A young tattooist based in the south-east of France, Gaston Madit tells us how he got into the craft with a star in his eyes. A passion that has driven him for 7 years to perfect his style, between newschool and animation.
Can you please tell us about yourself?
Aymeric Lemaître is my real name but everyone calls me Gaston because yes, I don't like answering the phone... I'm 23 years old and I live in the South-East of France, in a small town called Lorgues with my wife and our 14 plants, less constraining than children, but still. I am originally from the Paris area, but have never lived there. I have spent almost all my life between the Var and Toulouse regions!
Artistically, what is your background?
I didn't study very much, to be quite honest with you. But I've always loved learning, although I found it difficult to concentrate 100%. I was a bit of an airhead and couldn't understand why I was sitting at a table when there were so many other more interesting things to do outside! Anyway, I studied to be a woodcarver. I originally wanted to go to a school called "Les Arènes" in Toulouse. As the waiting list was much too long, I decided to study sculpture until I could get into an animation school.
How did you get into tattooing ?
I knew at a very young age that I wanted to get into it. I got the idea by leafing through an old tattoo magazine that was lying around in a shop where I was getting pierced. I must have been 13 and a half years old. I saw some very colourful cartoon-like tattoos. As I wanted to go into animation since I was very young, it didn't take me long to know that I was going to do everything I could to make them on people's skin. Tattooing is a great medium to express your creativity. It is never static. It evolves with time, it can be modified, without comparison with a medium such as paper. Besides, tattooed people have always fascinated me. When I was very young, I found myself in that world. I remember the first time I went to a tattoo convention in Toulouse, I was 13/14 years old and I was amazed. That weekend I got my first tattoo... by telling my tattoo artist that I was almost 18! Since then, I've never stopped eating/drinking tattoos.
It's not too difficult for a young tattooist to start up when there are already a lot of people?
It's true that a lot of people decide to get into the craft. Unfortunately, some of them are not very aware of the constraints and sacrifices that are necessary. I think there is room for everyone, but not everyone has the ability or the motivation to get there. It takes a lot of personal investment, patience and hard work. The problem with this trend is that young people - and not so young people for that matter - think that all they have to do is buy a machine on the Internet and do a few scribbles to become a tattoo artist, without worrying about the technical aspect, in order to become a star of the social networks. As for me, I'm entering my 7th year and I think I'll need a few more to reach my goal. The art world is generally a place of self-centred individuals, for whom sharing is not an innate thing. So you have to surround yourself with the right people and focus on your work rather than your followers. I think it's more important to progress and to be able to look at yourself in the mirror and say that even if it's not perfect, there is still an evolution between yesterday and today.
Your work is singular, mixing 3D aesthetics, comic book accents, what are its influences?
It's very inspired by animation, cartoons, but also by a sci-fi universe - I'm a big fan of H.R. Giger and I'm moving more and more towards a style mixing organic and biomechanical. I also appreciate the work of illustrator Pascal Campion, which I find very poetic, with sublime colours!
The computer tool is part of your creative process, how do you use it?
Indeed, I use it mainly to make illustrations, for the more professional side. I also use it to make the layers for my tattoos. When I started, I did everything by hand and the tablet is a real time saver for me I must admit!
What software do you use?
I use a graphics tablet (iPad Pro) and I work most often on Procreate because it best suits my needs. It's easy to use and quite complete, although in the long run I'd like to switch to a Wacom tablet which would allow me to have more space and train my wrist to make more confident lines... Real professional equipment!
However, IT is not always unanimously accepted in this field, some of which is very attached to the traditional and analogue culture. What thoughts does this inspire in you?
I enjoy working on paper, on canvas... And a few years ago, I myself was quite resistant to the idea of going digital. But, let's be honest, you have to live with the times and it saves a lot of time professionally speaking. Moreover, it does not prevent you from drawing on the side on other media. Both are very good tools for me.
I imagine that some tattoo artists inspire you more than others, could you name a few?
Since day one I have been a huge fan of Victor Chil. I find him complete in any style, always with a trademark of his own. I think he is one of the greatest technicians working today. On the other hand, I really appreciate other great names in Newschool tattooing such as Jamie Ris, Tom Strom - whom I have been lucky enough to meet and who has an equally unique universe. And let's not forget the work of Henri Howard, who does great snakes! As for the French tattoo artists, the very first pieces I had the chance to see in Newschool were those of Dimitri HK and I remember being amazed by the technical level. Let's also talk about Didier Ra, whose style I really liked, very colourful, very biomechanical. Currently, I work at ArtSkull Tattoo with Stéphane Candela, my mentor for 2 years now. I'm really a fan of his illustrations and I appreciate his humility. He inspires me on a daily basis and helps to make me an artist! I hope, one day, to be half of what he is.
Are there other disciplines you cultivate?
I would like to be able to work in the animation industry one day. I really enjoy building different stories, characters and sets. I enjoy both 2D and 3D, and in fact most of the professions that make up this art. + IG : @gastonmadit_ IG : @artskultattoo
