The story of Ali

While you’re trying to start your career, most people will ask to see a portfolio, which you do not necessarily have! This is why having a good mentor is key to becoming a good tattoo artist. I had the chance to meet with Ali, a 25 years old tattoo artist in Montreal at studio Tattoo Abyss, in Griffintown.

Who is Ali?

Ali is a 25 years old tattoo artist in Montreal. Born in Moscow, she grew up in Montreal with her family. She studied visual arts in college before going into video game design and criminology at the University of Montreal. Being a creative person, she figured that tattooing was a great way to express herself! 

What pushed her to become a tattoo artist?

Being fascinated by the industry at a young age, Ali always knew she wanted to tattoo. The different tattoo styles inspired the way she’s been drawing for years before she took the leap and got an apprenticeship to learn the job. 

Did she have any background in arts before starting to tattoo?

Ali studied at John Abbot college in 2015 in visual arts. 

When did she start to tattoo?

Ali started to tattoo in the summer of 2021 with her mentor who taught her everything she knows to this day. 

What style of tattoo does she do?

Ali works with black and grey dot work mainly, but she wants to expand her expertise to a mix of dot work and traditional tattoos in the future. To see Ali’s tattoos, you can visit her Instagram!

What type of projects would she like to do more often?

Ali would love to work on more animals in general, but especially big cats such as tigers and leopards!

What inspires her during the process of a tattoo?

What inspires Ali the most is the process of creating something that her clients will have on their bodies for the rest of their life. She also loves meeting new people and designing a tattoo unique for that person.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         

What was her first project?

Ali’s first tattoo was a shark tooth on the back of her boyfriend’s leg! As much as she was stressed doing it back then, she loves seeing how much she’s progressed since starting her career!

What’s her latest project?

Ali’s latest tattoo was one of the flashes she was really excited to do for a while! When drawing it, she liked it and couldn’t wait for someone to pick it. It was a Doberman on her client’s arm.

What was her favorite project she did?

Her favorite project she did was a drawing she did before starting to tattoo. It was an anatomical heart with barbed wire. After a while where no one seemed interested in getting it, she tattooed it on a friend of hers. Being a different tattoo style, as there were no lines on it, she was worried but it turned out to be one of her favorite pieces she’s done. 

What project had the biggest challenge she had to overcome?

The biggest challenge for a tattooist in her opinion is when clients are in a lot of pain since she has to make sure the client is comfortable while being able to continue to focus on the tattoo and make it come out perfect. Also, when in pain, clients might move more, making the job harder for the tattooist. 

If you are interested in a booking with Ali, you can visit our website and book an appointment with her!