If I have to choose between pen and paper, a typewriter
and a computer, I would always go for the fastest and
most accurate option to write something up. The most
important thing is that I know how to write and read :)
Technology nowadays is great because it makes the
entire tattooing process a lot easier, and it saves you lots
of time, from first sketch to the aftercare of the tattoo.
Regardless of the technological aspect, if you are a good
craftsman, you can still tattoo someone with a fishbone
as long as you understand the whole process.
because it’s something you have to experience to
understand.
The best part about my craft is definitely the people.
It is an absolute privilege to get to know so many different
individuals from all over the world. For that reason alone,
I consider myself one of the richest persons I know.
Do you have a piece of advice for those who are also
taking up or learning about the craft of tattooing?
This craft, like any other art form, is very individualistic.
I can give you a brush, a canvas and some paint, and
show you exactly what to do but like painting, tattooing
is something that you have to feel as you are doing it. It is
a very personal journey. Enjoy every second of it.
What is your process in designing a tattoo for a
client? Please tell us more about this.
Every client gets to explain his or her story and
requirements for the tattoo, plus two reference pictures.
The rest is up to me. I do ask for 100% freedom and explain
beforehand that I’m not changing any of my finished designs.
It means that if you don’t like the design I’m
sending you a week before the appointment, I give the
appointment to someone on the waiting list. It is totally
fine with me if people don’t like the stuff that I come up
with. All I’m asking for is that they respect my view as
an artist and the fact that a finished painting should not
be overpainted once finished.
Mo Ganji's one liners await on Instagram @moganji
Your work is celebrated and recognized the world
over. And yet, you provide free designs for everyone
to use through your website and Instagram. Why do
you do this? Why is this important for you?
How do you measure success nowadays? In my
case, as a visual artist, it is through the people who
appreciate my work - liking it, sharing it. I would not
have been "successful“ at all without the massive support
that all these people show me every day.
I feel like giving something back to everyone,
especially to the ones who can’t afford to travel all the way
to Germany [for a tattoo]. This is the least that I can do to
show my appreciation for their support. Grow and give,
regardless of what you do. It is somehow a form of healing.
What is one thing you would like people to know or
understand more about your craft? Why?
That there is something magical about the whole
process of tattooing. It’s something that is hard to explain
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