Few people have heard of stick and pokes: a small subsection of tattoo culture that has long been outshadowed by its big brother, the modern electric tattoo. If you have heard of it, it’s probably because a friend of a friend decided on a whim to get a deeply regrettable tattoo of an infinity sign using an unhygienic needle and some ink.
Contrary to its crude reputation, stick and poke tattoos have strong cultural significance embedded in the history of tattooing. Its roots lead back to ancient Egypt where mummies were found with inked hands. This form of tattooing is still prevalent in Indonesia, where Balinese tribes have used this traditional method of hand poking ritual tattoos on their bodies for generations.
Lately, stick and poke tattoos have become increasingly popular, thanks to artists going professional with this old school method of tattooing. These tattoo artists are working hard to change the stigma and misconceptions of stick and pokes, while at the same time starting a conversation about the history of hand poked tattoos.
SHEESH! had the privilege of speaking to four new age stick and poke tattoo artists on how they are revolutionizing tattoo culture with their individual and creative spins on hand poked tattoos.
1. Dommy Sullivan
Dommy brings a cheeky, lighthearted touch to stick and pokes with her illustrative doodles and emphasis on linework. Little plant pots and men donning party hats are a few of the recurring characters in her art.
2. Yoyo
Yoyo’s tattoos are achieved with the gentle and delicate method of needle and ink. Her designs are fun, feminine and sweet, often featuring dancing ladies and silly skeletons.
3. Yaroslav Putyata
Yaroslav Putyata’s handpoked tattoos range from the occasional doodle to designs with a modern art twist, which he achieves through his heavy use of color gradients, pointillism and surrealist themes.
4. Em Jiang
Em Jiang’s tattoos are punchy, funky and rock-and-roll. Aside from stick and pokes, their ‘gram features the occasional goth incense holder or spray painted tee for sale.
Here’s a fun Q&A SHEESH! did with the four tattoo artists listed above, to gain insight and perspective into the complex world of stick and pokes.
Q: What made you start giving stick and poke tattoos?
DOMMY: “I started doing stick and pokes initially because it was another medium I could work in and wanted to try out. I’ve always liked drawing and the idea that I could put those drawings on people’s skin was really appealing to me. I never had the intention to work as a tattoo artist, it was just for a bit of fun I could have with friends, but I found the more tattoos I did, the more it became something I wanted to pursue. I enjoyed learning it as a skill and increasing the ways in which I could output my creativity.”
YOYO: “An existential crisis when I turned 30. I reached a point in my life where it was necessary to take on new challenges and go back to doing something creative, risky and exciting. A good friend of mine said that my illustrations would work well as tattoos and I liked the idea. I’ve been drawing since childhood, but instead of studying Fine Art or Illustration I trained to become a graphic designer as it was safer. Looking back on the 10 years I spent living and working in London as a freelance web/graphic designer, I wasn’t happy. It’s a tough city – competitive and fast-paced with a big focus on consumerism. I didn’t want to spend my days in an open space in front of a computer, working with really tight deadlines. I needed to slow down, do something more organic, more flexible. I was like, ‘F*** the system, the hierarchy, the corporate bullshit, and people bossing you around.’ I needed something more meaningful than designing mid season sale banners.”
Q: What draws you to this job and lifestyle? What is most exciting about it?
DOMMY: “I love being a tattoo artist as it allows me to constantly be creating and putting my ideas into something that people enjoy. I’ve had lots of jobs in the past which were okay but I never felt truly fulfilled, whereas with tattooing I feel like I’m doing something that makes people happy and that’s all I’ve ever wanted to achieve with my art. I can make something that someone sees everyday and makes them feel better about their body and themselves.”
EM: “I didn’t expect to be where I am now with tattooing when I first started, it was just fun tattooing anyone who wanted something. The first summer I started tattooing, I designed my own flash sheet and had a tattoo kit I would take to people’s homes for appointments since I didn’t have my own studio. That was one of my favorite things – seeing everyone’s living spaces and adding a piece of my art to their bodies in that space. It was just so special and intimate. Since then I’ve been able to travel, meet amazing artists and clients, and because I’m self taught, the learning never really stops. I have the space to grow and the agency to decide how I work, and I really appreciate that freedom.”
