Tattoo artist Colin Dale is a tall, strapping man who looks like he comes from Viking stock, which is actually quite fitting considering his passion is recreating ancient Nordic art on skin (and plundering villages). With a penchant for studying the past, Colin has learned how to mark the body using primitive methods such as thorns and thread, but is equally adept at creating designs with a modern tattoo machine.
Colin claims that the power of tattoo is only that given to it by the wearer, and yet the result of his work looks like magic. His pointilism dragons float along the bodies of his clients with grace but also authority. The designs demand attention, and they have been in the spotlight, winning tattoo awards like "First Place Celtic" at last year's Vancouver convention.
Colin is originally from Canada, of Scandinavian immigrant parents, but re-immigrated to Denmark where he now works at Erik Reime's studio Kunsten pa Kroppen [Art on the Body] in Copenhagen.
Colin and I spoke at the London Tattoo Convention about Vikings, runes, and puffy pants ... and how they all relate to tattooing.
Marisa DiMattia: I'm looking at your booth and the sign says "Traditional Nordic Tattoos"; for those of us unfamiliar with that style, perhaps you can give us some background.
Colin Dale: Most of the designs I use are from the the Scandinavian Bronze Age to the Viking Age. Sometimes I play with those images a bit for my tattoos and sometimes I leave them just the way they are. For a lot of the Bronze Age designs, I'll use petroglyphs from Scandinavia, take those designs and recreate them on skin; that petrogylph feel is more flat forming. With the Nordic dragons, I play with the designs more, drawing them directly on the body and giving my own interpretation of the dragons.
MDM: What kind of research do you do to get inspiration for the tattoos?
CD: I have a lot of books but I also go to the rock sites, especially when Im traveling through Scandinavia and Canada. One of my favorites is Gabriola Island in Canadathere are also many rune stone sites throughout Scandinavia.
MDM: Was there mysticism or magic attributed to these sites?
CD: It's all magic! [laughs] Actually, theres a runologist who said one time that, for as many interpreters as you find for the runes, youll find just as many interpretations. He also said that the second rule to rune dynamics is if you don't understand it, it must be magic. Thats very true. When people cant figure out what something means, they say its some spiritual thing, or they go ahead and attribute it to some New Age cult. But basically, I think it's up to you what the design means. Most of them are three and a half to five thousand years old so whoever made them is long dead. So if it means something to you, take it and bring it back to life.
MDM: Have you ever had a client come in and said "I want to be more attractive to women, tattoo a special symbol on me that will help," or something similar?
CD: There's actually something to that. The Vikings in Iceland had a lot of runes that theyd put together and make magic. The rune you may recognize is the one tattooed on Bjork: a compass, which means youll never lose your way; there are many other rune variations casts to be attractive to the opposite sex, for revenge, all sorts of things.
MDM: Do you think by opening up the skin and tattooing these symbols that there is some sort of power to it?
CD: That's up to the individual. If a person believes in it, it may actually help, and then the tattoo will make them more attractive. By feeling good about yourself, you give off a sense of confidence that can be very attractive.
MDM: That's very true. Let's talk about your own tattoos. Were your own first tattoos based on the Nordic art you now tattoo on others?
CD: Yes, most of my tattoos are from Nordic mythology. Weve experimented a lot with different hand tattooing techniques, so some of my tattoos are very experimental. I have been tattooed with rose thorns, experimented with Eskimo skin stitching As opposed to many tattooists who try to push the envelope forward, we look backwards and discover where it all came from, how and why things started, what works and what doesn't work.
MDM: You said "we", who are you referring to?
CD: Erik [Reime], the one who taught me how to tattoo. He doesnt do conventions. Hes very quiet and not into the heavy metal music.
MDM: Well, then let's talk about your start in tattooing.
CD: I started traveling and then re-immigrated to Denmark in 1991 where I became a medical illustrator and graphic artist for a few years. I knew of Eric's work from before but became more and more interested in it. I made an appointment with him to get tattooed and also asked him if he needed an apprentice. He said no, he didnt need an apprentice, but I still went to get tattooed by him and brought my portfolio of illustrations along. We talked during my tattoo, and afterwards, I asked if he wanted to see my drawings. He said sure, looked at them, and still said no [to the apprenticeship]. Then a couple of days later he called me. The woman that was working for him decided to move back to Ireland so it was a matter of being in the right place at the right time. He said he was impressed with my designs, especially the ones based on Native American art, and felt they harmonized well with what he was doing. Thats how it started.
MDM: Did you start learning to hand tattoo first?
CD: I started to learn hand and machine tattooing at the same time.
MDM: Could you describe the traditional hand tattooing technique? Is it tapping like in Borneo?
