Wolfgang's Dark and Gothic World

This week we sat down with Wolfgang, he is a freelance artist who specializes in dark gothic, morbid and grotesque tattooing. 
Located in Melbourne, his unique style has seen him tattoo all around the world including Europe, Netherlands and Germany just to name a few. 
We spoke with Wolfgang and discussed his tattoo journey and how he got to where he is today.

Tattooing always sparked my curiosity as a child, and would occasionally ask my father about his tattoos that he got in his Army days, however tattooing wasn’t really seriously considered until I got my first portrait of Tom Hardy from the movie Bronson from my artist now friend Julian Fletcher tattooed.

From when Julian started his process to then seeing the stencil on my bicep, he explained to me his process from stencil to finished tattoo.

It was after that day I finally knew what I wanted to do. 

It eventually grew into an obsession, leading to trouble at work when I was caught drawing instead of loading trucks, and later creating tension and resentment with my parents who believed tattooing would drag me into a dangerous and unhealthy lifestyle but honestly, I didn’t care if it did. Tattooing was just a medium where I could express myself in an artistic way that also helped others into doing the same with my work on their bodies.

It was a slow but steady progression into where I am currently at with my process as an artist.
I always loved tech and gadgets which lead me into graphic design after high school, but I hated how everything needed to be so machine perfect when it comes to art, and yeah I know where and when it’s needed but later to find myself asking myself if there is way to cut the need of digitalization of the design from an IPad.

The process I currently use works best for me and my clients I work with.
It does require a lot of trust, but that trust is built on clear communication and transparency from my side. Every tattoo begins with a sketch that I either prepare the day before the client arrives or start in front of them on the day of the appointment. I walk them through my techniques, the elements their piece may require, and the strategies I believe will work best.

From there, I begin a three to four stage freehand process, which I explain to every new client. As the design takes shape, we can both see what needs to be adjusted or refined. I love this process because it allows me to collaborate directly with the client and bring them into the creative journey. While it is my art and my style, the final piece belongs to them just as much as it does to me.

More often than not, clients bring ideas that elevate the work in ways that would not have been possible if they were limited to a pre-designed piece chosen at the start of the day. By keeping the process open to change and flexibility—both during the freehand stage and even while tattooing—I can ensure the final result feels authentic, unique, and truly collaborative.

So, this is a tricky question to answer but I want to say custom. I find it easier to work with an idea that I have no emotional attachment towards.

However, I love making a flash sheet that has all of the emotional attachment but that can take longer to produce. 

I can warm my hand up while free handing and get myself comfortable with the area of the body as opposed to the stencil process bypasses what I believe is the most important steps needed.

At the moment I’m in love with the T7Pro and for needles I only use MTS tight 3rls for everything, even for back pieces.

Sharpies and nicotine.

You're a blackwork artist, what black inks do you use?
Eclipse ink.

This is a forever impossible question to answer properly, but the few that not many people know if everything else fails.

Draw something shitty and embarrassing and just get it out of the way!

Personally everything in moderation is fine, If the artist uses Ai more as a tool to help them achieve their full potential, then fantastic! They will only improve from this while slowly becoming less reliant on it, as we have used other technology to help in the past.

Social media has definitely helped me evolve my art to be more refined and also has allowed me to be inspired and be influenced from artists I wouldn’t have had the chance too! 

Boxed in? No. 

My tip which could be used for any style, is to learn from artists that are more developed than you to understand what the rules are, then break the rules where and when you feel like it’s needed.

French foreign legion

Where can we find you and how can someone book in with you?
I work at Tanuki in Hawthorn and you can book with me via email or DM @wolfgang.ttt