Becoming a tattoo artist is a mi of passion, devotion and talent and the way each artist builds his/her career varies greatly according to their motivation.
We put this series of interviews together to give you the references on how our favourite tattoo artists started their careers and what motivated them to do so.
Today we spoke with Francesco Curia to understand his path and how he’s been developing and perfecting his art over the last years. If you don’t know Francesco, he is an Italian tattoo artist specialized in Anime tattoos – check out his work and you’ll see creative and mesmerising tattoo pieces referencing mythical shows, such as Pokemon and One Piece, but also from Disney’s immortal Lion King or even Tim Burton’s Nightmare Before Christmas.
Together with Federico, they’ve created the Old Boys Studio in Livorno, which became a reference with tattoos of all styles, raging from anime to realism, from old school to neotraditional with several other styles in between.
Here’s a sample of Francesco’s art:
When did you noticed you wanted to be a tattoo artist?
My journey started about 7 years ago, I have always been fascinated by the world of tattooing and having made artistic schools (international comics school and academy of fine arts in Florence) I have chosen to take this path.
What steps did you go through to become a tattooist?
In an initial phase I tried to do things self-taught, realizing that it was the wrong way, I enrolled in a regional course where I could learn the various procedures correctly and safely.
Today I do drawing lessons at courses where they issue certificates for tattoo artists.
Why did you specialize in Anime / Cartoon tattoos?
Since I was young I have always been a fan of Italian and international comic manga. Thanks to the Comics school I have perfected my style of drawing.
The constant request for tattoo of this kind has led me to specialize in this sector, trying to be as faithful as possible to the original designs while maintaining a personal line.
Can you share an accomplishment you’re most proud of?
The result that makes me most proud is to see the positive feedback from the many customers who come from different areas of Italy and certainly to have managed together with my partner Federico to set up the Old Boys studio, where every day I have the opportunity to work with extraordinary colleagues / friends.
Make sure you follow Francesco on Instragram @checcooldboy if you’re a fan of anime, comics or cartoon art. Or even better, pay the team a visit next time you’re in Livorno – you’ll find them in Via Michon 18A.
Did you enjoy this interview? And who would you like to see next? Make sure to request your favourite artist using [email protected].