The walls are full of pictures. Images are almost alive as they span from wall to wall. Magnus is busy giving someone a tattoo, somewhere behind a door. I can just hear the sound of the of the humming machine.
Magnus Pettersson has a eight-year experience of tattooing, and has been at Evil Eye Tattoo for three years. Magnus is easy to speak with and his dialect is places him somewhere in northern Sweden. Lexand he says later during the interview. His arms are painted with tattoos, somewhere among them his first. An eagle. But he's not sure how many of them he has, they join one another in the paradigm on his arms, and it's hard to count them or separate one from another.
- I only have tattoos on my arms so far. Magnus says and looks at them. Still some space left. I haven't made any of these tattoos myself, I choose a tattoo artist who gets pretty much freedom. If you've worked well at choosing an artist you know you won't get disappointed.
Magnus made his first tattoo when he was just 14, it was an eagle, and later he began practicing on his friends, who gladly put up with having Magnus giving them tattoos. But he doesn't recommend others to start on their own. It's too risky. The best way to learn how to become a tattoo artist is to become an apprentice at a tattoo artist's.
- Then you'll get to learn all the basics, Magnus says. Because when it comes to tattoos, there can't be any mistakes.
Being good at drawing is rather a condition than a qualification. Many people actually bring their own pictures, which they want to have tattooed. Magnus then redraws the picture, which usually must be adapted to become a tattoo, he then uses a special machine to produce a pattern from which the tattoo is drawn on the skin, before being tattooed.
The clientele is miscellaneous. Evil Eye Tattoo has all kinds of people visiting for a tattoo.
- The oldest customer we've had was 80 and wanted to have an accordion tattooed.
There are also trends for tattoos, as for most other things. Currently tribal tattoos are popular (tattoos forming different patterns, colorless - usually black). But the trends are always changing.
- Sometimes native Indians are popular, other times dolphins, Magnus says.
Are tattoos more popular amongst guys than girls?
There are about as many girls as guys, who visit us. Though there are currently only about five female tattoo artists in Sweden, and about a few hundred male. It's always been a male predominating job.
What will you be doing in five years from now?
I can't see myself in any other occupation that tattooing. This is my dream job. I don't mind going to work.Though the job isn't all about drawing pictures and tattooing. Cleaning and managing the equipment is also time-consuming. Hygiene is actually the most important thing when it comes to tattooing. And all the equipment must be sterile.
Is there any part of the body you don't tattoo?
- I don't tattoo the male sexual organ and I don't tattoo faces or palms. If I'd to tattoo hands it'd be on a person who already has a lot of tattoos, to be sure he won't change his mind.
Magnus confirms that it's true that tattooing the lines hurts more than filling in the color, but basically nothing about getting a tattoo is that pleasant. The most sensitive body parts when it comes to tattooing are wherever there are unprotected bones. Such as ribs, knees and elbows.
If you could choose any job for just one day, which would it be?
- In a kiosk and eat hell of a lot of food.
What's the best thing about your job?
- The best thing about my job? Well, to recognize tattoos people are wearing as tattoos I've made. And to have satisfied customers.
Visit Evil Eye Tattoo at www.evileyetattoo.com