She amazed the world with intricate flower and butterfly tattoos. This Tattooist Tilda interview will tell you more about her artistic world.
Some people love traditional tattoos with bold imagery and thick lines. Some prefer feminine and elaborate patterns that look like a painting on the skin. I am the latter. That’s why when I first bumped into Tilda’s tattoos, I was hooked.
Tilda, a tattoo artist based in South Korea, is best known for her butterfly and flower tattoos. With a following of over 60k on Instagram, her work is touching an increasingly wider audience.
But how does she come up with all the mesmerizing designs? And what’s the story behind the ink? I am honored to interview tattooist Tilda. Scroll on to learn more about her tattoos, her views on art, and more.
Tattooist Tilda interview
- Hi Tilda, can you tell us about yourself and your tattoos?
Hi, my name is Tilda. I base in South Korea, and I am a tattoo artist. I would describe my tattoos as fine line – patterns with delicate lines.
Most of the subjects of my tattoos are from nature, such as flowers, birds, and butterflies in various colors.
- You have done a lot of flower tattoos. Which type of flower is your favorite or means something special to you?
I like drawing roses the best. I like the variety of appearances, from rosebuds to full bloom, and roses have various colors. Also, roses bloom more vibrantly in the hottest summertime, which is fascinating. Of course, this is personal, but the appearance and the scent of roses appeal to me deeply.
- How do you design a tattoo? Where do you find inspiration?
I refer to Pinterest or Google when I work on designs. But sometimes, I get inspired by vintage botanical art books and classic movies at vintage shops. If you pay attention, inspirations are everywhere.
I have been binge-watching the Netflix TV show Bridgerton recently. And I was inspired by gardens, Daphne’s fashion, and interior design. And maybe I will start incorporating them in my tattoos.
- Who is your favorite painter? Or do you have a painting that you adore?
I love the works of Vincent Van Gogh, Pierre-Auguste Renoir, and Claude Monet.
I love the color expressions of these artists – the combination of Gogh’s blue and yellow starry night, the warmth of Renoir’s red and orange vase, and Monet’s pastel-toned purple and blue water lilies, etc.
And I love using soft pastel colors similar to the color of Daphne’s house’s interior in Bridgeton. The soft pinks, blues, and yellows are my favorite tones.
- How do you spend your day as a tattoo artist? Can you take us through a day in your life?
When I don’t have tattoo work, I usually draw tattoo designs or edit tattoo photos of my client through Photoshop.
Instagram is a major platform to showcase my work. And recently, I’ve been researching Instagram Reels. Even when I am on holiday, I can’t help thinking about tattoos. And to me, it’s the tattooist’s job to perfect their works and to find the design people love.
- How do you become a tattooist? Can you tell us how you started?
When I was in my third year of college, I was introduced to Tattooist Sol’s fine line designs for the first time. They caught me by surprise because he translated my favorite paintings of Van Gogh and Monet beautifully into tattoos.
To me, it opened my eyes. And it’s the first time I knew that tattoos could be so expressive, delicate, and visually appealing. Before that, I thought tattoos were all black works or the ones with bold lines.
And also, I never knew there were so many different colors that could be tattooed, not just black, red, and blue with high saturation. Personally, I love drawing with abundant colors. So the fact that there are so many color options in tattooing makes the job more appealing to me.
When I was in college, I had a chance to learn tattoos. But I didn’t pursue it as a career because of the conservative social perceptions. After graduation, I worked as a fashion MD for about a year, but that was not where my passions were. And what kind of work can I do better? While thinking about it, I remembered my college days when I was interested in tattoos. From then on, I started to take tattoo learning seriously.
- In your opinion, what is a good tattoo?
Above all, I think a good tattoo has to be something the client likes. And the understanding of the client’s preference has to come from communication.
As a tattooist, I can design the coolest tattoo. But if the communication is not smooth and the pattern is not what the client likes, it can’t be a good tattoo.
After all, tattoos are about self-expression. And that’s why the client’s ideas and likings are the fundamentals.
- What is the most special tattoo you have done? What’s the story behind it?
This question reminds me of a Van Gogh iris tattoo I did. It was the first tattoo of one of my clients. The painting was meaningful because Vincent van Gogh and his brother Theo van Gogh had an unbreakable bond and support for each other.
And my client wanted this iris painting tattoo to honor her relationship with her sister. They were as close as the Van Gogh brothers. That touched my heart as the tattoo went beyond colors and lines. It was the love that made it unique and meaningful.
- Your tattoos are beautiful and intricate. But will they fade or blur in a couple years?
It’s a common concern of my Instagram followers from other countries. It seems that all small and fine line tattoos fade quickly. But they actually maintain pretty well.
Of course, the tattoos will naturally permeate the skin over time. But there is no significant difference compared to when they are fresh.
- If someone is getting their first tattoo, what design will you suggest?
Korean clients often come to me to tattoo the birth flower of themselves or their families. Of course, flowers are beautiful tattoo materials. But it’s even better when the flower reminds you of a loved one. That’s why if you don’t know what design to go for as your first tattoo, I will recommend a tattoo of the birth flower of yourself or a family member.
If you want to see more of Tilda’s tattoos, you can check out her Instagram profile. And if you have more questions for her, leave them in the comment!