CD: No, it's not tapping although Erik does the tapping technique as well. You basically use a short stick, derived from the tools found from the Bronze age; some of the tools are also very similar those of the Inuit, close to where I grew up in Canada.[] A lot of tribes evolved their tattooing in a similar way: finding a sharp object, attaching it to a handle and poking the skin. Its the easiest way to tattoo.
MDM: I see you use hand and machine techniques in your pointilism work, which I love.
CD: I really enjoy the pointilism. Its still tribal. It's black and flat but you're able to use it for shading, like in knot-work, to get that three dimensional effect. It also works well in the Nordic Dragons with their intertwined shapes and flow.
MDM: Your pointilism work is getting a lot of attention at this convention. I think these conventions are a great way for people to see an array of work without traveling to, say, Denmark. You said before that Erik doesnt like doing conventions but do you enjoy working them?
CD: I like them. There are positives and negatives to them. The positive is looking at all the different work as you said, making friends from all around the world, the traveling. I was quoted once in a magazine that got a lot of people pissed off. I was interviewed the morning after we had been out late the Saturday night of the convention and I said "Conventions are places where you can get some of the worst artwork from some of the best artists in the world."
MDM: [laughing] A lot of people would agree with you.
CD: In the context in which I said it, it was supposed to be funny. But the working conditions can be pretty bad. You're answering questions while you're tattooing; you do want to socialize with the other artists afterwards, so of course you have a few drinks and stay up too late, then get up early the next morning. But most people are professional and can handle it, and those who cant, bow out.
MDM: You also have a special convention look. It's fabulous.
CD: Well, it's a traditional Viking costume. I figure you have Japanese artists working in kimonos, Polynesian artists working in sarongs when doing hand work, and Im doing traditional Nordic work so I dress Nordic.
MDM: Is that a knife in your belt?
CD: That's actually a knife from Northern Finland, not traditionally Nordic.
MDM: And you're drinking from a horn.
CD: Yes, the horn is for water, though, not beer. Put beer in the horn and it just foams over.
MDM: It does add to the experience of getting a traditional Nordic tattoo.
CD: Well, we're in London and you see people walking around in kilts or in punk hairdos, and then I was in Sweden last week, and every was dressed up like rockabillies, so I really dont stand out too much. [laughs] Oh, but when I was in the Reykjavk convention in Iceland, there were mostly local tattoo artists who recognized the Viking costume but there were also a couple of Americans there who didn't. One of them went up to Alex [of Rites of Passage in Copenhagen], points to me and says, "See that tall guy with the long hair. Do you know why he's dressed like a Jedi?"
Colin claims that the power of tattoo is only that given to it by the wearer, and yet the result of his work looks like magic. His pointilism dragons float along the bodies of his clients with grace but also authority. The designs demand attention, and they have been in the spotlight, winning tattoo awards like "First Place Celtic" at last year's Vancouver convention.
Colin is originally from Canada, of Scandinavian immigrant parents, but re-immigrated to Denmark where he now works at Erik Reime's studio Kunsten pa Kroppen [Art on the Body] in Copenhagen.
Colin and I spoke at the London Tattoo Convention about Vikings, runes, and puffy pants ... and how they all relate to tattooing.
Marisa DiMattia: I'm looking at your booth and the sign says "Traditional Nordic Tattoos"; for those of us unfamiliar with that style, perhaps you can give us some background.
Colin Dale: Most of the designs I use are from the the Scandinavian Bronze Age to the Viking Age. Sometimes I play with those images a bit for my tattoos and sometimes I leave them just the way they are. For a lot of the Bronze Age designs, I'll use petroglyphs from Scandinavia, take those designs and recreate them on skin; that petrogylph feel is more flat forming. With the Nordic dragons, I play with the designs more, drawing them directly on the body and giving my own interpretation of the dragons.
MDM: What kind of research do you do to get inspiration for the tattoos?
CD: I have a lot of books but I also go to the rock sites, especially when Im traveling through Scandinavia and Canada. One of my favorites is Gabriola Island in Canadathere are also many rune stone sites throughout Scandinavia.
MDM: Was there mysticism or magic attributed to these sites?
CD: It's all magic! [laughs] Actually, theres a runologist who said one time that, for as many interpreters as you find for the runes, youll find just as many interpretations. He also said that the second rule to rune dynamics is if you don't understand it, it must be magic. Thats very true. When people cant figure out what something means, they say its some spiritual thing, or they go ahead and attribute it to some New Age cult. But basically, I think it's up to you what the design means. Most of them are three and a half to five thousand years old so whoever made them is long dead. So if it means something to you, take it and bring it back to life.
MDM: Have you ever had a client come in and said "I want to be more attractive to women, tattoo a special symbol on me that will help," or something similar?
