By Jesse James Madre
From a humble beginning with eBay machine kits and house tattoos on Long Island to a career as a sought-after artist with almost 40,000 Instagram followers, Bryan Gutierrez is doing exactly what he wants to do. And he does it very well. He’s made the journey from an apprenticeship at a shop called “Ink Daddy” (which may also be Adam Levine’s burner Instagram handle) to a private studio, and over eight years of tattooing, the 28-year-old has earned renown for his style of delicate realism. You’d expect to see art like this in a frame behind glass or on a stretched canvas in a gallery, but that’s not how it’s meant to exist. It’s too alive to be still. We linked up with Gutierrez to ask him how it started and where it’s going.
Have you always drawn realistically or is that something that evolved?
Yeah, ever since I can remember. I got my drawing skills through my dad, he taught me how to doodle here and there. But I’ve always been doodling. I was the kid in the back of the class sketching random shit. I used to draw Dragon Ball Z characters when I was young. That was my main shit and then it pretty much went straight to realistic stuff.
We’ve seen some beautiful crescent moon tattoos you’ve done, black as midnight, surrounding these bursts of colorful flowers contained in the foreground. What inspired this series? And do you enjoy the challenge of making each one unique?
Oh, dude, I fucking love doing those! They kind of became a bit of a signature, and it all came from me and a client collaborating on a piece. I love sitting down with my clients and bouncing ideas back and forth. I like to be inspired by the people around me.
If you had to tattoo one image for the rest of your life, what would it be?
Anything floral. I love roses. So if I could do a rose with a stem and some leaves for the rest of my life, I could be content.
If you weren’t tattooing, what else would you be doing?
Honestly? I have zero Plan B. I know myself and I don’t do well in corporate places. I hate the rules at the 9-to-5 grind. I’d probably have to be a drug dealer or some shit [laughs].
What’s something you wish clients would be aware of?
Hygiene. Make sure your hygiene is on point. Maybe bring a piece of gum and wear deodorant. Don’t come in plastered. And as far as the creative process goes, just understand that you’re dealing with another human being who has their own opinions and you’re coming to this person for their own art and their own style. Try not to micromanage everything. When that happens [the tattoo] just loses that special magic that you went to the artist for. I’m all for creative criticism, I love going back and forth with my clients. Sometimes they have a better idea that I didn’t even think of. But I guess just being open to trusting the artist is what I mean.
What’s the future hold for you? Are you going to ride tattooing into the sunset or are there other ambitions?
Dude, I’m going to tattoo until I literally can’t move my fingers because I’m so old.
What helped push you to get where you are today?
My parents, man. I wouldn’t be here without my parents. I wouldn’t be on this journey without their support. I was going to school to be a nurse. I came home from orientation and I sat down in the kitchen, my mom was cooking, and I was like, “Hey, mom, I don’t think I want to go to nursing school anymore.” She looked at me like every Hispanic parent [would], like, “Wtf are you talking about?” I told her I just didn’t think I’d be happy doing it and she was like, “OK, then what do you want to do?” When I told her I wanted to pursue tattooing she broke it down real simple. She asked me on a scale of one to 10 how much I liked nursing. I said three-ish. Then she asked me about tattooing and I said 10. She said, “So do tattoos. Just be the best at it.”
