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Jono Plank is our featured Tattoo Artist of the Week from Disciples Ink Tattoo in Stellenbosch and Richerds Bay. Get an idea of his style as we chat to him about his tattooing career, his tattoo shop and tattoos in general.
Full name: Jonathan Plank
Nickname: Jono
Age: 36
Hometown: Stellenbosch, Western Cape
Shop: Disciples Ink Tattoo Stellenbosch, Western Cape and Disciples Ink Tattoo Richards Bay, KZN
Years Tattooing: 4 years
Tattoo Style: Old School / New School / Neo Traditional / Bio Mechanical (Free hand) / Trash Polka / Maori (Free hand) / Water Colour / Portraits / Black and Gray Realism and Oriental
Hourly Tattoo Rate: R900
You run the Disciples Ink Tattoo shops in Richards Bay and Stellenbosch. What is it like running both shops and which on is your flagship shop?
Disciples Ink Tattoo studio in Richards Bay was the first studio I opened in 2009 but Disciples Ink Tattoo Studio in Stellenbosch has now become the main studio. Running both studios is not that difficult as I have a good business structure in place and a great team.
How many tattoo artist do you have at each shop and what is your criteria when hiring your artists?
Stellenbosch studio has 3 Tattoo Artists: myself, Byron Barker and Lindie Plank. Richards Bay studio has 2 Artists: Dylan Mason and I, but I am in the process of hiring a third Artist for the Bay. Artists need to be competent in tattooing all styles and of positive attitude and client orientated.
How did you get into tattooing and how long did you have to apprentice for before tattooing your first client?
Some of my best friends are Tattoo Artists and I’ve been getting tattooed for many years, it was inevitable that I would become a Tattoo Artist one day. I had a 1 year apprenticeship with Mully at Eclectic Eye Tattoo Studio in Durban KZN.
What did you do before you became a tattoo artist?
I was a shop manager at Hi–Q Tyres and Fitment Center.
“I love what I do, so that means I never have to work a day in my life…I’m just enjoying being in this industry and will tattoo until I die”
What do you do to make sure you keep progressing and to stay up to date with trends and new styles?
I enjoy checking out other artists work and constantly trying new things every day. I like to paint and draw and push myself artistically so I can also develop my personal flair.
What style would you say you excel in?
With tattooing as broad as it is today and with such a wide verity of styles, I don’t want to limit myself into just one specific style. Working in a busy studio, you do a variety of styles, so the more you do the more appreciation you get for each one, as each style really has its own beauty and has its own appeal.
What do you do when a client asks to get a piece done that does not fit with your style at all?
I take some time to research the style that the customer wants and study it and when I understand it, I can apply it.
Give us the best advise that you can give to a client wanting to get a tattoo?
Don’t get a tattoo done just because you are getting it at a good price. Good tattoos aren’t cheap and cheap tattoos aren’t good. Look at Tattoo Artists portfolios and have good communication with your Tattoo Artist. Listen to your Tattoo Artist, as some ideas might seem cool, but the professionals know better.
Tattoos and its culture have changed quite a bit over the past few years. What are some of the pro’s and con’s of this?
The positive is that it has become more expectable in society and anyone can now have a tattoo. The negative is that people that are not Tattoo Artists are buying machines over the net and are trying to make money but in fact they are messing up people’s skin and are taking away their self-confidence.
Inks and machines have also evolved, how has this helped the tattoo industry?
Artists are now able to express their own art in a more profound way, allowing styles to develop at an increasing rate. With the development of machines and new pigments, tattooing has never been this precise and clean, and tattoos can now last longer.
Hand, neck and face tattoos are also becoming more popular. What are your thoughts on this and do you have any warnings that you discuss with clients that want to be tattooed on these areas?
These tattoos are a huge commitment as they are super visible. Unless you are in a industry or job spec where it does not matter if you have visible tattoo’s then they are really awesome to have, but I do advise my customers to consider the commitment of having neck, hands and face tattoos. The criteria of the tattoo chosen is also to be considered carefully.
Everybody is different but what part of the body do you think is the most painful to get tattooed?
Ribs, elbow, stomach and feet.
Where would you like to see your tattoo career take you?
I love what I do, so that means I never have to work a day in my life and I don’t really know where this will go, but I’m just enjoying being in this industry and will tattoo until I die.
Are there any specific international artist that your would do anything for in order to get tattooed by them?
I look up to Boog and Mister Cartoon and it would be cool to have a tattoo done by them before I run out of space.
For any clients that would like to get in contact with you and book a session. What’s the call?
Clients can follow us on Facebook or Twitter which has all our contact info and more for both studio’s. The Stellenbosch studio contact number is 084 767 7559 and the Richards Bay studio contact number is 035 789 0811.
Some of Jono’s Work:
Check out some of our other Tattoo Artist interviews by clicking here.
hi there, I use to stay in empangeni, moving back soon, wanted to find out I really want to became an artise, ive got my own tat gun etc, ive did a few solid tats, but I want to do this the rest of my life, I really want an intership where do I start?