The forward to burning bridges and breaking hearts
"To me, working at All or Nothing Tattoo has been like one of those movies where the high school kid gets drafted to the big college football team. I had been tattooing about a year when I met Brandon. He did nothing but encourage me and was nothing but an amazing guy. It was like the talent scout looking for new talent, something that will make it big, they just need that push. I started doing guest spots and realized how far I had to go if I was going to even imagine tattooing in the same room with these guys. The whole time I was there I was taking notes, on EVERYTHING. If they did something one way, I wrote it down. If they drew something another way, I wrote it down. It was like the first days of college, constantly taking notes, learning more and more. After the first guest spot my work changed completely. I had tried so hard for so long to do quality tattoos that I felt embodied who I was as an artist. I wanted to put out work that reflected me and my art. After one guest spot at All or Nothing that started to happen, and at the same time my tattoos became more and more solid. I continued doing guest spots for a few months, still taking notes, still drawing, still learning. When the day came that Brandon asked me to work there, permanently, it was like getting the draft phone call. Id been drafted to the number one team, the number one team that has already completely shaped who I am as an artist. When I started to work at All or Nothing, I looked at it like college. Everyone is completely open to share what knowledge they have with you, and make you a better artist in the end. All or Nothing creates amazing artists. I stood back and watched as artists would become amazing the longer they worked there, and now that gets to be me. Ive watched my work improve ten fold everyday, all from being around this amazing group of artists. Brandon Bond, Dave Tedder, Albie Rock, Nate Beavers, Justin Weatherholtz, Josh Woods, Jason Ackerman and the huge number of guest artists weve had all have an influence. I would sit and watch them draw, analyze their sketches. I would have killed to have them all gathered together in one book that I could study and learn. Now you have that in your hands. I worked for years to get the sketches that youre now looking at. These amazing artists have put their sketches together in this book for that reason. To help others. All of our artists, guest artists, former artists have contributed to this book. Its been over 2 years in the making and will change how you tattoo. It did for me. All or Nothing is a collective of artists that want to change the face of tattooing, and create new tattooists. The first step in any process is the sketch, and here they are."The book will be called "burning bridges and breaking hearts" and it will be available very soon! It's amazing. You'll be able to get it from our merch page at strangleholdmerch.com