We recently connected with Cassandra Laureano and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Cassandra thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Do you wish you had started sooner?

Around the time I started tattooing, I was about 2 years into my painting business and becoming a tattoo artist hadn’t crossed my mind once. I wish that within those 2 years I had someone, like I do now, who introduced me to the world of tattooing because I would’ve been about 5 years in the game already. I have learned an exceptional amount in these 2 years that I’ve been tattooing but I know if I was 5 years in my craft would’ve been perfected! I don’t mind still learning new techniques as I go but I could just imagine what pieces I could’ve been doing now if I had that experience from before.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

Hey, my name is Cassandra Laureano and I am a tattoo artist / painter. When I first became an entrepreneur, I started off in the painting business. I paint anime phone cases and MacBook cases. I decided to dabble in this career because as an anime watcher I wish side characters got a lot more praise/merch so I made a business that allowed people to choose whichever character and get it painted on whichever medium (Phone & MacBook).

After a couple years of doing this I met another tattoo artist and they encouraged me to dabble in tattoo since I was already steady handed with the paintings! It still took me about 6 months before I actually considered it. I was scared of hurting people and stabbing someone with a needle.

I decided to start doing tattoos and a lot of my friends let me practice on them because I can already draw. I was very nice with my linework from the beginning, shading was a work in progress but I always stayed in a lane I was comfortable in so I didn’t have to worry about messing up someone’s skin with an ugly tattoo. Til this day I can touch anything I’ve ever done and make it look 10x better with all the knowledge I’ve acquired tattooing for the past 2 years.

Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?

I’m looking to start my own tattooing art style, I want it to be an in between of cartoonish and realistic. A mixture of bold outlines and light shadings. I aim to get this down pack by year 3!

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

It’s so rewarding to see people smile once they look at there tattoos in the mirror! I love seeing everyone’s expressions of satisfaction. It’s rewarding to hear they’re going to recommend their friends to me and show off their tattoos as soon as possible. It’s great to know I’m doing a good job at what I do!

Contact Info:

• Website: https://shayinkdd.as.me/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shayinkdd?igsh=Ynd0bGZucDA3OWll