Q: What do you gain from the experience of giving someone a stick and poke?
YOYO: “When I give a handpoked tattoo, the process is a journey. It’s the moment where I stop thinking. All it matters is that my client is comfortable and relaxed and that I do a great job. It’s about the “here and now”, not the past or the future. I have to mentally prepare myself prior to an appointment, and focus. Once I’m out of it, I’m super exhausted but it’s good exhaustion. My worries or anxieties disappear. Life has been tough the past few years and tattooing is a form of therapy to me. I’m so grateful that people want some of my art on their body.”
YAROSLAV: “Every meeting with a person I tattoo is a big experience. Each person carries a different energy which you exchange in person. It makes me very happy to ink someone who has been waiting a while.”
Q: Would you say that hand pokes are more personal than machine tattoos? Why?
DOMMY: “It’s different for everyone but I definitely think so, both in terms of giving and receiving stick and pokes. I have a mix of machine and stick and poke tattoos and overall I’ve found the latter is a more relaxing and personal experience. Quite often when I’m getting tattooed with a machine it can be quite hard to have a conversation over the noise or I’m concentrating on the pain more, whereas stick and pokes are less painful and noisy so I can engage with the artist better. It’s a less nervous and more enjoyable experience.”
EM: “I feel like stick and poke is much more intimate because it is a manual process, rather than an electrical one. Machine tattoos can sometimes be more traumatic for skin, especially dark skin, which is more prone to scarring and developing keloids. The buzzing of the machine also adds a different tone to the experience. Hand poking is a much slower process. Each bit of the design is created intentionally – one dot at a time. Sometimes it can be more relaxing because of how much slower and quieter it is. I’ve had clients fall asleep during sessions!”
Q: Can anyone give Stick and Pokes?
YOYO: “Tattooing takes a lot of time. You need patience and discipline. Like any vocation, if you want to be good at it, you need proper training and hygiene training too. So I’d say not anyone can give stick and pokes. You don’t want to end up with a blood or skin infection. If you’re able to listen, work hard, stay open, question yourself, leave your ego behind, then yeah stick and poke is for you and keep going; don’t give up.”
YAROSLAV: “Sure, anyone can poke themselves. They just need to be patient and persistent. In the beginning it seems very complicated but it’s actually very easy.”
EM: “Hell yeah! Just be safe, disinfect everything, make sure you’re working in a clean space, don’t reuse needles, and look up proper aftercare procedures! I think the tattoo industry used to be very exclusive to only cis white guys who wanted to indulge in their masculinity. It made it hard for anyone else to get the resources and support to start tattooing, since they used apprenticeships as a way to gate-keep the industry. Lots of ‘traditional shop bros’ look down on ‘scratchers’ like me, but it’s just elitism! Now more than ever, anyone who wants to learn tattooing just has to find the guts to teach themselves, and that allows people who have been denied space in the industry before to create spaces and opportunities of their own.”
Given today’s society and context, what’s next for this new generation of tattoo artists revitalizing stick and poke culture? Em, whose Instagram bio reads “Luv for all bodies and skin tones,” sums it up eloquently:
“A whole new community of tattoo artists has emerged out of DIY and it’s incredible! However, there’s still lots of work to do. Many tattoo artists center their practice around tattooing pale skin, and forget to consider the practice of tattooing darker skin. It’s racist and ignorant to claim tattooing darker skin is harder, and to tell clients with dark skin that color won’t show up. Studying color theory and understanding how to tattoo on dark skin should be priorities when it comes to learning how to tattoo. There needs to be more exposure of black tattoo artists and tattoos on dark skin.”
If you’re not adverse to an hour or two under a needle and some ink, consider getting a stick and poke tattoo for a conversation-starting and seriously sick piece of body art. For the extra brave-hearted, hygienic and professional DIY stick and poke kits are widely available to practice and tattoo at home. Just remember, safety and education is paramount in preserving the integrity and legacy of hand poke tattoo artists who have made it their professions.
