Meeting with the most cartoony couple in french tattooing
Steph. D spends his childhood and adolescence in Mantes la Jolie. He frequents the punk-rock circle and roams in lots of venues to support his favorite bands. It’s there that he encounters the tattoo world. The Punk-Skinhead public is already a widely tattooed population before it even became fashionable. At the same time, he studies drawing and design and passes a « BTS » in visual expression. At the end of his education, it’s time for military service, still mandatory in those days. Thanks to a relation and his studies in graphic art, he enters the « ECPA » in the animated drawing department. Steph works there for two years with Jacques Rouxel the father of the « Shadoks ». He works in communication agencies until 1997 when Dimitri HK asks him to join his shop, opened in Saint Germain en Laye in 1994. The two friends knew each other since adolescence, both are from Mantes la Jolie. They often draw together and Steph had already accompanied Dimitri to his conventions. They would work together for at least fifteen years.
In 2004, Claire comes through the door of the shop and makes an appointment with Steph. D for a full sleeve. After a few sessions, the client becomes his girlfriend, an encounter in the « pain » of the needle. Claire is a piercer in a shop in Beauvais called « Shocking City » which opened in 1999. She will join the Saint Germain team to start her tattoo career in 2009.
The couple open their own shop in Pontoise in 2012 under the name « Octopus tatouage » which will become the most cartoon-like shop of the Parisian region. They participate in numerous conventions around the world such as London, Barcelona, Milan where they’ll form loyal friendships. Like Mao from Madrid, Mick from Barcelona, Tin-Tin, James Tex and the Full Cana Team which they created with Dimitri HK for a book project (called Full Cana Jikken) with Safwan of Montreal and Jee Sayalero from Venezuela who is in Madrid now.
Claire and Steph D. are film animation enthusiasts, they love movies like the « jungle book » by Disney, « Shrek » or recently « Kung Fu Panda 3 ». They also appreciate the work of Peter from Sève and Davids doodles, two vital artists in animated drawing, they took part in the biggest masterpieces of this art. It is no surprise that Claire and Steph chose to tattoo in a cartoon new-school style. We notice that they have the same tastes. As well as the illustrators, they’re both fans of Richard Gotainer who is with no doubt the most cartoony French singer and his movie « rendez vous au tas de sable ». Concerning music, their tastes are very eclectic, it goes from punk rock to reggae, with some “oi” and baroque music like Jean-Baptiste Lully, with also some surprises on the playlist like “Francky Vincent” or “Carlos”.
In the needle universe Steph D., who’s been practicing for about twenty years, knew how to appreciate the work of Bernie Luther for his creativity or Dave Lum’s humour. He also likes Aaron Cain and Guy Aitchison, both precursors and geniuses of the bio-mec style inspired by the work of H.R. Giger. Steph actually got inked by Guy Aitchison at least fifteen years ago. And of course, like many other tattooists, he likes artists such as Filip Leu and Steve Moore who also tattooed him. Steph has a beautiful collection of tattoos by the best, a happy tattooed person. For the younger generation, he’s noticed the work of Victor Chil with great interest. There’s only disagreement when it comes to classical paintings; Claire really appreciates the works of Salvador Dali which Steph, hates and the paintings of Jérome Bosch which Steph also doesn’t like very much. They do end up by meeting each other in the art of “Caravage”. Last point in common - a passion for the art of tattooing of course !
The couple is settled in the countryside near Gisors, this choice didn’t happen by accident. Claire, ardent activist for the animal cause needed space for her four legged or even feathered friends. She easily converted her man in the same battle. They’re both vegans and only allow themselves to eat eggs from their own domestic chickens (reared in their own garden with no mistreatment of course). Throughout the years they would come to engage more and more in the animal cause. The last one was to save Spanish Greyhounds in Spain who are used for hunting and racing (Galgo : Spanish Greyhound). Claire and Steph will recover a tormented greyhound, called Lila, via an association. Shocked by the nature of such abuse that these animals undergo, they decide to launch a fund-raiser to collect medicines, material and food to help the Spanish association which is trying to replace these weakened dogs. Thanks to the network of vet surgeons they know, Claire and Steph have three horses, two billy goats, two dogs, chickens, a cockerel, loads of reasons to frequent vets and also thanks to their clients who are touched by the cause, this first initiative is a success. Now they’re trying to inform the public about the violence that these greyhounds suffer to help the abandoned dogs to be adopted. For more information on the subject, you can visit these websites : http://www.galgos-dream-belgium.be ou http://www.ciudadanimal.org ou https://levriers74.wordpress.com/ ou sur facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CiudadAnimalRefugioAnimalesAbandonados/?ref=page_internal Après une visite de ses sites on comprends l’engagement du couple pour essayer de sauver ces malheureux Galgos.
For the future, on top of the conventions, tattoos, illustrations, the couple of tattooed tattooists are thinking of opening an educational farm or a sanctuary for abandoned animals. But for now, tattooing is still very present in their everyday lives and Claire and Steph both take pleasure in decorating their clients’ skin with beautiful colours so bright they’ll give you a tan. A life well fulfilled. Steph D. & Claire Octopus Octopus Tatouage 5 rue Seré Depoin 95300 Pontoise www.octopustatouage.com Facebook OCTOPUS TATOUAGE IG octopustatouage_stephd Report By DHK translation James C.
