The tattoo saviors are back this Thursday, February 9, for season 5 of tattoo cover on TFX! For artists dualpulp, Dodie, diego moraes And Marty Early the mission remains unchanged: to help customers embarrassed by their tattoos or to hide scars. Before choosing a drawing to erase this bad memory, they will be welcomed this year by Laureen, the show’s new receptionist (an actress and influencer well known to internet users under the pseudonym Lapotegenante). Then will come the time for customers to pass into the hands of the tattoo artist they have chosen! Present since the creation of the show in 2018, the 32-year-old artist Marty Early gave us an interview.
“I started tattooing very naturally, at 18“
Tele-Leisure : What prompted you to become a tattoo artist?
Marty Early: I have always bathed in this artistic universe. My father, who worked in a library, was friends with a lot of designers that I met when they were doing signing sessions. And then I skated for a long time. A somewhat underground environment with an American influence. I started tattooing very naturally. I had the click at 18 years old.
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How did you end up in tattoo cover ?
The production teams came to get me. They found me on the Internet and saw with Tin-Tin (one of the most famous tattoo artists in France, editor’s note) if we were good tattoo artistsso as not to put anyone on television.
What are your sources of inspiration?
My style is neo-traditional. I really like museums and Art-Nouveau. I love to mix medieval with beautiful movement, like pretty postures or pretty hair. Kind of like paintings.
“Tattoo Cover has helped enormously to democratize tattooing”
What is the proportion of “covers” in your profession?
Casually, a lot! To give an idea, even before the show it was already a good 40-50%…
What advice would you give to someone who wants to get a tattoo?
The tattoo is like everything, it requires education. First of all, you have to do a good research. Thanks to social networks, everyone now has access to tattoo artists’ books. This allows you to see the artist’s style and find your own. It’s much simpler than before. And then you don’t have to put too much pressure on yourself. If we stress and think too much, it’s not the right time. Finally, we must listen to the artist and his indications.
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The tattoo has been democratized for a few years. How do you explain it?
In France, tattoo cover helped a lot. I got a lot of feedback on that and it’s cool because that’s what the whole team wanted. The younger generation is also less closed on the subject. But I absolutely do not throw stones at the older generations who are more refractory. At the time, the tattoo was connected to the hooligans. But today it has evolved and people have understood that it is an art. The tattoo is not just a drawing on his skin. It’s much more than that.
“I tattooed a PSG player and hip-hop stars”
This season of tattoo cover welcome Terence James, former finalist of The Voice. Yourself, have you ever tattooed celebrities?
Yes, full! Footballers (like that of PSG and the French team as Layvin KurzawaEd) and American hip-hop stars. They are super nice guys. The advantage of tattooing is that the client must have confidence in the artist since his skin will be marked for life. So the ‘star’ status disappears and we share this moment together.
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Your band will also need to cover a tattoo located on a skull. Do you refuse to tattoo certain areas of the body?
All areas of the body are tattooable. Even the eyelids. Then personally I do not tattoo intimate areas.
What’s the craziest tattoo you’ve ever been asked?
It’s complicated because styles change over time. In the 90s, it was the tribal. And that got the tattoo artists pretty drunk because it wasn’t very interesting artistically. Then the mandala arrived. Its not my style. Thanks to my fame, today I have the chance to be able to choose what I do. But when you start, you have to get your hands dirty… and work to feed yourself!
“I don’t regret any of my tattoos”
Do you regret any of your tattoos?
It’s a good question. No, there are no regrets even if some are ugly or less well made than others. But they reflect a moment in my life. A tattoo marks things that you have experienced and that you don’t want to forget. I have met several clients who have tattoos that are not necessarily beautiful but which they refuse to cover because, precisely, they represent a period of their life.
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The atmosphere between the artists of tattoo cover Still looking good this season…
Yes because we are real friends in real life with Diego, Dodie and the whole team. What you see on the screen is not played: they are all real friends! Even the competition between us is healthy. There is no jealousy when the customer does not choose our design. And then, between us, we quickly feel who is going to be designated even if we play the game thoroughly.
“The TF1 group loves tattoo cover and wants to register it in time“
Why did you decide to become a tattoo artist in a private studio, and therefore without a shop?
I have been tattooing for 14 years and I got into a private studio pretty quickly as soon as I found my level correct and clean. I no longer needed what are called walk-in in the United States, that is to say the customers who pass in front of your shop and who return like that. Usually it’s not the best ideas that come out. I quickly realized that the best customers were those who send you an email. That’s why I’m private. It’s a financially tough choice at first because you lose exposure. But as in life, it is important to have good roots to have a beautiful tree. And today, it’s only good!
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Your participation in tattoo cover did it have any repercussions?
Yes, It works very well. But honestly, show or not, when you’re a tattoo artist or in a freelance profession, you have to marketing. I could be on a show and not give it my all and then I wouldn’t have any more clients than that. I think it’s above all a question of investment and work.
Would you like to continue the adventure if tattoo cover is experiencing a season 6?
Oh yes. The TF1 group loves this program and wants to keep it going. So I think it’s back. And I came up with some ideas to make a bit of a change, like getting out of the store of tattoo cover For example.
