Tattoos are rad, I have one of a train on my arm that everyone says looks like Thomas the tank engine, and I want one of a pigeon next to it. We spoke to Mark Cross who’s a tattoo artist based in Brooklyn because we liked his tats of Bart Simpson and bleeding bongs.

Hey Mark, when did you get in to tattooing?

I started working at a tattoo shop in Oakland in 2005, helping out around the shop; cleaning, setting up appointments, getting coffee etc. I had been interested in tattoos and tattooing for years and took full advantage of the opportunity – watching closely what was going on and asking questions when I had them. Everyone was good about answering my questions and slowly, over the year or so that I worked there, I gathered what supplies I needed and eventually felt confidant enough to attempt my first tattoo.

Did you have a background in other forms of visual art?

I’ve always drawn. I went to the San Francisco art institute (sfai) for about a year and studied painting and film, but dropped out to focus on my job at the tattoo shop. I’ve been taking photos for a few years now as well and have been running a photo/video website (muddguts.com) for about two years – I have some photos on the site as well as a video documentary I made in 2005.

Where are you working out of now?

I’m currently working out of east river tattoo in Brooklyn, New York. It’s a small shop by the water in Greenpoint, Brooklyn – it’s cozy, i like it.

Cool, do you remember the first one you ever did?

Yes, it’s on my leg above my knee. I have to look at it every time I take a shit. It’s not the worst tattoo ever, but honestly, I’m a little sick of seeing it.

What’s been the oddest request you’ve had?

I don’t know…a guy once asked me to tattoo the jack in the box logo on his neck. Not exactly the weirdest tattoo idea ever but WHAT THE FUCK?! WHY? Not the cute little clown guy but just the words “jack in the box”…I kindly refused.

Your style has that classic sensibility while still maintaining a modern vibe, which era of tattoos have inspired you most?

1990′s american tribal… also portraits of dogs.

What’s next for you?

I’m going to go home and make a sandwich.

Best cover up ever (in progress).

flickr.com/markmarkmarkmark

This entry was tagged as ART., brooklyn, east river tattoo, greenpoint, mark cross, muddguts, new york, tattoo, tattoo artist.