The gifted creator of ‘Lola Tattoo’ in Marbella reveals to us how a change of direction in the choice of work was essential for her development as an artist.
“Hi Laura! As a highly respected name in the field of Black and Gray, did you always want to pursue this career, or did you stumble into the world of tattoo art by chance?”
Not really, I have always had clear that I wanted to dedicate myself to something artistic because I’ve loved drawing since I was little. My passion led me to study Fine Arts, and there I met a classmate who was a tattoo artist. He encouraged me to give it a try, but I found it so complicated and demanding that I didn’t put much interest into it.
Later, I tried to focus on painting, but I didn’t have enough income and ended up training to become an Art teacher. When I started looking for work as a teacher, I realized that I wouldn’t be completely happy if I wasn’t drawing every day. So, I returned to tattooing. Today, I feel it’s the best decision I’ve ever made in my life.
The Neo Traditional Black and Gray, absolutely artistic and substantial, is a kind of signature for you. What do you find so powerful within this style?
It’s simply the style where, when I’m doing it, time seems to stand still. I’ve always tried to prioritize enjoying the process because I believe that it’s something that gets conveyed. I truly enjoy the softness of the gray, the depth of the black, and the contrast between them. I really like the expressiveness of drawing without color; it’s quite a challenge.
What do you mainly try to express with your male and female figures? Pride, courage, mystery? Or are yours simple aesthetic figures?
I’ve always been in love with portraiture. I remember that when I was little, I would sometimes draw my face by looking at myself in a mirror and making different expressions—it was my game.
I’m very drawn to facial expressions because I feel they are a powerful tool for conveying emotions, and they help me tell my clients’ stories.
I always try to listen to these stories and interpret them in a way that makes them feel connected to the design, so I aim to give it the look that aligns with what they want to express in each case. I believe this is the most beautiful part of my work.
When you draw (or tattoo) do you find comfort in music?
I love music, in fact, I find it very hard to work without it. Whether I’m drawing on paper, designing on the iPad, or having a tattoo session, I need to have music in the background. I enjoy very different styles, but my favorites and the ones that have accompanied me throughout my life are R&B and Hip Hop. I can listen to the same songs over and over without getting tired.
‘Lola Tattoo’ in Marbella is full of great artists like you, Alberto, Frankie, Patri, Odhio, Rodri and Irene. So many talents I imagine also implies a great variety of styles, right?
Since we opened ‘Lola Tattoo’ (IG: @lolatattoostudio), the goal has always been to bring together artists from different styles. I think it’s very enriching because if you only focus on doing Black and Grey, for example, and your entire environment is also Black and Grey, you’re in a very closed circle of references, conversations, etc.
However, if you do Black and Grey and your colleague works in color, you get daily inputs from another style that can inspire you in different ways.
I’ve learned a lot from styles different from mine, which is why I believe it’s so important to be in a diverse environment. Apart from the resident artists, we often invite artists from other cities and countries to spend a week with us to keep growing artistically.
In the past you created a ‘Women Collection’ book for Tattoo Life digital books. Tell me the truth: would you like to publish another one soon? Do you already have some ideas about this?
It was my first book, and I was really excited about it and held it dear to my heart. Right now, I’m working on a new one that shows more of my journey. It’s going to be a very different book, one in which I’m learning a lot through the process, and I think it can provide extra inspiration to the audience. I don’t want to reveal too much, but it will be a book with a strong component of self-discovery in drawing.
Have you already booked something important on your agenda in terms of Spanish or international tattoo conventions (and guest spots as well) or will your autumn 2024 be mainly spent in Marbella?
Less than a month ago, I was at the Mexico convention, and in October I will be at the international tattoo convention in Barcelona. The rest of the fall and winter, we have many big projects to work on, so I’ll be putting all my energy into them to showcase at the conventions in early 2025. I’m really looking forward to being at the upcoming conventions, sharing with amazing artists from all over the world. For me, continuing to learn from tattoo culture is essential.
And your last famous words are… ?
Your place is wherever time stands still. Enjoy the process, and everything else will follow.