CD: There's actually something to that. The Vikings in Iceland had a lot of runes that theyd put together and make magic. The rune you may recognize is the one tattooed on Bjork: a compass, which means youll never lose your way; there are many other rune variations casts to be attractive to the opposite sex, for revenge, all sorts of things.
MDM: Do you think by opening up the skin and tattooing these symbols that there is some sort of power to it?
CD: That's up to the individual. If a person believes in it, it may actually help, and then the tattoo will make them more attractive. By feeling good about yourself, you give off a sense of confidence that can be very attractive.
MDM: That's very true. Let's talk about your own tattoos. Were your own first tattoos based on the Nordic art you now tattoo on others?
CD: Yes, most of my tattoos are from Nordic mythology. Weve experimented a lot with different hand tattooing techniques, so some of my tattoos are very experimental. I have been tattooed with rose thorns, experimented with Eskimo skin stitching As opposed to many tattooists who try to push the envelope forward, we look backwards and discover where it all came from, how and why things started, what works and what doesn't work.
MDM: You said "we", who are you referring to?
CD: Erik [Reime], the one who taught me how to tattoo. He doesnt do conventions. Hes very quiet and not into the heavy metal music.
MDM: Well, then let's talk about your start in tattooing.
CD: I started traveling and then re-immigrated to Denmark in 1991 where I became a medical illustrator and graphic artist for a few years. I knew of Eric's work from before but became more and more interested in it. I made an appointment with him to get tattooed and also asked him if he needed an apprentice. He said no, he didnt need an apprentice, but I still went to get tattooed by him and brought my portfolio of illustrations along. We talked during my tattoo, and afterwards, I asked if he wanted to see my drawings. He said sure, looked at them, and still said no [to the apprenticeship]. Then a couple of days later he called me. The woman that was working for him decided to move back to Ireland so it was a matter of being in the right place at the right time. He said he was impressed with my designs, especially the ones based on Native American art, and felt they harmonized well with what he was doing. Thats how it started.
MDM: Did you start learning to hand tattoo first?
CD: I started to learn hand and machine tattooing at the same time.
MDM: Could you describe the traditional hand tattooing technique? Is it tapping like in Borneo?
CD: No, it's not tapping although Erik does the tapping technique as well. You basically use a short stick, derived from the tools found from the Bronze age; some of the tools are also very similar those of the Inuit, close to where I grew up in Canada.[] A lot of tribes evolved their tattooing in a similar way: finding a sharp object, attaching it to a handle and poking the skin. Its the easiest way to tattoo.
MDM: I see you use hand and machine techniques in your pointilism work, which I love.
CD: I really enjoy the pointilism. Its still tribal. It's black and flat but you're able to use it for shading, like in knot-work, to get that three dimensional effect. It also works well in the Nordic Dragons with their intertwined shapes and flow.
MDM: Your pointilism work is getting a lot of attention at this convention. I think these conventions are a great way for people to see an array of work without traveling to, say, Denmark. You said before that Erik doesnt like doing conventions but do you enjoy working them?
CD: I like them. There are positives and negatives to them. The positive is looking at all the different work as you said, making friends from all around the world, the traveling. I was quoted once in a magazine that got a lot of people pissed off. I was interviewed the morning after we had been out late the Saturday night of the convention and I said "Conventions are places where you can get some of the worst artwork from some of the best artists in the world."
MDM: [laughing] A lot of people would agree with you.
CD: In the context in which I said it, it was supposed to be funny. But the working conditions can be pretty bad. You're answering questions while you're tattooing; you do want to socialize with the other artists afterwards, so of course you have a few drinks and stay up too late, then get up early the next morning. But most people are professional and can handle it, and those who cant, bow out.
MDM: You also have a special convention look. It's fabulous.
CD: Well, it's a traditional Viking costume. I figure you have Japanese artists working in kimonos, Polynesian artists working in sarongs when doing hand work, and Im doing traditional Nordic work so I dress Nordic.
MDM: Is that a knife in your belt?
CD: That's actually a knife from Northern Finland, not traditionally Nordic.
MDM: And you're drinking from a horn.
CD: Yes, the horn is for water, though, not beer. Put beer in the horn and it just foams over.
MDM: It does add to the experience of getting a traditional Nordic tattoo.
CD: Well, we're in London and you see people walking around in kilts or in punk hairdos, and then I was in Sweden last week, and every was dressed up like rockabillies, so I really dont stand out too much. [laughs] Oh, but when I was in the Reykjavk convention in Iceland, there were mostly local tattoo artists who recognized the Viking costume but there were also a couple of Americans there who didn't. One of them went up to Alex [of Rites of Passage in Copenhagen], points to me and says, "See that tall guy with the long hair. Do you know why he's dressed like a Jedi?"
VIEW 4 of 4 COMMENTS
cool and sweet guy