Check Out Sk Martin’s Story

Today we’d like to introduce you to Sk Martin

Hi SK, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
I began my career as a tattooist in a somewhat unorthodox way; with a BFA degree from Grand Valley State University and exactly zero tattoos, I entered the world of skin & ink as a bit of an outsider. But tattooing has evolved enormously even during my modest years in the industry, and I was not an unwelcome addition. My apprenticeship at Magnum Tattoo in south Grand Rapids was a fairly traditional affair – it involved a lot of cleaning in addition to learning the tools and skills relevant to the trade. Having a formal art background made the drawing and design aspects of the job accessible for me, but that is only one facet of building the necessary abilities to becoming a successful tattoo artist. Just the practical skills – needle depth, hand speed, stroke, pressure, and numerous application techniques – all are such specialized, niche training that cannot be obtained any other way than learning directly from a professional. I was fortunate to have stumbled into a not only a reputable studio, but folks that had the time and want to teach someone like me, having so little knowledge of the of the work involved.
Why did I choose to pursue tattooing, if I was so out of the loop? I asked myself that, especially when the path to such a career had some intimidating obstacles. We’ll, I wanted to work in an artistic field, and upon learning that I was not gifted in networking nor doing my own footwork for finding commission work fresh out of college, I asked myself how I could sit in a room and clients came to me directly, asking for me to come up with art. Something different, every day. Tattooing provided.

I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Tattooing is an odd job. While the work itself demands consistency in the final product, there are so many factors that are in flux; skin quality, pain tolerance, location, healing, allergies, budget, the quality of our products – working in skin is unlike any other medium, and it’s often overlooked how outlandish the idea of putting a picture on someone’s body actually is. The permanence of the work, and the knowledge that there is so little room for error, is intimidating.

Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I have a long history of jobs involving customer service. If there is an aspect of tattooing that tends to be lacking, in my opinion, it is this. Historically, tattoos are associated with a certain edginess, a tough-guy sort of atmosphere on both sides of the client /technician exchange. Creating a comforting space was seldom a standard practice since it ran in such an opposing direction to the overall experience. But with the demographics of those seeking tattoos shifting – EVERYONE gets them nowadays, from every profession and background – so too must the approach change. Clients should feel safe and well understood in the end product they want. After all, getting a tattoo requires a lot of trust, and fostering a good relationship with your clients means they will come back to see you again. The accommodations are not just related to profession behavior, but also versatility; with new customer bases comes new demands. There are more style approaches and subject matters involved in tattoo design than ever before, and anyone looking to be relevant in the industry knows they will have to work hard just to keep up. Many tattooists prefer to hone their skills and focus on specializing in a certain areas. My own preferences lean toward realism, nature, and science, but too narrow of focus risks alienating clients, so maintaining a decent grasp of a broad range of approaches helps keep you in business. I’ve dabbled in many styles, and hope to keep adding to my list of abilities while still improving the overall level of quality. Everyone here at Curiosity Ink shares the ambition to become the best version of themselves – I’ve had a direct hand in training almost everyone at this studio, and we put a lot of care into curating a comforting atmosphere for our clients, with a strong foundation of trust through meticulous planning and design. We emphasize that our clients should feel confident in every piece, just as we do.

Where we are in life is often partly because of others. Who/what else deserves credit for how your story turned out?
Learning such a nuanced skill as tattooing requires many teachers at every level, and realistically the learning never ends. There is so much to observe from my colleagues, even those newer to the industry than myself. I recall wise words from my art school professor from the illustration program at GVSU, Ed Wong-Ligda: “If you are the most talented person in the room, then you’re in the wrong room”. A big fish in a small pond doesn’t grow much, and if you think you’re done learning then that prophecy fulfills itself. There is a lot of ego in this industry since confidence and conviction are such necessary attitudes to adopt to become successful, but humility is paramount for growth and adaptation. I have the most experience, roughly speaking, among my colleagues at Curiosity Ink, and by a decent margin. But Alyssa Richards has a level of line flow and clean design that I envy, just as Cara Ferrier’s color-packing technical skill I have yet to achieve. Destiny Wiertalla is always taking things to the next level by approaching angles in design and application that keep me thinking about all the possibilities, and Rachel Rife, our cosmetic tattooist, is involved in a branch of the industry I’ve never set foot upon. So, it’s safe to say I won’t stop growing anytime soon.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://curiosityink.tattoo/
• Instagram: curiosity_ink
• Facebook: curiosityinkgallery