by Lizzie Bromley | December 8, 2019
Tattooing—permanently staining skin with art, lines, & words—dates back thousands of years cross-culturally.
In 2012, more women than men were tattooed in the U.S (twenty-three per cent of women, compared with nineteen per cent of men). Even with rising numbers of women getting tattooed, the tattoo industry is still overwhelmingly influenced by male artists. Still a man's world, the tattoo industry has been transformed over the past few decades with multiple female artists who have helped rewrite the rules of tattoos. Artists like Kat Von D, Rose Hardy and Megan Massacre, three true icons in the tattoo world, know that making it big as a tattoo artist isn't easy, but making it big as a female tattoo artist is a whole other story. Even though they’ve helped pave the road that female tattoo artists now walk on, it is still an uphill battle. This project introduces us to three female tattoo artists in Los Angeles, explores how they got to where they are, & illuminates the dialogue surrounding the “boys club” that is the tattoo industry.
Zoey Taylor, the owner of The Warren Tattoo, in standing in front of some of the art in the lobby of her studio in West Hollywood, California.
Zoey Taylor
“I think there's is huge side to what we do that people forget a lot about. You should be really, really humble and really honored for the trust that people give you. I think a lot of people in our industry forget that.” - Zoey Taylor
Meet Zoey—Zoey Taylor, @zoeytaylor on Instagram, is the head artist & the owner of The Warren Tattoo on Sunset Blvd in West Hollywood, CA. After migrating her way around a few tattoo shops in Los Angeles & never finding the right fit (including opening her own private studio at one point), Zoey was determined to create her dream tattoo studio—one with a welcoming, positive environment for artists & clients alike.
Zoey Taylor began building her portfolio at a young age during her unconventional childhood in the Oregon woods. Without much else to do other than drawing, Zoey often found herself sketching by candlelight along with her four siblings.
Completely isolated from anything that could connect her with the outside world, Taylor did not have much, but she always had her love of art.
Zoey fell into tattooing unintentionally, but quickly found her love for it at the age of eighteen when she picked up a machine for the first time and tattooed her brother and brother-in-law in her living room. Determined to make a name for herself, Taylor packed her bags and brought her talents to Los Angeles, where she worked at a tattoo shop on Hollywood Boulevard.
After many years of perfecting her trade, Zoey is now one of the most notable female tattoo artists in Los Angeles.
Melissa Martell in front of Outer Limit Tattoo’s iconic neon sign in Long Beach, California.
Melissa Martell
"I think it's cool being a female tattoo artist and bringing that perspective into tattooing. There's a lot more feminine elements to designs now and that makes it more welcoming for women and makes them feel like they could get tattooed as well.” - Melissa Martell
Melissa Martell, @melissamartellart on Instagram, is a Los Angeles based tattoo artist from Michigan with a background in graphic design and fine art. After receiving a BA in Art from the University of Iowa, she spent several years doing graphic design for Artillery Magazine—a nationally distributed art publication. After an incredible first tattoo experience brought her the confidence to pursue tattooing as a career, she eventually found herself with an apprenticeship that included opening up Earth Alter Studio in Eagle Rock, CA with Justine Serebrin.
Melissa’s tattoo style is greatly influenced by American traditional and neotraditional tattooing, but she also specializes in fine line & single needle tattoos. Her set of strengths eventually led her to Outer Limits Tattoo in Long Beach, CA, where she works now.
Outer Limits Tattoo Long Beach is a tattoo studio deeply rooted in tattoo history. The shop has the honor & distinction of being the oldest continuously operated tattoo studio in the United States and is the second oldest in the world. Tucked away near the Long Beach docks, Outer Limits Tattoo is the home of 11 different tattoo artists.
Diana Carolina Munoz on the second floor of Shamrock Social Club in West Hollywood, California.
Diana Carolina Munoz
"I love how unique of a human connection it is, the bond between you and somebody who you're tattooing is super unique. For that person to trust you enough to permanently mark them, to seek you out, and see them get excited...you'll never forget that tattoo and they'll never forget you." -Diana Carolina Munoz
Diana Carolina Munoz, or @dcmtattoos on Instagram, was born and raised in Los Angeles, CA. Munoz has been a professional tattoo artist since 2009 & her tattoo work is characterized by her delicate attention to detail and effortless design.
Munoz found herself tattooing after her cousin drunkly met a tattoo artist & raved to the artist about her during a rough patch she had hit in college. After presenting her portfolio, she quickly earned an apprenticeship & found herself thriving in the competitive, creative environment that tattoo studios foster.
Munoz specializes in single needle, black & grey tattoos. With the single needle technique, artists are able to achieve a much greater level of detail, as the fine lines and delicate shading allow for more complexity of dimension in a smaller space. Single needle tattoos are generally tiny, highly detailed, and generally monochromatic. They are notable characterized by their airbrush-like shading and impressive realism.
Single needle tattoos offer an interesting juxtaposition to the more conventional thick, bold lines and bright, bold colors found in more traditional style tattoos. Like drawing with a pencil instead of a sharpie, the product ends up being completely different.
