Bio

At a very early age I realized that art in all forms was a great tool for expression and social networking as well as providing an outlet for emotion and beleif. There are few things out there that can be used in so many different ways and sometimes it can be difficult justifying to some why artists do what they do. But anyone interested in the arts whether it be on paper, canvas, skin, or a million different medias has something to offer to the collective that is creative expression.

With that said, it is my personal opinion that tattooing bridges the gap between the client and the artist in such a way that every peice of art applied to skin becomes the collaboartive effort of everyone involved and this process is something to be taken very seriously and every idea and opinion is part of the final product. It is an honour for someone to trust me with their concepts and I take every aspect of the process into account while designing artwork knowing its a permanent decision.

I started tattooing proffesionally in 2004 and was set on learning as much about the medium as well as the industry itself as possible. I apprenticed at a well respected Tattoo Studio in Edmonton, AB and the training I recieved was truly a total package apprenticeship. I learned about the business processes involved in managing a really great clientelle. My experience at Bear's was mostly positive and I met some truly fantastic people who challenged me to work hard and provide a diverse demographic with comfortable professional tattooing and commisioned artwork.

I've worked with artists all around Western Canada and love the scene on this side of the globe. After Bear's, I've spent some time at Capital Tattoo in Edmonton with a great crew and also some time out in Banff at "P.i." with another great crew. I'm excited about working at "The Fall" in Vancouver and have been working towards developing a great clientelle here in Van with a talented crew covering so much ground artistically.

Every artist is relevant to where they started and what they were surrounded by and my style has always taken a little more from a technical perspective. I seem to enjoy most styles but render best to a dynamic style that applies to a few different genres. I did some work before tattooing as a conceptual artist and have always been involved in Logo Design and Illustration, so I try to focus my style towards the clients specifics and tend to be fairly versatile.

If you'd like to contact me personally you can email me at devin@insightartistry.ca with any ideas or questions.

Aftercare

The best way to care for fresh tattoo work is always something people can never seem to agree on and more often not they take advice from friends who have tattoos and MUST know what they are talking about. Just because your friends method worked for them does not mean it will work for you.
Here is a simple aftercare method that is foolproof and should work for everyone.

1 - Remove bandages 2 - 4 hours after being applied and quickly rinse it off in the shower or with a clean wet paper towel, gently remove the A&D Ointment. Keeping a bandage on for too long can suffocate your tattoo keeping your pores open in an attempt to breathe, which also provides a passage for ink to escape. Do not take off your bandages until you are home or somewhere that you can relax and give your tattoo an opportunity to seal. Not in a greasy bar with sweaty drunks wanting to touch your open wounds with their dirty drunk hands.

2 - The next morning you will want to wash the tattoo again in the shower, quick-wash, quick-rinse. The soap you use to clean your tattoo is important and the only three brands I recommend are, Pear's, Dove, and Neutrogena. Always reduce friction to your tattoo by letting it Air-dry or Pat-dry if you are in a hurry.

3 - Once your tattoo is dry and clean you can begin applying Lotion to help keep it moist and prevent heavy scabbing too early on in the healing process. I FULLY recommend you use Unscented Lubriderm. This is the best product for healing your tattoo properly. There are a million products claiming to be the best. BULLSHIT! Lubriderm is the best so USE LUBRIDERM. Sound good? Great. You can apply it 2 to 3 times daily and just use enough to cover your entire tattoo without rubbing it in too hard. You should continue this process until it is fully healed.

4 - Anytime you get your tattoo dirty or sweat in it you must clean it, the best way to prevent this from happening is to not roll around in the mud or allow people to touch the fresh ink, as well as allowing at least 5 days before returning to heavy physical activity. Sun tanning will also severely damage your tattoo and sunscreen can only be applied to HEALED tattoos.

5 - Allow your tattoo to peel, flake and scab, this is an important part of the healing process and picking, scratching and poking at it will affect the final product.

6 - Everyone has different heal times so don't be surprised to be healed anywhere from 10 days to 30 days.

7 - Once the piece is healed come by the shop so I can take a look, book touch-ups, if necessary and take healed pictures.

8 - Once healed go directly to the beach and try to use your new tattoo as a tool in picking up members of the opposite sex (or whatever your into) and see if it works. You'd be surprised at how effective of a panty-remover fresh tattoos are. ;)

Also, if you have any questions about pricing, aftercare, commission, tattoos, or anything else - email me!

devin@insightartistry.ca