Today we’d like to introduce you to Brandon Coston.
Hi Brandon, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
Really and truly, I’ve always loved tattoos. The way they look, the way they can make you look, the feeling of a freshly applied piece of art that adds a little boost when people need it most. I used to draw them on my doodles as a kid, on my action figures with Sharpie, and I couldn’t wait to create my characters in video games just to see what tattoos I could add to them.
Tattooing was my dream job in high school, but I didn’t have a clear path into the industry. My mom, who’s built a career in education, always emphasized the importance of having options through post-secondary education, but she also did her best to make sure art could be part of my professional future.
Even with that support, tattooing didn’t feel like a real possibility until 2020, when life changed for so many of us. I was sent home from my corporate job during the early days of the pandemic, and like a lot of people, I suddenly had time to slow down and think. Really sit with myself, my life, and what I actually wanted from it. Around that time, a friend of mine got into tattooing through a networking connection and sent me their setup list. After some conversation with my partner, who had just moved in, we decided if I was ever going to go for it, this was the time to try.
After months of inconsistent practice on fake skin, I had to be honest with myself — I had the supplies, but very little practical knowledge. I had the time, but no structure for how to improve. So when businesses began reopening in 2021, I reached out to my long-time tattoo artist at Detroit Grand Tattoo Co. and asked for a shot at an apprenticeship. We’d talked for years about it, but the timing had never worked. Finally, it did, and with help from my mentor and the other seasoned artists and piercer at Detroit Grand, I crossed that threshold into the industry.
Now, four years later, I’ve had the privilege of working with amazing clients and putting a ton of original artwork into the world. I’ve opened minds to what tattooing can be, beyond what algorithms tend to show us, and, more importantly, I’ve helped people look in the mirror and feel proud, happy, and excited about who they see. Tattooing has given me so much, and I plan to keep using it to give back to the people around me.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
I definitely wouldn’t describe it as a smooth road. Self-doubt crept in a lot during the early days, especially when I was in my apartment and couldn’t pull a straight line to save my life on something that wasn’t moving. Or when I found myself alone in the shop, wondering if I could actually turn a childhood dream into reality, or if I was wasting everyone’s time.
Tattooing has been a process through and through, at least it has been for me. Adjusting to the demands of entrepreneurship while also learning and growing in a new medium has easily been the toughest, but also the most rewarding, part of all this. There were a lot of humbling moments. But every one of them pushed me to slow down, pay attention, and trust that consistency, and keeping the main thing the main thing, would eventually pay off.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I’m a tattoo artist known primarily for work that highlights media and pop culture (nostalgic cartoons, movies, and anime) as well as Afro Americana. I also have a passion for soft black and grey work. I love being able to collaborate with such a wide range of people to align on one shared creative vision.
I’m most proud of the fact that my art, whether it’s highlighting my culture and personal identity or reimagining classic fan favorites in a way they’re not often seen, has connected with so many people. It continues to open doors for me to meet more dope clients every week.
I try to keep my eyes on my own paper when it comes to others around me. My goal is to be the tattoo artist for others that I always hoped to encounter whenever I came across a new shop, and I take providing that experience very seriously.
Is there a quality that you most attribute to your success?
Consistency is really the name of the game. Whatever I’m trying to do, staying consistent has driven all of the major progress I’ve seen. So I just keep trying to pour into that mindset as much as possible.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://Bcoston.ink
- Instagram: Bcostonink
