Yarson has been making waves throughout the
tattoo world. Taking top honours at both the
London Tattoo Convention and Le Mondial du
Tatouage in Paris, his work is admired by his
peers for its strong contrasts, subtle shading and
instantly recognisable creative edge. He’s based
in the granite city of Aberdeen in Scotland.
Tell us how you came to be in Scotland.
I grew up in a small town in Poland where I didn't have too many
prospects. I wanted a better future, so I became a lorry driver and that
brought me to the UK. I moved to Scotland at the age of 22 and did a
couple of different jobs before finally starting tattooing. I’ve been here
many years now, and it definitely feels like my home.
Do you come from an artistic family? Did you have an art
education?
My dad certainly had art skills, but to be honest he never really used
them. I’m self-taught, picking things up along the way. I think we’re all
constantly learning!
Do you travel much?
I like to do guest spots with friends of mine in the industry. It’s good to
experience other ways of working and see how everyone creates their
tattoos. In many ways we’re all very similar, but we all have different
processes. I haven’t returned to Poland that often to tattoo – maybe just
the odd convention here and there. The Polish tattoo scene has moved
on a lot since I lived there.
How important is it for tattooists to travel?
I think it’s very important for artists to travel and venture out of their
comfort zone. It also gives any clients who aren’t able to travel the
chance to get tattooed by them