Maverick ZINE — Tattoo Culture, Art & Artist Stories

What are you doing to get people in your seats? If you're a tattoo shop owner or a tattoo artist, what's the fun idea, the crazy idea, the weirdest idea you've come up with to get people in the door?

Here's one thing I love doing: putting together art shows. I love getting the community together and getting them in the shop. Right now we're throwing a black light art show — my whole team got together and made black-light-reactive artwork. Come check it out.

I do these because I genuinely love painting, and it gives me a goal — and it gives my team a goal too, because I get them involved. It's simply a personally rewarding thing to do.

What it does for your customers: gives them something to talk about when they leave, and gives them a reason to look forward to coming back to see you, coming to hang out at the shop — and hopefully getting a tattoo out of it too.

Bottom line: it's fun. It brings the community together and it keeps you motivated — keeps your team motivated — and everybody gets to come together for a good night and see all the hard work up on the walls.

That's what's worked for us at Studio 21. What are you doing? Get out there, do something, have fun, bring people together.

— Austin

Hosting Support Your Local Tattooer Live at Sessions EDU in Austin

Got to bring Support Your Local Tattooer out to Sessions EDU in Austin, Texas and host it live in front of about 150 people. A full spoken-word panel discussion, live, and not gonna lie, a little nerve-wracking.

It was cool, though. Got some laughs in, and I think everybody brought their A-game.

Had Lettie Lynch out there with me — if you don't know her, she's a tattooer out of Reno and she's badass. Got Mr. Crocodile Jackson, a tattooer out of Austin, Texas. And Jonathan Pinchoff, a tattooer who hosted the whole show and then took time to jump on the panel with us too.

It was basically a spoken-word panel and discussion, talking about a bunch of stuff tattooers are actually dealing with these days.

Thank you to everybody who came out and supported it — I was stoked, and I think the whole thing went really well. Already trying to figure out where to bring it next.

Appreciate you, Russell and Squire — you guys put together a great event.

— Austin

 What Is Neo-Traditional Tattooing? (And 3 Artists Crushing It Right Now)

So what is a neo-traditional tattooer? A neo-trad artist pays homage to the past — lady faces, floral and ornamental work, bold and large layouts, beautiful flowy ornamental detail wrapped around the outside, and big, bold, unapologetic color packed into the tattoo. Also known as neo-trad.

Here are three of my all-time favorite neo-trad artists right now:

1. Gian Karle — So good, dude. Not only is he great to be around, his work is next level: giant skulls, full-torso pieces, beautiful smooth black and gray (a great skill set to bring into neo-trad), and then that big, bold color on top — huge chunks of yellow and orange, gorgeous solid reds.

2. Travis Brown — My homie down in Florida crushes it. He's got his own unique, illustrative touch — I'm a sucker for anybody who can put their own twist on the genre and make it fun and fresh instead of just repeating what's already been done.

3. Levi Murphy — A slayer, local to Las Vegas and tattooing over at One Block. One of our artists at Studio 21 Tattoo has her whole leg done by him, and it's gorgeous top to bottom — beautiful, soft black and gray, incredible texture, next-level snakes, and lady faces that just hit different.

There's an endless list of talented neo-trad artists out there. Who are your favorites? Tag your homies below — I'd love to see who's out there crushing it in this genre.

— Austin

I've been tattooing a long time, and these days I don't tattoo as often as I used to. That's made me think a lot about who I actually want in my chair.

I feel like a lot of younger tattooers are part of what I'd call the "headphone generation" — I just made that up, but it fits. Headphones in, dialed in, heads down. And I get it. But you forget that some of the closest friendships you'll ever build come out of this job. You're tattooing people from every walk of life, every career, every kind of interest — and there's a real relationship sitting right there if you let it happen.

These days, I don't really want to tattoo anybody I'm not going to enjoy spending that time with. My free time is limited. If I'm going to tattoo, I want it to be a genuinely good experience with someone I actually want to be around.

It's not about being precious or exclusive. It's about being honest that tattooing is intimate — you're spending hours with someone — and treating that time like it matters, for them and for you.

Follow along: Instagram @mavericktattoomercantile · TikTok @mavericksupplyco

— Austin

SYLT Takes the Show on the Road and Vino & Vinyl Kicks Off

This month took us out of the shop and into a room full of tattooers, and it kicked off one of our favorite traditions of the year.

First: Support Your Local Tattooer (SYLT) went live. I got asked out to Sessions EDU in Austin, Texas to host the podcast in front of about 150 people — a full spoken-word panel, live and a little nerve-wracking. Lettie Lynch (badass tattooer out of Reno), Mr. Crocodile Jackson (tattooer out of Austin, TX), and Jonathan Penchoff (tattooer, who hosted the whole event and then hopped on with us) all sat down to talk about what tattooers are actually going through right now. Everybody brought it, everybody got some laughs in, and it went better than I could've hoped. Big thanks to Russell and Squire for having us out — already thinking about where to bring it next.

Second: we sat down with Joey Hamilton — owner of Revolt Tattoo and winner of Ink Master Season 3 — for the podcast. We got real about the struggle of staying busy these days and what it actually costs to run four tattoo shops across the country.

Third: Vino & Vinyl 2026 is officially open for artists. This is our third annual event for Studio 21 Tattoo — a wine-and-record-painting night — and it's simple: paint a 12-inch vinyl record, any medium, any style, and send it to us. We auction them off mid-November with all proceeds going to Help of Southern Nevada, a local nonprofit that supports homeless youth, moms and babies who need food and clothing, and the elderly across our community. Artwork's due by the end of October. I'm out here on Sundays priming my own record with a Kilz base and gesso, laying down acrylic and spray paint — mine's a vintage Porsche with a surf-trip explosion coming off the roof rack. Watercolor, sculpture, stained glass, whatever you've got — if you can get it onto (or shaped like) a record, we want it.

All of this comes back to the same thing: get out from behind the chair, get in a room with people, and build something together. That's the whole point.

Follow along: Instagram @mavericktattoomercantile · TikTok @mavericksupplyco