Check Out Mark Dalton’s Story

Today we’d like to introduce you to Mark Dalton.

Hi Mark, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today.
When I was much younger my life was going nowhere quick; early addiction issues coupled with bouts of non-motivation and a general uninterested attitude towards life. I had been scratching around the neighborhood for a few years and my mother, having enough insight to realize that I needed to do something or my life would be short and miserable, suggested that I take tattooing further and pursue it as a career path.

Looking back it was one of the few times I actually listened to my mother and I probably should have listened to her more. After an extended stay in juvenile incarceration, I landed an apprenticeship at the age of 17 and stuck with it; the lifestyle suited me, and the only restrictions in the career field involved were directly related to my skill level.

For the first decade or so I didn’t take it as seriously as I should have but all good things in time I guess. Addiction issues with various substances plagued me and the party side of the profession enabled me to do so for a long time. When I finally decided to face my issues head-on and begin to conquer them I felt as though I had a lot of catching up to do.

Luckily, just through sheer circumstance, I had managed to travel the convention circuit within the US pretty extensively and had a lot of resources for learning. So learning is exactly what I did; I practiced, tried new things, studied other artists’ techniques, and began putting forth the effort my craft had always deserved.

I began competing and would stick through that scene for a long time. I even still actively compete occasionally but my current obsession is being a full-time student at a local art college. I still own my own studio, tattoo part time and travel but study is the focus of my ambitions these days. I have also been clean and sober for a long time now thankfully.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
It was never a smooth road, It still isn’t. There were always struggles. Looking back, most of my struggles were by self-design. I was my own worst enemy most of the time. From the struggle of selfishness in addiction to eventually letting go of all of that to financial struggles of establishing a new way of life for myself and those around me it was always a rocky path.

Life is much easier now that I’ve had practice at it all. The biggest struggles these days are mostly within the realm of time management due to being too ambitious and only so much of me to go around,

Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
In my younger years, I was exposed to many different styles of tattooing, mostly because I and the people I worked with did anything that walked in the door. Not necessarily because we wanted to but because we wanted to eat and keep our bills paid so I was introduced to a number of differing styles including freehand new school, biomech, realism, and black and grey fine-line.

These days I still like doing several different styles but my favorite is still luminescent biomech. If I had to choose what sets me apart from the rest of the rabble is that I refuse to let my ego tell me I’ve learned enough; any true master of any trade will tell you that the master is always, first and foremost, a student.

Who else deserves credit in your story?
Firstly, my mother saved my life and always encouraged me to do more. Secondly, my wife who loves me unconditionally, works diligently by my side, and stands by all of my excess ambitions. My crew at the shop who have taken all the hits and struggles with me deserve the best life has to offer.

Pricing:

• $600 per 4-hour session

Contact Info:

• Website: https://scurvydogtattoo.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/morbidmarkd/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mark.dalton.12382923
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheScurvyDogTattooProject