This week we chat with Aphiwe Folisa, a self-taught tattoo artist, about what it takes to run his successful tattoo studio, Toxic Ink Tattoo Studios.
Q: What service do you provide?
A: I provide tattoo services.
Q: How and when did you decide to start offering your services?
A: I was working at retail for Unilever Field Sales from 2017 to 2019. Towards the end of 2019 I then decided to abscond to start my own business.
Q: Which type of tattoos do you specialise in?
A: I do almost every tattoo that clients request, except for 3D and UV Light Tattoos.
Q: Are there any specific details one should consider when doing tattoo covers?
A: Not really, but the purpose of the cover-up tattoo is to completely mask out the old tattoo with a new one.
Q: What skills or experience does one need to become a tattoo artist?
A: It requires one to be able to draw and understand different types of drawings, but for me when I started it was all about learning something new every day because I am a self-taught artist.
Q: What is it about tattoos that you love so much?
A: I admire everything about tattoos. It brings about challenges and it enables me to grow as an artist. It also taught me how to deal with various kinds of people that come to my tattoo studio. Since I started providing these services, I have developed a strong character.
Q: Do you work alone?
A: Yes. I do everything myself the way I want it to be done.
Q: Where do you find your inspiration for the various art that you create?
A: I research on the internet to learn and find out more about art and other services that can better my craft so that my work stands out and remains unique.
Q: Have you encountered any challenges in your line of work, and how did you overcome them?
A: So far, I’ve tackled a lot of challenges I had in my business. For example, I used to have a challenge with drawing stencils for tattoo preparation. Since I’m working alone it used to consume a lot of time for each client that I must tattoo. I then decided to buy a stencil printer that takes less than 30 seconds to print out the stencil instead of spending hours to do so.
Q: How do you prepare first-timers for their session?
A: Drink plenty of water the night before and stay hydrated. Your body will probably sweat quite a lot and react to the tattooing, so you want to make sure your body and skin is ready for the tattoo procedure. Get a good night’s sleep. The last thing you want is to come in and be completely exhausted from your tattoo session.
Q: What would you say makes your tattoo experience unique?
A: My art is so distinct from other artists, and it’s been like that since I began. This is because I invest a lot of time to pioneer ways to maintain my craft, and keep it clean and unique.
Q: What are some goals that you have for your business?
A: I have been nurturing and investing in my business to grow in all aspects of my career. My future plans are to expand and render more services such as laser tattoo removal. I would also like to expand more so that I can employ staff members to the business.
Q: What advice do you have for someone who is also interested in starting their own business?
A: My only advice is to start by identifying the needs for the service or goods that you want to sell, who your target market is, and where you want to start operating your business from.
Q: Is there anything else you would like our readers to know?
A: If a client is not comfortable coming to my studio in Mdantsane, I also do house calls on request which I do charge extra for.
Q: Where can our readers find you? (contact details/social media)
A: 061 889 6241/068 068 9554, IG: @toxicink_tattoos95, Facebook: Toxic Ink Tattoo Studios, Twitter: AphiweFolisa, Tik Tok: @toxicink_tattoos95, email:toxicinktattoostudios@gmail.com
