The Best Biomech Tattoo Artist in the World ft. Markus Lenhard

Chats and Tatts

BioMech Pioneer Marcus Lenhard Discusses Decorating the Human Form in Tattooing

SUMMARY

Aaron Della Vedova interviews tattoo artist Marcus Lenhard on his show, Chats and Tatts. Marcus is a tattoo artist from Germany who specializes in BioMech, a type of art that was popularized by HR Geiger and Aaron Kane. Aaron and Marcus discuss the importance of pushing oneself and never getting too comfortable. Aaron also talks about his recent trip to Switzerland where he visited Guer Castle where HR Giger's Restaurant, Bar Museum is located. It is a seed for the BioMech movement, which is a fusion of nature and animation in concept art and tattooing. The movement is inspired by how nature solves problems and is still alive in concept art and tattooing.

Guy Atchison and Aaron Kane were two of the most prolific people in bringing BioMech to the tattoo industry. Guy Atchison's craftsmanship of machines has kept BioMech cool and how the impact of their work on the tattoo community has been massive, changing the way people do tattoos from pictures to decorating the body with shapes that move with the human form.

How The Chat Went Down:

0:00:00 Tattoo Artist Marcus Lenhard on BioMech Art and Tattooing

0:02:32 Conversation on HR Giger's Influence on BioMech Art

0:04:18 Exploring the Impact of BioMech on Tattooing

0:09:56 The Impact of Japanese Water Waves on BioMech Tattooing

0:13:39 Exploring the Art of BioMech Tattooing

0:18:00 Exploring the Evolution of Tattoo Artistry

0:21:28 Exploring the Differences in Tattoo Preferences Between Men and Women

0:27:21 Blackwork Tattoos and the Popularity Among Women

0:29:42 Exploring the Personalization of Tattoo Art

0:31:36 The Process of Creating a Custom Tattoo

0:35:11 "Tips for Long Tattoo Sessions: Strategies for Comfort and Focus"

0:36:53 The Benefits of Taking a Mechanical Approach to Tattooing

0:40:46 Freehand Tattooing

0:44:03 Working Practices and Recent Move to Canada

0:47:00 Honesty in Tattooing: Advice from a 30-Year Veteran

0:53:04 Creative Inspiration Through Reference Prioritization

0:54:53 Nature for Inspiration in Tattoo Artistry

0:56:38 Authentic Artistic Expression Through Nature and AI

1:01:44 The Potential of Artificial Intelligence to Create Novel Experiences

1:06:42 Possibilities of AI-Generated Art

1:09:40 Copyright Infringement and the Impact of the Market on Artistic Expression

1:11:02 The Impact of Technology on Creativity

1:14:06 Technology and Personal Agency

1:17:28 Reflections on Moving to Different Countries and Developing as an Artist

1:18:35 Taking a Break to Find Inspiration and Avoid Burnout

1:20:31 Exploring Psychedelic Experiences

1:28:16 Reflections on Tattooing and Surrendering to Life's Changes

1:31:13 Tattooing with Luxaltera: An Intimate Experience

1:37:37 Artwork and Healing Process

Quotes:

I can just remember running around catching lightning bugs and that sound, picking them off trees. They would emerge from these little bioskeletons, and then the real insect would emerge. And I remember picking up those little things and talk about HR geiger. It looks like where geiger might have got the inspiration.

I like to get tattoos that remind me of my childhood. And I had a really good childhood growing up in Iowa. Just pure nature. But in Iowa, every so many years, these huge swarms of cicadas would infiltrate our entire neighborhood and make this incredible sound, just, wow.

Your authentic way you approach tattooing, I really appreciate that. Your process, how you interact with your clients, how you like to very carefully gauge where you gather your reference material to keep you more authentic and not just echoing the voices of other artists.

I feel like you have to develop yourself as an artist, and you can become an amazing artist, but once you are an amazing artist, have you also done some personal development in the meantime?

If you arrive at 40, 45 and you feel like, oh, I feel like I'm still 20 because I haven't really done anything but just, like, tattooing and art and tattooing and art and tattooing and art, then at some point you're like, maybe there's space for some other stuff here that makes me grow as a person.

I still draw, I still paint, but not nearly at this pace I used to, only because I'm striking a balance, like, gosh, can I do something else today besides art? Can I go ride? I like the mountain bike, too, and anything. Just go for a walk.