One of the things I have learned over the years in tattooing is that really great tattoo artists almost never look at tattoo work for reference. They move two, three, four steps away and draw from great painters and sculpturs, cartoonists and photographers, architects and jewelry makers. The further you can move away from your original source material the more you can grow and the better you can become. The most original talents always refer to unique sources and put together a great style from the amalgamation of many places.
A painter who personifies this idea is Greg “Craola” Simkins. If you have seen Greg’s sketchbook Drawn From the Well, then you are well aware of how talented and creative Greg is. Greg doesn’t tattoo, but has used tattooing as influence in his work, along with children’s fairy tales, grafitti, wild-life, rennisance painters and cartoons. Because of the unique energy of his work and his particular style he is an ideal person to absorb and generate ideas from.
One of his unqiue strengths is his ability to do great layouts. He combines a ton of elements into his paintings and creates some amazing transistions that flow really smoothly from idea to idea.
His new book “The Outside” is 280 pages of unbelievalbe art. His characters jump from the pages and his visual language is so interesting to absorb. This is a book that will be referenced again and again, and each time you will discover something new.
This is the kind of book you want to absorb, take from and intergrate some of his ideas into your work. Inspirational and educational, two of the most important things you can gain from another artist. Available now right here at Pulse “The Outside” from Greg Craola Simkins. It is going to change you art!