I was working at the one and only (and now deceased) London Tattoo Convention when Gordo came and introduced himself. I was of course aware of his work as we had some mutual clients with impeccable taste 😉 So began a newfound friendship. Not one based on casual comments and the occasional message online, but one that involved spending time together drawing, discussing tattoos, art and ideas.
The first time I saw one of Gordos tattoos there was an instant intrigue. It was apparent that he had a system in place, an understanding of what he was doing on peoples skin. I enjoyed following his progress for some time before we met. What became apparent after spending only a short amount of time together was that our approach and philosophy to tattooing was very similar. We both use a freehand technique (albeit quite a different one) to create silhouetted shapes in the skin that fit and flow with the wearer. Looking at the geometry of an individual in front of us, we use our insight to find the right lines to create a harmonious design for the person. And so after several dry runs of creating artwork on paper, we decided to offer the chance of a collaboration.
Collaborating
Despite spending plenty of time discussing the nuances of our first collaboration there was no way of knowing ultimately how it would all translate into the clients’ skin. I have my way of working, Gordo his and then, of course, the desires of the client. There is the saying “two’s a couple, three’s a crowd”.
Well, our first collaboration was on Guilherme, who travelled from Sao Paulo, Brazil to get tattooed. Any lingering doubts about the outcome were put to rest once I saw the drawing start to develop.
After this, I knew we were onto something that had potential. Not just visually but also how Gordo and I worked together. The following excerpt is from Guilherme after he’d returned home with his new tattoo.
“Going to the UK to get tattooed by you was certainly a unique experience. It will always occupy the imaginary wall of the highest moments of my life. You and Gordo made it all worth it, not only for the amazing result of the tattoo but also for all the “customer experience” that you provided.”
Continuing
Since this first collaboration, Gordo and I have gone on to work with multiple clients to create a truly unique vision for abstract Blackwork. We have been able to take the most fundamental elements of our work and combine them together to create a singular tattoo. A recipe from ingredients only we possess.
It excites me to be working with another tattooer. One who is pushing their limits and striving for something different, something fresh. It’s allowed us both to grow in a way that wouldn’t have otherwise been possible. Moving forward we will continue to merge our respective styles of tattooing and evolve on what it is we have started.
We currently have several large scale pieces that are in progress and nearing completion. Gordo will be back at UN1TY in the coming months and I look forward to being able to share some finished pictures.
It’s from here that Gordo and I wish to continue our collaborations with the right clients. The past couple of years have we have focused primarily on our own work (mainly thanks to Covid) but later this year and onwards we will be ready to accept new clients. If you wish to be considered please fill out a contact form HERE. Or send an email to info@un1ty.tattoo where we will be able to provide you with all the required information.
Many thanks, H