Tattoo Artist Spotlight: Justas Jurkevičius
Q&A with Justas Jurkevičius, tattoo artist.
What’s your name (and studio name/location etc...), and how long have you been tattooing?
My name is Justas, I’m from Lithuania, Kaunas. I work in Green Buddha Tattoo studio. This year marks my 10th year of tattooing.
What got you into tattooing?
For me it was out of curiosity and a interesting way to make art.
Did you start off as an apprentice? If so, what was that like?
I started as an apprentice in my hometown. It was definitely hard. I’m not gonna lie, my skills came from a lot of failures, lots of tattoos that I would like to fix or cover now…hah. But also there were a lot of good times. I did get to experience the old ways and new way of apprentice duties, I feel these things helped me to grow more and see tattooing more as a craft not just an art form.
When you were starting out, were you inspired by other artists?
I was mostly inspired by Lithuanian tattoo artists (Haivarasly, VShanka, Ernie Seven, Darius Puodziukas) and some foreign artists on instagram definitely shaped my taste.
Did you work in other mediums first or go straight to tattoos?
Before getting into tattooing I studied Audiovisual Art in university. And from maybe my teenage years I was really into film photography.
Do you work in other mediums now?
I’m actually now in my second and final year studying ceramics.
Do you have a specific niche or style that you specialize in?
I’m quite flexible on styles, but the ones I really like tattooing are traditional and ornaments with pagan/Baltic motives.
How do you handle the pressure of knowing that when tattooing, it’s permanent…there’s no “undo” button.
I just try to tattoo my best and remind myself I’m not a robot.
Do you prefer clients who come with a finished idea, or ones who give you a vague concept and let you run with it? Do most clients give you freedom to be creative?
I think both ways are good. Sometimes it’s good when a client gives freedom, but some days it’s cool to know what, where, and how we will tattoo.
Do you have a favorite tattoo that you’ve done?
I do have a lot of favorites, but the first one that comes to mind is a project we did on both feet. Lithuanian folk tales: Eglė Queen of Serpents / Jūratė and Kastytis
Aside from the actual drawing, what’s a skill a tattoo artist needs that people don't realize? What challenges do tattoo artists face?
I guess aside from being a good artist is important to market yourself and learn to be flexible with times. Right now social media takes a big part in finding clients, showing your work is important. Biggest challenges in these times I would say is your work being seen.
Thanks for the interview!
My website is : www.Justasjur.com
