Under The Skin - the tattoo podcast

This episode starts with a post on Instagram: “No Apprentices in 2026.” Jason Sweet — tattooer of 23 years and owner of Freaks and Geeks Tattoo in Portland, Oregon, joins me for a raw conversation about mentorship, shop culture, social media, pricing, ego, and what’s really shifting inside tattooing. We talk about apprenticeships and gatekeeping, private studios, pop-up shops, loyalty, undercuttin...

This episode is about promises. The kind that say you can be fully booked in 90 days. That you can skip the apprenticeship. That you can build a six-figure tattoo career if you just “optimize your content.” I’m joined by Jeff Zalesak — tattooer of 20 years and owner of Camp Hill Collective in Pennsylvania — and we go deep into the rise of marketing gurus in tattooing. We talk about the $5,000 sale...

Tattoo Culture Is Fake — with Yiwu Duan In this episode of Under The Skin , I sit down with Yiwu Duan — a tattooer who still tattoos, but no longer identifies with the tattoo industry as it exists today. We talk about why tattoo culture feels fake, ego-driven, and transactional — and what that does to artists who actually care. Yiwu opens up about burnout, shop ownership as a prison, the instabili...

This week’s episode is out in video format , and I’m joined by Ron Smith — tattooer from Vancouver, Canada , known online as @crybabyron . We start with the reality of the last couple years: tattooing feels oversaturated , especially in big cities like Berlin, London, Paris, LA, and Vancouver. But Ron makes a point that matters: it’s not oversaturated with good tattooers — because quality still st...

For this episode, I’m joined by Doug Hardy — a tattooer who quite literally grew up inside tattoo shops, surrounded by tattoo history, but who took the long road to finding his own voice in the craft. We talk about what it really means to grow up around tattooing, learning through apprenticeship, making mistakes, and understanding the responsibility that comes with putting permanent work on people...

This is the first episode of the year — and the first one we’re releasing in video format. For this episode, I’m joined by Chris Cockrill, tattooer and tattoo machine builder from San Diego. We spend most of the conversation digging into tattoo machines: how coils really work, how pens and rotaries changed the way people tattoo, what gets gained, what gets lost, and why understanding your tools st...

Gatekeeping in tattooing — is it protecting the craft, or just protecting egos? In this solo episode, Ricardo breaks down the real layers behind gatekeeping: the toxic “you don’t belong here” mentality, the protective version that keeps clients safe, and the necessary level of filtering that tattooing desperately needs. From the trauma-driven “suffer like I suffered” approach to the rise of fast-t...

In this episode of Under the Skin – The Tattoo Podcast , I sit down with Aaron Sewl , a realism and cover-up specialist with 19 years in the craft, to talk about something many people avoid: not everyone should be tattooing — and the industry is paying the price for pretending otherwise. We dive straight into the problems shaping tattooing today: • Tattoo schools promising shortcuts and selling dr...

Pym Avery — Part 2 In Part 2 of my conversation with Pym Avery , we pick up right where we left off — so if you haven’t listened to Part 1 yet, start there first. This second half only hits the way it should if you’ve heard the beginning of her story. Here we keep going through decades of tattoo history, culture, and lived experience. From conventions and community to the realities of staying in t...

In this first part of my talk with Pym Avery on Under the Skin – The Tattoo Podcast , we rewind the clock: from her DIY beginnings in 1980s Europe — van life, sourcing machines, hand-making needles — to the raw energy of ’90s tattoo conventions . We dig into gatekeeping vs. access , why hygiene became non-negotiable, and the difference between a tattooer and a tattoo applicator . Pym breaks down h...

In this episode, I sit down with Rob Smead —founder of Electrum Tattoo Supply and host of The Business of Tattooing . We get into the real origin story (yes, the Kryptonite/DC saga), solving the “lost stencil” problem with chemistry, and why so many stencil/aftercare products feel like copycats. We talk about the post-COVID boom turning into a slowdown, shops closing, artists changing jobs, and wh...

