Paddy Dundon is best known for creating exceptional black and grey tattoos!

We had the pleasure of learning more about what inspired his tattoo journey, some of the lessons he learnt as an apprentice, and his advice for apprentices and emerging tattoo artists.

Read our conversation with him and learn more about his signature techniques used for creating texture and contrast in his tattoos, and his go-to tattoo supplies, including inks and aftercare!

Before tattooing, is there any other career you wanted to pursue?

I worked as a painter and decorator from a young age with my father. I also worked a lot of menial jobs, but tattooing has always been my main focus since I was a teenager really.

I started out working part-time at a local tattoo shop when I was 16-17 while I was painting and decorating. Since that age I have consistently worked in tattoo shops in some capacity, including working as a shop manager when I was at university studying Fine Art Printmaking.

But it was always my main goal to pursue tattooing as a full-time career. My partner Rose and I moved to London in 2014 for a bit and while managing a shop there I ended up getting a proper education in tattooing. 

Who or what inspired you to get into tattooing?

My dad had quite a few traditional tattoos, which I was fascinated with from an early age, that’s what sparked my interest in tattooing originally. I also can’t remember a time when I wasn’t drawing or creating in some capacity. 

There was one local shop in town that sold tattoo magazines that I started collecting when I was a kid - this was in the early 2000s so there was little to no social media platforms back then. These introduced me the work of artists that were really innovating at the time, the likes of Guy Aitchison, Xed le Head, Mike Rubendall, Jeff Gogue to name a few. It was my gateway into the culture of tattooing, and I knew this is what wanted to do with my life. 

As a teenager, I actively became a nuisance in the local tattoo shops asking for apprenticeships or part-time work. I was refused a bunch of times but eventually it just became easier for one of the shops to let me work there rather than keep telling me to feck off. 

What was the biggest lesson you learnt when you were just starting out?

As I mentioned, I was quite young starting out in shops, but I have only been tattooing professionally for 10 years. When I was a kid, it was far more difficult to get an apprenticeship than it is now, the lesson I learnt from this is to be persistent and don’t give up. 

But, by far the biggest lesson I’ve learned is that this is a medium of art and creativity in which you will never stop learning, ever. Whether it’s technique, application, design, or inspiration, there’s always something to learn. The culture is ever expanding.  

On days that you’re not completely motivated by a project, find something within the design that can help you learn something, whether it’s a different shading technique, using a different needle grouping or even experimenting with some freehand or flow. Find something to focus on and learn from it.

You have to give 100% with every design, whether it’s your preferred style or not and you should be aiming to achieve the very best possible tattoo you can execute each and every time. Nothing is more valuable than experience and each tattoo you work on is an opportunity to improve. 

How would you describe your tattooing style?

This is a tricky one, I would say I am definitely more of a blackwork artist. But, achieving a recognisable style was something I got hung up on for a while, so I decided to work on honing my skills technically instead, shifting my focus to what made a good solid, readable tattoo.

I have tried to root myself in the traditional ideals of solid linework, high contrast and composition. My main focus being a long lasting and readable tattoo.

I started to design and draw with these values constantly in mind and perhaps a personal style is evolving from this. I am also very drawn putting together designs that have structure, flow or symmetry with the body, the ornamental and floral aspects of my work help with this. 

I am also massively inspired by gothic imagery, architecture, films, and books. This carries a darker style into my work. 

Who or what has influenced your style the most?

I have a long list of varied influences and inspirations when it comes to tattooing and design. I admire the works of Mike Rubendall, Paul Dobleman and Jack Rudy for the traditional fundamentals, achieving solid clean work and the knowledge and experience they have in tattoo application and composition.

Also, the likes of Thomas Hooper, Jondix, Kelly Violence, Rob Borbas and Alex Tabuns for pushing the boundaries within the styles of geometric tattooing and Blackwork. These artists and many more are very inspirational to me.

When I started doing various guest spots, I was fortunate enough to get to work with some amazing artists. One of which was Bruno Santos. I’ve been lucky enough to have worked with Bruno over the years at guest spots and various conventions. He was very influential to me and is one of the nicest guys you’ll meet on the Irish tattoo scene. He was very open with his extensive knowledge and helped me a lot in terms of the more technical aspects of Blackwork that I was trying to achieve early on in my career. 

Do you have any signature techniques you use to create the intricate shading and textures in your tattoos?

I try to create imagery that is textural, readable, and holds up well over time. I also like to incorporate symmetry and flow within my work.

I primarily use stipple shading to create textures and shading. For this, I primarily use tight 3RL’s and 5RL’s with a little magnum shading for the darker areas.

I also like to incorporate solid black areas into my work to create high contrast imagery. 

Have you collaborated with any other artists? Are there any artists you want to collaborate with that you haven’t had the opportunity to yet?

I haven’t done any collaborative tattooing with other artists but it’s definitely something I look forward to doing sometime in the future. 

I did the ‘Hands Project’ a few years ago, which was an artistic collaboration with Andy (yogiXIII) the owner of Stay True in Dublin and a convention organiser. This project travelled to a lot of international conventions. I’ve also collaborated on split sheet flash and art projects with some very talented friends and peers throughout the years.

What has been the most challenging but rewarding tattoo piece you’ve worked on?

I’ve been very lucky to have worked on so many interesting projects. 

