Artist makes his mark in a permanent fashion

While some people wear their heart on their sleeve, Rockingham tattoo artist Jackson May prefers a more permanent approach.

After discovering a passion for drawing and designing his friend’s tattoos, May was tired of seeing other artists printing his work.

He decided to learn the ropes through an apprenticeship at Bibra Lake studio Ink Assault where his first tattoo was a baptism of fire — he had to practice on his own leg.

“My boss made me pick a generic tribal design that was easy to cover up because he thought I’d stuff it up, and he was right, I did,” he said.

“These days apprentices will practise on pig skins and they can make mistakes, whereas I had to start on myself and my mates. It’s definitely a good way to make sure you learn from your mistakes.”

Those high stakes started the 26-year-old on an artistic journey that would see him open his own Kent Street studio with two friends.

Youngbloods Tattoo Studio, previously Sinister Ink, opened last August after the trio took over the business.

Since then, May has been hitting the convention circuit making his mark on the industry and picking up a cabinet of awards across the country — including Tattoo of the Day at Sydney’s Australian Tattoo Expo.

World-renowned tattoo machine makers InkJecta recently signed May to their brand after taking a shining to his talent for realism and portrait work.

“That style can be really challenging but that’s why I like it,” May said.

“When you’ve finished a big job that’s taken over 20 hours there’s a real sense of accomplishment.

“It’s pretty cool knowing someone has let you put your art on their body that’s going to be there forever.”

In the last decade tattoos have inked their way into popular culture with figures from the US-based Pew Research Center showing two out of five millennials (aged 18 to 29) have gone under the gun at least once. May put that surge down to shows like Miami Ink and Bondi Ink Tattoo entering the mainstream media.

“Reality television has been a big part of that,” he said.

“It’s changed people’s perception of tattoos which is a good thing because they’re understanding its not just something for criminals or bikies, it’s a piece of art.

“We have nurses, doctors or teachers coming in, there’s not a stereotype of who is getting tattooed anymore.”

For first-timers looking to get inked, choosing the right design can be daunting but May has one piece of advice.

“The bigger the better,” he said.