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FIP BUCHANAN
Perfecting the Tattoo
by Sean Dettman
Photos courtesy of Fip Buchanan
From the March 2007 issue of PRICK Magazine.
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Fip Buchanan has been a full-time tattoo artist for
over twenty years. With all of his experience, he’s
adapted a very unique and personal style. Never one
to limit himself, Fip’s standout characteristics can be
found in anything from his Japanese-themed pieces to portraits and
tattoos that lean more toward the traditional.
Fip’s major goal lies in the perfection of varied styles
of tattooing, classifying him as a veritable jack-of-all styles.
He began tattooing in 1979, and took it on as a full-time
profession in 1984. Five years later, he co-founded Avalon
Tattoo in Pacific Beach, Calif. and later, in 1997, opened his
second shop, Avalon Tattoo II, in North Park, both in San
Diego. With a body of work this substantial, Fip’s art is bound
to land him a spot high atop the world of tattooing – right
where he belongs.
Dettman: What initially attracted you to pursue
work in the tattoo world?
Buchanan: I always loved to draw and the art of tattooing fascinated
me from a very young age. The color and shading
effects on skin really drew me to the field and it was a new
medium for me to explore. I started tattooing when I was in art school and have been
a professional tattoo artist since. It’s really an ideal way for me to enjoy doing artwork
and socializing, while also making a living. I came from a small town and tattooing was
a taboo when I first started, leaving very few artists that I could learn from. It was nothing
like it is now with TV shows and tattoo-inspired artwork everywhere.
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What are your thoughts on the increasing popularity of tattooing by
way of reality television and other such mediums?
I think that tattooing has become more popular than ever. It has helped to educate people
a bit more, yet it does have several negative points.The television shows present an
often unrealistic idea of how long a tattoo will take. People are led to believe that an
enormous amount of work can be completed in a short amount of time; an entire back
piece can’t be done in three hours. Overall, I think that people are more prepared for
the whole experience of getting a tattoo. They expect that they will have to make an
appointment and that a tattoo artist isn’t someone to be afraid of.
How long have you been tattooing?
I started in 1979 – first in Pennsylvania, then
in Long Island, N.Y. and after that in
Richmond,Va. I moved to San Diego in 1987
and now work full-time at Avalon Tattoo 2 in
San Diego. Since 2005, I’ve also had a regular
guest spot at Ed Hardy’s Tattoo City in San
Francisco.
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You've been a big part in the opening
of two successful tattoo shops.
What has made the experience
worthwhile for you?
Both my crew and my customers. This is the
best crew I’ve had thus far. Everyone gets
along and there are no artist egos or put
downs to deal with. Being able to mentor
young artists, and seeing them progress artistically,
has been very satisfying for me. I feel
like I’m contributing to the world of tattooing
in a positive way. I enjoy working in an environment
that nurtures and respects the art of
tattooing and I am thankful to have my colleagues
and customers continually motivate
me to do better and look at things
differently. I like working with people and have developed many meaningful friendships
through tattooing. Collaborating with my customers and helping them realize their
ideas is rewarding to me, especially seeing the smiles on their faces. It’s never dull going
to work, you can always count on it being interesting in one way or another.
How is it working alongside an artist like Ed Hardy?
Ed is an amazing artist and person in general. He has a great sense of humor, too. Being
involved in tattooing for so long, he has a perspective on the business and the art. I
enjoy hanging out with him; it’s fun and entertaining.
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Early in your career, were there any artists that you feel have made
a direct impact on your work?
All those years ago the top
talents that I remember
were Ed Hardy, Jack Rudy,
Bob Roberts, Cliff Raven and
Don Nolan. I first learned
about their work through
Red Schuster in Pittsburgh.
He had many photo albums
from tattoo conventions that
he'd attended, and every
time I went to his house, I
would study them for hours.
We were great friends, and
Red helped me with tattoo
techniques and got me started
tattooing. Duke Miller is a
friend of mine from the old
days in Pittsburgh, too. We
worked together way back
then, and he helped me out a
great deal.
I was lucky enough to meet
Jack Rudy in the spring of
1985 and got tattooed by
him. Watching him work was
very helpful, he’s a very talented
and entertaining guy.
We're good friends and members of
the “Beatniks” car club. It’s great to
laugh together with him! I also got tattooed
by Bob Roberts in 1987 and
again, thru observation, I was able to
learn. I pretty much got tattooed from
everyone whom I’ve admired through
the years, and now I’ve almost run out
of space. Pay attention when you're
getting tattooed and you'll probably
learn something.
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What are your plans for the
future?
I plan to continue to tattoo for a good
many years more, and also devote
more time to my other artistic pursuits.
I draw and paint and would like to
spend more time doing that. I also do
private commissions such as t-shirt
designs, business cards, and logos. Art is
my life and I'm going to continue to
explore it further and further. I'm also
planning on doing more art collaborations. I just did a mural with Dave Warshaw and it
was a lot of fun.Working with other artists is quite enjoyable; you feed off each other’s
energy while you work. I really enjoy working with my crew at Avalon 2, and working at
Tattoo City is a whole new take on things. I also have some other projects in the works,
but I can't give away all my secrets!
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Avalon Tattoo
1035 Garnet Ave.
San Diego, Calif. 92109
(858) 274-7635
Avalon Tattoo 2
3039 Adams Ave., 2nd Floor
San Diego, Calif. 92116
(619) 280-1957
For more information go to www.fiptattoos.com or www.avalontattoo.com.
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