Ben Wood - Artist

 What shapes my tattooing?

The past, I guess, is a good short answer. My past, as well as tattooing's past.

I'm deeply influenced by traditional tattooing. Sailor Jerry and others took inspiration from art in newspapers, magazines, and other media. I love that. Nowadays, many of us copy those same images, from those same tattoo artists. I also enjoy reimagining clipart and random graphics. Again, partially because the past has shaped me.

My childhood shaped me as well. As a kid, I loved drawing monsters. That evolved into pocket monsters (pokemon) and other anime characters. Sometimes I would draw a classmate as a Dragon Ball character and be awestruck by how legitimate it looked. I love the feeling I get when I pull off a believable style-fraud. Like I absorbed some of the other artist's power or borrowed it for a second.

Because I love to steal, aka collab without permission, I love to draw lettering. It’s literally the only way to be good at it is by being a good copy and paste through your brain processor.

Skateboarding art has influenced me with its flying eyeballs and skulls ripping out at you. It reinforced the tattoo imagery I was already attracted to. It was, and is, an industry that shows the rest of the world what is badass. Something skateboarding also gave me was the sense to keep at whatever I’m trying. It proved to me that I could learn how to do anything with effort and practice.

Ever since my 7 year old self told my mom that I wanted to be a tattoo artist and a cartoonist, I knew this was what I had been made for. Some people spend a lot of time figuring out what they want to be when they grow up. In a way, I was jealous of them while they were being jealous of me. I still know what I want. The hard part has been the how. It was difficult  navigating the path when it looked different than I imagined. Though sometimes it feels like things fall in my lap or I accidentally level up, I've put a lot of work and care into getting here. Even when I didn’t feel like it. It’s a thin, blurry line between caring for yourself and something more toxic (especially when you tend to obsess or lock on to things).

I’m here welcoming advice, criticism, and correction. I’m not here to allow hate or bigotry at me or my clients. Love drives me to take care of my family and put myself out here in cyberspace. The walls of this economy are pretty slippery. We need to stand on each other's shoulders, then turn around and pull the next person out, until we're all doing good enough to buy groceries and maybe even a house someday.

Instagram: @benwoodwhat

Website: benjaminwoodtattoos.com