Tattoo Society: interview with ryan evans
CREATING SUPERB BLACK AND GREY REALISM TATTOOS IN NEW ZEALAND
Ryan Evans has proven himself in the tattoo world with persistent hard work and a willingness to constantly learn and improve. He took interest in art at an early age and enrolled in art classes throughout his high school years, before starting his tattooing journey in Auckland, New Zealand, in 2010.
A few years later, Ryan moved to London, UK, to begin working in a well-known private studio, where he began focusing on black and grey realism and portraiture work. During those years in London, he learned a great deal and was exposed to an excellent array of artists at conventions throughout Europe.
He has now returned to New Zealand to work at Ship Shape Tattoo with an inspiring team of tattooists, where he prefers to focus on large-scale portraiture work in his forte, black and grey realism.
Tattoo Society Magazine was happy to talk to this talented artist and learn more about what drives Ryan to consistently create such incredible tattoos.
How did you get into tattooing?
Ryan Evans: I was working in a more conventional job, but I’d always been a keen drawer. I decided that tattooing would be a great way to apply myself artistically every day, with the added bonus of making a living too. I was lucky enough to be given an apprenticeship in a busy street shop in Auckland, New Zealand.
Do you have an artistic background?
Ryan Evans: Aside from high school art, I didn’t pursue any formal education in art, but it was always there as a background hobby.
Why did you choose black and grey realism to be your style? Is it something you aimed for, or is it something that happened on your own?
Ryan Evans: I’ve always been drawn to black and grey tattoos. I like the classic look of healed black and grey work. I seemed to naturally understand and enjoy working in black and grey a lot more than colour.
What would you say is the difference between tattooing black and grey as opposed to color?
Ryan Evans: I think black and grey relies on your ability to understand and render the correct values or shades, whereas color requires more knowledge of colour theory; what colours and tones work together and so on. Also, with black and grey you only have values between black and white to work with, however with colour, you have every shade of every colour, which adds to the realism of the piece.
Have you ever tried any other tattoo styles? Do you ever do colour tattoos?
Ryan Evans: Yes, when I started out as an apprentice, I would take on whatever work came in the door. Everything from small script to large custom script; Japanese kanji to koi fish; tribal to traditional, and so on. I think this was a great way to start, as it taught me a lot of basic and diverse skills, which helps my work today.
As I became busier, I was able to focus on realism. At first, I was taking on both colour and black and grey pieces, but I began to recognise that black and grey was the style I was most passionate about and it’s now my sole focus.
Do you make bits up that aren’t there on the reference photos, or do you try to do the exact reference photo?
Ryan Evans: It depends on the piece. If it’s a portrait of a specific person, such as a celebrity or someone’s family member, then I try to keep it as true to the reference photo as possible.
On pieces that afford me more freedom, I put together the design using parts from different photographs and hand-drawn fillers. For example, with Day of the Dead and clown girls, I take a photograph of a blank face and add the makeup myself, along with some different hair and hands, now that it’s not just another image from the internet.
Aside from specific portraits, all designs are tailored for the client.
How would you answer the critics that say that the tiny details and lighter shading on realism and portrait tattoos won’t hold up over time?
Ryan Evans: Obviously, miniature details don’t last forever, but they do look great for a while. However, if you structure the tattoo correctly and in a large enough size, then the overall tattoo should hold up and be recognizable over time, even as the miniature details fade.
Lighter shading isn’t really a problem as long as it’s not the majority of the tattoo and you have the necessary amount of black and darker greys to maintain contrast and recognizability over time.
How do you envision your tattoos 10 years from now or longer?
Ryan Evans: I strive to better myself each day and don’t want to stop learning. If I can continue to progress, then I couldn’t ask for much more.
Most of your tattoos are done on arms and legs. Is this a preference of yours?
Ryan Evans: I do prefer working on limbs, as they can be positioned in a way that’s comfortable to work on and the skin is a lot tighter. Right now, leg sleeves are my favourite.
What part of the body is your least favorite to tattoo? Do you have areas of the body that you refuse to tattoo?
