Hello Pier Paolo Rizzitiello! Thank you so much for taking the time to answer some questions for our readers. It's always a pleasure to share some of my thoughts with creative people, there is so much that can be learned so maybe some of our audience will find this interview inspiring enough to start their journey in this business.

Q: When did you first get interested in tattoo art?
A: I first got interested in tattoo art about 4 years ago, when my elder brother got his first tattoo. In that moment, I had an epiphany! After few months I started to tattooing with a friend. He is the first person I’ve ever tattooed. That was the first time I touched a tattoo machine, but since then I can’t take my hands off it. I was mesmerized by the fact I had such responsibility in my hands.

Q: Was it hard to learn the basic? Many young aspiring artists are struggling to get apprenticeships today, so there’s are some tattoo schools that just recently popped out, as well as tattoo seminars. What is your opinion? What’s the best approach?
A: Tattooing made me discover some aspect of myself, for example the fact of being meticulous. If you are a scrupulous person it’s unlikely that you will make big mistakes and, in this case, learn the basics is more stimulating. At the beginning I started building some self-confidence by learning how to draw simple figures that over time became more and more complex tattoos. This is fundamental in order to not ruin people’s skin and to get clients’ trust. To what concerns tattoo schools and seminars, I’m in favor of it. It’s an important job, and it’s getting more and more popular, so I think that going to a tattoo school is the best choice! I think that these are stimulating environments that enrich you not only from a technique point of view, but also from an emotional one and they give you the chance to be in contact with other artists. I still affirm that the best school is the experience and the willpower to improve yourself.

Q: What type of art, even outside tattooing is your major creative source? Where do you find your inspiration?
A: I follow innumerable artists: illustrators, designers, painters... I actually even paint sometimes, unfortunately not as frequently as I wish to. I also like graffiti. I love surreal concepts. I make an effort to have a 360 degree view in order to improve myself.

Q: You do both color and black&grey tattoos. I love all, but I must say the color tattoos are really special. Such a nice balance between dark and bright colors, really nicely done details... amazing eye expression too. Just incredible! What are some of the most challenging parts to work on while doing a color portrait?
A: Thank you for your words. Well, I prefer color tattoos, I love colors and I think that color helps us to distinguish and to create emotions and to express a concept. There are lots of difficulties in tattooing with colors. It’s important to use the right grade of intensity of a tone and to match the right colors in order to make the best use of the contrast. This ensures the tattoo’s duration. It’s also important to consider the way you deal with the work you are going to do. I think that the most important part in tattooing is not only in the execution itself but the procedure that comes before it, when I think about how I should do what the
client is wants.

Q: Do you sometimes take more than just one session to give the skin some time to heal and then do the final touch ups?
A: No, I prefer to complete the tattoo once I’ve started, because it allows me to have a better concentration. Nevertheless, according to the tattoo’s dimension sometimes I take more than one session, in this case the following session is the day after. Once the work is finished I always ask the client to pop in few months later or to send me some pictures. I love seeing my works again, this helps me to improve.

Q: I like the fact that you try to bring a unique note in each of your designs. Even if it's about a portrait of a person, when it's required to get as "real as possible" hah which is probably so hard sometimes, not having space for someone creative freedom, but you still try to make the design in your own way. How much is important to have a unique technique of work in order to maintain a specific style?
A: Very often we work on a commission basis, so it’s very difficult to detach from what the client has brought you, especially when the work is about a portrait of a person. My aim is first of all to do a great job. My mission instead is to leave the client speechless, applying the tattoo my own artistic interpretation. This stimulates me to create always something new. Leave the client amazed gives me satisfaction. I like to get in touch with different techniques, I think it’s wrong to be fixated on a specific style since the beginning. Manual skill is what count more. Assimilate is my bread and butter.

Q: I've heard, color tattoos are more painful for the client, even more difficult and time consuming to fully heal the skin. Is it true? What are some of you best recommendations when it comes to tattoo aftercare? What we should avoid?
A: I don’t think color tattoos are more painful for the client, we simply use a different technique. The time to heal is more or less the same, everything depends on how the skin is treated by the tattooer and the tattooed. When it comes to tattoo aftercare I’ve tried different methods, until I got to the conclusion that the best one for me is DERMALIZE PRO. I’ve always had excellent results, the skin is always protected and breathe normally. What we should avoid? To be pig headed! I think that we need to let go of the traditional treatments and trust the innovative methods and the science, but everything depends on one’s point of view.

Q: I would say, you have the privilege to work with master like Alex DePase. Please tell me how is to work with him? Do you find that opportunity is a great learning experience both as an artist and as a person? Alex is one of the pioneers in color realism, so it must be a great honor to be around him. Please share some thoughts.
A: It’s a great honor for me to work with him. Alex not only is a great artist but also a fantastic person! This is what characterised him the most. He’s always ready to give advice. He always does incredible works. He creates opportunities for him and for the others. You need to know him in order to understand how much passion he puts in his job and communicates! He is respected not only for his huge artistic talent. He is a reference point for everyone and it’s really stimulating to keep up with him. His reputation precedes him, his ambition oversteps him.

Q: Do you set some challenges? How much is important for one artist to set goals? Would you change something in your work?
A: Look a ladder and point a step: you can’t go upstairs in just one jump! To face and to succeed in small challenges keeps me motivated to face bigger and bigger challenges. Ambition and the will to make the most of myself are the most powerful weapon to improve.

Q: What is the most rewarding aspect of being a professional tattoo artist?
A: I think it’s the confront. In this world you enter in contact with different kinds of people that sometimes have and sometimes don’t have the same line of thoughts that you do. Relating myself with this diverse professional environments, allowed me to gain knowledge of different ways of thinking and working. Real professionals don’t fear the comparison, on the contrary they are open-minded and open to dialogue in order to gather as much information as possible to improve themselves. There’s nothing more stimulating than this. I love learning, gathering information and also sharing my thoughts!

Q: If you can give advice to your younger self back when you were starting, what would that be?
A: I'm very satisfied with my career. I always try to correct my mistakes and learn from them! Looking back, there’s nothing I wouldn’t do again!

Please write down your contact info and studio location.
Tattoo store: Alex De Paste store, Udine, Italy
Facebook page: Pierpaolo Rizzitiello Tattoo Artist
Instagram: @pierpaolotattoo
E-mail: pierpaolorizzitiellotattoo@gmail.com
Mr.Pier Paolo Rizzitiello, Thanks for the interview,
Kind Regards,
The team