Cute Tattoos, Big Back Pieces, and Ten Years From Brazil to Barcelona
Tattoo Artist Q&A: Laura Arroz
What’s your name (and studio name/location etc...), and how long have you been tattooing?
I'm Laura Arroz. I'm originally from Brazil, where I tattooed for most of my career, and for the past three years I've been in Europe, working between Barcelona and Berlin. I've been tattooing for 10 years now :)
What got you into tattooing?
I’ve been drawing since I was a kid, and when I was 16 I started working as an illustrator. At some point I wanted to try different mediums, and tattooing was one of them. I found out about handpoke and tattooed some friends to see if I liked it... in the end I loved it and kept working with that technique for almost 2 years, before learning to tattoo with a machine.
Did you start off as an apprentice? If so, what was that like?
When I started, I looked for some handpoke artists, sent emails and messages asking about their process, and even visited one to see what a tattoo session was like. After that, I tattooed some friends at home for a while, and then started tattooing at a friend's studio where she taught me a few other things. It was never actually an apprenticeship, but just watching other people work and having people around to help me made me learn a lot!
When you were starting out, were you inspired by other artists?
Yes! A lot of artists have inspired me over the years and still do. When I first started with handpoke, it was because I came across Grace Neutral's work and got super excited about her art and especially her handpoke technique.
Did you work in other mediums first or go straight to tattoos?
I first started with illustration, so I spent a lot of time studying both digital and traditional painting (acrylic, watercolor, pastel, gouache, and now oil painting). Also, I graduated in animation and made a few projects in that area before starting tattooing.
Do you work in other mediums now?
Yes! Besides tattooing, I still work with illustration, so I'm always trying new mediums. Right now I'm doing a lot of ceramics and oil paintings.
Do you have a specific niche or style that you specialize in?
Every time someone asks me this, I answer: "cute tattoos!" hahaha. But honestly, I'm not really sure what style it fits into. My work has a lot of comic and anime influences, so I guess it falls somewhere around that.
How do you handle the pressure of knowing that when tattooing, it’s permanent…there’s no “undo” button.
It's a lot of pressure tbh hahaha, but it's also that pressure that makes me do my best on every project. I also think it's really important to be honest with the client, tell them what will or won't work as a tattoo, and make sure they keep in mind they're choosing something that's going to stay on their skin forever. Skin will age and change over time, and so will the tattoo. If they're not okay with that, they should think a bit more before getting tattooed.
Some tattoo styles seem to come and go, is there one style that’s gone away that you miss?
Honestly, no. I love the fact that every year people create new things and bring old styles back in different ways :)
Do you prefer clients who come with a finished idea, or ones who give you a vague concept and let you run with it? Do most clients give you freedom to be creative?
I'd say it's half and half. I always ask to have a little bit of freedom to make the project work, but I also feel like I need some direction to create the best project for that client.
You’ve probably heard a lot of back-stories “behind the tattoo”, is there one story about a tattoo that you’ve done that’s stuck with you?
My clients and I usually talk a lot during the session, so when a tattoo has a deeper meaning, they usually share the story behind it with me. For me, the tattoos done in memory of someone who passed away always touch me the most.
Aside from that story, do you have a favorite tattoo that you’ve done?
Yes, I love the big projects I do, like back pieces, chest pieces, etc. They're always a challenge, and seeing the final result of something so big makes me super happy. The first full back piece I ever did was a snake with stars, and it's always going to be one of my favorites.
Aside from the actual drawing, what’s a skill a tattoo artist needs that people don't realize? What challenges do tattoo artists face?
Definitely being good at dealing with people! I've had experiences with tattoo artists who were super rude to their clients or just didn't know how to deal with people at all. I know it's hard because a lot of artists are introverts, but being there for the client, being nice, paying attention to what they need during the process, and being gentle should be the bare minimum as a tattoo artist. The client isn't just paying for a service, they're trusting you with something they'll carry for the rest of their life. Even though we do this every day, it's a huge moment for that person, and trust me, they don't want to have a bad memory of their tattoo because they were mistreated during the session. So just be nice and pay attention to that person during the appointment :)
Follow Laura: Instagram
