As Costa Rica fervently embraces tattoo culture and society recognises its artistic qualities, tattoo artist Dan Cordero shares his enthusiasm for this new era with Inkers. A "golden age", as he calls it, in which his neo-oriental style and large-format projects are setting new standards in South America.
Hi Dan, can you tell us a bit about where you're from, how old you are and so on?
Hello, my name is Dan Cordero and I am a professional tattoo artist. I am currently 34 years old, and I have been tattooing for half of my life, which is 17 years. I come from a small neighborhood called Cocorí in the city of Cartago, Costa Rica. However, I tattoo and reside in the capital, San José.
Where and how does tattooing start for you?
I have been curious about tattoos since I was a child. By the age of 13, I was already looking for ways to transfer my drawings onto someone's skin. Shortly after that, with persistence and after meeting my first tattoo master, Dave Segura, I was able to begin my apprenticeship. I pursued this alongside my training in visual arts at the Casa del Artista School in SJ, CR. The beginnings are always challenging for everyone, but I feel fortunate to have found the right path and people during my learning process.
Has travelling played a part in your progress?
Yes, in my eagerness to learn, I decided to start traveling. I have built my career through numerous trips around the world since 2010, with Spain being my first destination. It was there that I met many artists who influenced and defined my style, indirectly impacting many artists back home with whom I collaborate. Making a new connection and influencing styles from Europe to Costa Rica.
What's the tattoo scene like in Costa Rica?
Costa Rica, as well as Latin America, has experienced notable growth in recent years. This golden age of tattooing that we are currently in has been greatly benefitted by increased connectivity with the rest of the world. The tattoo scene in Costa Rica dates back approximately 30 years, with the initial influence coming from the United States, shaping the predominant styles in the early years. However, the evolution we have witnessed in the last decade, thanks to phenomena such as TV shows, the internet, and social media, has resulted in a significant shift. New styles and influences have created a massive transformation.
How has the culture developed there? How do people view tattooing ?
Tattooing in Costa Rica has gained significant strength in the last 15 years. It has transitioned from being viewed as something marginalized, used by prisoners, sailors, or gang members, to being considered "Cool" and a lifestyle embraced by many. The expansion of tattooing and its exposure through TV shows have helped promote this culture. Tattooing is a movement that is here to stay in Costa Rica; people are increasingly accepting it. We have moved from the early years where styles were "flash tattoo" types to having various representatives in many styles, which are increasingly recognized when deciding what they want to carry on their bodies.
Does Costa Rica have a history, tribal for example, with tattooing?
We currently have eight indigenous groups that endure throughout the territory, each with a different history. However, none of them have highlighted tattoos as part of their customs at any point. In recent years, certain representations of these ethnicities have been used by some as themes for their tattoos, where apart from pre-Columbian symbols and marks, representations of masks from the Boruca culture stand out. These masks depict images of the flora and fauna of our country. I would like to emphasize that none of these themes have stood out as a particular style in tattooing, but many artists in Costa Rica incorporate this theme, such as masks, into their illustrative tattoos, realism and traditional
Today you work with Japanese iconography, how did you get into this?
Throughout my career, I have experienced many styles in tattooing, particularly focusing on a more illustrative style. While it is true that in recent years I had been experimenting with neo-oriental, it wasn't until my last trip before the pandemic in 2019 that I had the opportunity to participate in the I Love International Tattoo Expo in Taiwan organized by Orient Ching. This experience solidified my belief that it was the style I most enjoyed creating. Upon returning from Asia to Costa Rica, I tried to propose this oriental style mixed with my illustration to start working on large-scale tattoos. This approach was well-received by my clients, and I transitioned from doing arms and legs to more ambitious tattoos like full backs. My dream is to do a complete Body Suits or create many of them. It has been 4 years working on this new style project, and I am truly happy with the evolution, understanding, and acceptance from my clients.
I get the impression that you're more attracted to a modern approach, more new school than traditional, with lots of colour?
Exactly, living in Central America far from Asia, the information I have and that manages to reach us comes mainly from books, experiences in my travels, and long conversations with friends with whom we exchange knowledge and information. So, my focus is more on neo-oriental than anything else. I blend my illustration with Japanese and Asian iconography in general to create modern and dynamic images that are not just drawings and illustrations on the body; I also try to mix my illustration with Body Flow and the ideas of my clients, which are important for the creative development of my tattoos. Respecting laws but also proposing another point of view, offering new forms with a fresh and dynamic approach.
What are your favourite designs?
In general, I like to keep moving and not be doing the same thing all the time, but I must admit that I really enjoy creating dragons. It's an endless theme, and I believe I would never get tired of making them.
Small, medium or large pieces?
