Even though I go to work every day, I am not always busy tattooing. I have to dedicate time to drawing, researching, and studying, and I love it! That's why the overwhelming urge to be seen on the dominant visual social media platforms (should we name them?) frustrated me: a significant portion of my precious time had to be spent posting and pleasing the gods of the algorithm, all for just 3.1 seconds of fleeting attention. It drained me.
So last summer, instead of focusing on indoor social media marketing, I spent most of that creative time outside the tattoo shop, drawing and painting with my easel on the sidewalk. Along with boosting my vitamin D intake, it enhanced my drawing skills and was exhilarating! I got to know my neighbors and had positive interactions with random people (Berlin can be pretty harsh in that regard). People stopped by to check on my progress, and some even felt inspired to pick up and squeeze their oil paint tubes again.
Naturally, some of them ended up getting tattooed!
This drawing is the most interesting piece from those outdoor sessions. It's my interpretation of the classic Battle Royale motif, depicting rats and snakes fighting together against birds of prey and crows. The meaning is more relevant than ever: set aside differences, unite, and join forces against greed and tyranny.
I was thrilled when one of my clients asked if I could adapt this artwork into a tattoo for his back!
And to think, it all started because I shared the drawing on Instagram.
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