Today we talked with Dale about all the things that make him a great artist...
What made you want to be a tattoo artist?
Tattooing was something I had been around since I turned 18. I got my first tattoo 3 days after my 18th birthday and I was so fascinated by the entire experience. I was in a lot of art classes in high school at the time and I always thought how cool of a job it would be, but I never thought I could do it and never thought of it as an actual option for me. Fast forward 5 years, I had dropped out of college twice and was deeply depressed with no plans for my future. But I started thinking about how I used to enjoy drawing for fun, so I thought “what if I actually took it seriously and actually tried to become a professional artist” Now at that time I still didn’t think becoming a tattoo artist was something I could do but I wanted to become an artist in some way so I kept plugging away with free lance art and portrait drawings for a couple years. When I least expected it, Jessie saw some of my drawings online and she reached out to me and asked if I had ever thought about tattooing. It was such an unexpected opportunity and there was no way I was passing it up. And I haven’t looked back since.
Do you have a favorite style you want to pursue?
I will try and take on almost any style of tattoo. I never want to be considered a one trick pony. I feel my strongest points are portraits, floral work and traditional tattoos. Portraits are what got me to the dance and I feel right at home when I am tattooing a portrait. I love tattooing flowers or anything nature related in black and grey. I also love traditional tattoos. The styles I love the most are all very drastically different from each other but I’m passionate about them all and always enjoy working on those styles.
What do you like to do in your spare time?
I play a lot of guitar in my spare time. I play with a group of friends once a week and write music. Its nothing serious at this point but I hope one day it could be. I also do a lot of design work for bands on the side. I design enamel pins, t shirts, and posters for bands a lot and I really enjoy combining my two passions into one thing.
How many pets do you have and names?
I have an 8 year old dog named Morty, and a 3 year old cat named Layla. They’re both perfect in every way.
Tell me a little about your immediate family…
My dad’s name is also Dale and he is an electrician for Armor Metals. My mom’s name is Wendy and is a dental hygienist. My sister’s name is Hannah and she is a teacher in Cincinnati. My brother in law’s name is Tyler and he is a fire fighter in Cincinnati. They have a one year old named Austin.
Are you from this area?
I graduated from Mason high school in 2009 so I’m from right down the road.
What’s your favorite local restaurant and what do you get?
The breakfast club is my favorite restaurant in Lebanon. Everything I’ve tried there has been fantastic. Broadway Barrel House has some killer smoked wings.