Can you introduce yourself and tell us a little about who you are? My name is Facundo Gil, I am from the city of Villa Carlos Paz – Cordoba -Argentina I was born on December 10, 1994
When did you first become interested in art? During my childhood I was always interested in art but I never had an education oriented towards it. I did my high school at the Instituto Industrial Cristo Obrero. In 2012 I had my first experience with tattooing when I got my first tattoo, from that moment I felt a great curiosity about this world.
What made you want to become a tattooer? In 2014, after many tattoos, I made the decision to buy my first tattoo kit. Always self-taught, I tried to choose well with which artist I was going to tattoo and learn at the same time. I went through many styles but I always knew that black and gray was the main one.
How did you start tattooing? Did you have an apprenticeship? I participated in several conventions within my country, taking prizes to my city. In 2019, thanks to a friend/colleague, I decided to focus on one style and create something of my own. At that moment everything changed and I traveled the world to open my head and grow.
How is the tattoo scene different in your current home of LA vs. what it was like in Argentina? In 2022 I had the honor of being recognized by the United States of America as an “Artist with Extraordinary Ability” giving me the chance to live and work in the US. I’m currently living in Los Angeles California.
How did you come to find your current style? What drew you to black-and-grey? I like black and gray because I feel that over time it looks awesome and it feels very real. Usually the results are works of art.
What is the most difficult aspect of working in black-and-grey? The most difficult thing about working with gray-scales is not to overdo them and play with the person’s skin tone. For this reason, I really like doing high-contrast tattoos that work great for any skin tone. I also feel that by using some light shades the tattoo will hold up better over the years.
Who are some of your biggest artistic inspirations (could be tattoo related or not)? In the last 2 years I met many of my idols and icons and the best of all I got to know them as people. I feel very honored and lucky to have these opportunities. The truth is that if I must name them there are many, each one of them left their grain of sand in what I’m today as an artist and person.
Where do you draw inspiration for your art? I never get tired of making skulls, I can do them daily. September 2, 2014 the first tattoo I did was a skull, from that moment I made countless skulls, always trying to leave my essence in each one of them, playing with their contrast and textures. I think I like them because they don’t symbolize or mean anything since it’s something neutral for me, many are prejudiced by them “they symbolize death or something satanic” however I think it’s something of nature.
What are some tattoo motifs you’ll never get sick of doing? Sometimes it incorporates a bit of red, as my style has a bit of Trash Polka, I can add some detail. But I would like to be faithful in black tattoos. I
What are some motifs you wish you never had to tattoo again? I collect my references from Pinterest, photographers, from my trips to museums and new cities.
This may sound a little odd, but is there a particular reason why you’ve done so many skull tattoos? Does the imagery speak to you in a certain way? I really like to mix black and gray with trash polka to break a bit with the structures of the realistic images
Have you ever considered working in color? Do you see yourself doing so in the future? The goal is to have a style that people can recognize as mine and be able to be an influence for the new generations.
Where do you see your art going in the future? Do you work in any mediums other than tattooing? The truth is that I haven’t been in the world of tattooing for a long time (9 years) but from the first moment I gave myself and worked for this dream. I can’t imagine doing anything that isn’t related to tattoos.
