Cathy • Hyper Realism Tattoo Master from China

A few weeks ago, I have discovered a new and extremely talented tattoo artist from China named Cathy. As you will see here below in just a few years she mastered one of toughest styles in tattooing: hyper-realism. Come along with Cathy as she delves into the narratives interwoven with her boundary-pushing to produce remarkably lifelike artwork.

For the readers who are not familiar with you, how would you introduce yourself?

Hello, my name is Cathy, and I’m a Chinese tattoo artist. I do realism tattoos the most.

Where did your fascination for tattoos come from?

I loved painting at first and wanted to show my family how capable I was. I grew to love the sensation of well-crafted art slowly taking shape on my skin throughout the tattooing process. Each time I completed a piece I was proud of, I experienced a strong sense of achievement, and through competing, I came to understand my value.

How and when did you start tattooing?

Since I was 16, I started drawing, but my dad did not really support me at the beginning. Then it made me want to prove myself, and my friend told me that tattoos would be a perfect fit for me and recommended me learning tattooing, so I fell in love with tattoos since then.

Where are you based?

I’m based in Chongqing, China.

How would you describe the tattoo scene in your country these days?

Many years ago in China, tattoos were used as a punishment for criminals, so there were not many tattoo-likers. Many people blindly followed the trend and even did not know what style they liked, but now most people understand what kind of tattoos they need and are more and more able to accept tattoos and recognize their art form.

How would you define your tattoo style?

It’s mainly realistic style, but I’m always trying new things, and each time I think and touch things differently, which allows me to learn better, and if I have to say the style, I can define it in the colorful hyper-realism style.

You seem to have an extremely well-curated Instagram page. How much does this impact your business?

Instagram (IG) is very important to me, and many of my clients and communication enthusiasts come from IG, which allows me to communicate with everyone in the world and understand people from different cultural backgrounds. I have seen more of the world’s top excellent works, and I can learn about their different creative methods and excellent places. I have learned a lot at IG.

The tattoo culture has changed a lot in the last decade, becoming widely accepted almost anywhere in the world. What do you think about this big cultural shift?

This cultural shift can be seen as a manifestation of pluralism and individuality, with people increasingly seeking self-expression and the display of unique identities, the pursuit of art and beauty, and tattoos becoming a way to express themselves. Of course, this also shows that the current social environment is getting richer and richer, and more people will pursue their own ideals and hobbies to satisfy themselves.

What’s the main source of inspiration for your tattoos?

Observe more, draw more. My inspiration often bursts out of my mind, from the street or because of some new things I find inspiring, so I quickly write it down.

What’s the most challenging aspect of being a tattoo artist in 2024?

I think the biggest challenge for me is to have more originality; it’s very draining. You need to have elements and a theme that no one else has.

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a tattoo artist?

I think the most valuable thing for me is that I have found the meaning of my life, found the value of my existence, and can use my hobby as a way of living, which is a very happy thing.

What’s your experience at tattoo conventions so far?

When I first participated in the exhibition, there were always some small things that made me feel that it was not smoothly done enough, so I must prepare for it all before the event and adjust my mentality to meet the upcoming challenges.

Do you remember the first tattoo convention you have ever been to?

The first time I participated in the exhibition was at the Langfang Convention, when I was only 20 years old. I had just started in the industry, and I learned and communicated with a learning mentality, and I unexpectedly won a medal.

What’s your primary reason to attend a tattoo convention?

At first, I went to study, to see the methods of my predecessors, and to ask for some of my own problems. I like the state of preparation for the competition, the excitement of the competition, and the sense of accomplishment of winning the award, and now I am happy to help the newcomers with some of the problems they encounter and more to communicate and discuss.

How do you think tattoo conventions could make events better for artists and the public?

Provide a variety of exhibition platforms: Provide opportunities for artists to showcase their work, such as by holding art exhibitions, live tattoo demonstrations, or competitions.

Knowledge sharing and exchange: Organize lectures, seminars, or workshops where artists can learn from each other and share skills and experiences.

Public interaction: Set up interactive sessions, such as allowing the public to communicate with artists, ask questions, or participate in experiential activities, to increase the public’s sense of participation.

Social activities: Hold social activities, such as parties or concerts, to provide opportunities for artists and the public to communicate and entertain.

What’s your favorite tattoo convention so far? And why?

The Langfang Tattoo Convention, one of the most authoritative exhibitions in China, is my enlightenment teacher on the road to tattooing, and the top tattoo artists of all styles in China will gather here, which will make it easy for me to communicate with them and learn from each other.

What advice would you offer to someone considering a career as a tattoo artist?

At first, this path is hard, anxious, and requires extreme patience for every tattoo artist, requiring you to make mistakes and corrections step by step. Stick to your own path and work hard to see results. Therefore, it is a very happy thing to be able to develop my hobby for a long time and use it as a means of earning a living.

Who are the people you admire the most within the tattoo community?

I admire everyone who can become better by their own efforts, and I feel that all those who are better than me have something to learn from, and they can be my teachers.

What’s your biggest accomplishment as a tattoo artist?

I finally gained approval from my family.

Do you do other forms of art besides tattooing?

Crafting, photography, and illustration are all very beneficial to me.

What are your goals or dreams for the near future?

Make more and more people know me and know about Chinese tattoo artists.

Is there anything else you would like to tell our readers?

If you love and love tattoos, do your best on them, feed your soul with them, and in the future, you will become the person you want to be.

