Our sponsored artist for November is the incredibly talented Rachel Honeywell, who was inspired at an early age to become a tattoo artist.
After a short period of tattooing at Gothika Tattoos she quickly became co-owner in 2013, and since then the studio has grown into an incredible team of tattoo artists and body piercers.
Continue reading to learn more about Rachel’s career, including where she started, where she continues to find inspiration as an artist, her experience of winning 1st place for Best Collaboration at Shropshire Tattoo Show, and what the future holds!
When did you first decide you wanted to be a tattoo artist? Was there anything else you wanted to do or has tattooing always been the dream?
I’ve been fascinated by tattoos since childhood. The first time I encountered them was in the 90s, when my little brother’s dad came home with a new tattoo. Hearing about the process completely blew my mind and I could hardly believe you could create art on skin using needles and ink. I was only eight at the time, but the idea stuck with me.
By the time I was twelve, I was thinking more seriously about it, and by fourteen, I knew tattooing was what I wanted to do. I’d always loved creating art, and while I once considered architecture or interior design, my struggle with maths quickly ruled those out. As I got older, my passion for tattooing only grew stronger and I finally started just after my 23rd birthday.
How long have you been with Gothika Tattoos? What’s your favourite part about being an artist at the studio?
My husband and I took over Gothika Tattoos in August 2013 after being given an ultimatum; either we take it on or the studio would close its doors. At the time, I’d been tattooing part-time for less than a year, but we decided to take the leap.
Although Gothika was already established, we essentially started from scratch with just the two of us: myself as the tattoo artist taking on almost anything from script to portraits and my husband, Alex Honeywell, as the body piercer.
Twelve years later, Gothika has grown into a thriving studio with six resident artists, a piercer, two front-of-house staff, and a cleaner. We’ve built an amazing atmosphere and an incredible team, and I couldn’t be prouder of how far we’ve come.
If you could go back in time to when you were starting out as a tattoo artist, what advice would you give yourself?
I’d tell myself that everything will be okay and not to be so hard on yourself. You’ll always keep learning, so don’t be afraid to try new things and take any advice you can. It’s never as scary as it seems.
How would you describe your style?
Although my style is always evolving, realism has always been a foundation for me as it’s the style I feel most comfortable with and where I can truly be myself. Over time, I’ve started to experiment more with surrealism, but my work always remains rooted in realism.
What are the most common tattoo designs you get asked to create?
I get a wide variety of tattoo requests, and as a realism-focused artist, I’m open to almost anything, from scenery and portraits to film-inspired pieces, floral designs, and animal imagery. Birds are a particular favourite of mine.
While I do create some black and grey tattoos, I’ve always felt that colour is where I truly belong. Colour theory means everything to me, and it plays a huge role in how I approach my work.
What have been your favourite tattoos to design and tattoo?
At the moment, I’m working on several large, ongoing pieces and I’m loving every one of them, from sleeves to full back pieces. Back pieces are definitely my favourite to work on.
Over the years, I’ve completed quite a few, with around 90% of them being cover-ups. While many artists shy away from cover-ups, I actually enjoy the challenge. There’s something incredibly rewarding about transforming an old tattoo into something new and seeing how happy my clients are.
Are there any tattoo artists that inspire you and your work?
There’s always been so much talent in the tattoo industry, but the level of artistry today is next level. There are so many artists who absolutely blow my mind; people like Natasha Animal with her wildlife and David Corden with his beautiful portrait work. One of my all-time favourites whose work I’ve admired for years is Jeff Gogue, he was the first artist I really looked up to when I started out. Honestly, I could go on listing artists forever.
How was your experience of the Shropshire Tattoo Show? How did it feel to win 1st place for Best Collaboration?
This show was incredible from start to finish, everyone was so kind and accommodating. It was my first time working Shropshire Tattoo Show, and I’ll definitely be returning. Winning Best Collaboration was such an amazing bonus!
It’s been a few years since I’ve won an award. After starting a family and with Covid putting a hold on life I took 3 years out from working shows so getting back into that environment felt really special. It’s always emotional for me winning an award because I’m so grateful to be doing what I love most and to be awarded for my art is the best feeling in the world.
How do you find the process of collaborating on a design with another artist?
Collaborating with Bethanie Lauren was an incredible experience. We learned a lot from each other, from designing the piece to working on the client simultaneously. Every detail, from the content of the design to its placement, was a joint decision. Working on the same client at the same time was new for both of us, but we made it work. There were a few tricky moments where we were practically on top of one another, but we figured it out and, of course, shared plenty of laughs along the way, which is always a bonus.
Are there any artists you’d like to collaborate with that you haven’t had a chance to yet?
I’d definitely like to collaborate with more artists in the future, including Jamie Lee Knott which I believe is a plan in the works, hopefully soon.
Have you attended any other conventions in the past year?
This year, I decided it was time to get back into the convention scene. I’d taken three years off after starting a family, wanting to be present as a mum while balancing work. I felt that four shows this year (2 being local) would be a good start.
What are your go-to supplies?
All my studio and tattoo supplies come from Killer Ink. I’m a big fan of Vertix needles and my go-to magnums are 27 Curved Magnums, with the smallest I use being a 15 Curved Magnum. I rarely use liners or round shaders, but if a liner is needed, it’s usually a 3 Round Liner.
I’ve been using Cheyenne machines for almost 10 years and switched to the wireless Cheyenne Sol Nova about five years ago, which I loved and still have. Currently, I’m using a Dragonhawk Fold Pro wireless machine, which I absolutely love.
For inks, World Famous has been my go-to for around 10 years, and lately, I’ve been enjoying Radiant Colors ink as well. My shelves seem to be filling up with more colours lately.
How do you find putting your work on social media?
Social media is an interesting one. With the algorithm and how things have changed over the years, social media can be difficult to keep up with. I will continue to post my work for the world to see and hopefully more so in the future as I have some exciting projects on the go.
Do you have any tips for balancing your work with your life outside of being a tattoo artist?
Balancing work and home life can be challenging, especially when running a busy business while parenting and tattooing several days a week. Establishing a routine is key and while it can be difficult to stick to when things get hectic, having set days and times for design work, paperwork, bookings, and other tasks makes a huge difference in staying organised and maintaining balance.
How do you continue to inspire your creativity as an artist?
I find inspiration in many aspects of my life. I have some quieter days when I just need to take a break from a design and others where I find inspiration all around, mostly in wildlife. But seeing such amazing talent in the tattoo industry inspires me to keep pushing and keep learning, even after 13 years of tattooing.
What does the future hold for you?
I’m looking forward to an exciting year ahead. My books are due to reopen soon, which means the opportunity to start new projects while finishing existing ones. We’re also planning to rebrand our studio in the future including a name change, which feels fitting since the original name wasn’t started by us.
I have some fun designs in progress that I’m eager to share and, hopefully, find permanent homes for, which I’m really excited about. I can’t wait to get back to conventions next year and continue pushing my work to new heights.
Don’t forget to follow Rachel’s work and ongoing journey on Instagram!
