MURKADO

What motivated you to get tattooed in the first place?

• I got my first tattoo when I graduated university as a little graduation gift to myself – I’ve always wanted to get tattooed but never knew where to start. Not sure if I can pinpoint exactly what motivated me to go through with getting tattooed for the first time, but it’s something I’ve always wanted to do. I picked the brain of my friends that had tattoos and did my own research on what styles I liked. I guess you could thank @normanosborn for pushing me off the deep end in the road to getting tattooed.

Do you remember what your first tattoo was?

• My first tattoo was a dot-work mandarin orange on the back of my left arm.  Not all of my tattoos have any significant meaning, but for this one, I thought of my family’s tradition of giving oranges to people in times of celebration.  For as long as I can remember, my grandma would always give oranges to people as a sign of good luck, good health, as well as wealth/prosperity.

How many tattoos do you currently have? Which one was the most recent?

• As of right now, I have 18 tattoos.  I recently got two done by @kirkshandrotattoo – a heikegani crab and an omamori in my ditch and forearm.

What have been some of the inspirations behind the tattoos that you have? Do you typically have an idea in mind before reaching out to a tattoo artist?

• I find myself usually gravitating towards Japanese traditional tattoos or other eastern Asian inspired images – the lore and storytelling behind the imagery has always been fascinating to me.  Going into an appointment, I usually have a few ideas in mind, but I also like bouncing ideas with the artist to see what they think and what would work best for the space given.   

What type of tattoo styles have you gotten done? What do you like about tattoos in general?

• I’ve gotten a few different styles done over the years. Mostly Japanese traditional, some American traditional, and a couple dot-work tattoos.

• Simply put – I think tattoos look cool. It’s fun learning why people get certain tattoos, why they choose a certain style, their inspiration behind the tattoos, etc.

Do any of your tattoos hold any personal meaning to you that you’d like to share?

• Most of my tattoos don’t have much meaning to them, but I do have a bouquet of flowers on my inner arm for my mom – her name is Daisie and I made sure that the bouquet had at least one daisy in there. My version of a “Mom” tattoo without it hitting you over the head.

What were some of the most painful spots to get tattooed for you?

• Most of my tattoos haven’t been too painful, but inner arm (close the armpit) was tender.  The ditch and elbow are never fun either.

Has having tattoos had any impact in your personal life?

• I don’t think my tattoos have had much of a negative impact on my personal life.  The industry I work in doesn’t frown upon it or anything.  When people see my tattoos for the first time, I often get something along the lines of “I didn’t expect you to have tattoos.”, which I always find interesting.  
  

  My Mom wasn’t a huge fan when I started getting tattoos, but eventually she got used to it and accepted her fate.  My Dad, on the other hand, I think felt obligated to agree with my Mom, but inside, he enjoys them.  I know he’s always wanted to get tattoos when he was younger but just never did.  Finally, my grandma is not a fan at all – but then again what grandma is?  She often asks my girlfriend, who works in healthcare, if there’s anything that she knows of that can wash them off. 

Do you have any favourite tattoos?

• A couple of my favourites are my Tiger and Kirin done by @heathsmith.  I also really like my hannya mask on the back of my right arm done by @alxgracia when she was still in Kelowna.

Who are some of the artists that you've gotten tattooed by?

• Most of my tattoos have been from @heathsmith at @righthandtattoo.  Other local artists I’ve been tattooed by include @kirkshandrotattoo @tyler.the.tattooer @ryan.philip.griffiths @roxanaxenia.  Some tattoos I got on vacation were from @alxgracia in Kelowna and @hanaroshinko in Los Angeles.