The collectors: Céline, France

Céline not only has her body adorned by the most magnificent artwork, she is also someone whose strength and passion for tattoos has been an inspiration to me. Now at 27 years old, she's been collecting tattoos for a few years, but as she says, her world was "turned upside-down" when she met Guy le Tatooer. Here she talks about the project with Guy, and I guess it's safe to say that reading about their journey is as fascinating as looking at her pictures.

"I think tattoos are such an inherent part of human beings that there is no need to explain why we are so driven to it. Tattoos are as old as the human kind, so I think it’s just part of who we are. I guess for me the attraction was always there, without really thinking about it. I got my first tattoo when I was 15. At the time I was in a rush to experience things. It was actually a good experience, but I didn’t think about getting another tattoo until I was 21 and moved temporarily to the U.S for my Master.

I ended up hanging out with a piercer when not in class and therefore spent a lot of time in the tattoo shop he was working at. At first I just felt incredibly comfortable in that environment. I found it peaceful. I was there watching the guys work. It was like entering a strange new world. It was kinda scary at first, but I quickly developed a strong interest in body modifications. The owner of the shop was heavily tattooed, I couldn’t stop looking at him. Black sleeves, huge pieces in progress and amazing face tattoos. He was fascinating. I was hooked.

When I got back to France I knew I would want to get my entire body covered in tattoos and build a collection. The tattoos I got when I was in the U.S were just a foretaste. I got a few more pieces in my hometown, but I had no idea what I was doing. I then moved to Paris and discovered a more refined aspect of tattooing and met incredible artists. I started taking wiser decisions in terms of placement and projects and I think my collection really began with the two portraits I have on my thighs. Edward Scissorhands and Betty Grable, two different views on beauty by my long time friend Roberto. But at the time I was still a broke student and I had to put my tattoo projects on hold until I could really afford it. As soon as I got a job I started getting tattooed by different artists each and every month and I haven’t stopped since then.

Leg tattoos by various artists // Peonies sleeve by Rodrigo Souto Bueno

I collected pieces from a lot of people. I’m really intuitive when it comes to picking up a style. But the process is always the same. I go to an artist because I want a piece of his art on me. I can’t name everyone, but I have tattoos from Cokney, Mikael de Poissy, Gotch, Jondix, Jean-Philippe Burton, Sway, Rodrigo Souto, Raphaël Tiraf, Damien J Thorn… But everything changed after I met Guy le Tatooer. He literally turned my world upside-down, in a positive way, and radically changed my view on tattoos.

We met in person for the first time in November 2013 and I started getting tattooed by him in July 2014. I contacted him in the first place to get a back piece. We agreed on getting it done in 3 sessions in a row. That was challenging. For both of us. But it was a lot of fun. Watching him work is fascinating. He is special. And everything started from there. He offered to extend the project to the rest of the body and that was it. We never stopped.

Guy tattooed pretty much the largest areas of my body including full back, full front (in progress), armpits all the way down to the back of my knees, I can’t even make a list, his work is gradually spreading everywhere on my body. In fact the project is in constant evolution. We keep adding new ideas to develop it. It’s really exciting as I’m never sure what to expect. At that point I feel like I’m restarting everything with him. As he likes to say, he’s reorganizing my body.

Bodysuit by Guy le Tatooer and layer details // Sleeve by Cokney

Guy le Tatooer’s work is really powerful. I think his personality just reflects on his tattoos. He’s authentic and that’s what I like about him. He’s always experimenting new things. His creativity is honestly mind blowing to witness. As he draws directly on my body on the day of the session I never know what to expect because depending on his mood it could take a very different direction from what we talked about. And I’m always open to his ideas. We discuss everything, but things are easy between us. It flows. I think that’s also why we were able to push this project so far from the original idea.

I’m very driven when I get tattooed, so even if it hurts like hell I’m going to stand there like nothing is happening until it’s done. Most people say that he’s heavy handed, and even though he’s more gentle than most tattooers, his technic fucking hurts. Although, he always knows what I’m going through as his entire body is tattooed in successive layers, so I feel like he’s with me when it happens. He knows.

We are both perfectionists. His goal is to create a strong suit that is visually 100% coherent. So basically I’m getting rid of a lot of old pieces, 12 so far… I decided to entrust him with my entire body. So it means he will keep working on my suit until he completely runs out of ideas and possibilities. It’s not easy to give that much responsibility to someone, but I trust his genius. His art moves me like no other. It’s scary but I’m in good hands. It’s definitely the most intense and exciting experience I have ever had and I’m always looking forward to see what he does next with his other projects.

Palm tattoos by Jondix and Jean-Philippe Burton // Feet tattoos by Jean-Philippe Burton

I think my tattoos are revealing a lot what’s inside me. They reflect the intensity of my feelings. I've actually never been afraid of the commitment it implies. Of course it’s challenging. It takes a lot of mental and physical energy. And it’s hard at times, but if you’re driven enough you’ll achieve your goals. Some people would say that I’m crazy, but I call it love.

