Canadian tattoo artist James Tex of Calgary, who excels in large, dynamic compositions with a strong Asian accent, talks to Inkers about the 24-year career that has made him a master of the illustrative style.
Can you give us a short presentation James for those who don't know you?
My name is James Tex and I am a Canadian tattooer. I have been tattooing for 24 years. I grew up on Vancouver Island in British Columbia and live in Calgary, Alberta with my wife, Karen where we raised our 2 children together.
You’re kind of confidential, in a media point of view, I couldn’t find any interview with you while preparing this one. I had to start from scratch !
I am kinda a private person and never really tried or needed any attention. I have always kept my head down and worked hard. Just happy to have an outlet for my love of art.
I understand that you had different jobs before tattooing but how does it start for you?
I have always loved art and have been drawing since I was a young kid. I was lucky enough to get a tattoo job at Tattoo Zoo in Victoria, BC. Not proud of it but, I may have told a little lie about how long I was tattooing for to get the job. I had only tattooed myself and three other tattoos on friends. Fortunately and unfortunately, I was hired and was tattooing the next day.
What happened?
Instantly, I realized I was way in over my head and had to self teach myself really quick. Thankfully, all the jobs I had since I was a kid and work ethic I had developed started to pay off. Knowing pretty much nothing about the industry I did all the research I could and started looking up to artists in all the magazines. One of the articles that sticks out in my mind was one about the Smilin’ Buddha in Calgary, AB. I knew that was a place I wanted to work and to work beside Paul Jeffries. Having two kids at a young age, my motivation and determination got me to Calgary and I was working at the Smilin’ Buddha within the first two years of tattooing.
Where does this desire to tattoo come from, after the experience of your first tattoo?
Unfortunately, my desire to tattoo was really weak in the beginning due to my first tattoo experience at the age of 18 in Edmonton, AB. I did not do my research and the artist fucked it up and kinda turned me off tattoos for a while. I was really disappointed and thought all tattooers were just skid balls haha
So no apprenticeship, how do you cope with this job in which there is everything to learn?
Looking back now I wish I had. I missed out on a lot of tricks and helpful advise to guide me along in the beginning but instead, I just jumped head first and taught myself. Yes mistakes were made – laughs- but fortunately they were just a few small ones. My first impressions when I first started tattooing was very disappointing because there were a lot of egos and the artists that I first worked with didn’t really care and were either late all the time or cancelling on their clients. This sort of turned me off the industry so what I thought was the easiest thing to do in the beginning was to be on time, treat every customer with respect and make them feel as just as important as the next one.
Drawing has always been into your life?
Yes, my passion for drawing started when I was a little kid I assume like most people. It was more like a hobby and was always doodling. From what I can remember my first inspiration for drawing started with a hotrod magazine called CARtoons. A lot of great illustrations and comics in it. Such a great magazine!
Were there any particular artists who influenced you as a teenager?
I really wasn’t into comics as a kid just the CARtoons magazine. I did a lot of doodling and drawing human figures growing up but nothing was a serious focus. Drawing sorta took a backseat when my wife and I had our first child when we were young. I was working hard to support my family. It wasn’t really until I was tattooing that I had the opportunity to draw all the time and focus on my art.
Do you consider more yourself as tattooer or an illustrator?
I guess I consider myself a tattooer with an illustrative style.
Your have the ability to move from different kind of style (Asian, illustration, etc.), do you like to experiment and is it a way to find new techniques or simply not to get bored?
I would say not to get bored. Like anything you can lose interest if you don’t enjoy what you do. I like to challenge myself and keep it interesting. Going back and forth with different styles makes it more enjoyable and fulfilling for me.
You’re known for these big compositions, how long did it take to reach this point?
When I started working at the Smilin’ Buddha and seeing Paul’s stuff it really opened my eyes to what I could apply myself to do. I was seeing larger layouts and themes. Mainly with the Asian style.
In term of compositions these pieces are very complex. How do you deal with the question of depth in your compositions ?
I like when tattoos tell a story even when there is no story to be told. A layout with dynamic poses and depth helps with that and brings the images to life. I think using dynamic lighting sets the mood to make the tattoos more interesting when necessary. Most of the time the client just wants certain images and it is my job to present it and give it life.
it's easy to get caught up in the flow of images produced by fellow tattoo artists. Do you look at it or do you have a generalist view of visual art, trying not to confine you to the tattoo world?
When I start drawing for a tattoo I draw for myself and not just for the client. This helps me come up with something fun but still working with the client to create something I can be proud of and something they are proud to wear. Being more of a literal artist and not a conceptual artist it helps me come up with something that has flow and feeling. Not just a stiff and stagnant tattoo. + Instagram : @jamestex Deadly Tattoo 200A Haddon Rd SW, Calgary, AB, T2V2Y6 Canada Tel : 403- 455-5511 www.deadly tattoos.com
