Behind the artist of the illustrations permanently inked on the human skin, a deep story lies. This is Joan Dumez, a 27-year-old full-time tattoo artist in Belgium. Moving here when she was still young, having majored in game graphics, she shares a glimpse of her ongoing journey to success as a tattoo artist.
“At the age of twenty-seven, I found my way into the tattooing community, which I’d always dreamed of when I was still in high school. With the idea of having my Illustrations permanently inked on the human skin, I thought that it was pretty cool and wholesome, so I went for it. The first ever tattoo that I got and worked on was mine. I wanted to indulge myself first in how it feels to be tattooed and to tattoo, before actual clients. After looking at my work: Just two simple stars with one line that was crooked due to my excitement, it felt surreal.”
“I was born in Cologne, Germany and moved to Belgium when I was seven. My mother is a Filipina, while my father is Belgian. I grew up in De Bloemekenswijk, but I am currently staying in Dok Noord, Gent.”
“Around the age of six, I started to do art. It began with sketches using pencils, and I always loved seeing the graphite residues on my hands. Since then, me and art, we are inseparable. Artists would inspire me in trying new styles, but my talent in art is something I’ve always had.”
“When high school came, I wanted to enrol in an art school. At first, my mother was not fond of the idea, so my father stepped in, and we enrolled behind her back. In college, I majored in Game Graphics at HOWEST Digital Arts and Entertainment in Brugge. When I was still studying, I would often compare myself to my friends who were passionate about the program. “What’s wrong with me? It shouldn’t be like this. I should be as excited as they are,” were the questions that often clouded my mind. Despite everything, I nonetheless graduated with a Game Graphics degree.”
“I used to only do line art, which is where I am most comfortable with. As my journey continued, my mentors pushed me to do more and step out of my comfort zone. My style evolved through time, which eventually led me to my so-called trademark, the ‘creepy hands’. These are illustrations of a body with creepy hands wrapping all over. This style of mine is loved by my clients, so they would often ask me when I would be doing it again. Some would even travel from another city just to get their tattoo from me, and I find that very flattering.”
“After my studies, I became an intern at a design firm, where I mainly focused on 3d work, illustration, and web design. Three years in, I fell into a rut, to the point where my work made me feel like I was a robot. With that, I got into a long art block that led me to work in non-creative sectors. I worked in a perfume store and as a visual merchandiser at a clothing store. Due to the switch, I found my spark again: being valued by my colleagues and clients. So, I decided to opt for my first-ever dream job: tattooing.”
Putting less pressure on myself and letting the change happen.
Joan Dumez
“Being who I am now, I would say that it’s a dream come true. Though it wasn’t easy. I could still recall how my mother disapproved of me being a tattoo artist, saying, “Oh no, you are not gonna be a tattoo artist. There’s no stable income, there’s no guarantee of a happy life.” They dissuaded me from pursuing such a job. Then, I went for my other fascination: creating games. Besides tattooing, I also love crocheting, gaming, and playing board games. Collecting items such as Labubu and Smiski; these are my guilty pleasures, indeed.”
“Luckily, she came around after seeing me being happy and passionate about it. It made her realize that tattooing has a good effect on me. After all, working on what we are passionate about is all that matters. She now can’t wait to get her first tattoo from me.”
“Even from the smallest art to the largest, there’s always a story that lies deep within. Being a tattoo artist is not only about having to ink my art on people’s skin, but also holding the story behind it. I somehow become part of their lives, and that is something that I will always cherish.”
“One memorable moment from a client that struck me the most was when he requested to have ‘heartbeats’ tattooed on his pulse. It was his first tattoo, and he also went there with his parents. Out of curiosity, I asked him what may be the story behind it. The next lines that followed made me emotional. He was a cancer survivor, and that was the last heart pulse that showed in the monitor. After I put the tattoo on him, he stood in front of the mirror along with his parents. It was just very wholesome and emotional. I could really tell how it meant to them.”
“Just a few months into my career, I had my first international guesting at Der Grimm tattoo studio in Berlin. I was there for a week. I made a lot of great memories, from socializing with fellow tattoo artists to having new and fun experiences.”
“In the future, I would love to travel more and stay for a few years in a foreign country. Then build my own tattoo studio just above my place. I will most likely settle in Belgium to stay close to my mom. I aspire to be Apo Wang-od, a 107-year-old tattoo artist in the Philippines who has been tattooing ever since she was still in her teenage years. She is also the last and oldest traditional Kalinga tattoo artist. Growing old while doing my passion would be awesome.”
“Now, I completely focus on getting a bigger name as a tattoo artist and having more guest-artist opportunities internationally. I currently work as a resident artist in Studio 19:28 in Gent. I love my job right now, and I definitely feel happy. Then again, life is not always a bed of roses. One of the challenges I face as a tattoo artist is having an inconsistent income. Fortunately, I had good mentors, whom I will forever be grateful to. They taught me how to grow as a true artist.”
“As I forge ahead on my path to success as a tattoo artist, I like to think about the fact that anything can happen in a short amount of time, so I need to be prepared to embrace changes.”
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