Despite what her picture may indicate, Kelly Doty is in fact alive, and not a zombie. Aside from being alive and well, she also tattoos at the shop full time, not to say the undead can't tattoo, but it's just not the case in this instance.
1. How long have you been tattooing and how did you get started?
I've been tattooing since october 2007. I'd always wanted to tattoo, but I'm shy and that made it hard finding an apprenticeship. So I finally gave up and was focusing on my comic book career when I went with a friend who was getting some work done, and one of the artists saw my sketchbook. A week later I got a call asking if I wanted to interview for an apprenticeship. I was lucky that way.
2. What is your favorite style of tattooing?
I really like pseudo-realistic color work. I like to take the subject matter and exaggerate certain aspects and play around with perspective or focus to make it more dynamic but still render it in a realistic way. Also I like tattooing animals that look all funny.
3. Who have you been tattooed by and who's on your wish list?
I've been tattooed by Stefano, Jeff Ensminger, Jimmy Lajnen and Scotty Munster to name a few. I have a huge wishlist of artists I want work by. I think I'm going to run out of skin before I'll get everything I want. But I definitely want pieces from Luca Natalini, Nick Baxter, Jeff Gogue, and Nikko Hurtado.
4. If I wasn't a professional tattoo artist I would probably be:
A comic book artist. Probably an inker. Although for a brief period after I saw 8 Mile I thought I could be a freestyle rapper. I might still use that as a fallback if this whole tattoo thing doesn't work. My beats are just too fresh.
5. One piece of advice for someone looking to get tattooed
Don't worry. The more you get yourself worked up the worse you make it for yourself. Also eat a good meal and get some rest before you come in. I know that's technically two pieces of advice but they're kind of related so I can squeak by, I think.
