I was constantly surrounded by art - when I was just a little boy I started to go to art school, I was pretty good at it so after high school graduation I decided to study in the art academy.
*Funny story from art academy - I was studying graphic design and twice a year we are examined on our progress. The examination task was to have 5 hyper-realistic drawings and draw them as close to the picture as you can. After evaluation, they called me back. When I came back, I noticed that one of my works looked strange.
"Jaris, can you explain this?" the lecturer said, holding an eraser in his hand, and started obliterating my artwork. I was shocked. "Why it's not coming off (graphite)?" he said. "That's because I used a graphite sealant..." I reapplied (I used graphite sealant to protect my artwork from smudging). "Can you prove that?". I was disappointed. All my work was just ruined.
I've spent half an hour explaining and proving my process (luckily I've made progress photos). It was hard to understand for them, how the drawing was not coming off. They thought it was a print and I just drew over the top of it. I was angry at first, but in the end, it turned out to be a great story and a greater compliment.
I always knew I wanted to do something artistic. I was “that kid” who had a pencil in my hand since the time I could hold one. Being a tattoo artist allows me to push my boundaries, and enjoy the variety of what I get to create permanently on people every single day. I want each client to look at their tattoo and see the organic flow of how it balances with that body part.
Hyper realistic Salvador Dali portrait.
The first time I was introduced to tattooing happened when I was 15. My best friend and I decided to get a stick and poke tattoos ourselves - the spark ignited.
Getting tattooed became a part of my life.
Working as a tattoo artist gave me a different perspective on life.
Now I am travelling around the world, guesting at different studios, meeting awesome people, creating beautiful art and enjoying life. Tattooing is a never-ending learning journey, that’s why I love it. Seeing your smiles, and positive messages about my work, makes my life fulfilling.
