Alex, 40, from Trois-Rivières in Canada, was brought up surrounded by the artwork on his parents' record sleeves, which were themselves tattooed. It was only along the way that he discovered his true vocation: to become a tattooist himself. It's a decision he's never looked back on, despite an accident that could have caused him to give up. But with the right support and a steely determination, Alex found his way back to the studios of Obake, his private workshop in Quebec City, and Imago tattoo in Montreal.
Have you always drawn?
I've been drawing for as long as I can remember. At school I was always the one drawing for everyone else, I used to reproduce comic strip characters when I was very young and perfected my technique by imitating the great cartoonists.
What graphic references have you used to build up your artistic culture?
As a child I loved comic strips and the illustrations on rock music albums that my parents had. I found the images fascinating for their complexity and surrealist subjects. Later, I discovered painters of more fantastic subjects like Boris Vallejo and Julie Bell in my friends' Dungeons & Dragons books, and their illustration techniques impressed me with their level of detail. I started drawing creatures of all kinds, dragons, skeletons, mythical animals.
An iconography that was also part of the tattoo scene. Can you tell us how it came into your life?
I used to draw for my friends, who liked my surrealist ideas, and then commissions came in for tattoo designs. At the time there weren't many tattoo artists and you had to choose from the old flash books that all the shops had. I didn't think I'd make a career out of it at first, although I liked the look of the tattoos. My parents were also tattooed and all the rock stars I listened to wore them, so I knew I'd end up with one too. That's what happened. And then, after giving away my drawings, I felt like trying my hand at it myself. The timing was perfect because the quality of the tattoo artists around me left a lot to be desired. So I realised that I wanted to make my mark in this world, which was just beginning to gain in popularity.
In the past you've focused on new school, but now you're moving into a fairly wide range of styles. How did this evolve?
New school was the style that interested me most in the beginning, and the one that was closest to my cartoon illustrations. However, I've always loved exploring different styles and learning to master as many techniques as possible. I wanted to be a versatile tattooist who could adapt to any request. Now, with more maturity, I'm trying to spread myself less thinly and build a personal visual identity.
How would you describe it?
I'd say it's an illustrative mix of new school and neo-traditional. I also like what's called neo-Japanese, which takes up the subjects of traditional Japanese tattooing but with a more ‘new school’ approach.
A good tattoo is first and foremost a good exchange with the client?
I love working on projects that my customers bring to me. Most of them come to see me because they like the way I use colours and put their ideas into images. I have quite a broad imagination and I like to come up with creations that are different from what we usually see. Although I'm always happy to give my version of more traditional tattoo designs.
In 2022, a car accident deprived you of the use of your hand. How do you cope with something as difficult as that?
My car accident came at a time in my life when my career was going very well. I had a number of great projects in the pipeline, both at work and with my music group. It was quite difficult morally because it took me a long time to recover. Especially as I learned that a nerve rupture in my left hand would probably handicap me for the rest of my life. Luckily, I was surrounded by positive people who helped me to persevere and keep my head held high in the face of this ordeal.
Have you thought about giving up tattooing?
The doctors asked me during my rehabilitation if I had any professional options other than tattooing, but in my mind there was never any question of giving up my clients and all the work I'd been doing all these years. I was convinced that I was going to find another way of tattooing, it was just a question of adapting. On the other hand, I had to partly mourn the loss of music, which was my second passion.
Did you stop completely?
I've slowly started playing bass again, but I've had to change hands and find a way of playing with an orthosis (orthopaedic device designed to support an impaired locomotor function and fixed against the affected part, editor's note) because my hand is still unable to make several movements. It's another challenge, but the music is too important to give up.
What lessons have you learned from this experience now that it's behind you?
Above all, I've learnt not to take anything for granted, but also that determination is essential when it comes to achieving your goals. I've had to relearn how to do everything with one hand and change the way I work. I've learnt that nothing is impossible and that you have to be patient and not give up at the first hurdle.
How have things been going for you since then?
Every day I try to push my limits and keep improving. This break has enabled me to take a step back and improve my technique. I'm also starting to do conventions again this year. I was waiting until I was comfortable with working long hours again because, despite everything, I still have limitations and it's important not to rush things. But I'm lucky because the people around me are very supportive and I have some great clients who have been patient and continue to trust me to put their tattoo ideas into practice.
You mentioned your parents' records at the start of the interview. What is your musical culture?
Rock music, both punk and metal, has been part of my life since childhood and has influenced my artistic tastes. But I'm open-minded and listen to many other styles depending on what I'm doing and my mood. The beauty of visual art, like music, knows no bounds and every day I continue to discover lots of good artists who help me to progress and push me to surpass myself. + IG : @alex_d_tattoo
