The Featured Artist is a Laurier Brantford student who is who is constantly striving for creative and artistic excellence. The medium isn’t what’s important; it’s the art. This week’s Featured Artist is Vichael Ho.
How long have you been doing tattoos for?
Seven months.
Have you always seen yourself doing tattoos or was it unexpected?
I can picture myself having a career related to art. I’ve always had a passion for art ever since I was young. I never took tattooing seriously until I started apprenticing at a tattoo shop, and now I have a deeper appreciation for this art style than I ever could have imagined.
Who or what is your biggest influence artistically? Are there any specific tattoo artists that you look up to?
Mainly my influences in tattoo art are Norm, Dave Blow, James Acrow, Sara Fabel, Lilbtattoo… They all have very unique and distinctive styles that inspire me to strive to their excellence.
Do you feel pressure when you do a new tattoo? If so, how do you cope with it?
I wouldn’t say I feel pressure, I’m still very new in tattooing so I always set a safety net for myself; I only do tattoo designs that I’m capable of doing and people that I am comfortable with.
What are some of your favourite things to tattoo?
Favorite things to tattoo… I would say cool clients or tattoos with a cool background story.
How about your least favourite?
Least favorite things to tattoo… Designs or placements that don’t mold well to the client, but the client still insists on doing the design.
Do you have a favourite tattoo style (new school, American, traditional, etc) that you enjoy doing?
I don’t really have a favorite style… I enjoy sketch work, Neo Japanese, Surrealism, new school… I love them all.
How do you stay on top of your game? Do you have any little rituals or things that you do to stay current?
Working at a tattoo shop throughout the summer really helped me a ton. I practice whenever I have spare time. I also follow a lot of art forums and great artists through social media, so I can always be up to date with what’s happening in the art world.
How much time do you spend sketching? Is it hard to fit it into your schedule?
During the summer I found it a lot easier to draw more frequently, and now that school has started up sketching has become a greater challenge. With that being said whenever I have time to spare for art I am willing to give it.
So you were in Asia over the summer, can you tell us about that?
Sure, I actually visited couple countries in Asia over the summer. First spot was Japan then I visited Taiwan, China, Malaysia and last Hong Kong.
How did your trip influence your tattooing?
When I was in Japan, I was working for my mentor, he was organizing an international tattoo convention. I was super lucky and had the honor to work with famous artists Norm and Dave Blow. Their work ethic is something I strove to inhabit.
Would you recommend travelling there?
Traveling to Asia? Yes, just don’t ever go to Malaysia during summer, it gets very hot.
How have people responded to your work?
Past clients seem to be pretty satisfied, but that doesn’t mean I don’t aim to do better work with every client I get.
When a client asks you to create something challenging for you, how do you feel? Do you like a new challenge or do you feel intimidated at times?
I’m still pretty new to the tattooing industry; I typically will only do designs that I feel comfortable with, which in a way is good. No one wants a tattoo artist that doesn’t feel confident. Needless to say, I enjoy a challenge and I’m always looking to broaden my horizons when it comes to tattooing and art.
Is there anywhere that people can check out your work?
I have an Instagram, check it out @vicbrew.
