Isobel Morton is best known for her incredibly cute and colourful designs, as well as her detailed cover ups!

With her own private studio in Birmingham, Isobel creates stunning animals and puts a spooky twist on designs based on her love of Halloween!

We had the opportunity to speak with Isobel about the process of working on cover-ups, how she came to have her own studio, and the artists that have most inspired her!

How did you first get into tattooing, and what inspired you to pursue it as a career?

I’ve been fascinated with tattoos and loved drawing since a very young age! My dad was always very artistic, and I guess I followed in his footsteps. There was one artist that I found when I was an early teen called Mike Lesage, who’s very well known as Mike Giant. I loved his work so much and would always try and replicate his drawings on my books in school (which didn’t go down well with the teachers) as well as drawing them on my arms!

I basically decided to pursue tattooing because the majority of my teachers in school (after telling them it’s what I wanted to do) would tell me for years that it wasn’t a “proper job”. One of my art teachers and even other tattoo artists that I went to visit told me my work wasn’t good enough. It was that drive in me that wanted to prove them wrong.

I also loved the idea of people wanting my artwork on them permanently…and the way that tattoos helped me in more ways than one, I wanted to do that for other people too. 

How has your training and experience shaped your work as a tattoo artist?

Now that’s a good question!

As far as training goes, I had very little, I tried for almost 2 years to get an apprenticeship right out of school. I finally got an apprenticeship, but that didn’t work out long-term. It wasn’t the studio itself that was bad, it was actually and still is to this day an AMAZING studio with an incredible owner called Annette Bates. I think me coming into the studio every other week when I could get time off work to ask for an apprenticeship showed how bad I wanted the opportunity to prove myself. In the end, she took a chance on me and could see that I wanted to learn things the right way.

Netty was nothing but kind to me and showed me what she could when she could! Most importantly she taught me all about hygiene in the industry, how to be respectful and to NEVER stop asking questions. It’s something that I’ve always kept with me even now and that you should never stop wanting to improve on your craft. I’ll always be very grateful to her. 

What or who has been the biggest influence on your tattoo style? 

Oh man, that’s a hard one! I grew up watching Anime and I’d say that has heavily influenced my work, with all the colours and big bold lines, and absolutely everything being so cute!

In my early days of tattooing, I would look at so many different artists work for influence but we didn’t have the joys of Instagram then so going to conventions and watching tattoo shows was it for a while.

I definitely looked up massively to Leah Moule and Dawnii Fantana. I’m very lucky that Dawnii would let me come and sit in her studio and watch her work and draw, as well as go to painting nights that she’d put on from time to time. Also, Jamie Lee Knott, his work is just insane and I was lucky to work with him for some time, I hope to be as good as him one day! 

What were some of the biggest challenges you faced when starting out as a tattoo artist, and how did you overcome them?

Not that I want to say this… but being a woman. It wasn’t like how it is now; it wasn’t as accepting. I’m lucky that I made friends within the industry who made it a lot easier! I like to think it’s not as cliquey now, but you still come across some people who are “old school” as such.

Also, weirdly, my age! I was 18 when I started out and a lot of the time when there were people wanting to come in for a walk-in, they didn’t want a young girl tattooing them.

I think one of the biggest challenges I’ve faced over my career though was finding somewhere I felt as though I fit in. I took the plunge to open a private studio at home and I’ve never looked back, although I do think about working part-time in a studio again because I do miss the banter!

Has there been a particular tattoo or project that you found especially challenging, and how did you handle it?

YES! I’ve had a fair few. I love doing cover ups and reworks, but they always stress me out. Recently, I’ve actually been working on two different sleeves, both are cover ups of old sleeves. Obviously cover ups can be challenging anyway, but covering up a sleeve with a new sleeve has been difficult!

I work in a really weird way though where I can only draw what I’m going to be tattooing the night before, if I do it even the morning before I’ll end up redrawing it! So I guess putting myself under pressure makes me handle it better.

