As a girl who’s also drawn to the idea of getting a tatt, it sucks that most of the artists out there are focused on masculine styles. No, thanks. I don’t want a punk and badass design. I want a stylish watercolor tatt of my pet, my fave animal or something I’m passionate about.
I was really close to giving up when I came across the Instagram account of Arte Tattoo at @artetattooph. Upon browsing their feed, I really loved all their minimalist styles. And so, I reached out to Charles Arteta, the man behind all those lovely designs, for my first tatt ever.
Charles and his partner, Kel Laquindanum, shared that “Arte Tattoo” came from Charles’ surname, Arteta. They agreed on the brand’s name because most of their clients are women who are fastidious about standards, style and cleanliness.
Since 2012, Charles has already created more or less a thousand tattoos. “Our style is based on our belief and lifestyle. Others see tattoo as a form of art, expression, or memory. For us, tattoo is a form of healing meditation. That’s why our design is mostly Mandala Art, which means patterns of the universe. It is a tool to go deeper in a meditative state.”, he shared.
Out of all the tattoos he has done, he added that he has 3 favorites not because of the style or intricacy of the design, but the story behind those tattoos.
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I did a full sleeve on a well-known DJ/commercial model. She told me that every time she have a shoot, her tattoos are covered with make-up. She felt that she is not herself anymore. She wanted to be herself. So she decided to get a full sleeve to represent herself.
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I did a wolf tattoo at the back of this lady. The design is very feminine. The lady told me that the wolf design represents her emotional and physical strength. Her long-term boyfriend recently passed away, and she wanted to dedicate that tattoo to him. She also told me that the tattoo is the “warrior in me”.
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There is this 62year old lady. I did a cover up tattoo on her arm. So the tattoo session took 3-4 hrs, and in the middle of the session, I noticed that she doesn’t look like feeling any pain given that she’s already 62 years old. So I asked her, “why?” Then, she told me that she have been thru a lot of pain. She had a motorcycle accident that broke her arm and needed to undergo operation, and she is a cancer survivor. She passed all the chemotherapy session. That made the tattoo pain very tolerable for her.
And of course, being a first-timer, I asked for tips on how to make the whole session bearable. Charles gladly shared a few points below.
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Think of your design first, and when you’re decided already, look for an artist that specializes with your design.
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Get a consultation/tips from your preferred artist so that you’ll get an idea what to do or what is going to happen on or before your tattoo session.
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It’s not fear, it’s excitement! It’s not the pain that prevents you from doing it. It’s your fear, change the way how you think about it. You’re just excited! So sit back, relax, and meditate. Enjoy the process of tattooing.
Charles even shared a word of advice for other aspiring tattoo artists out there. “Find your purpose first. Think of the reason WHY you’re doing it. The purpose is the fuel to your journey. It’s not going to be easy. There will be a lot of challenges coming thru, and when you feel that the road is getting rough, don’t stop! Look back and see WHY you are doing it.”
Planning to get inked for the first time or about to get your 4th tatt soon?
Arte Tattoo will be launching the ArteTattoo Discount Card at Dutdutan 17 this coming September 1-2, 2017 at World Trade Center, Pasay City. Visit their booth to get massive discounts for booking schedules and on-the-spot tattoo.
They will also be conducting a workshop this coming November to celebrate their 5th year. They will be discussing about the Basics in Tattooing, Cleanliness of Workspace, and Tattoo as a Business.
Follow them on Instagram @artetattooph to get updates and pegs for your new tatt!
