Lana, a girl had worked in a tattoo studio before, approaches tattoo art with passion and care in her own way, hoping to become a professional tattoo artist one day.

"I’ve loved pen doodling since young; I always conceive an idea for a long time, repeat modifying painting patterns, and then tattoo it on my own arms."

Lana said that arms are like a moving canvas, but she would not be in any rush to put any inspiration into tattoo as an exercise. No matter what way the pattern was presented or what meaning of the pattern was to her, she pondered the pattern over and over again. She created an initial pattern on paper first, conceived the idea again and again, repeated modifications, had a long period of reflection, confirmed the final pattern, and then she would consider whether to apply in her hands.

To me, every tattooist should be responsible for not only the customers, but also his or her own works.

During the conversation, we can tell that Lana is a passionate, creative, and persistent person. Before confirming the connection between herself and the pattern, she won’t tattoo. She will not become a tattooist until she reaches her own satisfying state. Before she establishes trust and good communication with her clients, she will not make tattoos for them.

She believes that tattoo industry workers have certain responsibilities for the stigma of the art of tattooing in Taiwan. If a tattooist wants to make money fast, then it is impossible for him or her to be 100% responsible for the customers and works, or try his or her best.

"Three years ago, I came into contact with tattoos, like Johnny Depp said, 'My body is a journal in a way. It's like what sailors used to do, where every tattoo meant something, a specific time in your life.'"

There’re lots of portraits and sketches on Lana’s Instagram, which she takes as basic practices. Sketches convey being rational and objective while creativity is rich in emotions, personal opinions and ideas. For her, creativity is another different basic skill honed.

She enjoyed the moment of "drawing" in her childhood, but her parents did not want her to study the fine arts classes and University of the Arts. After a year in the university, though she didn’t know clearly what she wanted, she was sure that her life at that moment was not what she wanted.

After seeing her favorite musicians’ tattoos, Lana was increasingly interested in tattoos. She thought tattooing was very delicate, and the body was like a moving canvas. When a fine needle contacted with the skin, tattoos artists attentively focused, and very fine marks left permanently on the body, all of these were very appealing to her.

For her, whether tattoos are commercial or artistic, tattooing is a serious matter. Tattooing as well as piercing, is invasive to the human body. To tattoo others, one must have a physician's license in Korea, and a business license in New York. But little do people in Taiwan know these subcultures and there is no complete legislation, and many tattoo artists are irresponsible, which seriously leads to the public misunderstanding of the tattoo art.

For her, whether tattoos are commercial or artistic, tattooing is a serious matter. Tattooing as well as piercing, is invasive to the human body. To tattoo others, one must have a physician's license in Korea, and a business license in New York. But little do people in Taiwan know these subcultures and there is no complete legislation, and many tattoo artists are irresponsible, which seriously leads to the public misunderstanding of the tattoo art.

"Camus's L'Étranger is really touching to me, because the life it depicts is close to my perception of reality."

Like every creator, readers, listeners as well as viewers, are hard-working. Reading for her is non-stop thinking, which constantly stimulates her inspiration practice.

Like every creator, readers, listeners as well as viewers, are hard-working. Reading for her is non-stop thinking, which constantly stimulates her inspiration practice.

At the end of the interview, she said, "Those who want to have tattoos should have a certain degree of understanding the tattoo patterns and texts and its importance to them. Even if they just think this design is very cool, or good-looking, it doesn’t matter, but on their own, the meaning of the tattoos must be significant, otherwise it will be easier for them to have regret."

And more importantly, one should find a tattoo artist who he can trust. First, understand the past works of the tattoo artist, and in the course of the inquiry, mutually understand each other's ideas, and decide whether to trust this tattoo artist or not.

Lana deeply believes that she may face the reality of compromise, malicious criticism by competitors and other conditions, but as long as each tattooist starts from him or herselve, the tattoo culture and environment in Taiwan will become better.

” I’m from Taiwan.“ Yi-Shuan Lin cheered in the international tattoo contest.

This year, Yi-Shuan Lin defeated the tattooists came from all over the world and won the first prize in the tattoo contest at Indonesia.

There are various tattoo stores at Keelung,Taiwan. However, Yi-Shuan Lin was the one who won the first prize as the youngest and least experienced.