Ryan Evans: I find hands challenging. Obviously, they don’t heal as nicely as other parts of the body and the skin around the knuckles is terrible to work on as it’s tough and stretchy. The size of the space is also very limiting.
Have you ever worked on large-scale tattoos?
Ryan Evans: Yes, recently I’ve completed a few full leg sleeves including a pirate theme and Hollywood theme, which are two of my favourites. I also take on back and front pieces, but as I’m focusing more on portraiture, clients tend to ask for tattoos on arms and legs as they fill the space nicely.
Who are some of your influences in the tattoo world?
Ryan Evans: I have taken inspiration from almost every artist I’ve ever met over the years but given that I specialise in black and grey realism, a couple who have really influenced me from day one are Matt Jordan and Carlos Torres.
More recently I’m drawn to work by artists like Elio Kohek, Ralf Nonnweiler, Hugo Feist, Inal Bersekov, and Thomas Carli Jarlier.
Do you use any white? If so, how much white do you use on your tattoos?
Ryan Evans: I use white, but I like to keep it to a minimum, reserving it only for a few small highlights where necessary. It’s very easy to overdo the white and lose the realism of the piece.
There are so many great black and grey artists around the world. What makes you stand out as one of the best? Are there any unique special techniques that you use in your tattoos that you feel are different from other black and grey tattooers?
Ryan Evans: I focus on achieving a really smooth finish, which has given my work a distinct look. I like to take my time and ensure that all of my work is clean and tidy. I pay special attention to ensure I get things as close to the reference as I can, ultimately trying to achieve the most realistic look.
When you work, do you use coils, rotaries, both? Any reason why you prefer one over the other?
Ryan Evans: I use the Spektra Xion rotary machine from FK Irons. It’s fantastic for what I do, as it’s nice and light, easily customizable and reliable. While coils are great, they are heavy, noisy, and can easily become out of tune.
What size of needles do you use to work with and why?
Ryan Evans: My typical needle selection for a portrait would be a 3RL and a 7RL for fine details, 7RS for the lighter areas of soft shading, and a 7MAG and 13MAG for the large gradient work. The 7MAG is my favourite. I would say that I do 80% of a tattoo with this grouping.
Are you satisfied with where you are with your work?
Ryan Evans: I am very grateful that I am able to do what I love each day, and that I have the clientele to keep me going. I think that just like in anything else, there is always room to improve and better myself, which I am constantly trying to do.
What do you like about the art of tattooing and what don’t you like?
Ryan Evans: The best would have to be the people I get to work with. It also offers a great lifestyle, with being able to apply myself artistically every day and also travel around the world.
On the downside, while it’s great how widespread tattooing has become, it’s disappointing how commercialised it has become, especially where the focus becomes less about good artwork and more about money and exposure. But I suppose everything naturally heads that way in the end.
What advice can you give to someone who is just starting out or looking to get into the tattoo business?
Ryan Evans: Nowadays with the amount of stuff available online, it is possible to order yourself the equipment, watch YouTube videos and go from there. An apprenticeship in a studio used to be almost the only way of making a start and I would still recommend this above all else.
It teaches you a lot of things that you can’t learn at home, like health and hygiene, dealing with different people wanting all sorts of different things, and often a different work ethic. If it is something that you are genuinely passionate about and you really want to be part of it because you are artistic and love the medium of tattooing, then go for it! It’s not easy, it’s a lot of hard work — it doesn’t just stop when you leave the studio each night, but it is most definitely worth it.
If you weren’t a tattoo artist, what would you be doing?
Ryan Evans: Wishing that I was a tattoo artist.
Any plans in your future and any last words?
Ryan Evans: I have just recently moved home to New Zealand after spending five years in London, UK. I am now working at Ship Shape Tattoo in Auckland. There is a really talented crew there and we all bounce knowledge off each other and occasionally enjoy painting in the evenings, which is something that I would like to really get into. It’s a really great environment to be in, so I will likely stay here for the next little while.
For more information about Ryan Evans, visit: www.instagram.com/ryan_evans