My family was against it. My grandparents still have no idea about my tattoos. I had many arguments with my dad, and honestly it was really difficult at times, but I always chose to be who I am. I don’t see why I should fit other people’s standards. Even if they are family. I have one life and I want to make it special. After getting tattooed for 6 years, my parents finally accepted it. And it’s a big relief.

Back piece by Guy le Tatooer // Mix of tattoo styles on Céline's legs

I worked 2 years on a blog I created called Inspired: Tattoo Portraits as a photographer (analog only) and writer. This platform is dedicated to heavily tattooed people collecting work. My goal is to understand their individuality and approach to life. I then developed another series on tattoo artists focusing on the projection of their personality in their work. That’s  also how I got to shoot the cover of Things & Ink magazine featuring Brian Thomas Wilson.

For further details and evolution check my Instagram account that I update daily. It’s a never ending journey for me…"

Thank you so much, Céline! It's always exciting to see and read about someone who loves tattoos as much as you do.

Follow her Instagram account @inspiredtattooportraits

The collectors: Lauren Cody, USA

After Stephanie's colorful tattoos, I present to you Lauren and her flawless black and grey collection. Her tattoos are not only undoubtedly beautiful, Lauren's testimonial is a great read for anyone who loves tattoos. I hope you all enjoy it! 

"My name is Lauren Cody, and I'm 30 years old. I enjoy life with my husband, Michael, my cat, Cleo, and my golden retriever, Kingsley. I'm a New Mexico native, but I've called California, Italy, and now currently, Virginia, my home. I studied Graphic Design, and I'm currently a buyer for a local consignment shop in a quaint, historic area in the city I live. Veganism, travel, and tattoos are just a few of the things that make me happy.

I have adored tattoos ever since I can remember. In my childhood, I was drawn to tattooed people for their beautiful skin. In my youth, there was a time I went to this little shop with my mom, and the counter girl had this large snake tattoo on her shaved head and I thought, "I love the way she looks." I used to spend a lot of time in high school and college in photography dark rooms, and often, I photographed heavily modified and tattooed people. My interest in tattoos grew through my teenage years as well as a love for piercings, which took precedent over tattoos when I first turned 18 for a few reasons. I didn't know a lot about tattoos, what I wanted to get or more importantly, who I wanted to do my tattoos. So, I put my first tattoo on hold and delved into the world of piercing. I went with friends when they got tattooed, but I always felt a little apprehensive about getting tattooed myself. During that year, I met one of my best friends, Sophia, who is funny, beautiful, and heavily tattooed. We talked a lot about tattoos when we first met, and we even got friendship septum piercings. She was with me when I got my first (tiny) tattoo from her husband and was greatly supportive from the start.

I got my first tattoo in 2004. It was a little heart outline on the back of my neck. I thought it was going to be so painful, but I was relieved by how little it hurt. I have a high pain threshold, and I've breezed through most of my tattoos. Most people think I'm a little peculiar when I tell them I think the healing process is worse than getting tattooed. When I first started getting tattooed I got several tattoos that are somewhat regrettable now, but I think that's pretty commonplace. Many people have confided in me that they have at least one disappointing tattoo.

A couple of the first tattoos collected // Friendship Friday the 13th tattoo

When I first started getting tattooed, I wanted to be heavily tattooed, but I thought, eventually, I'd reach a finite point. Now, I feel like I won't ever stop. I thought I'd have more coverage by now, but I'm glad I've taken my time. I hope to get most of my coverage in the next ten years, but even once I'm mostly covered, I think I'll still be squeezing in little sentimental pieces. Honestly, I hope I never stop getting tattooed.

There were three years my husband and I lived in Italy, and during that time, I was only tattooed once. Those were years of tattoo contemplation for me. It gave me time to think about what was really important for me, what kind of tattoos I wanted, and what tattoo artists I liked. I had gotten quite a few tattoos in my teenage years that weren't meaningful or that I even really liked much, and I wanted that to change.

These days, I think concept and artist are most important to me. I have general ideas and placements in mind I'd like to have tattooed. I choose an artist whose work I like, and then I decide on a tattoo that I know will complement their style. There's a lot of spots I'm "saving" for different artists, waiting for our paths to cross at some point. I know a lot of people prefer to work on a certain body part until they have full coverage, but that's not how things have unfolded for me. Most of my tattoos are spread out on my body, but I know someday, it will all come together. I do think about placement because of aesthetics, but also because I try to leave adequate space for future projects. 

