Where were you born and where are you from?
I was born and raised in Rockland County, NY. The same place
I got my start in tattooing.
How did you get introduced to the tattoo culture?
I’ve always had an interest in this art form. I can remember
as a kid seeing tattoos on my older cousins and being intrigued. Once I was in
high school, I would pull up pictures of tattoos on the internet and redraw
them in my note books. My interest grew from there into researching the
different types and styles of tattoos, as well as getting to know other
artist’s work. I spent my college years at SVA in NYC and developed my talent
in the various forms of painting. Becoming a professional tattoo artist just
felt like the right path.
When did you get started?
It was back in 2006, I bought a few machines and found a few
brave friends to let me practice on them.
How would you describe your style of tattooing?
I always have difficulty describing my work. I work a lot in
full color, full saturation, and full coverage. There is a depth to the work
that I try to achieve. Some have called my style new school and some color
realism. Ultimately, I just try to take whatever the client asks for and make
it something they will be happy with for the rest of their lives.
What were you doing before you got into the tattoo business,
and what made you change?
My previous job was actually working at a third party
payment agency coding and prepping paperwork for data entry. And it was about
as fun as it sounds. All the while I was in school and working on finding a way
to make money with my art. After apprenticing at another shop, I took a part
time job at Winky Dink Ink in the evenings. Once school was done I asked the
owner when he thought it would be a good idea for me to quit my other job
coding and work at the shop full time. His answer is great advice to everyone
starting tattooing, “when you are making more money here than there”. I put in
my 2 week notice in the next day.
What influences your artwork?
The easy and most truthful answer is other art. I love
discovering new paintings, drawings, tattoos, and videos of all genres and time
periods. I often find inspiration in small details of other works and then
elaborate off them, adding my own skill and making it my own. Art is an
expression of real life, its all around us, especially in nature. You just have
to open your eyes and really take a look at what surrounds us.
What advice would you give to someone looking to get their
first tattoo?
The best advice I can give is to look at the portfolio of
the artist your about to get tattooed by.
I see way too many people getting tattooed with expectations for greatness
or with a style in their mind and it ends up being not what they are looking
for. Even though your artist’s portfolio won’t have the exact tattoo you want,
it will give you a good idea of how your tattoo will look when finished; i.e.
the style and feel. Artists vary and you need to know as best as possible what
you want and what you should expect to be getting.
Do you see your self doing anything other than tattooing?
I hope to continue to branch out into the other forms of
art. As of right now I have done a few book covers and sold a few paintings
through my website and in galleries on the east coast. I enjoy painting and it
would be great to one day have that become a bigger part of my life.
Anything else you would like to add?
I wouldn’t be where I am right now without the love and
support of my family, friends, my beautiful fiancé Nicole, my agent and good
buddy Brian, and fellow tattoo artist Bobby Ciffone, who took me under his
wings and gave me my start.
For anyone looking to make an appointment, please send
me an email at matt@matttruiano.com
or fill out the form on the contact page of my website www.matttruiano.com And check out my art
while you are there. Finally a big thank you to everyone who has bought a
painting or gotten tattooed. Hope to see you all soon.