Jose Gonzales

Even though my preference in tattoo style is realism I feel that my approach towards tattooing as an artist is very ‘traditional’. At age 16 I wasn’t a great student and the only thing I was really passionate about was drawing and playing my guitar. Only by pure coincidence I was introduced to the idea of using my creative interests in tattoo, when a friend suggested that I could apply for an apprenticeship at a tattoo shop.

Tattoos weren’t as popular 20 years ago as they are now and I had no idea how ‘tattoo’ would change my life when I walked through the door of a local tattoo shop with my sketchbook under my arm as a young teenager. Back in the days the beginnings where tough as a shop apprentice and I have spent (a lot!) of time cleaning, soldering needles and drawing commercial flash sheets. It wasn’t till I went to visit a tattoo convention in Madrid in 2000 that I got introduced to what you could really create with tattoo. I was blown away by the work I had seen from artists like Paul Booth, Robert Hernandez and TinTin that it motivated me to explore all the possibilities of tattooing and open my own shop.

My beginnings where long and hard, and from the 17 years I have been tattooing, I consider I have only started creating the things I love to do a couple of years ago. At the moment I really enjoy tattooing horror inspired pieces with texture and color. It’s not the most popular genre in the area I live in, but I really get a kick from the darkness and texture in my tattoos. Getting to see my work from many years ago, I feel very strongly about creating solid and durable pieces. When I design a tattoo I am looking for much more than an impressive photograph to upload on to my social media, my aim always is that my client’s tattoos look amazing after they are healed and for years to come.