What advice would you give to tattoo artists who are just starting and looking to make their mark in the industry?

I’m always happy to help people out who are wanting to get into tattooing and I’m always bluntly honest to them. Networking is so important; go to conventions, get tattooed by your favourite artists, ask them questions and practice practice PRACTICE your drawing skills! Watching videos of people tattooing is also really helpful!

I think it’s also important to make aspiring artists aware that it’s not your typical 9 to 5 job. You go to work in the day, you finish, you answer emails/messages, you draw and try and keep up appearances online AND then try and have a social life haha. It’s not easy, but in my opinion, it’s 100% worth it. 

We see Halloween is one of your favourite seasons, what’s your favourite spooky piece you’ve designed?

I love Halloween so so soooooo much! If I could just tattoo spooky stuff all the time, I wouldn’t be mad about it. I don’t think I couldn’t actually pick a favourite though!

I’ve enjoyed each one I’ve done. I love making cutesy things into Halloween inspired pieces, like Disney characters, wo  odland creatures, and little ghosts are so much fun to do!

If I do have to pick one, I’d say the one that springs to mind is a big Disney castle that I did with pumpkins and little bats flying around it, that was super fun! 

What is your process when working on a cover-up piece for a customer?

When I’m doing a cover-up I always make sure to get a well-lit clear photo of the tattoo being covered and the surrounding area too. I’ll use the photo as a template and draw over the top of it. I always say to myself that I’ll do a coloured in version to see how it’ll cover but I’ll end up doing it on the day. A lot of the time, customers will want certain colours or specific items worked into the design which can make it more difficult but I’ll always try and make it work!

I tend to try and use the existing tattoo that I’m covering to my benefit as well by trying to match lines up with the new ones that I’ve drawn. 

What’s one piece of art, tattoo-related or not, that has left a lasting impact on you?

There’s a painting of a big, red stag that’s called The Monarch of the Glen, that I absolutely love. It was a painting that my grandparents had hanging up in their house for years and I always loved seeing it! I actually have a print of the same painting hanging up in my house now too.

It always reminded me of getting to see my family on special occasions. I actually got it tattooed as a back piece by the super talented Nick Baldwin, which I still need to go and get finished (sorry Nick)! It’s one of the few tattoos that I had done that has any sort of meaning, that painting just always makes me think of happy memories with my family. 

What type of equipment do you prefer to use, and why? Are there specific brands that you recommend for machines and cartridges?

I used to be very set on using coil machines! I absolutely loved the machine I used for lining which was an Aaron Cain, it took me such a long time to move away from coils but I’ve had to in the end due to issues with my wrist after using coils for so many years.

I use the FK Irons Flux now, it’s the only machine I’ve found that still hits the same as a coil and I use it for absolutely everything! The Xion that FK Irons made was also great too! And I have to admit, having a wireless machine is awesome.

I tend to go through different brands of needles, I love the TATSoul Envy carts, especially for lining and the Ghost pink cartridges are amazing to use too. I also love using the Stellar 2.0 cartridges when I can get them! They’re so smooth, especially for bold lines. I always struggle to find a good cartridge for power lining but Stellar 2.0 have no issue whatsoever. I love them!

As for coil machines, I would only ever use Black Claw! They were such good needles to use! 

Can you tell us about any aftercare products that are must-haves in your tattooing process?

I always think it’s really important to ask the customer what they’ve done for healing in the past and how it’s worked for them and what they’ve used. I used to make my own aftercare which I’d spent a good couple of years with my good friend and artist Sophie Berridge perfecting! 

There’s a few different aftercares and studio products that I highly recommend and that’ includes BUTTERLUXE - the balms and butters are incredible for healing and to use whilst tattooing. The green soap is amazing to use too, I always get the cherry scented one!

I also recommend using second skins too, particularly to people who work out and about. I understand it’s not for everyone, but I love the stuff and tend to use Dermalize or BUTTERLUXE for second skin.

One thing that I do always make sure I have in my studio is witch hazel, it does wonders for soothing and taken down any redness in the skin. 

