Jackson Eberlin : Tattoo Artist - Marlowe Ink

Jackson Eberlin - The artist being held

Jackson Eberlin’s tattoo career chose him. He started his apprenticeship in 2001 and has been an independent artist since 2006. After working at a couple other shops he was ready for a change and started working at Marlowe Ink.  

Jackson has been in the business for over 10 years and has seen a lot. Nothing really surprises him anymore. I asked him what the weirdest tattoo was or anything that really sticks out in his mind. He could not answer. He has seen so many things over his career but says, “who am I to judge what is weird?!” Sure, there are some things he will not do. He does not tattoo faces, necks, or knuckles. Of course, it is dependent on the person. If someone is all covered in tattoos already, one more will not make that difference. If it is someone with more of a blank canvas, he will not do it. He agrees with his coworker Danny that once you do get a tattoo on your face or on your neck, you do become just a tattoo. People come up to you and always want to ask about it. It also makes it more difficult to have a more professional corporate career. Tattooing and being the cause of that difficulty is too much unwarranted stress. Jackson is covered with ink and says, “I can’t even go to the gas station or the store without people looking or asking or wanting to know. Like Danny said, people feel like they can touch you. Once I was at this tattoo convention and some guy grabs the back of my shirt. My first instinct is to turn around and throw a punch but then I had to stop and remember. It happens.  It’s part of the job really. I have become an advertisement for my industry.”

Of course, there are some things that Jackson loves to do. He is really into bold, solid work. He does do realism and portrait stuff but the more traditional stuff is where he wants to lean more as his career goes forward. “It holds true for years to come,” Jackson says, “In 20 years you will still see that what you have gotten is, I don’t know, a panther head. A rose will still look like a rose. You will still be able to tell that the tattoo is supposed to be a snake and not just a blob.” Along with people wanting celebrity inspired tattoos, recently Jackson’s clients have become more along the lines of geeky. They love comic books and video games, and they want tattoos that represent what they love.

There is nothing wrong with getting a tattoo of what you love but a client should not stress too much about it. He references back to trying to think of the weirdest thing he has seen and says, “I’ve gotten weirder stuff, more funny stuff, because once you are done with all the personal, you know, family type stuff, you have a lot of blank canvas. You start going ‘Oh this looks cool.’ Don’t put too much meaning behind it.”

To Jackson, one of the most important parts of the tattoo process is education. On both the client’s part and the artists. For the client, look at the artist’s portfolio. Look at their work. Look at what they can do. Not everyone can do every type of style. For the artists, use your experience to educate the client. Jackson says that he takes time explaining to the customers what the tattoo is going to look like years from now, “Ink spreads. Lightest colors fade fast and black holds true the longest.” The important part, for both the client and the artist, is to be smart about it.

An aspect of his career that Jackson enjoys still is the education of it all. “I love watching other artists tattoo,” he says, “I always learn something. I ask questions like, “how are you doing this?” “How did you get this effect?” There’s always something to learn. Even if it is to learn what not to do!” He is smart about it and brings all of that education into his work.

Danny Zelsman : Tattoo Artist - Marlowe Ink

Danny Zelsman - The artist doing the holding

Danny Zelsman started his career in the tattoo industry as a body piercer at 18 years old. He began his tattoo apprenticeship in 2007, and has been working as a full time artist for 3 years. After having worked for a few other shops, Danny has made his home at Marlowe Ink in Fairfax, Va where he has been for the last 6 years.

While he may not have a decade of tattooing under his belt, he has been working in shops for more than that, and has seen some trends that come and go. When asked about the popularity of tattoos among todays clientele, Danny comments that the media coverage might mislead people a bit.

"There is only about 30% of the U.S. population that is tattooed. It's still a part of the counter culture." When asked about the types of tattoos that are popular, he said that designs celebrities get, or what winds up on Pinterest, tend to influence a lot of people's decision for the designs they choose for themselves.

Danny knows it's not his choice what people get on them, and passes no judgement, but urges people to take heed when an artist says that a specific design may not be a good for a tattoo, or if they aren't the best person for the job. "Someone who does Traditional style tattoos may not be able to do realistic portraits. So, if they tell you they can't, or won't, do something, it's best to listen"

I asked Danny what style of tattoos he likes to do and he said that he "wants to be as well versed as possible. But, I have a particular appreciation for American Traditional." With bold lines, simple color schemes, and the use of black shading, Danny says "it's going to look good in 20 years" which is why he has taken such an interest in that particular genre.

When he was young boy, Danny knew that he wanted to be tattooed. He remembers telling his grandfather this at age 10, and being scolded "Tattoos are permanent reminders of temporary feelings!" Although his grandfather intended to discourage young Danny from getting any ink, they had sort of an opposite affect.

"That's an awesome phrase, and it's true. I remember exactly where I was in the world, what I was feeling, and everything else in my life at the moment of getting each tattoo. Sometimes you don't want to forget."

It's a theme that motivates Danny to keep getting more work.

If you look around his work station, you will see a collection of drawings he has made for client requests, gifts brought from clients as a special way to say "thank you", and and artwork from friends, including Marlowe Ink's manager Kim O'Keefe.

Having tattooed people from all walks of life, and for every reason under the sun, he leaves us with this advice-

"Don't put so much pressure on yourself, or the tattoo. If you fall off of your bike, get cut, and it leaves a scar, it will be with you for the rest of your life. You didn't choose that scar, what it looks like, or where it goes. But you can with tattoos. It doesn't necessarily have to mean anything, as long as it makes you smile. That's the important part"