As I mentioned before I really enjoy symmetrical designs, and as everyone knows, no one’s body is perfectly symmetrical, so sometimes having to ‘fool the eye’ to create a symmetrical image on a non-symmetrical surface can be very challenging in itself.  

A lot of my clientele are coming around to the idea of partial or full blackout sleeves to cover unwanted tattoos. These are challenging but enjoyable projects. I have undertaken a lot of larger tattoos in this style recently. All coverups are a challenge but with the use of some solid black areas it becomes easier. I do like to incorporate other elements into my blackout sleeves such as floral or ornamental imagery.  

It's a great feeling when your client is willing to commit and trusts the process. It becomes a team effort, the result being someone that is happy to have gotten rid of unwanted tattoos and now has a unique, strong and bold tattoo. 

When both you and your client are happy, that is the most rewarding part of this job to me. 

What process do you follow when tackling larger pieces, like the Doberman back piece you worked on last year?

My approach for designing something like this is generally the same way I approach most of my tattoos. During the consultation process, I will speak to my client about their ideas, look at some references with them, and then take some photos of the area to be tattooed and sometimes take some tracings. I then will design the tattoo to fit this specific area adding or subtracting elements to create symmetry, flow, or dynamic qualities.

When it comes to larger scale projects trust from your client is key. This client in particular travelled because she liked my style and trusted me with the design. She had a loose idea of what she wanted and had a few references to show me without it being overwhelming. She pretty much wanted me to do my own thing which is great.

Sometimes it can be difficult to manage exceptions when to comes to larger scale work, but this wasn’t a problem in this case. She sat like a rock, and we got it done in two sessions.  

What are your favourite tattoos you’ve designed?

I don’t have a particular favourite that I’ve designed, but I love anything that gives me free rein in terms of design and size, especially if it’s darker in nature/subject. Anything that pushes me artistically and allows me creative freedom is what I prefer generally.

What tattoos do you have, and which one is your favourite?

I don’t have any favourite tattoos of my own, but some that resonate with me the most are ones I had done by Dave Condon while I was working in a shop in London. Dave really showed me the ropes in my early apprenticeship.  

Over time these have shown me the importance of having your work somewhat rooted in the core fundamentals of traditional tattooing, as these tattoos have held up perfectly and are still very clearly readable after all this time.

Are there any artists you want to get a tattoo from?

Far too many to mention, but some that stand out would be Valerie Vargas, Thomas Hooper, Paul Dobleman, Austin Maples and Rodrigo Kalaka to name but a few.

I’ve admired these artists for years but haven’t had the chance to get tattooed by them.

Congratulations on your sponsorship with Hustle Butter! What are your favourite Hustle Butter products?

Hustle Butter has some amazing products that I have used for years, so I was delighted to be sponsored by them. I use HBD Foam and Process Butter for every single tattoo and I cannot recommend these highly enough. Best I’ve ever used, and it smells awesome.

What black ink do you use and how do you make it stand out?

I use Dynamic Black Union Ink for lining and for mixing my grey shades. I use Eclipse Black Ink or Panthera XXX for my packing and darker shades. I’ve used a lot of various brands for black over the years but I find these are the best to work with for great healed results.

What are your favourite Musotoku products? 

I have used the Musotoku Power Supply for years now and it’s never failed me. 

What does your ideal workstation consist of?

A Dan Kubin Sidewinder V6, Rotaryworks Direct Drive, Bishop Wand Packer, Musotoku Power Supply, Hard Craft Company Clipcord/RCA, and my Killer Ink staples such as:

And a nice tidy setup with a client that sits like a rock.

Products

Do you have any advice for newer artists or apprentices?

In my opinion, there are three fundamentals to tattooing, solid line work, high-contrast and good composition. Your focus throughout your career should be to constantly improve and understand these fundamentals. 

You need to love tattooing, learn your tattoo history, artists and innovators. Know your roots. Be patient and work hard. If you think you’re working hard, work harder. Try to draw every day, especially on the days you don’t want to.

Love and embrace this very unique and special culture, that if you manage to become a part of, you are exceptionally lucky. Remember that tattooing, if done right is more of a lifestyle choice than a craft.  

This is a very time consuming and unforgiving job at times, but an exceptionally rewarding one. It’s not an easy road but it’s definitely a fun one.

You’ve done a lot of conventions! What do you enjoy the most about them?

I really enjoy conventions, it’s a great place to learn from your peers, meet new people, and be fully enveloped in the culture of tattooing. 

I’ve been lucky enough to work at some amazing shows alongside some truly great artists. The Brighton Tattoo Convention, the London Tattoo Show, Dublin Tattoo Show, and the Brussels Tattoo Convention to name but a few. 

Do you have any advice you’d give to newer artists attending conventions for the first time?

To new and emerging artists, I would say this is an opportunity to learn from and to socialise with likeminded people and artists you admire. If you are at the right shows you get a firsthand view at how some of the most exceptional artists work in real life.

In my experience at the numerous shows I’ve attended, this is the most welcoming and warm community to be a part of. Don’t be nervous. Go say hello, talk to your neighbours, and your clients. Most of all enjoy yourself.

What are your plans for the future?

Continually progress in tattooing and try to get better every day. I look forward to travelling more in the next few years. I am also really looking forward to some really exciting opportunities that we have been working on that hopefully will come to fruition by the middle of this year.