We love the colour in your designs, do you recommend any particular inks to achieve the vibrancy seen in your work?

Aww thank you! I mainly use Fusion Inks, but I have a few colours from Eternal Ink and for my white I use World Famous Ink. I’ve tried so many different brands of inks over the years and Fusion inks have always been my go-to! They always come out nice and bright for me!

How do you set up your studio to reflect your personal style?

My studio is filled with prints that I’ve collected over the years, and some of my old artwork too. I like to look at it from time to time to see the progression in my work.

I’ve got loads of pop figures and Pokémon things in there too, and a big TV to watch anime or films when I’m tattooing. I think it’s good to have something on to help the customer keep their mind occupied if they don’t feel like having a conversation.

I also love antiques and little nicknacks. I’ve basically tried to make it feel homey in there so it’s a relaxing environment!

Are there any artists that you have collaborated with or are hoping to collaborate with in the future?

I’ve only ever done one collaboration! I’ve always wanted to do a collaboration with another artist but I’m a little nervous about asking. I did start a collab print with a friend of mine but unfortunately life got in the way, and we never got around to finishing it. Maybe you’ll see some in the near future! 

What’s the process of collaborating with customers like for you, and how do you ensure their ideas align with your artistic vision?

I tend to say to my customer to send me every little bit of detail that you can in as much detail as you can, the more the better! If they have references that they’ve seen, I always make it very clear if someone says they want something specific that I won’t copy someone else’s work, but I’ll still do my best to make sure they get a tattoo that they’re happy with. 

Do you have any memorable client stories or favourite tattoos that stand out from your career?

One of my favourites is actually someone who I did a joke tattoo for. There was a design that I’d put up that I wanted to do and a customer decided that he’d come to get it done. We had such a fun time and had a laugh about the tattoo after it was finished.

He turned to me and said, “Right then your turn!” to which I went “Alright, what do you want to tattoo on me?”. He then obviously panicked because he was joking (and had never done a tattoo before) but I said I’d talk him through it.

I ended up getting a small little giraffe on my arm, they’re one of my favourite animals. I think it turned out really good! That man’s now my husband and I still have the little giraffe tattooed on my arm!

How do you spend your time outside of tattooing?

I am a massive nerd, I love playing video games, watching Anime, collecting Pokémon cards, playing D&D and when I’m able, I go to gigs with my husband and friends.

Me and my husband also have an acoustic duo together called Deerwolf where we play at food festivals and we’ve just been booked till mid next year to play every fortnight at two Hickories Smoke house restaurants.

Mainly I spend time at home though, I have a few physical issues currently, so I tend to not go out so much anymore. I love spending time with my furry family and my husband though!

How do you stay inspired and motivated in your work, and are there specific sources you turn to for creative inspiration?

One thing that’s always kept me motivated is watching Ink Master. I always try to imagine myself in their situation and how I’d handle it or whether I would have done things differently. But, I’d hate to go on that show, I’d probably have a panic attack!

I also scroll through Instagram and always see such nice work on there! I also get inspired watching new shows and films, especially if there’s a character I like, I’ll want to draw them.

Will we see you at any upcoming conventions?

Potentially! I’ll be working at a couple of festivals again next year like Download and The Vegan Camp Out, they’re a lot of fun and it’s nice talking to new people. I would like to apply for a few different conventions though so fingers crossed you might see me at some shows! 

Where do you see your tattooing career going in the future, and are there any goals or projects you’re looking forward to pursuing?

I’d love to be able to travel more with my work, do more guest spots with some great artists! I’d LOVE to do conventions in the states, I was supposed to have worked one in Austin Texas, but it didn’t happen due to COVID. I’d also love to go back to work in Texas too, it was a second home for me for a while and I miss everyone there. 

Ideally though my main goal is to get my health in better shape so I can get back to tattooing full time. 

We hope you’ve enjoyed our chat with Isobel Morton! Make sure to check out more of her work on Instagram!