Juan Manuel García Fernandez - aka Xuama, 46 - is not only an accomplished new school artist but also a successful entrepreneur. Now the head of several studios, this pioneer looks back for Inkers on the journey he started 26 years ago.
A good tattoo artist is first of all a good drawer, is this something you have always practiced?
Yes, I have always drawn, since I was a child. At a very young age I was attracted to drawing as well as to everything related to body decoration, painting, art, etc. It was also at a very young age that I started to feel attracted to tattoos and the people who wore them. But it all really starts with the skateboard and surf culture. Then came music, film and all the alternative art of the late 80s and early 90s. Skateboard graphics, album covers, comics, graffiti... all of that was an influence when I started. And it still does today.
When did you consider tattooing as an option for you?
I can't say the exact moment when the world of tattoos came into my life but I remember that around 1992 I started thinking about the possibility of tattooing. In my head it was an idea, something fun and far into the future. In those years tattooing was not yet well thought of and it was crazy to think about a studio. However, it was already something palpable and I got carried away by the passion I felt to become a professional.
What style do you recognize yourself in today?
After so many years, I have done all kinds of tattoos. Over the years I have refined my style until I found the one I feel most comfortable with: Newschool. Although within this style you can find an infinite number of variations, in my case it is heavily influenced by comics and illustrations. My subjects are very varied and today I am constantly looking for new trends that allow me to continue improving and perfecting my personal style. In the past, it wasn't so easy or at hand, because when I started tattooing, there was no internet (this comment might make me sound too old). Nowadays, the references are endless.
The Internet is also a double-edged sword. How do you manage not to get lost in this ocean of possibilities?
It's true that references are at everyone's fingertips and that nowadays we can search and find almost anything we want, which makes it easier to work. But still, knowing how to draw and use these influences to create your own style is what you need to do.
To continue to develop your personal style, do you train?
The training of a tattooist is continuous because it is a world that develops rapidly. There are always improvements, better machines, better needles... and even if there is no official training today, you have to keep up to date with these latest developments. I don't take part in the courses, but I give them. My training consists of being in contact with professionals in the sector and keeping abreast of all the innovations, both artistic (drawing, printing, digital media for design...) and mechanical (machines, needles, fonts...).
What do you think are the most significant advances in terms of equipment since you started?
Everything has changed! The machines, the tablets, the materials we use in the tattooing process, the inks, the needles, the creams, etc... I think everything is improving. It's good for the industry and ultimately it's good for everyone.
What satisfaction do you get from tattooing?
It gives me great pleasure. Every time I tattoo, I always feel privileged and I'm always very motivated. The fact that people put their bodies in my hands to show my art is... incredible!
When it comes to a new tattoo project, how do you feel?
I'm not stressed, on the contrary, it's exciting and rewarding. Each new project is a motivation for me to take the time to think hard before I start designing. When I start drawing my idea is already clear and all that remains is to give shape to the design, to find a way to fit it to the body. It's true that, even if I have a clear idea of what I'm going to design, I leave a little room for improvisation, letting myself be carried away by what I feel and what the client needs at that moment.
How do you approach a project with your clients?
The client is the one who comes up with the initial idea and, although this idea is not always feasible, everything goes through an agreement that allows us to find a compromise, to reach the right balance between what he wants to represent by this tattoo (feelings, memories, strengths, weaknesses...) and what I think, as a professional, is the most beautiful. Generally, I ask clients to give me their ideas with images as references. But these are only references. Sometimes they are illustrations that can inspire me to make the drawing, but most of the time they only refer to their feelings. The drawing has to be 100% out of my head.
You've been a professional for 26 years, what is the secret for a tattoo artist when he wants to last?
Keeping up to date, both technically and creatively. Try to keep up to date with what other artists are doing, and continue to improve every day with each TATTOO. + IG : @xuama www.xuama.es