CHINESE

对于不熟悉你的读者，你会如何介绍自己?

大家好 我是Cathy我来自中国重庆 一位彩色写实纹身师.

你对纹身的迷恋是从哪里来的?

最开始是喜欢绘画并且希望能跟家人证明自己。慢慢在纹身过程中我非常享受一幅完美的艺术品慢慢呈现在皮肤上的感觉，每次做了一个我满意的作品就会让我产生很大的成就感，通过不同的比赛我进行了自我价值的实现

你是怎么开始纹身的，什么时候开始纹身的?

从16岁时 我的朋友告诉我 纹身会非常适合我然后推荐我去学习纹身，从这过后我就彻底爱上了纹身

你的总部在哪里?

中国重庆.

你如何描述这些天在你的国家的纹身场景?

在中国很多年前纹身是作为一种刑罚，所以纹身爱好者刚开始并不多，很多人都是盲目跟风，甚至不知道自己喜欢什么样的风格，但在现在大多数人都明白自己需要什么样的纹身，越来越能接受纹身并且认可它的艺术形式

你会如何定义你的纹身风格?

主要是写实风格，但是我一直致力于尝试新的东西，每段时间想法和接触的东西不同，这能让我更好的学习，如果一定要说出风格，可以用野兽派彩色写实风格定义。

你似乎有一个精心策划的Instagram页面这对您的业务有多大影响?

`Instagram (IG)对于我来说非常重要，我的客户，和沟通爱好者很多都来源于ig 这让我能够顺利跟国际的每一个人爱好者交流，了解不同文化背景的人群. 让我见识到更多世界顶尖的优秀的作品，并且能学习到他们不同的创作方式和优秀的地方，我在IG学习很多

在过去的十年里，纹身文化发生了很大的变化，几乎在世界任何地方都被广泛接受。你怎么看待这种巨大的文化转变?

这种文化转变可以被视为一种多元化和个性化的体现，人们越来越追求自我表达和独特身份的展示，对艺术与美的追求，纹身成为了一种表达自我的方式。当然这也侧面表现出现在的社会环境越来越富裕，更多的人会去追求自己的理想，爱好来满足自身。

你纹身的主要灵感来源是什么?

多看，多画，我的灵感很多时候都是突然从脑子里迸发出来的，常常会因为在大街上，或者因为一些新奇的事物中找到灵感，并迅速记下。

10-2024年，作为一名纹身师，最具挑战性的方面是什么?

我觉得对我来说 挑战最大的就是开发更多原创，它是十分消耗精力的，你需要去开发一个别人不具备的元素和让人眼前一亮的题材。

作为一名纹身师，最有价值的是什么?

我觉得对于我来说，最有价值的是我找到了自己的人生意义，找到了存在的价值，并且能以自己的爱好为谋生的手段，这是一件很幸福的事情

到目前为止，你在纹身大会的经验是什么?

参加展会需要非常专注，所有事情都得提前预备好，在我刚参加展会时，总会因为一些小事情让我觉得不够顺利，所以在展会前一天一定要把所有的消耗品清点一遍，和调整好自身的心态，迎接即将到来的挑战。

你还记得你参加过的第一次纹身大会吗?

我第一次参加展会是廊坊展会，那时我才20岁，刚从业不久，报着学习的心态去学习和沟通，结果意想不到的拿到了奖牌

你参加纹身大会的主要原因是什么?

最开始是去学习，去看前辈们是扎图的手法，去请教一些自身的难题。我喜欢自己准备比的状态，比赛时带给我的刺激感，获奖的成就感，现在我很乐意去帮助新人们他们遇到的一些问题，更多的是去交流探讨。

你认为纹身大会如何更好地为艺术家和公众举办活动?

提供多样化的展示平台：为艺术家们提供展示作品的机会，例如举办艺术展览、现场纹身演示或比赛等。知识分享和交流：组织讲座、研讨会或工作坊，让艺术家们能够相互学习、分享技巧和经验。公众互动：设置互动环节，如让公众与艺术家交流、提问或参与体验活动，增加公众的参与感社交活动：举办社交活动，如派对或音乐会，为艺术家和公众提供交流和娱乐的机会。

到目前为止，你最喜欢的纹身大会是什么?为什么呢

中国廊坊展会，是中国最有权威的展会之一 ，它算是我的在纹身道路上的启蒙老师，中国各个风格顶尖的纹身师都会聚集到这里，这会让我很容易和他们进行交流沟通和互相学习。

对于考虑以纹身师为职业的人，你会给他什么建议?

这这条路最开始对于每个纹身师来说，都很艰苦，枯燥，焦虑，需要你一步一步试错，更正。坚持自己，努力一定会看到结果的。所以能将自己的爱好长期发展并且作为一种谋生的手段，这是一件很幸福的事.

在纹身界，你最崇拜的人是谁?

我崇拜于每一个能够通过自己的努力变得更好的人，我觉得所有比我做的好的人都有值得我学习和借鉴的地方，他们都可以是我的老师.

作为一个纹身师，你最大的成就是什么?

得到家人的认可

除了纹身，你还做其他的艺术形式吗?

手工，摄影和插画，这些都让我受益良多

你近期的目标或梦想是什么?

让更多的人知道我，知道中国纹身师

你还有什么想告诉我们的读者的吗?

如果你喜欢并热爱纹身，那就尽全力的去做下去，养活你自己灵魂，在不就得将来你会成为你想成为的人。