Before the Ink

Develop a personal brief for your first or next tattoo in a London studio workshop exploring symbolism, style, colour and placement.

Join me in my studio near Canary Wharf for an afternoon exploring ideas for your first or next tattoo. With just six places, there’ll be time to discuss your idea individually as you develop your personal tattoo brief. ◇ Start with a value A guided exercise will help you identify a value you’d like your tattoo to express. If you choose freedom, for instance, what does it mean to you? ◇ Find your imagery Would freedom look like a bird in flight or the key to a place of your own? Through visual examples, we’ll explore how symbols carry meaning in different traditions and which motifs resonate with you. ◇ Explore style and colour Picture the same flower rendered in the flowing lines of Art Nouveau or the bold colours of a Pop Art print. Each draws on a different visual history. We’ll also consider how a colour’s associations shift across cultures and which combinations you’d enjoy wearing. ◇ Try it on the body What might that key suggest at your throat, over your heart or in the palm of your hand? Drawing on the symbolic meanings associated with different parts of the body, you’ll try two placements on a body outline and see how each changes the way you read your image. What you’ll take away A one-page tattoo brief bringing together your intention, motif, visual references, colour preferences and placement ideas. You can take it to a tattoo artist or keep it to explore at your own pace. No drawing experience needed. Sunday 29 November 2026 · 2:30–5:00 pm My studio near Canary Wharf, London £50 per person · Six places · All materials included