Lets start by saying I love my tattoo, it’s a reminder of Logan and it’s something I can carry with me forever, but not everyone is that lucky some people look at their tattoos and think, “Eish, where’s the undo button on this thing”. That’s where my buddy Justin comes in (I’ve interviewed him before about his graphic design work see here), he is an amazing tattoo artist who sometimes, like on the TLC program “America’s Worst Tattoos” fixes up tattoos people are not too happy with.
Here is some of his work: (Q&A below pics)
Introduce yourself
Hi my name is, what my name Is ssss slslim Jay Main.
Hi my full name is Justin Llewelleyn Main and I’m a artist from Uitenhage South Africa. I’m 30 years young have a beautiful wifey and son God has been good to me Amen.
How long have you been a tattoo artist for?
About 8 months in counting from end of March 2013 but I had my first experience tattooing at the age of 18 back in 2001, back then we used homemade machines.
What got you into it?
The Art of course. I’ve always been interested in tattoo art since I can remember and being an artist doing Illustrator and Graphic design work for a living I felt like there was something missing I wasn’t using my creative drawing skills to its full potential anymore and I was missing that. I have a friend who is a tattoo artist who had just closed his shop and decided he was over the whole business luckily I convinced him back into it, now the both of us run the shop and business is booming.
Tattoo artists talk about a bug that bites and once you’ve had a taste of tattooing someone you will never want to do anything else but tattooing, I can say that bug has bitten me. There is no greater compliment than having your artwork inked on someone’s body for life it’s quite humbling .
What has been your most difficult job?
Each one has it’s challenges so I can’t really say but there are those clients that can make it difficult for an artist but if I had to pick one it would probably be the first time I had to tattoo a women on the foot it turned out to be extremely complicating and frustrating.
There is a reason I will never have my feet tattooed, I think a person would be able to chew through concrete whilst you’re getting inked on the foot.
Have you ever wanted to talk someone out of a tattoo?
Many times there are just certain things you do not put on your body a boyfriend or husband’s name people break up get divorced people change and most of all people make mistakes. I personally don’t want to be the person who helped you make a stupid decision but that’s just my opinion.
Would/Do you take part in competitions?
I would participate in a tattoo convention not so sure about a competition or reality show regarding tattoo art I’m in it more for the appreciation than for the competition.
What do you think of tattoo reality shows?
Very cool to watch and quite useful to see other artist at work and there techniques but the only thing that I don’t like is that they’re focusing more on the artists personal lives than that of the tattoos and the art of it. You see less and less tattoos as the seasons go by.
Is this your full time job?
No but hopefully in the not too distant future it will be, I’m currently a workshop supervisor and graphic designer at Brightsparx Sign Company in Port Elizabeth and Co-owner of a the Crawling with Ink Tattoo studio in Uitenhage.
Do you have tattoos of your own?
Wow really?, I think it would be a sin as a tattoo artist not too have at least a couple.
I have more than a couple and some are still works progress a person can only take so much at a time and I tend to add more when life events take place so technically I won’t even live long enough to finish all my tattoos who know’s.
What inspires you?
Everything
Want to know more join the Crawling with Ink Facebook page or go look at some of Justins graphic work on justinmain@deviantart.com Or you could contact him through whatsapp on 084 987 4402. They are situated at 3 Conaught Circle Vanes Estate. Tattoos done by appointment only
