Viva Brighton Issue #28 June 2015

we try...
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Stick-and-poke tattoo
‘Like having a full-stop on life’
In a time of fast fashion and
instant gratification, some
might argue that the original
mystique of old school tattooing
has been lost; buried
under a pile of angel-wing
designs and misspelt poetry.
There are, however, artists
carving out niches in a progressively
diluted industry:
Adam Sage of intoyoutattoo
in Brighton is one of them.
Adam stands out by choosing to work without
electricity. A humble needle (attached to a pen-like
steel cylinder) and ink are his only tools, a method
called ‘stick and poke.’
Whilst an electric tattoo machine can puncture
the skin more than 3,000 times per minute; hand
tattooing involves ink being inserted into the skin,
one jab at a time, like a sculptor chipping away at a
piece of marble.
I discover Adam’s portfolio through his blog and
was instantly taken by his skill. His work ranges
from woodlice to windmills; everything beautifully
detailed. I decide to send him an email to see if I
can book an appointment.
Two weeks later and I find myself shivering, cold
and nervous, outside the green façade of intoyoutattoo
in Little East Street. I’m having doubts.
I’ve settled on a tower design, something that features
heavily in Adam’s work. There was no great personal
meaning behind my choice. I just liked the imagery.
I gather myself before stepping through the door,
where Adam greets me: Calm, erudite-looking,
dressed in black and wearing glasses, his hands and
neck covered in intricate tattoos.
After a short wait whilst he
redraws the design to fit
my right tricep, we climb
the shop’s old wooden
staircase to start the task
at hand.
My heart skips as the first
jab of the needle pierces
my skin in silence. It feels
strange to not hear the
mosquito buzz of electricity
so synonymous with
tattoo shops.
Asking questions as a distraction, I discover that
Adam studied fine art at university. He learnt to
tattoo by practicing on friends with makeshift
equipment whilst they listened to music. I ask him
why he decided to pursue tattooing by hand.
“I think you find your own way in whatever you do.
Some people make furniture by hand; they enjoy
the process. The same goes for me with tattooing.”
Hand tattooing is a slow process indeed, but five
hours and a lot of grimacing later, we are done. I
am astonished by the result. The original drawing
lies perfectly against the back of my arm.
Before leaving, I ask Adam if he feels like working
without electricity has more of a spiritual element
to it than regular tattooing. He pauses thoughtfully
before responding.
“I think that getting tattooed by hand makes even
the smallest of tattoos into a ritual. It is like having
a full stop on life.”
As I step out into the bracing cold of a Brighton
evening, I start to think that there might be some
mystery left in it after all. Finlay Renwick
intoyoubrighton.com
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