HOW DID YOU COME UP WITH THE IDEA OF BECOMING A TATTOO ARTIST?
I was introduced to tattooing after getting a tattoo from a friend who tattooed me at his home, lying on a mattress in his living room. That's when I discovered how accessible this art form was.
Given that I already loved drawing and painting, I wanted to explore how I could challenge myself within this "drawing" technique.
I was a full-time student during this period, so I spent all my time after school, during holidays, and on weekends conducting self-studies on how tattooing techniques worked.
I quickly became captivated by the technique and found myself spending all the available time behind the tattoo machine.
In the beginning, I tortured a bunch of oranges and honeydews just to figure out how the machine worked.
I had a couple of friends who wanted me to upgrade from fruit peels to skin and asked me to practice on them.
Word spread quickly, and I got the opportunity to tattoo friends and acquaintances, even a middle school teacher, after a relatively short time behind the machine.
EDUCATION IN DANCE
I completed a bachelor's degree in dance, but I felt tired of the dance routine after several years as a performing dancer. I wanted to pursue an apprenticeship as a tattoo artist
I found myself at an event the summer after I finished my studies, where there were tattoo artists present
I got a tattoo there, and the tattoo artists asked if I wanted an apprenticeship at their tattoo studio when they found out I was tattooing at home and saw what I had done before.
It didn't take more than a few months after starting at that studio before I received responses to my inquiries about an apprenticeship at Attitude Tattoo Studio, and I started at Attitude Tattoo Studio shortly thereafter.
Currently, I have fallen in love with the everyday life as a tattoo apprentice and plan to become REALLY GOOD in a few years, as I would put it myself.
I look forward to becoming an independent, talented, and sought-after tattoo artist in the future and challenging myself in various tattoo styles.
WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE TATTOO ON YOURSELF?
My favorite tattoo that I have is a surreal composition of animals on my back. I traveled to Munich to get it tattooed by... Nikol Tuarova,who is a tattoo artist I have admired the work of for a long time.
I have been following her on Instagram for a long time, and I wanted to take the opportunity to get a backpiece from her while also studying how she worked.
So, I sent her a DM on Instagram, booked flights to Munich, and traveled there to be tattooed for two days. I spent a total of around 12 hours with her in October 2023, got two tattoos from her while I was there, and played the tourist in the remaining hours in Germany, visiting various museums and cafes.
WHAT DO YOU THINK WHEN YOU LOOK AT IT?
I have no specific meaning behind the motif and the tattoo, rather an intention behind the desire. What I admire most about this tattoo artist and her style are the strong contrasts in the work, the surreal interpretations, and the rough technical expression.
I have no specific meaning behind the motif and the tattoo, rather an intention behind the desire. What I admire most about this tattoo artist and her style are the strong contrasts in the work, the surreal interpretations, and the rough technical expression.
WHICH TATTOO ARE YOU LEAST SATISFIED WITH ON YOURSELF?
I have a tattoo of two hearts that I got at an event. The reason they are my least favorite is that they were done so spontaneously and randomly. They are well done, and I don't regret them, but if I compare them to what I have from before, that tattoo becomes the least meaningful of all I have.
I have several tattoos I did on myself at the beginning of my tattooing journey. They may not be so well-executed considering the lack of experience I had then, but I love the charm in them and the fact that you can clearly see my journey as a tattoo artist behind them.
WHAT IS THE BEST PART OF YOUR JOB?
What I love most about my job as an apprentice at Attitude is the combination of human encounters and the creative processes I get to be a part of every day. I appreciate being invited into a process that is vulnerable both physically and mentally for my clients.
They allow me to be creative in my own interpretations of designs on their skin without them having control, and let me get to know them to varying degrees while they sit in the tattoo chair with me.
I am allowed to pursue my hobby and do something I love every single day, and I am challenged in everything from tattoo styles to designs on a daily basis.
WEIRDEST REQUESTS YOU'VE RECEIVED?
Early in my apprenticeship, I received a request to create a rather graphic image of two people engaging in sexual intercourse.
In itself, I thought I could turn it into a cool tattoo regardless of the subject matter, but when he wanted the placement to be next to the penis, I simply had to decline the assignment.
Here you can see more of Maren's tattoostattoos on instagram
