We would like to introduce Ben Fletcher as a new resident artist at UN1TY tattoo. We sat down with him for a brief interview to give you all an incite into who he is and how he works…
Please introduce yourself…
Hi I am Ben Fletcher a 36 year old tattoo artist from Shrewsbury.
Where are you from?
I was born in the city of Liverpool, but moved to Shrewsbury when I was just 5 years old with my parents and at the time my younger sister (I now have another sister). We came to Shrewsbury for more quiet rural life. The Shrewsbury area was known to us as my mum and her side of the family were all born here.
How long have you been tattooing?
I have been tattooing for around 8 years. Over the 8 years I have been lucky enough to have clients that all want different styles of tattoos. This has given me the versatility to tattoo most styles, although my love and passion is in the traditional style.
What work do you like to do?
I love to work in the American traditional style of tattooing. This style is well known for its simplistic stylised look, with bold lines and limited colour pallet using no more than normally 8 colours. I like this style the best because of its timeless look in the skin. It is also a style that is very rich in reference and designs from past tattoo artists that pathed the way.
I also love the history behind the style as well as tattooing history in general. The American traditional style started around the early 1900s, with the golden age of traditional tattooing starting around 1930s and was popular amongst sailors and most military personnel.
What information do you need from your clients to give them the best experience and tattoo possible?
To achieve the best tattoo and experience, I like to know what sort of end vision they are looking for with their design. I also require an approximate size and location of the tattoo. Then it comes down to the trust between client and artist, giving me the creative freedom to come up with a design that we are both into so I can achieve the best look for their tattoo. I am a firm believer that the tattoo is only part of the experience and that myself and the client must be on the same page and have a similar energy and trust, so we can both work collectively to have the best experience possible, achieving the best work and design for them.
What inspires you?
There are many things that inspire me on a day to day basis, but when it comes to inspiration for my work I like to look through old flash sheets from the past and photos of past tattoo shops, to see the inside of the shops and how they were decorated top to bottom in flash. I am constantly on the hunt for designs on flash sheets that have not been seen before. I also like to work in a creative environment and be around creative people. This inspires me to step out of my comfort zone and and see how far I can go creatively.
What do you like to do outside of tattooing?
Outside of work I like to enjoy the simple things in life, like spending time with my family and friends. I try to keep my mind creative and I like to learn new crafts, whether that be painting in a new medium or trying different drawing styles. I also like anything that has been handmade. There is something alluring about handmade crafts.
How can people contact you if they want to be tattooed?
If anyone would like to contact me regarding tattoo work they can do so through my email benfletcher@un1ty.tattoo or click here to fill in my contact form on the website.
I don’t take DM messages regarding work through my social media, but there are links to the above email on my pages.
Is there anything you would like to say?
I would just like to say that I am looking forward to starting this new chapter in my tattooing journey and I cannot wait to start working with awesome clients old and new. I look forward to helping you all create the perfect tattoo.
What are your social media links?
My social media links are Instagram and Facebook.
I would also like to say thank you to Hanumantra and Jo Harrison for allowing me to join the Un1ty team and be a part of their awesome environment they have created.
