Interview with Lindsay Baker
Pg: 38 of Freshly Inked, June / July 2015 Issue
How did you get into tattooing?
I got my first tattoo when I was 17 and it pretty much instantly changed the way I thought about drawing. I spent just about all of my time drawing. I was certain that I wanted to do something art related but didn’t know what until I went to college and studied illustration. Needless to say I didn’t do anything with my education for several years besides latte art. I moved around a lot and ended up in New York where I finally got the courage to ask for a job at a tattoo shop.
Did you have an apprenticeship?
I apprenticed at Addicted To Ink in White Plains, New York. I couldn’t have asked for a better crew to introduce me to tattooing. They were all so helpful and knowledgeable.
What drew you to tattoo in the New School style?
There is no specific tattoo that I saw or someone’s drawings that made me want to tattoo this way, but I don’t have to force myself to draw this way. Everything is how it comes out of me. I feel like I just naturally fell into this style. I’m very lucky to have clients who trust me and actually want their tattoos to look like I drew them.
Do you prefer to start your custom work as a sketch, freehand, or both?
I start all my custom work as a sketch and expand from there. It gives me the chance to fully plan a design and make whatever changes are necessary to fit the subject and client. But I admire those who can just freehand a great design on someone from scratch; it’s so impressive!
What is your favorite subject to tattoo?
I don’t really have a favorite subject matter to tattoo; I really enjoy tattoos that force me to think out of my comfort zone on approach and expand my skills to tackle the challenge. Those are the tattoos that make me realize that the more I learn in tattooing, the less I know. It’s like you just end up having more questions when you get answers. That’s one of the things I love about this job.
What inspires you as an artist?
I had always been into drawing since I can remember. I watched my father work on drawings in his spare time and both of my older brothers blew my mind with what they would come up with. I just want to make pretty things that people love. I can’t imagine doing anything else. I don’t have a motive or reason or a thing that I am drawing for, I just want to do it.
What sets you apart from other artists?
I don’t think there’s anything that sets me apart from other artists. I’m just a tattooer. I’m no better than anyone else. I feel incredibly lucky to have such a demanding and creative job. All I want to do is make work that I am proud of that my clients love.
Do you work in other media outside of tattooing?
I do a lot of pencil drawings and I’m absolutely obsessed with using colored pencils on toned paper. I can’t get enough of it!
Are there any artists you’d like to work with on a collaboration piece?
There are so many it’s next to impossible to say them all! It’s a mixture of being terrified beyond the capacity for rational thought and super excited to collaborate. I totally want to do a collaboration piece with Sam Fiorino. I know it’s silly because we work together, but I think we could just make the coolest tattoos!
