Today we’d like to introduce you to Andre Williams
Hi Andre , it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
My name is Andre Williams, I started tattooing in 2012 after I graduated high school. I dabbled in an out with a few different professions, playing piano at a church, working a little Caesar’s while doing tattoo parties after work, as well as trying to work with my twin brother in the automotive industry. Although Tattooing kept calling my name and felt right for my life. I dropped out of college at the time to pursue my tattooing career around 2013. I got my first apprenticship when I turned 20 years old, at Tattoo Trillionaires in Columbia SC. I worked there for a while learning alot of the basics and how to keep my area clean. I went from tattoo Trillionaires to an apprenticship under one artist named Kenny Wayne. I feel as if Kenny Wayne actually cared to show me how to really tattoo and I appreciate him for that. We were able to travel to NY and work at a shop called wild side tattoo as well as Augusta Georgia to another shop called immaculate ink. The experience I was able to gain in my travels was legendary. I tried to go back to college for a while in 2015 to take art and painting classes. I felt it would help me further my craft and it did! I eventually dropped out again because at this point I needed to make money and pay bills and tattooing was my main source of income. I finished my second apprenticeship in late 2015 and worked at Diamond cut tattoo company in Columbia SC for almost 10 years. I am great full and happy for my experiences at that shop and all the great artists I have met along the way. I was able and open to learn from everyone. In 2019 I got a job offer to work in Nc at black cloud tattoo, it was great! And we worked in a very busy mall in NC. Carolina place mall in pineville to be exact. The shop sponsored my twin brother and I as well as a few other artists as a pro team. Our job then was to go to convention that they signed us up for and win awards as well as make money so that the shop looks good within the tattoo industry. I learned a lot from the artists in the shop and started winning many awards. At that point opportunities just started falling in my lap. A big name artist In Atlanta offered me a job and a guest spot. I took the guest spot so I could learn more about tattooing. And I also was able to connect with 2 celebrity tattoo artists in California that year. One was a guy name sneakyG. I had to apply for his seminar course because I wanted to learn more about how to do great portraits and I got accepted. I also connect with ink by pnut on Instagram. He is an Anime tattoo specialist and he was nice enough to invite me to his shop as well as his home and gave me a seminar while I was in town. At this point I was having information overload with all the new techniques I was learning so I could not wait to bring it back to South Carolina and spread some good work and knowledge I’ve gained over the years. I recently within the past few years stopped working with black cloud and partnered up with my mentor Kenny wayne, to take up bigger business ventures. We went to some tattoo shows and have won multiple awards together on collaboration pieces. I am very greatfull for my tattooing career and I’m excited to see where it will take me next.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It was not always smooth sailing. Some days in apprenticship and early tattooing . You have to tattoo to be able to eat that day. And we don’t make the most. I
Had to pay for both apprenticeships 5,000 each on top of bills that needed to be maintained. This helped me be very efficient with money management and is the reason why I’m in the position I am in today.
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 specialize in realism and portraits as well as color realism and I also do Anime work. I have won the most awards for color realism work. I started realizing that I needed to specialize in the type of work I do the best which is what I’ve won with at shows. My art style itself is kinda of abstract I love duplicating and stacking images making them monochromatic as well as putting cartoon characters in the mix at times. One of my favorite tattoos is actually on my wife’s leg. We won an award with it in Atlanta and it is very hard to win in color realism category out there cause there are so many talented artists, in that city.
What sort of changes are you expecting over the next 5-10 years?
I see myself opening up more shops with my business partner and lifelong friend Kenny Wayne. who helped get me to this position by teaching me how to tattoo
Pricing:
- My portraits all start at $500
Contact Info:
- Instagram: Andre.Williams.tattoo
