Life & Work with Michelle Moulin

Today we’d like to introduce you to Michelle Moulin.

Michelle, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I always have wanted to be a tattoo artist since I was very young. When I was little, I always drew on my family members their skin as if I made tattoos. Of course, I was always drawing, especially horses. I have always been a horse girl 🙂

When I was 14, I knew there was a tattoo shop named Inkaholics not too far from where I lived. I told my mom: “When I am 18, I will work there!” My mom told me that if I really want it, it will happen for sure. Unfortunately, she passed away when I was 17.

Crazy and unfortunate enough, when my mother passed in 2016, me and my family got homeless right after. During this time, I did college at Grafisch Lyceum, Rotterdam. I knew that in the final year, you had to do an internship. Some of the students made it to do their internships at tattoo shops. That was my aim.

Unfortunately, only 30 people had a chance to be in the class that could make that a possibility. I pushed myself so hard to make it into that class, it was my only chance to get into a tattoo shop before I had to start making a living after college. It was a very tough road since I just lost my mother and was still homeless. The pressure at college was killing me in these circumstances, but I knew I had to push through.

In 2018, I actually made it into that class after all the blood, sweat and tears! I got the green light to do my internship at a tattoo shop. I contacted the tattoo shop; they accepted my request. My final year of college, doing my internship at a tattoo shop… Wow, I could not have been any happier!

To be honest, from the first day I was in the shop, I never worked even one minute on my college assignments. I was only focused on tattooing and everything that comes with it. I was a tattoo apprentice now!…

I had a traditional tattoo apprenticeship from a well-known tattoo machine builder, Emillion Irons. He is the owner of the shop. Traditional apprenticeships are hard I have come to know! I was making at least 12hrs a day in the shop drawing, cleaning and learning about machinery. Every time I had left, I spend reading and learning about tattooing, history, inks, culture, styles, etc. I was obsessed, this is what I wanted. Emillion is a very strict teacher when it comes to tattoos. He only wants to make his apprentices the best they can be, so he gives you as much work as you can take and even more. Traditional apprenticeships are hard, it is a very underestimated subject! An artist I came to know who has been tattooing for 25 years had four years during apprenticeship back in the day. He always had to clean the toilets with a toothbrush and another even got beaten by his mentor! But.. this was back in the days when tattooing was way more unique than it is now. Nowadays tattooing seems to be more of a fashion status than an actual creative and artistic craftsmanship.

One year later in 2019, a day before my graduation day, I broke my neck in a car accident. I was very sad at the time that I missed my graduation. I did not care about school at all, but I was very proud of myself if I may say so, that I made it after all. It was like closing a chapter for me.

I had to recover for about 6 to 8 months after the accident. After my recovery, I slowly started to pick up tattooing and everything that comes with it. After a while, I was back on track sort of, and my mentor caught me of guard with a surprise. I Graduated from my tattoo apprenticeship! I finally was a tattooer now! We all celebrated my graduation at the shop and I got a tattoo machine from Emillion. I was so unbelievably happy!

Since 2020 I have really been tattooing, I still work at the same shop. I would not know what I should do otherwise than tattooing. I love the art, commitment, passion, dedication, just everything about tattooing. I just turned 25. Unfortunately, my mother wasn’t here physically to see all I achieved I made, but I’m sure she knows!…

Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
Good question. In tattooing, I started to focus on black and grey realism at first. With the knowledge of realism, you can always downgrade the details to more ‘simple’ styles. To my opinion, it is kind of necessary to know how to tattoo realism, it brings good fortune when you tattoo other styles. Besides realism, I also love to do cartoony New School tattoos, Neotraditional and lettering. I also do Maori, Polynesian, Mandalas, Traditional, etc.. but those are less common requests of my customers.

I think the thing that sets me apart from others is that I almost tattoo every style that comes through the door, I am quite an all-around tattooer. That’s because of my apprenticeship, I was taught to face every tattoo I was afraid of. I especially had to tattoo what I was afraid of. That definitely helped.

Besides this, I still work through traditional ways. I do not use wireless machines like almost every other tattooist out there. I still work with the old-school coil machines. I build, repair and tune the tattoo machines myself, that’s very uncommon!

I also still draw just with a pen and paper or right on the skin. Nowadays, people use Ipads to draw. It definitely makes everything easier, but nothing compares to a simple piece of paper and a pen for me 🙂

We all have a different way of looking at and defining success. How do you define success?
Succes to me is when you succeed to achieve your goals and dreams, whatever they may be.

Pricing:

• 150 euros an hour.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/miche_moulin/