Jac Alonso, originally from Seville and now working at Noble Art Studio in New York, stands out for his ability to capture facial expressions, as well as animal portraits. He likes to play with detailed textures and lines and recently, he has focused on projects that blend sculptures with conceptual elements and ancient scripts, as he tells us in this interview.
Hi Jac where are you from and where do you work at the moment?
I’m originally from Seville, Spain. For over a year now, I’ve been living in Manhattan, New York, with my family, and working at Noble Art Studio.
How and when did you decide to move to NY?
Matías Noble had plans to open a studio in New York, and when we discussed the project, I mentioned that I was interested in being a part of it. In 2022, I obtained my O-1 visa to work as a resident artist at Noble Art, New York. After several trips, in 2023, my wife and I felt it was the right time to move and embrace this experience. Since my wife is English and our children, aged 5 and 7, are bilingual, the language transition was quite natural for our family.
Were you a tattooer in Spain?
After working for 13 years in a multinational supermarket chain, it was my sister who suggested I take a tattoo course in 2010. At first, I only tattooed friends and acquaintances as a hobby. In 2013, I started working at a studio in a tourist area of Málaga, where I gained a lot of practical experience. In 2016, I opened my own studio, 3W Tattoo, in Torremolinos, Málaga, and stayed there until I moved to New York in 2023.
Do you have a background in art?
Since the age of 14, I have been self-taught, creating portraits of family members and celebrities using techniques like pencil, charcoal, and pastels. A professional portrait artist in Seville, whom my father took me to see, saw potential in my drawings and taught me many of his technical skills in portraiture. At 16, my mother enrolled me in an academy to learn oil painting techniques. At the same time, I attended the School of Arts and Crafts in Seville for two years.
Your tattoos are realistic black and grey, with a specific interest in subjects that recall sculptures and classic Art. Do you want to tell something more about your style? Are these subjects your favourite ones?
I primarily consider myself a portrait artist, something I’ve been doing since childhood, when I started drawing. I believe my greatest strength lies in capturing the expression of a face, along with animal portraits, where my work stands out for the detailed textures of fur.
In fact, one of the lion tattoos I did went viral on Instagram, reaching nearly 3 million views.
However, recently, I’ve also been developing projects that fuse sculptures with conceptual elements and ancient scripts.
This style is growing in popularity, and from my point of view, its creator and main reference is my friend and colleague Sergio Fernández, who has been and continues to be the key figure in this style. Many clients who come to me with tattoo ideas often show me references of his work.
Can you describe your process of creation?
All of my work is based on photographs. I usually ask the client for a photo of the area of the body where the tattoo will be placed. That’s where I start designing, because from my point of view, the design is just as important as how it adapts to the body. I aim for the tattoo to be both aesthetic and harmonious, fitting well with the natural anatomy.
Do you participate in tattoo conventions or events related to tattooing?
Attending conventions and competing in them has never been my priority. I’ve always focused more on improving my technique and ensuring that my work is the best it can be to satisfy my clients. However, since moving to New York, I’ve participated in several events. In May, I attended the Empire State Tattoo Convention with the Noble Art team.
Although I didn’t compete, it was a great experience. More recently, in September, I attended a convention in New Jersey organized by Villains Arts, where I won a total of nine awards, including two first-place prizes in Realism and Portrait. Later, I was invited to the Papillon Tattoo Convention in Springfield, Massachusetts, where I received three first-place awards in Realism and Portrait, and I also served as a judge in categories and days when I wasn’t competing.
What is your dream for your next future as a tattoo artist?
I always consider myself to be in a continuous learning process. In fact, maintaining this mindset is what has allowed me to keep growing and improving my technique. I believe you never stop learning, and that’s what helps you get better every day.
My dream is to establish myself as a tattoo artist here in the United States and achieve stability.
Additionally, I’m thinking about offering seminars or online courses to share my knowledge and help other tattoo artists who are just starting out, sharing everything I’ve learned along with the tips and experiences I’ve gathered so far.
