THE FASHION IDENTITY Edition 43 | Page 5

Interview With KELLY MANNING 1) Your favorite tattoo design you have inked.... Ans) I love this small chicken wishbone I did in a dot- work and realism style, I like how tattoos can sit on the body, redefine it and jump out of it at the same time. I enjoy the possibilities of dotwork. I quite enjoy mixing styles and pushing my limits. To do this you need friends who will let you experiment on them. I am a portrait painter and have done quite a few pet portraits which I really enjoy. I enjoy all styles, for me its about bring the character out. Kelly Manning 2) Tell us about the ink- ing procedure. Ans) I take quite a bit of pride in my set up and a lot of care with infection con- trol. Once I have prepared my tattoo station, applied my stencil and am ready to go.Each tattoo is different Interviewed by Pitanjal Datta and there are many as- pects to consider before starting the tattoo. I at- tempt to make my client as comfortable as possi- ble and ask some ques- tions. I always explain what I am doing before I do it, I image myself when I received my first tattoo at age 21 wonder- ing what they are doing and if it is safe. Once my client is relaxed I take a deep breath and get into my creative zone. I would also like to see the tattoo in- dustry and apprenticeship recognized at as ligitimite trade with workers rights and job network support.