by Geoffrey Stephenson Photos courtesy of Jason Stephan
From the December 2005 issue of Prick Magazine.
Tattoo by Jason Stephan.
How long have you been tattooing?
I've been tattooing for eight years.
How did you get your start in the industry?
I tried for years to get an apprenticeship. Finally, I was taken in by a great artist named Bobby. He taught me a lot, but after a few years I wasn't satisfied with where I was going so I moved on. He is still holding a grudge, you know how that goes.
Who are some of your influences?
When I was a kid, I was lucky enough to go on a field trip to the Dali museum in St. Petersburg, Fla. Dali was the first person to make me fall in love with art. My biggest influences in tattooing are Joey Hamilton and Jesse Smith. They aren't super-well known yet, but they are two great artists. They are also two of my best friends. I don't live near either one of them, but we're on the phone constantly pushing each other with ideas for new art.
How would you describe your style? What are your favorite subjects to tattoo?
I'm not sure how to describe my style ... maybe someone else could tell me. I worked in a military town in Virginia for seven years, so I had to do everything. What I love doing the most is custom stuff. Just talking to the customers and finding out what they want, and then drawing it straight out of my head. Talking to the customers helps me get ideas I may not be thinking of.
How important do you think it is for a tattooer to evolve his style?
Evolving a style is great if you want to be known for something specific. For me, the most important thing is doing great tattoos that my customers love. I do hope that there is something about the way I draw things that people could recognize.
How do you feel about the emergence of tattooers in the fine arts over the past few years?
I think it's great! When I tattoo, I feel like it needs to be done a certain way to look right and to hold up. In other art forms, you can be more free with what is just appealing to the eye. There are tons of great artists in the tattoo world, and I'm glad to see their artwork out there.
How much traveling do you do?
Not as much as I'd like. I probably tattoo at three or four shows a year. I work by myself at my shop, so if I'm not there, then the shop is closed.
What do you like to do outside of tattooing?
I'd like to paint, but I'm sure everyone else has that same wish. Unfortunately most people won't pay the amount of money for painting that they will a tattoo. My wife is a writer, so if there were ever a chance to get into illustrating a book, I'd love that as well.
Any future plans?
As far as my future is concerned, I will go as far as my art can take me.
Jason Stephan can be found in Cocoa, Fla at his shop Electric Eye Tattoo Studio located at:
Electric Eye Tattoo Studio
1112 Lake Drive
Cocoa, FL 32922
321.636.0600
