Chats & Tatts by Aaron Della Vedova

July 30, 2025 Building Confidence as a Tattoo Artist ft. Chris Crooks

The desire to pursue a passion can be a powerful motivator for individuals, often driving them to learn and grow despite feelings of unqualification or inexperience. This theme is vividly illustrated in this podcast episode featuring tattoo artist Chris Crooks, who shares his journey into the world of tattooing with host Aaron Della Vedova.

From a young age, Chris was immersed in tattoo culture, with both of his grandfathers and his father sporting tattoos. This early exposure ignited a desire within him to become a tattoo artist, even before he fully understood the craft. He reflects on how the "desire to do it was bigger than the capabilities," highlighting a common experience among many who pursue their passions. This intrinsic motivation propelled him to acquire the skills necessary for success in tattooing, despite his initial lack of experience.

Aaron sits down with Chris at Gods of Ink in Frankfurt, Germany. Aaron reflects on the tattoo artist journey that is rarely straightforward and lacks a clear roadmap. The conversation explores the intricacies of the tattooing process and the passion that fuels artists in this creative field. Tune in for insights into the art of tattooing and the stories behind the ink.

Chat Breakdown:

00:00:00 - Overcoming Limitations 

00:02:00 - Family Influence: Tattoos in the Family

00:03:56 - Ignorance and Confidence 

00:04:56 - Imposter Syndrome: The Ongoing Struggle 

00:06:25 - The Role of Ignorance and Confidence in Success 

00:07:19 - Validation from Peers 

00:11:06 - The Value of Hard Work: Learning the Craft 

00:18:02 - Being Nice Pays Off 

00:19:05 - The Global Tattoo Scene: Breaking Stereotypes 

00:22:08 - The Digital Age: Accelerating the Craft 

00:26:11 - Gratefulness and Opportunity in Tattooing

00:30:19 - The Pyramid of Tattooing 

00:34:46 - The Pressure of Large Format Tattoos 

00:37:23 - The Shift to Japanese Style:

00:44:15 - Empathy and Self-Protection

00:49:15 Work-life Balance and Creativity

01:01:45 Cultural Appreciation Through Music

01:15:04 Tattooing as a Human Experience

01:19:10 Inspiration in Tattooing

Quotes:

"The desire to do it is always stronger than the being able to do it."

"Ignorance and confidence of youth... you had nothing to lose."

"We have to allow ourselves to make mistakes and we have to be OK with those mistakes and not just beat ourselves up to the point where we are stifled."

"Just cover it with Vaseline. When your tattoo looks like shit, just at the end, just wad a lot of Vaseline so they can barely see what's going on."

"Just being nice to people. And then just that little bit of drawing for them or whatever, just a tiny bit of extra, it just naturally is what I felt like I wanted to do."

"If you wanna come in right now, you better end up being fucking really good at this."

"I just, I'm always curious, like, where'd that little part of me go?"

"Don't ever betray yourself by being indecisive and waking up and find yourself in a position that, you know, if you had a clone, it would tell you don't do it?"

"Tattooing is like this, this lifestyle, find a decision, make the decision, go all in."

"The biggest stumbling blocks for white guys aspiring to do Japanese stuff is other white guys that have been doing it longer."

"You have to engage with people... it's a new community and you have to treat people with the same respect you would in real life."

"Something was ignited in me that I haven't felt in a long time, and I think I needed it."

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