MASHKOW INTERVIEW: Behind the Graffiti Portraits

Check out our interview with tattoo artist Mashkow. Creating some of the craziest portraits ever, he combines grafiiti and tattoos into the tattoo itself. Truly a one of a kind style he created that he doesn't plan to let go any time soon.

MASHKOW INTERVIEW

Where are you from? At what age did you get interested in tattoos?

I was born in Russian , in Xotkovo city near by Moscow . I started getting in to tattooing when I was 18-19 years old , now I’m 29.

Where did you learn to tattoo and what pushed you into learning?

It happened completely by accident, my friend brought tattoo equipment and asked me to finish one piece he had from another artist . I had no clue what I was doing but kind of liked it. it was fun time when I started tattooing my friends , roommates , neighbors etc . But I always was thinking that tattooing is a plan B . This is how it started .

What else were/are you into other than tattooing? How often do you get to do it?

Other than tattoo I’m in to painting , I used to do it before tattooing, while tattooing and will do after I quit tattooing .

Do you make art outside of tattooing?

Yes sure I’m keep painting when I have free from tattoo time , participating at art shows in galleries , selling my art as well . I also have an account on Instagram @_mmashkowilldo_ where I’m posting my artwork only .

Do you remember the first portrait you did that is in your now signature style? How nervous were you.

Yes I clearly remember it was at the Philadelphia Tattoo Convention in February 2018 . I made a graffiti face design and post it on my page , one guy contacted me and said that he’s down for that . It wasn’t really nervous for me , I would say I was super stoked and happy with this project . I put that piece in to the contest ( I believe it was best portrait category) and judges were confused about my work . It’s all good I still love that piece .

What were some of your favorite celebrity faces to tattoo?

6 – It’s difficult to say , I really like what I’m doing and every next piece I like more than previous .

It’s kinda funny to think that even somebody’s tattoo has a tattoo, what the main difference in putting on a tattoo and putting on a tattoo that is on another tattoo? (Does that make sense?)

I’m not doing tattoo on tattoos , I thing it’s more about graffiti on faces, same as bombed streets , but I use faces instead walls .

So when someone comes to you to get tattooed, what is the first thing that happens. Do they come to you and say I want a tattoo of Leonardo Dicaprio (or whoever)?

Yes sure , customer pick a character he or she wants to get , then I work with it , sometimes I ask to send me a few words they want me to put in to the project .

Picking of the references is up to me , it needs to be contrast and high resolution . That’s it

How long/how many sessions does a usual tattoo of yours take?

Usually it takes about 7-8 hours to finish the regular size portrait , most of my works you can see on IG was done for one day session . Of course everything depends at details and placement .