at and online definitely help push me creatively, wether it's chatting to them in general about tattooing or seeing their work.”

“Being mentally exhausted is something I was not expecting. I am constantly drawing and doing admin work when I'm not at the studio tattooing. It is tiring but it's worth every second and I wouldn't want to do anything else. This was something I am still overcoming but slowly getting used to. Money was also very tight during the early days of my apprenticeship and I worked two additional jobs to support myself financially, again, worth every second to do what I love.”

“My mentor Rich Perry mostly. I have the upmost respect for the guy for allowing me the opportunity to learn and his work is incredible. I also look up to a lot of the old school tattooers such as Samuel O'Reilly and Bert Grimm for paving the way of modern tattooing in the western world.”

“Anything worth doing is usually not easy. Stay persistent. If you are just starting out trust the process and more importantly enjoy it. If you are dreaming of becoming a tattoo artist just keep drawing. Set up an instagram for your art and connect with as many artists as possible, talk to local studios and don't stop until you find a mentor willing to help you learn and grow.”