Some Kind of Niche: An Interview with Oleh Romaniuk
Ukrainian artist Romaniuk talks inspiration, self-expression, and the philosophy behind his work in this exclusive interview with Tattoodo.
Oleh gives a detailed story of his introduction to art and the factors that led him to choose his current profession. He talks about how work can be a way to relax for him and never is a source of stress, where his unique ideas for tattoos originate and his need for additional nuances in ordinary things, especially when creating. We get a glimpse of his work philosophy focused on original ideas and great workmanship.
Do you remember the first moment you were drawn to art? Are there any important memories that hint at the artist you would become?
The earliest memory of drawing that comes to mind is from childhood – I was watching my dad help my sister with homework. He was drawing an old radio, and, I could say, got really involved in the process, making it so cool that the teacher couldn’t believe it was my sister’s work. So, she had to do everything on her own again in the end. I remember sitting there, not saying a word, watching him draw based on instinct, with no art education at all. I felt unreal peace and security at that moment, and I feel it now every time I sit down to draw a sketch. I am not the most organized man in everyday life, but when I take a brush or tattoo machine, I know exactly what to do and I am very comfortable in this role. I can’t use this kind of concentration on purpose; it appears by itself in the process of creating. To me, art is not work; it’s more of a meditation or relaxation. My father is a simple working-class man, but I am sure that he has a penchant for drawing, and if he had the opportunity to draw more, he would certainly have succeeded in illustration.
Why were you drawn to tattooing and what made you pick this profession? Who were the tattoo artists you would and still look up to?
It all started when I was a teenager experimenting with different styles; graffiti, drawing, illustration, and design. I liked a lot of things, but I did not understand in which direction to move. Then I watched a lot of TV shows like Miami Ink and LA Ink and I got very interested. It was not only about tattoos, but also about the life of the studio and its routine. I liked everything, even the process of assembling the workplace, like your station. Of all the tools for the fine arts, the tattoo machine is the best one that happened to be in my hands. There was no special research on the subject of tattoos, I just knew it was for me and it was to be my career. Spending a lot of time in the creative circles of my city, it was only a matter of time before I tried my first tattoos. I should say that there also was a lot of support from my parents, who were never against what I wanted to do. They also supported me when I entered the Academy of Arts, where I got a foundation as an artist. I started to get serious about tattooing only after gaining some artistic background. So, I would say that I studied at the Academy of Arts with the clear goal of becoming a tattoo artist and considered the ability to draw as a necessary condition for the work of a tattoo artist. Although the tattooing process itself is more of a craft and technique, art education helps to create a really good design. Usually, I have to do everything with a singular focus, so I wouldn’t be able to learn how to create a tattoo and draw at the same time. These are two endless and parallel processes, but in my case, it was more comfortable to get an artistic background and only then take up the craft of tattooing. At that time, I began to get acquainted with the art of masters who inspire me even now. These are the illustrations of the artist Supakitch, as well as his work in tandem with the artist Koralie. As for tattoo masters, Sasha Unisex and Gian Karl’s, who has one of the cleanest tattoos I have ever seen, inspire me the most. The main criterion has always been the recognizability of the works. But there has been one tattoo artist who inspired me from the beginning – Tim Hendricks.