By: Charles Romans
Carter County Times
Kevin Offill, of Rare Breed Tattoo Studio in Grayson, opened his first tattoo shop in 2000, but said that he had been fascinated with the process long before then. Offill said that he had always liked tattoos, and had gotten many himself before all the factors fell into place and he became an artist himself.
“Some of it was other people’s attitudes, and part of it was that I was intrigued by the craft,” he noted.
“There is the application part of it,” Offill explained, referencing the various inks, needles, etc. that go along with the tattoo process. “But most of it is the artistry that appealed to me.”
When someone is looking into getting either their first tattoo or adding to existing tattoos, the experience of the artist is key, he said. You begin with native talent, then you learn and build upon your skillset in order to give the customer the best work possible, Offill said.
“You wouldn’t hire someone who lays carpet to build your house,” he said. “So, it is extremely important to find an artist with experience in what you would like done.”
Offill has experience in a wide variety of tattoo styles, so he’s able to help customers make their tattoos visions come to life in ink.
“I don’t really specialize, because that is limiting,” he said. “I prefer to work with all styles. I have my preferences like any artist, but I enjoy them all. If it is for fun or I get free rein, then it’s usually in the black and grey realm,” he admitted. “And more realism, if I can get by with it.”
Black and grey, he said, lends itself well to what he considers realism.
“You can have realism with colors,” he was quick to point out. “But it is usually more time intensive and costs more than black and gray.”
Offill creates his own designs, which is why he said he opened his shop as a studio.
“We don’t really ‘sell’ anything except my work,” he said. “You can bring references in for what you would like done. And then we can alter it to suit our style and your style.”
This, he said, gives the customer the opportunity to focus on what aspects of a design they like as well as what aspects they might not have considered. In the end, he said, it is all about discovering what is ultimately desired.
As in any craft, there are unique challenges when working with skin, Offill said.
“No two people’s skin is exactly the same,” he said. “Skin is its own organism, and you have to treat it that way. It has a motion to it, and spirals just like in a fingerprint. And it is growing and shedding constantly, so you have to allow for that.”
Another issue, he said, was tattooing over scar tissue. In some cases, it works very well, and in other circumstances it can prove more challenging.
There are a lot of things to consider when determining whether or not to get a tattoo, but Offill said the biggest hurdle is the customer determining what they would like. Once he helps the customer with that, then almost anything else can be worked around, he said. One factor many might consider is age, for instance, but Offill said that it really isn’t an issue. Of course, most states require the customer to be over 18 years of age, he said, but people get tattoos into their fifties and beyond.
“When I first started in Morehead, there was a veteran who lived in assisted living,” Offill said. “He was between 88 and 91 and had been a pilot in WWII. He had been through a lot in his life, and at that time he would come about once a week for a tattoo.”
Offill said the process helped the man and not only was he glad to provide the service, but he and the veteran also became friends.
Offill said that he is glad to speak to people about the process any time and help them plan what they want whether it is a new tattoo or a coverup. He also said that rather than viewing other tattoo artists as competition, he thinks that more artists are a good thing because it gives customers more options.
“And everyone needs friends that share the same profession.”
Rare Breed Tattoo Studio can be reached across a wide variety of social media platforms including Facebook and Instagram.
Contact the writer at charles@cartercountytimes.com