Butterfly and strawberries by Mike Adams // Beach babe by Marie Sena // Vintage camera by Tony Talbert // Flower by Jacob Neuman

I've always loved the look of black and grey tattoos. When I first started getting tattooed, I got a couple black and grey tattoos, but the artist that worked on me preferred color so I got talked into quite a few color tattoos. Once I branched out and started getting tattooed by other artists, I went back to black and grey, and I'm so happy I did. Once I get more coverage, I'll probably end up lasering or blasting over all those old color tattoos. I have had quite a few people, including tattoo artists, tell me that if they could do it all over they'd do all black and grey. I know I would. However, while I enjoy black and grey for myself, I do like color tattoos on other people. 

I get a lot of inspiration from the artists that tattoo me. I choose artists that I truly respect and trust. As far as subject matter, I pick things that are significant and meaningful to me. Vintage things, nature, and music have all acted as muses for my tattoos. Also, I love lady heads. I don't think I could ever have too many lady heads. I love traditional flash, but while I'm vastly influenced by those pieces, I generally get tattoos that are personal and special to me.

Picking a favorite tattoo is kind of like picking a favorite song or a favorite book. I have a lot of favorites, but I love my lady on my upper arm with the birds and laurel crown.

Lady by Marie Sena (fresh and healed)

I have work from Marie Sena, Josh Stephens, Ashley Love, Myra Oh, Marina Inoue, Tony Talbert, Jacob Neumann, Antonio Roque, and Mike Adams.

I usually travel to Albuquerque, NM annually to get tattooed by Marie Sena. It's my hometown, but I always plan my visits to coincide when she'll be there, too (she's a Santa Fe native, but currently based in Dallas). I love getting tattooed by Marie. I just visited Frederick, Maryland to be tattooed by Mike Adams and Antonio Roque. Last time I was in New York, I skipped getting tattooed in favor of having my stretched ears (1.25in) reconstructed. So, next time I'm in New York I look forward to getting tattooed. There are many other places I plan on traveling to so I can collect tattoos from all the different artists I like, but it can be frustrating waiting to make that happen. There are just so many talented artists tattooing right now; I want to get work from all of them.

Heart locket by Antonio Roque // Lady head and flowers by Myra Oh

This list of artists I wish to be tattooed by is way too long and could be much longer, but the top 10 people I'd most like to be tattooed by are Cassandra Frances, Matt Houston, Jemma Jones, Katya Krasnova, Ibi Rothe, Bob Geerts, Becca Genné-Bacon, Rose Hardy, Ryan Cooper Thompson, and Ivan Antonyshev.

I just found out I made Cassandra Frances' list for her New York visit in October. I also have plans with Josh Stephens to work on my other elbow and plan on continuing work on my stomach with him. After that, the Richmond convention is in November, and I'll definitely be collecting a couple from traveling artists there. Next year, I'd love to have Rose Hardy do a big back piece for me.

Stomach piece and elbow by Josh Stephens

As a contumacious teen, I thought my tattoos would ward off most people. I don't think I could have been more wrong. I get a lot of attention because of my tattoos, almost always positive. A lot of people do stare, but I don't necessarily think it's negative. I think a lot of people are just too shy or find it rude to talk to a stranger about their tattoos. Sometimes when I'm in forced interactions with people, like say in a doctor's office, my tattoos are generally met with surprising positivity. I get compliments from people I wouldn't expect to like my tattoos or tattoos, in general. There are the people who stop me on the street, in stores, or restaurants to tell me how much they like my tattoos or ask who did them. I occasionally get asked those cringe-worthy questions like "did that hurt?" or "how much did that cost?" or my personal favorite "are your tattoos real?" I've gotten so used to it though that it doesn't bother me. The attention can be tiresome at times, but regardless, I would not change being tattooed even if I could.

I love my tattoos so much. I love everything about getting tattooed, and I know it's unwittingly become a big part of my identity. But even though tattoos are a part of me physically, they haven't changed the person that I am intrinsically. I think there's an assumption that having tattoos changes you, and even though I may look different, I'm the same person I've always been. It wouldn't be completely honest if I didn't admit that they make me feel happy or beautiful because they absolutely do. Tattoos are one of my favorite things in this world. 

Globe by Marie Sena // Heart by Ashley Love // Girl and cat by Marina Inoue

Becoming a tattooed lady has been one of the most gratifying experiences of my life. I feel lucky to be involved in tattoo culture, even in a minimal way. It's allowed me to connect with so many wonderful, audacious, and interesting people. I'm indebted to the artists I've been able to be tattooed by thus far, and I can't wait to continue adding to my collection. I still have a long way to go. Thank you so much to Heloisa for including me in this project. I'm looking forward to reading about all the incredible lady collectors out there."

Thank you so much, Lauren! I'm so happy I've met you, and this is why I love working on this blog.  

And you, dear readers, go follow her on Instagram @heroinebunny to see her future additions.