In Costa Rica, people seek me out for large-scale tattoos, whether on arms, legs, fronts, or backs. I believe that my design and illustration style is well suited for larger pieces and I always suggest creating very large tattoos. However, these same tattoos take a lot of time and sessions to finish. That being said, small and medium tattoos are always welcomed, although many think that I only do large tattoos. I must admit that I really enjoy creating small pieces that I can finish in one session. Seeing a tattoo completed in one day is quite rare, so when I have the opportunity to work on a small piece, I really enjoy it, as it's satisfying to see the finished tattoo at the end of the day.
How have you built up your colour palette?
I believe that my color palette has been unconsciously constructed with tones that I tend to use constantly. However, I have always tried to work with a complementary range of colors, mixing soft tones and then using a very strong one to force a visual focus is something I usually do. In general, when I design, I never think about what color things will be. I like to discuss it with my clients, and it also depends on my mood and how I feel the day I am going to paint each piece, that's where the inspiration comes from. Lately, I have been experimenting with more unusual tones, mixing and doing tests to avoid using color straight from the bottle, changing the way my tattoos look.
How far have you got with your customers, and how long did it take before they started working on large-format projects?
In Costa Rica, a long time ago, I think it was culturally common for people to get a tattoo on their arm, back, or legs. People didn't see it as a project that would end up being a full arm or leg, but rather as adding pieces to their collection. They often ended up with a jumble of different tattoos that didn't make sense. I found this to be a terrible decision. Studying a bit about how full-body compositions work in Asian culture, I noticed how a Body Suit would start with a main theme represented on the back, while the arms and legs served as the background of the composition. So gradually, I suggested that if someone wanted a tattoo on their arm, for example, I would try to persuade them and gauge if they eventually wanted a full sleeve. I proposed a more interesting composition that mixed all elements to create something more harmonious, impactful, elegant for my client. I think this was how my movement began to take shape.
What are your customers' motivations for Asian-inspired pieces?
Consistency. Little by little, like fertilizing the soil that later yields fruits, that consistency has made me focus on meeting the objectives of my clients and of all the people who have eventually worked with me. All of this has generated the trust to have many ongoing projects, and the oriental tattoo style is gaining importance as it is evident as a lasting and timeless style. It doesn't matter if you are 20 or 50 years old; tattoos with Asian themes have proven that they will always look good and do not belong to a passing trend.
A few years ago you came to Europe to be tattooed by Filip Leu and Jee Salayero. Can you tell us about this incredible experience, both artistic and physical?
In 2018, that adventure began. It was something that just happened and was never in my plans; for many, and especially in this part of the world, having a tattoo of a legend is almost unthinkable. The project was Jee's suggestion on a trip to Spain a year before this event took place. Jee basically chose me when he mentioned that he and Filip Leu were planning a collaboration and saw me as a good candidate for it. The process has been very slow, and we are close to finish it. Setbacks like border closures during Covid-19 have come in the way, but the experience is something I wouldn't trade for anything. Traveling to his mountain in Sainte Croix, north of Geneva in Switzerland, is almost like an odyssey - two planes, two trains, and many hours of travel are worth it to spend time with Filip. The creative process was impressive. I remember when he and Jee were planning it, Filip was sketching how the tattoo would look if I were naked, sitting, or simply shirtless. His way of thinking and seeing things was something I had never considered, which unknowingly influenced my work indirectly. The tattoo I have is a giant face of a Fudo Myo, starting from my back down to my legs. Being a collaboration, I knew it would be a very painful, time-consuming, and travel-intensive process. We have spent years on this journey, but every time I travel to the mountain, I learn a lot, meditate, and get tattooed, which makes us stronger. I will always be grateful to my friend Jee Sayalero for this experience and for choosing me for it. I am very eager to finish it; we have already planned another visit this year.
You also have an arm with Logan Barracuda, and Dimitri HK was just telling me about it. He said it was super handsome and that he would have loved to have had both your arms!
Yes, my right arm was tattooed by Logan. We finished it in 2017; I had been following his work for a long time, and finally had the opportunity to meet him a couple of years earlier. Logan stands out for his drawing skills; he is an impressive artist with a very distinctive illustration style that comes from graffiti. He has successfully translated his art onto skin, and truthfully, those tattoos of mine usually get the most attention. In addition to having a collection of tattoos from artists I admire, the process has led me to learn from them and share during their process. I am proud of both my arms; Jee Sayalero did my left arm during my early travels to Europe many years ago. Dim, thank you for this interview and the opportunity. A big hug, and I hope to see you soon. And thanks to all who are reading this, you can find me at my Studio at Stattoos Escalante in San José, Costa Rica. I will be happy to have you here. Pura Vida! + IG @dancordero