Yi-Shuan Lin has worked as iron worker, painter and repair worker . Nonetheless, he gave up all the works as the reason of laziness. Not until he joined the troupe, he decided to learn tattoo because there’s a failure which can not be fixed on his friend’s skin.

Actually, he already had some basic ideas about tattoo before he really got into the field. When he was 25, he made up his mind to become a tattooist.

Frankly speaking, he learned the skills and strived for the contest silently without informing his parents. One day, his parents surprisingly noticed on the Facebook after he gained his popularity. He replied “I never think of the result when doing anything. Because if it doesn't work out, I can always start over again.”

By working on the contests and exhibitions, Yi-Shuan Lin gained his personal experiences and gave him great quantity of learning opportunities.

In the process of learning tattoos, it’s challenging even at some details. However, his teacher taught in guidance so it needs time for him to fumble from structuring,drawing to coloring. Regardless of the depth, gradient and transparency of one color, once made Yi-Shuan Lin give up. At last, he said ” when learning tattoo skills, you must tried to understand it ,breakthrough it again and again.”

Being an apprentice at 25, standing on the international stage at 34, he has worked in tattoo field for almost ten years. “Follow your interest.”Yi-Shuan Lin said. After three years of learning, six years of training also managing a tattoo store, he has already experienced a lot. Though he sometimes wanted to quit but usually ended up with trying harder. He didn't expect that he will win a international prize with such perseverance at the end.

Yi-Shuan Lin said that he was lucky for confronting his teacher, Mr. Lin. He became his apprentice when he was introduced to have a tattoo by Mr. Lin from a friend. Yi-Shuan Lin learned the skills from basics. Since apprentice, he never being late. At last, he realized a principle “ We need to work diligently and do it with patience.”

When discussing the field of tattoo, Yi-Shuan Lin believed we should join more contests to explore others’ masterpiece. Also, learning and asking questions would be important during the process. He has joined lots of contests in Taiwan but didn’t win the prize. However, the most important was that you really learned something and accumulated the experiences during the event.

“A tattoo having a story behind it can stir up our feelings instead of randomly decide your tattoo.”Yi-Shuan Lin said.

Once in the past, a customer decided to have a tattoo with two pandas on it. At first, Yi-Shuan Lin can’t understand why choosing such graphic. After finding out the story behind it, he realized that two pandas represented the customer’s son. He suicided at the court because of groundless.

Yi-Shuan Lin positioned himself as Japanese style. In general, tattooists should do any kind of graphics but he decided to concentrate on one style.

"Light of Taiwan!" Yilan City Tattoo Master Popping Lee, participating in the international competition tattoo held in San Francisco, combined the totem of Guan Gong and Journey to the West and w three championships on the totems of Asia, black and white big picture, and back picture.

34-year-old Popping Lee has been into tattooing for six years. He has been involved in the international tattoo contests hosted by Taiwan and the Philippines. On March 15, he went to San Francisco to participate in the international tattoo contest, with more than 200 tattoo artists competing in the same field.

Popping Lee used Guan Gong totem to sign up for 3 items of Asian picture, black and white big picture, and the back picture. His exquisite craftsmanship brought Guan Gong, the Monkey King and other figures to life, captured the judges’ eye, and won three championships.

Popping Lee said that the theme of the works centered on Guan Gong. Because the model had his legs tattooed with the roles in Journey to the West, he decided to mix the characters in the two stories after discussion, such as Guan Gong, the Monkey King, Dong, Pigsy and other totems.

The whole process is very time-consuming and the work took more than 100 hours to complete. He was amazed and excited about winning three championships at one time. He humbly owed his success to "his own good luck."

Speaking of the process of going into tattooing, Popping Lee said that he worked as an English teacher in Taipei after leaving the army, which he later found uninterested and came back to Ilan to be a dance teacher. Later, he wanted to start his own businesses and then he sold colored helmets in the night market. His friend found his painting beautiful and creative, and thus introduced him to learn tattooing. The more he learns, the more experience he earns. He has learned tattooing for six years in a row.

Popping Lee thinks knowledge of tattoos has no limit and requires constant exchanges and competitions to make progress. He hopes that he can continue the momentum of winning and create new heights.