We invited tattooist Jack Watts, better known as Tattoos For Your Enemies, up to our Awesome HQ in Leeds for a behind the scenes tour. As well as showing him where all your merch comes to life, we took the opportunity to pick his brains, getting his top tips for any tattoo artist looking to make merch. Here’s what he had to say.
I started way too ambitious with a sleeve print t-shirt. There were three different designs I had to think of. Then I had to decide on what colour I was going to do them on. I ended up doing black and white with a black and white print. It was just too much.
I spent way too long, even with stickers and patches, with loads of different design options and it was just too confusing. Realistically, I think as long as you keep it simple and it’s got your name on it then people are going to enjoy it. I think as long as it represents you it will be fine.
You know that you’re going to be busy tattooing and not going to be able to engage with people as much. People can just come past and even if you are busy they can leave a fiver and take a patch. It doesn’t require that much engagement.
People are shy. I’m not shy but some people are and they might not necessarily want to bother you to ask you to get something in a small if it’s a t-shirt and make me break off and take my gloves off.
So something like a patch or a sticker that they can take or put a couple of quid down and buy. Or pencils, that’s a really good idea. Pencils you can have on the table and a little money pot for them to put a couple of quid in.
That’s the tip. Pocket size!
B1-B3 Wellington Road Industrial Estate, Wellington Bridge, Leeds, LS12 2UA
© 2018 Awesome. All rights reserved.
Awesome Merchandise Ltd, a company registered in England & Wales with registration number 07042508
