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