Tattoo Artist Spotlight: Albert T. Colon (a.k.a. Power Dude)
Q&A with Albert T. Colon, tattoo artist:
What’s your name and how long have you been tattooing?
My name is Albert T. Colon - a.k.a. Power Dude - Owner and Sole Artist of Dudes Tattoos | 215 E Gun Hill Rd, Bronx, NY 10467 in the USA - near Fordham Rd. & Yonkers.
What got you into tattooing?
I will tell it as i have always told it to everyone who asks.. LOL. I used to create designs for tattoos for people, so they could bring them to shops. The big shop at the time was TUFFCITY TATTOOS on Fordham Road in the Bronx, owned by MED. The designs kept coming back, the people saying the designs were too detailed for tattooing. Then I got a message that MED himself wanted to meet me. I did, and we became friends quickly leading me to work at his shop, but for digital purposes. After a year or two, I thought about tattooing, but wasn’t sure. Eventually, after much complaining from my friends, with their help, I had everyone pitch in for my equipment, promising them their requested tattoos in return for their paid-forward investment. I got my first tattoo machines, Micky Sharps and a Pike in January 2002, and have been tattooing ever since.
Did you start off as an apprentice? If so, what was that like?
No, i mostly observed everyone who worked at TUFFCITY TATTOOS, from artist to manager to learn everything involved in the business from artistry, to sterilization to management. But i was only given ‘Formal’ training by Med himself, a roughly 15 minute breakdown of the station, how to set it up, and everything in involved in the process, from the assembly of the machine to the basics of line work and shading. I was already an artist so it was just a matter of switching my tools. A good friend wanted to be my first tattoo client, good old GABE. So i agreed, and MED watched over my first lines, lending me his spare equipment for the task, making sure i didn’t tear into the guy. First line was too Light, Second line was too DEEP… Everything else was Just RIGHT! But i needed my own machines if I wanted to pursue this further, hence the paid-forward investment from my friends. When i got my machines, I went off on my own to open Dudes Tattoos.
When you were starting out, were you inspired by other artists?
HELL YES! Paul Booth was chief, as he related to dark imagery with heavy shading and contrast. Aaron Cain, Victor Portugal, Bob Tyrell, Guy Aitchison, Grimes. But the one who started my dream of tattooing long ago in college at School of Visual Arts was the work on David Oropeza. I saw his bodysuit on a cover of a Tattoo Magazine and first thought, I might be able to do that!
Did you work in other mediums first or go straight to tattoos?
I started as a pencil artist like most, but jumped around to a lot of mediums. Paint, Sculpting, Assembly and then Digital, and then 3D programs for design, photoshop etc. When I reached tattoos, learning consistencies of ink, densities vs skin types and tone values, it was a big challenge.
Do you work in other mediums now?
I still paint and work in 3D for game design and jewelry design. But with tattooing taking so much of my time, I rarely get a moment to work on my Video game projects or graphic novel projects. One day…LOL.
Do you have a specific niche or style that you specialize in?
I think it would be Custom Black & Grey, fantasy & sci-fi themes suit my style the best. I have worked in nearly every style that has been created in the last 20 years, with new ones always popping up to challenge my old brain. Never a dull moment in this industry!
How do you handle the pressure of knowing that when tattooing, it’s permanent…there’s no “undo” button.
When I first started, I used to draw in technical pencil to guarantee every line was sharp and clear. When I started tattooing, I changed that to a ball point pen. It doesn’t allow you to erase, hence the value of every line became paramount. Precision and consistency became the focus, so mistakes were not allowed. In the first year I was nervous about making mistakes of imprecise work or a client suddenly moving causing an error. Such things pass quickly as you experience the various styles of clients… from stone still to highly expressive and animated, from soft skin to near leather.
Some tattoo styles seem to come and go, is there one style that’s gone away that you miss?
Traditional Tribal tramp Stamps! LOL… they were a STAPLE in ‘98, but have fallen out of favor. Since women these days seek to enhance themselves in every way, such tattoos may see a comeback soon. One can hope
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?
In a perfect world, they would come in with their ideas, sit and have a lengthy consultation and truly communicate their hopes and vision. That is rarely the case, with most coming in now with Ai creations that make little sense. When offered the chance to create the design myself, that opens possibilities few clients explore for fear of sounding simple or their idea not being respected. When i first started, creative freedom was abundant, but it has shifted over the years, with some showing the courage to trust their inner dream ink.
You’ve probably heard a lot of back-stories “behind the tattoo”, is there one story about a tattoo that you’ve done that’s stuck with you?
Hilariously, yes. Once long long ago when I first started, I was asked to do a construction worker standing on a building site high on a steel beam looking down over the city, with his… member…hanging out over the city swinging out from his pants…the caption above the tattoo read to the effect of ‘If you cant measure up, you cant work here!’. It was her tramp stamp magnum opus, right above her ass crack and impossible to not see! … And i will never forget it.
Aside from that story, do you have a favorite tattoo that you’ve done?
Honestly, i don’t have one… after 25 years of tattooing, they all have a piece of my soul in them… its a Voldemort thing i guess…
Aside from the actual drawing, what’s a skill a tattoo artist needs that people don't realize? What challenges do tattoo artists face?
These days, every tool helps. Knowing there are printer and printer inks that produce carbon transfer stencils, and that everything is bluetooth and wireless now helps beyond measure. Knowing Photoshop or Procreate is key to custom tattoo design in any efficient time measure. 3D programs teach you shadows and the properties of lineless shading and contrast sculpting. Learn social media and video editing apps to show your work and to enhance your works visibility. And funny enough, Ai does serve a purpose in composition enhancement and merging elements to offer concept ideas to clients. DO NOT USE IT DIRECTLY for FINAL DESIGN CREATION, as it can create mistakes impossible to detect until after the tattoo is done, if the artist isn’t careful! ALWAYS review your final work for errors or slips in logic. I have seen things you people wouldn’t believe… lmfao!
