Hey guys! It’s been a long time I don’t post an interview, but I’m back with a brand new one! Let’s meet Tony Vilella, brazilian tattoo artist that does some incredible realism work.
Tell us a bit more about you story and how did you become known as one of the best brazilian tattooers and being among the best tattoo artist of the world.
I’ve been tattooing for 13 years, I’ve always been very dedicated to my job. I started to tattoo because of my passion for painting, so tattooing was a way to do what I like and being paid.
The tattoo on my life was taking huge proportions, I’ve had many experienced tattoo artists and wonderful people on my path, and these people encouraged and taught me a lot.
I’ve been on a lot of events, workshops, been jury in many events and gave a plenty workshops, and each moment was very important for all the personal and professional knowledge I have today.
I had the honour to take a course with one of the best painters of Brazil, the artist Paulo Frade, who helped me a lot with my work, because he gave me another perception to my work. Together, we created the project “From Painting to Tattoo”, that helped many brazilian artists, showing thoroughly the process of painting in tattoo, qualifying and helping them to improve and refine the work of those who were into the realism style.
I’ve already had many invites to work as a guest outside Brazil, so in 2018 I was on vacation to the USA and decided to take a chance to be a guest tattoo artist at a studio, end up being in one of the biggest tattoo events of the world and I was awarded with the best tattoo of said event.
Today I’m sponsored by two very famous brands and all this made me be in touch and known among the best tattooers of the world.
Did you start right away with realism or did you started with some other style before?
Inicially I did all styles of tattoos, to be as complete as possible, since I was a begginner, I didn’t have much choice. I had to tattoo all kinds of styles and I didn’t have enough experience in just one style. So with time, I dedicate to the style I liked the most, which was realism, and from that I was improving myself. People started to look for me for that style and today I do 98% of realistic tattoos and the other 2% are from clients who trust me and would really like a tattoo from me in other styles, so I don’t turn them down.
Do you have a favorite theme to tattoo?
I don’t have a favorite theme, but a favorite style. I like to tattoo any reference of realism, being pics of animals, face of people, movie characters or famous paintings.
Is there any tattoo artist you would like to make a colab with?
There are some tattooers I would really like to make a colab, I can’t say all of them, but some of them would be: Ralf Nonnweiler, Nikko Hurtado, jimmitri, Mike DeVries, Valtatboo, Randyengelhard.
How was adjusting your life from Brazil to the USA? Did you find any difficulties?
It was great, I had wonderful experiences being with the best tattoo artists of the world. The tattoo field there is very welcoming.
Do you have any story with a client that you can’t forget and would like to share with us?
I can’t tell one specific because many are memorable. I’m very grateful to be part of the story of many people. Working with realism attract clients that wanna to in their bodies tributes to beloved people and animals that have passed or are still alive, moments of their lives like trips, a movie…I can’t choose, because I treat them as special as possible, because when they decide to mark their skin with an image for the rest of their life, it’s because it’s really important to them.
If you weren’t a tattoo artist, is there another career you would pursue?
Painter. I love painting and I tattoo because of painting, I add it to my work, all the knowledge I have and that I’m absorving with amazing artists, mainly from my great friend Paulo Frade. I had the honour to graduate in classic paiting with one of Brazil’s most reputables artists, a unique artist, who dedicated his life to classic paiting. With the project I mentioned before, we helped many artists to see and work with the fundamental to tattoo, which is basic knowledge of drawing, light, shadow and painting.
Do you have some important moments in you career you would like to share with us?
I have some very important moments in my career, but one of them, the most memorable was the award I got in 2018 at one of the biggest tattoo conventions of the world. The award was the best of event and my work was chosen and awarded, among all the amazing artists who were attending. This award was a game changer for me, because it got invitations from studios all around the world to be guest, such as Italy, Germany, USA, Canada…I got sponsorship from famous brands like Art Drive and Wipe Outz. I couldn’t accept many of these invitions so far though, but I will very soon.
Thank you very much Andressa and Tony for this awesome interview, I hope you guys liked it! Go give Tony a follow to keep up with his amazing work:
website: tonyvilella.com
instagram: @tonyvilella
facebook: Tony Vilella Tattoo
info and appointments: [email protected]
If you have any suggestions of who you would like to see being interviewed here, send me ask! 💖