Daily Inspiration: Meet Amanda Boik

Today we’d like to introduce you to Amanda Boik.

Hi Amanda, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.

My tattoo journey started shortly after I graduated college—I had my BS in Video Game Design but no internships or interviews and was feeling like I had picked the wrong major altogether.

Luckily, my incredible professor Rayce Bird offered me another option: a tattoo apprenticeship with his former mentor. I had one tattoo and hardly any experience being inside a tattoo shop when I first started, and I felt completely out of my element.

For months before I got the courage to apply, I watched episodes of Ink Master as my only source of information. My apprenticeship was a very humbling experience, and it showed me how much I still had to learn about design as well as technical application. But despite the difficult weeks, months, and years of practice—at times driving my perfectionist self to tears—I was fortunate to have a great support network that encouraged me all the while.

As I grew in my craft, changed shops and cities a few times, and learned from every artist I encountered along the way, tattooing transformed from a job into a way of life. I grew more confident both as an artist and as a person, thanks to the support of my coworkers and clients. This career has shaped the person I am today, and seven years in, I still feel like I’m just getting started on what I hope to be a life-long journey.

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?
I absolutely love my career, but it hasn’t always been an easy journey. Tattooing is the most difficult trade I have ever pursued, and I think it was made even harder by my expectation that I would excel right away. Instead, I struggled at the beginning, and that was a huge blow to my confidence. It took me a very long time to get my technique to the level of my art skills, and even now I have bad days where I feel like I can’t see any progress. It can be tough not to compare yourself with the millions of other artists who seem to be doing better than you.

I also, unfortunately, dealt with a lot of interpersonal drama early in my career, which I like to think is lessening as the tattoo industry becomes more diverse and accepting. Tattooing is a competitive field, and it can be difficult to build yourself up without tearing other artists down at times. Luckily, the vast majority of artists I worked with are lovely and talented people who more than made up for the few bad experiences.

As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I enjoy tattooing in a range of styles, partly because I enjoy the challenge of something new and partly because I want to experience creating every type of art that I physically can. My focus as of late has been bold, illustrative designs with dotwork shading, though I would like to get more comfortable with color in the future as well.

I think what sets me apart from others is both my stylistic diversity and my consistent quality. I strive to create pieces of art that will look good for decades to come, whether they are pet portraits or bold half-sleeves. The best advice I ever received was “add more black,” and I fully agree that with more contrast comes better long-term results.

What matters most to you? Why?
Well, that’s a little deeper than the last few questions. I think what matters most to me is peace, both personally and generally.

Happiness is incredible but often unsustainable for so many people. So in the meantime, I hope for myself and everyone I know to be at peace…with their minds, bodies, loved ones, and in their career and personal pursuits. I think the world could benefit from a little more contented silence.

Pricing:

• $180/hr
• $100 min
• $1000 Full Day Session

Contact Info:

• Website: deaddrifttattoo.com
• Instagram: @amandaboiktattoos