interview with Lukasz Sokolowski

  Hello Lukasz Sokolowski! Thank you so much for taking the time to do this interview. Please start by telling us something about yourself, how it all started? My fascination for tattoo art started when I was maybe 11-12 first time I saw a tattoo of Max Cavalera from Sepultura, then with my friends I tried to copy some metal bands lp covers on skin using markers and pencils. In 90's I have a short story with some crapy home-made tattoo machine and also crapy tribal tattoo designs but, I cut this very quickly and forget about tattooing for at least ten years, meanwhile I've finished art high school and studding fine arts and graphic design. Later I was working as a graphic designer and one day my girlfriend persuaded me to try tattooing once again. I've tried, it wasn't so bad. The rest is history :)

Q: How would you call your style?
A: Let's say Monotype tattoo style :)

Q: Do you have any favorite artists?
A: Of course I have. Hieronymous Bosch, Egon Schiele, Hannah Hoch, Tadeusz Kantor, Wladyslaw Hasior, Erwin Blumenfeld, Meczyslaw Wasilewski, Janusz Stanny, Roman Cieslewicz, David Carson. If you ask about tattoists: Noon, Palumbo Jeff, Lionel Fathy, Piet Du Congo, Marcin Surowiec, Peter Aurich.

Q: I love the portraits, they are all very unique! Tell me about the creative process.
A: Usually I like to start with a regular portrait and then add some graphic elements that are personal for the client. You know something that talks about their character or things they are known for.

Q: Is this like a personal, signature style, or you won't limit yourself?
A: I'm deeply carful on describing myself like a person (tattooist) who haven't got his own style yet. I think it's still growing, evolving. I don't want to limit myself and be a prisoner of my own style. Using a lot of tattoo forms of expressions give me more space to not be trapped in a corner or artistic meaning.

Q: How do you cheer up yourself when you feel stuck?
A: I only need to play one of these: Kinsky, Ved Buens Ende, Virus(Nor), Bach, Mozart, Coltrane, Furia, Dodheimsgard... and everything gets better.

Q: Do you have any hobbies?
A: I have only one hobby that helps me to clear mind, that's hiking.

Q: You're part of "Rock'n'Ink Tattoo & Piercing" studio in Krakow, Poland. Tell me more
A: We are pack of great friends and every day is a great fun. For appointment just write on rocknink@gmail.com

Q: Being constantly busy and dealing with a lot of people every day, can be hard at times. The best and the "worst" part of being a tattoo artist?
A: The best part is that you can express yourself in a creative way and also pay your bills. The worst part is that sometimes clients think that if they pay you then they owe all of you. I call them "claim generation" they are entitled.