Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Mike Boyd. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Mike, appreciate you joining us today. Have you been able to earn a full-time living from your creative work? If so, can you walk us through your journey and how you made it happen? Was it like that from day one? If not, what were some of the major steps and milestones and do you think you could have sped up the process somehow knowing what you know now?

For the last 15 years I have been a paid professional tattoo artist. I started working in tattoo shops in the summer of 2007 and by Autumn 2009 I received my first payment from a paying customer for a tattoo, which was a small black and grey tortoise on a wrist. It was an exciting feeling, very exciting in fact. Those early days were a struggle, learning something new every tattoo, not fully understanding what makes a great tattoo and coming terms with the fact its a lot harder than it looks. After 4 years in a small city doing a lot of walk in tattoos I moved to London, UK and set about only tattooing my unique take on colour tattoos. I soon began to be introduced to tattooers from other countries and invites began to come in for conventions in distant lands, such as Hong Kong. Working in other countries really widened my perspective on creating and tattooing. I now reside in Good Luck NYC in Brooklyn, New York. I could never have imagined that tattooing would take me here. Hindsight is always 20×20 but without my mistakes along the way I’m sure I wouldn’t be where I am today. One thing I would like to tell my younger self is patience is key.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

Hi, my name is Mike Boyd. I am a professional tattoo artist originally from UK that now lives and works in Brooklyn, New York. My career began in 2009 and it has taken me all over the world and enabled me to expand my creativity in other disciplines such as mural work, graphic design, merchandise, and the video game world.

I fell in to tattooing, there was no grand plan at all. I saw an opportunity and took it. Life sometimes hands you these opportunities and its up to you to take them. People are told a lot to do what they are passionate about, but I don’t think thats correct. I think you should follow what you are good at and that will lead to passion.

I offer a very unique style of tattooing, it is bold, bright and very graphic. I wanted to create something new and was tired of same imagery being repeated over and over again. I predominately only do my work now which is a testament to the effort and focus I have put into developing my style. Clients of mine are usually people who have wanted a tattoo but were not fans of the traditional styles of tattooing. I believe a tattooer is working with the client to achieve a transformation that the client has envisaged for themselves.

I am still in awe of were tattooing has taken me and the projects it has opened up for me. In the warmer months I am often doing murals, which is a nice return to my graffiti days as a kid. I’ve designed clothing for brands such as Etnies in the past, which as a skater many moons ago was a really proud moment. Last year I managed to do my largest mural, designing a piece of art for a restaurant roof for Dan Hotels. Helping fellow creatives is what I enjoy the most, joining forces and getting projects off the ground together is really inspiring. Please feel free to check out www.mikeboydtattoos.com to check out my portfolio I am always up for collaborative projects and enjoy the challenge of creating in a new environment.

Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?

Moving to London was a bold move. I moved there with no clientele, a new style of tattooing that people were not keen on, my rent had tripled, my girlfriend at the time had no job and I was in debt. That first year was a real test of what I could put up with. There were some dark moments, and a lot of change, but it taught me that those moments never last and you cannot lose hope or sight of your objective. You are capable of more than most people think and the rewards of putting yourself in those uncomfortable situations make it all worth the wile. When I moved to NYC I felt better prepared and had a rough understanding of what to expect.

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

The freedom and different perspectives it creates. I struggle with rules and existing paradigms and rather than to accept them, creativity jumps in and says there is another way to play this game called life. I have no choice but to create, I cant suppress it, and I am just a vessel for it. I am not important but the output is. I have thought about creativity and where it comes from for a long time and it is still a mystery, which is so appealing. Creating can be quite a lonely and dark place at times. It forces you to dig deep and find what is inside of you to help create a better future world. Most importantly make sure you have fun while you create.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.mikeboydtattoos.com
• Instagram: @mikeboydtattoos
• Facebook: mikeboydtattoos
• Twitter: @mikeboyddesigns
• Youtube: @mikeboyd5654

Image Credits
All photos taken by me or my wife