Meet Bakery Featured Artists: Today (17), Iciar (Inkciar), an adventurous tattoo artist.
Iciar (Inkciar), Tattoo artist, in an interview session with BakerySwap, talks about her journey to become a tattoo artist, experience on BakerySwap, and view about the future of NFTs for a tattoo artist.
The advent of Non-Fungible Token (NFT) has changed the world of digital art. Many traditional artists are also adapting to this new change. The popularity of NFTs has also attracted tattoo artists to explore the latest technological advancement.
Tattooing, one of the oldest forms of art humans have practiced for centuries, is relatively untouched by technology. Although machines, ink, and even techniques have certainly evolved, it’s still the very same act our ancestors explored. Digitalization has not changed much for the tattoo industry apart from the introduction of social media.
In this week’s edition, Iciar (Inkciar), a Tattoo artist from Barcelona, in an interview session with BakerySwap, talks about her journey to become a tattoo artist, experience on BakerySwap, and view about the future of NFTs for a tattoo artist.
Thank you for accepting our invitation for this interview.
Thank you for having me with you. It’s such an honor being a part of this huge beginning of yours.
Could you please tell us about yourself and let us know more about your journey into tattoo artistry?
Yes, sure, my name is Iciar. I’m a tattoo artist, and I live and work in Barcelona.
Sometimes I think ‘tattoo artist’ is a little piece of the complete puzzle I am as an artist, but it’s easier to explain.
My days are kind of busy. I’m working on many projects right now at the same time. For example, I have this client, Pepe, the best I have; he’s decided to tattoo his whole body with my art. It’s a vast and apparently chaotic but extremely ordered representation of his life. We are creating a fantastic inner-outer world above his body.
I’m so glad I’ve chosen this way, I’m a curious person, so I’m never closing myself a door to do new stuff. The other day I bought a 3D model of a person, and I put the tattoo’s transfers all over it. I felt so happy and grateful about all the new technological updates that are coming. I’m so excited to see how far we go.
In your opinion, what is the future of NFTs for a tattoo artist?
I really think this is going to be great for tattoo artists. I think there’s plenty of new and open opportunities. There are already tattoo collectors who travel around the world looking for that special tattoo artist. I think this could be an alternative to that, even for people who like tattoos but don’t want to wear them.
How did you get in touch with the BakerySwap platform, and how is your experience?
I know an artist called SergiStamp who’s on the platform, and he invited me in for the Halloween Drop.
I’ve seen it grow from the outside, and it’s been so exciting. I’ve been looking forward to making a part of it and learning about everything growing around me.
I have to say; it’s being so cozy. You’ve been taking care of everything. It’s easier than I thought before, and I really appreciate it.
As a tattoo artist, what challenges have you faced, and how did you overcome them?
That’s a tough question (laugh).
The first tattoo I did was in a squat, where I lived six years ago. I’ve been through a year out of my country to get real money and make the proper curses I needed to start the Inkciar’s Tattoo Artist Dream. I’ve been working for three years in bars and restaurants in Barcelona, learning at the same time how to make a good tattoo. Taking all that free time, I found to make it happen. It’s been a crazy ride until I finally dropped my apron a year ago, and I decided to go all-in with the tattoo. It’s the best decision I’ve ever made.
As a tattoo artist, the biggest challenge I’ve found it’s being my own boss. It’s hard when you are used to receiving all the shifts and orders from the outside.
Doing that transition it’s been a big challenge, and it still is.
How do you find the inspiration for your designs?
As I said before, I’m a really curious person, so I play with a lot of stuff at the same time. It could be starting from a concept and finding codes on a mental image I found traveling through that concept.
I started a few weeks ago a new collection called ‘Minktologia.’ It’s about mythology, of course, and I’m taking references from Mucha, from Art Nouveau, taking their lines, and playing within thin and thick. I’m reading a lot about mythology, and I’m enjoying the process so much.
Sometimes I just put on some music and stain the paper until I see something I want to use. I’m so afraid about the white paper, so I need to break a bit with the pureness of the emptiness.
What is the next project you are working on?
It’s called ‘Love to Unpleasant.’ It’s a collection of 3 NFTs 1/1 edition.
There’s photography and anatomic illustration, lights and shadow games on a magical night in Barcelona. It brings us closer to that duality and contradiction we all have inside, loving what hurt us.
What advice do you have for upcoming artists?
Don’t be afraid; everything sounds weird at the beginning, ¿you know? But there are nice people on YouTube who can explain everything to you (laugh but true), and Bakeryswap will be there to walk the way beside you. It’s a charming and hopeful chance to share and sell your creations around the world.
