Woozy Machine Tattoos

Mathew Sawyer is a great musician and artist. These days he tattoos under the name Woozy Machine @woozymachinetattoos on instagram. Le document caught up with Mathew and he give these answers …

Le Document (LD) When did you start making tattoos?

Mathew Sawyer (MS) I made a few terrible hand poked tattoos with a sewing needle and Indian ink (not advised) about 20 years ago, about 15 years ago I bought a crappy machine from eBay to tattoo myself. I didn’t do much with it until about 6 years ago when I got obsessed with tattooing and made a huge effort to teach myself properly. Tattooed myself a ton more, then friends, then strangers.

LD Are they nerve wracking to do?

MS Not anymore, in general. After the first 1000 you get pretty used to it. They certainly were though. And there’s definitely still a few that you get the sweats with.

LD Which commissions are the easiest or most fun?

MS Most fun is anything kind of ridiculous or where the client gives you a certain freedom with the design on the day.

LD Of the tattoos on your own body is there one you particularly like?

MS These days I only get tattooed by myself or people I know and like. The image is sometimes secondary to the whole magic process of marking the skin. That’s what you fall in love with. It’s transformative. Each tattoo you decorate your body with makes you feel more at home.

LD Who would you most like to draw on?

MS Everyone.

Here is an interview with Mathew Sawyer from Harry Pye’s Rebel Magazine.