tattoos and drawing
I’m Vanessa Rodriguez. A tattooist, though i consider myself an artist first, and I am working hard to bring those two passions together.
I have been drawing, mainly portraits, for over 20 years. I have always had a fascination with the details and expressions found in a face. It never bores me and I’m constantly looking for new faces to put down on paper. I am mainly self taught from books, experience and practice over the years, with some time spent furthering my development at the University of New South Wales. I love drawing with graphite pencil and working at developing my skills across other mediums as well.
I got my first tattoo in 1999 at the age of 19 and instantly fell in love with the tattoo culture. Eight years later, in 2007, I did a handful of small tattoos on some willing family and friends. Although that gave me a small taste of what tattooing would be like, and I really liked it, I didn’t actively pursue an apprenticeship until I had spent time developing my art and drawing skills first. I started my tattoo apprenticeship in February of 2010 at Wicked Ink in Sydney and have been tattooing full time since November 2010.
Along the way I have looked up to and admired Jeff Gogue, Nikko Hurtado, Bob Tyrell, Alex De Pase, Guy Aitchison, Boris, Niki Norberg, Cecil Porter and Mike Devries among so many others. It is the work, skill and knowledge of artists like these that inspire me on a daily basis to push my boundaries and never stop learning. Never stop getting better! Closer to home, I will forever credit the skills and teachings of Rosco Diessel, Brush Taylor, Mark Powell, Sash Trajkovski, Zack Tait and Kaylene Brooks as the artists that helped me reach my goal of becoming a tattoo artist.
I have reached a new point in my career. Up until now I feel that I’ve been more focused on the technical side of tattooing and though that is of huge importance, I now feel ready to start placing more emphasis on the design process of a tattoo. I only want to put creative and beautiful artwork on peoples skin. I feel privileged and honoured every time that I am chosen to mark someone permanently and I believe it is my duty as a professional to give each and every client the very best that I can, every time.
Browsing through my tattoos and drawings will definitely reveal my love for photo realism but I also very much enjoy being challenged and working in other styles when I can. It keeps things new and interesting. This page is a way for me to share my work, my process and my development as an artist and tattooist. I hope you enjoy it!