Take a tube south of the Thames to Blank Collective in Deptford, where you’ll meet a whole host of incredible artists ready to make your tattoo dreams come true!

This large, airy and industrial building is home to an epic lineup of over twenty artists and holiday home for a huge range of artists from around the country and abroad.

We chatted with Lana and Loz, co-owners of Blank Collective, about their close-knit team, what made their apprentice stand out, and why it was so important to create an accessible, welcoming and supportive environment for both artists and customers.

Can you share with us your names and what you do at Blank Collective?

Heya! It’s ya girls, Lana and Loz, co-owners of Blank.

When was Blank Collective first opened?

We’ve been open coming up to three years now, which feels mad. It’s like it was only yesterday but also a million years ago.

We opened in 2022 but we’ve been friends for over ten years. We used to chat about our dream studio all the time until one day we decided maybe it didn’t have to stay a daydream. When it came to choosing a name, we just said let’s leave it blank for now and it’s been Blank ever since.

Can you tell us which artists work there and what styles they work in?

Okay, buckle in. There are quite a few of us.

We’ve ended up as a mostly blackwork studio. That wasn’t really the plan, it just sort of happened that way. We thought it made most sense to let our artists describe their own styles so we asked the group chat to give us a quick blurb in their own words.

For residents we have:

Loz - @loz_tattooer - Bold and gothic fineline blackwork.

Gabriele - @fresh_flower__ - Fineline surrealism inspired by everyday life.

Morgan - @bambamtattooss - All heart and history, her work is rooted in medieval art and classic woodcut styles.

Katia - @heart.poke - Working in both hand poke and machine techniques, Katia’s designs reflect the aesthetic of abstract flows inspired by nature.

Jess - @wellgoodmate__ - Jess’s continuous line work focuses on animals, flowers and nudes. The #selfloveclub is where clients get themselves tattooed to celebrate their bodies.

Dan - @___dan_bramfitt - Dan creates energetic, abstractive, minimal yet hyper-complex visual landscapes using intuitive mark-making handpoke techniques.

Patrick - @european.son.222 - Patrick does simple hand poked tattoos with a focus on sentiment and meaning. He takes inspiration from working class culture and modern art.

Grace - @harmonietattoo - Fineline, blending delicate detail with artistic versatility,  from florals to micro surrealism.

Marcin - @mp2.tattoo - Marcin's work blends small realism and abstract florals with a high focus on textures, inspired by the beauty of nature with a touch of surrealism.

Ghazal - @ghazal_jafari_tattoo_art - Specialises in freehand florals, delicate jewellery-inspired ornamental designs, and geometric patterns, accentuating the body's natural curves.

Robin - @birdshoestattoos - Bold and playful traditional tattoos inspired by mid century cartoons and vintage tattoo flash.

Julien - @stabbyplaces - Sketchy, applies to both his tattoo style and personality.

Mia - @myb_ink - Delicate and detail-focused fine line inspired by whimsical, nostalgic and romantic imagery.

Ashley - @babymumtattooerx - Trauma-informed tattooing inspired by iconic gay imagery.

Mark - @marktattooist - uses black ink.

Ivan -  @nevskytattooart - Detailed, graphic black and grey.

Laurie - @lauriejoetattoo - precise designs and highly satisfying composition, detailed stippled blackwork, with a vast range of subjects varying from pop culture to the macabre.

Leti - @letitia_tattoos - Fineline black and grey. She enjoys taking traditional subjects and putting her own spin on them to create bespoke designs.

Sarah - @sarah_anne_davis - Sarah is a neo-traditional artist who loves tattooing all the little weird and wonderful curiosities.

Jacob - @josborntattoos - Fresh out of his apprenticeship, Jacob focuses on fineline and black and grey tattoos, drawing influence from traditional and Chicano styles.

Hector - Our apprentice, @rakataka.tattoo - After only 3 months on skin Hector’s still developing his style. Influenced by comic books, his experience as an illustrator and his love for traditional designs, it’s all wrapped together with some Spanish humour.

Then we have lots of regular guests like “the Manchester lot” Ronnie, Brad and Rob, Armin and Agne, Nolsey, Caleb and Kevin. A lot of people who guest tend to come back over and over again which is lovely.

Would you say Blank Collective has a particular ethos or vibe?

We are your favourite tattoo artist’s favourite tattoo studio.

We’ve always been about building somewhere that feels calm, creative and genuinely supportive. Whether you’re working here or getting tattooed.

We’re honestly super proud of the studio. Our artists often come in on their days off just to hang out which says a lot. It’s bright and open-plan with a soft industrial feel. It’s clean and modern and calming. It’s not for everyone but it’s definitely for us.

Looks cool. Isn’t actually cool.

How often do you place an order with Killer Ink, and what are some of your most ordered items?

We’re very organised which is probably why everything runs so smoothly. We have an admin day every Tuesday where we do stock take and place orders.

We supply nearly everything for the artists apart from machines and needles, so we’re always ordering disposables like razors, grip tape, stencil stuff, micropore tape and gloves.