From Northeast Brazilian closed tattoo scene to Berlin’s multicultural studios, Leo Branco shares a story of growth, adaptation, and artistic identity. In this episode, we dive into what it means to evolve — as a tattooer and as a person — when culture, tools, and expectations change around you. Leo talks about learning to tattoo in Brazil, where gatekeeping and limited access shaped his early jou...

In this second part of my conversation with Gabe Jaksich (@tattooingcraft), we dive deep into the real meaning of tattoo education — what’s needed, what’s lost, and how the industry can find balance between tradition and technology. We talk about the rise of tattoo schools, AI-generated designs, and how social media is shaping (and sometimes diluting) the craft. Gabe shares stories from the early...

Miami legend Gabe Jaksich ( @tattooingcraft ) — owner of SB Custom Tattoos ( @sb_custom_tattoos ) — joins Under The Skin for a raw, no-filter talk about the state of the tattoo industry . In this comeback episode, Gabe breaks down why he started the Make Tattooing Great Again movement ( www.maketattooinggreatagain.com ), what’s been lost at tattoo conventions , and why honoring the origins of tatt...

We’re back! After a little break, Under the Skin – The Tattoo Podcast returns next week with new episodes, amazing guests from all around the world, and a lot of real tattoo talk. Subscribe now so you don’t miss what’s coming — on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music or whatever you hear your podcasts. Follow us on Instagram at @under_the_skin_podcast . #tattoopodcast #tattooculture #tattooartist...

No Shortcuts in Tattooing: A Real Talk on Apprenticeships In this solo episode, Ricardo dives into one of the most important — and most misunderstood — parts of becoming a tattoo artist: the apprenticeship. He reflects on his own early days learning to tattoo on coil machines, soldering needles, and growing through struggle and repetition. From the old-school mentality to the rise of fast-track co...

In this raw and unfiltered episode of Under the Skin – The Tattoo Podcast , Ricardo sits down with legendary tattoo artist Joe Capobianco to talk about everything Instagram doesn’t show — the fading standards, the filtered tattoos, and the ego-driven rush to fame. Joe gets real about: ​Why tattoo longevity matters more than likes ​The difference between being an artist vs. a tattooer ​His thoughts...

In this episode of Under the Skin – The Tattoo Podcast , Ricardo sits down with tattoo artist Lidia — better known as @lapetitvenus — to talk about leaving comfort zones, building confidence as a beginner tattooist, and carving out a unique space in the tattoo world. Originally from Valencia and now based in Berlin, Lidia shares how she transitioned from a steady day job to full-time tattooing — a...

Lose Some Followers, Don't Lose Yourself – Let's Talk About Burnout In this episode of Under the Skin – The Tattoo Podcast , Ricardo and Janine open up about something most people experience but rarely talk about honestly: burnout. They share their personal stories — from juggling work, parenting, and personal expectations, to the emotional weight of always trying to do your best. Janine reflects...

In this solo episode, Ricardo gets real about the state of tattoo conventions — and it’s not all rose-tinted nostalgia. After returning from both the Dortmund tattoo convention, he dives into what’s changed, what’s missing, and why the magic might be gone. From overpriced entry fees to overcrowded with artists but lacking enough visitors, from social media trends to a generation skipping apprentic...

In this episode of Under the Skin – The Tattoo Podcast, I catch up with tattoo artist Wenona (aka Nonah) — a former student, a fearless artist, and someone with some wildest tattoo stories to tell. We talk about how she went from quitting a bakery job after just two weeks to rethinking her whole life and deciding to become a tattoo artist. From there, her journey took her across the world: through...

Welcome to the very first episode of Under the Skin – The Tattoo Podcast! In this episode, I sit down with my partner, best friend, and fiancé, Janine, to talk about what it’s really like to build a life with a tattoo artist. From matching on Tinder to almost 10 years together, we share our story — the highs, the struggles, and how tattoos became a part of our journey. Janine opens up about late d...

Hey, I’m Ricardo — and I’m super excited to finally launch Under the Skin. I’ve been tattooing for 13 years, I’m Brazilian, and I run my own tattoo studio here in Berlin. This podcast is all about the real side of tattooing — the good, the bad, the struggles, the wins, and everything in between. I’ll be talking with artists who’ve been around forever, newcomers who are just starting out, collector...