We also go through loads of Dynamic black and white ink and so much stencil paper. Honestly, our stencil paper consumption is off the charts.

 Why is it important that Blank Collective is accessible and welcoming?

Blank was always going to be different. From the start, it mattered to us that we created something modern and welcoming. We wanted it to be a space that’s accessible to everyone.

There are so many private studios tucked above barber shops or down side streets that, without meaning to, end up excluding entire groups of people. We wanted to challenge that and offer something that feels open and considered.

That said, we’ve got massive respect for the studios that have been doing it the same way for the last fifty years. We don’t think one approach is better than the other. We just knew what kind of space we wanted to build, and that was something that felt fresh without losing the heart of what tattooing is all about.

We like to think we’ve found a really good balance. It’s important to us that everyone feels safe here, but also that people can be themselves. You don’t have to watch every word or be afraid to make a joke.

At the end of the day, this is a service industry and customer care should always come first. That’s why we’ve added small touches like a personalised drink printer, free snacks, and someone warm to greet you at the door.

It’s about making people feel looked after and excited to come back.

What other body modification services do you offer at Blank Collective?

We’re home to Crystal Canine, the UK’s original tooth gem technician, so you can get sparkly teeth safely and beautifully applied.

What kind of tattoo furniture or equipment do you have in your studio?

We’ve got eleven stations in total and each one is set up the same.

We use Killer Ink premium massage tables which are wider than average and really well padded. Clients always comment on how comfortable they are.

Each one has a backrest stool and daylight lamp and we use personalised mechanic trolleys for stations. We’ve also got a range of arm rests and privacy screens that artists can use as they like.

There’s a big storeroom that stays well stocked and lockers in the back for everyone’s stuff.

What do you look for in a new tattoo artist to join, guest or apprentice at your studio?

For artists, we look for beautiful work obviously, but more than that we care about attitude.

We want people who are respectful, professional and good to be around. We’re not a party studio. We’re more of an eight course tasting menu and home by eleven kind of place.

There’s a real family vibe here so it’s important anyone joining fits in with that.

For guests it’s the same. High-end work, good communication, turn up on time and respect the space.

For apprentices we get a lot of enquiries, and most of them are the same copy and paste email sent to every studio in London.

We want someone who really stands out.

Our current apprentice Hector came in with a custom made zine of his work. He asked us directly, spent time at the studio, and got to know the team. He genuinely invested in us and it was so thoughtful we reached out to him straight away.

Are there any artists or body modification experts you’d love to come and guest with you?

So many. We’re always dreaming about hosting more international artists, especially ones we meet at conventions.

Lana: I would love Uncogrim to come. I really want him to do my chest or neck so maybe that’s just a selfish reason.

Loz: It’s completely unrealistic but my dream guest would be Gakkin. He’s my favourite artist by a mile.

What’s your favourite piece of Blank Collective merch?

Lana: Honestly, our socks are so underrated. The quality is insane.

Loz: I really loved the limited edition tees we designed for the last Brighton Tattoo Convention. They were super popular.

What is the tattoo scene or community like where you’re based, and how does Blank Collective set itself apart?

We are in London which is obviously where lots of the pioneers and industry leaders, that we have so much admiration for, first started. There are loads of studios of all shapes and sizes that all cater for something different. We are in South East London which is an up and coming part of town that’s a bit more tranquil than central.

We aren’t on a busy high street so it’s a bit more set back and secluded so we really feel like a little piece of heaven tucked away. Like a little hidden gem in the mean streets of Deptford.

When it comes to community, I’d like to think we’re mates with everyone. We’re just nice girls who want to get along with people. This summer we’re planning an old school sports day with studios from all over the UK. We reckon you lot at Killer Ink should put a team together. We’ll save you a space on the field.

Can you tell us a bit about The Church of Blank?

We don’t do things by half.

At our first Brighton Convention we basically built the studio from scratch, we had a giant fake concrete desk, chains, a waiting area, the works.

We came second in Best Booth that year so we made it our mission to win the next time.

The next year we did a full graffiti theme which took months to paint and we won. After that, Woody asked if we’d like an entire room the next year.

The Church of Blank idea actually came before the graffiti booth was even finished. We were already trying to top ourselves.

It became a full immersive space with stained glass banners, a confessional booth for mystery tattoos and a Jägermeister bar.

It wasn’t just a booth, it was an experience.

People loved it and we were so proud.

We’re already planning how to top it and you can have the exclusive. Blank will be taking over the Syndicate Room again next year.

Will we see any of the team at any conventions this year?

As a studio, Brighton is our main focus each year. It takes months of planning to hit the level we want it to be at so that always gets our full attention.

That said, a lot of us travel around Europe individually and this year, for the first time, we’ll be taking some of the team to Brussels in October which we’re really excited about.

Huge thanks to the incredible Lana and Loz for giving us some insight into the Blank way of life! Make sure to check out the studio on Instagram and Facebook, and don’t forget to stop by and see the crew at Brighton Tattoo Convention!