Check Out Mickey Newell’s Story

Today we’d like to introduce you to Mickey Newell.

Hi Mickey, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
I’ve been tattooing officially since February of 2024. Although technically since 2020 when I was 18. I got my first three tattoos within being a week of 18 and then Covid hit and I couldn’t get any more because everything was shut down. Soo I started tattooing myself and fell in love with it. Finally got an apprenticeship January of 2023, messed up myself and a few friends along the way. Now I’m blessed to call this my job! It took me 3 years to find a shop to apprentice at but I’m happy with where I ended up. I’m surrounded by incredibly talented people.

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Mixed bag for sure. My favorite is religious so they weren’t too excited about my decision to pursue this career. Not because they didn’t like me tattooing but, because they didn’t like tattoos on me. After a while, I think they came to the conclusion that they couldn’t stop me. I have now tattooed both of my parents, at least three to four times each.

The apprentice setting can be hard. Mine was definitely more on the traditional side. It was a year before I even touched a machine. Lots of cleaning, running the social media accounts, getting yelled at. Imposter syndrome. All the fun stuff.

Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
Primarily I tattoo, but I also do some graphic design work. Making album covers, and posters for local bands and the odd logo design here and there. I sew, paint, draw, sculpt, essentially anything I can get my hands on. Tattooing is where my heart lies. Stylistic. I’m open to almost anything. I really like American traditional, Japanese, and black and gray work. Color is probably my favorite though. Before I got into Tattoo, I only wanted black ink tattoos, but then I saw what was possible, and it completely changed my mind. I am most proud of how far I have come and how much farther I have to go. This is just the beginning for me.

How do you think about luck?
I would say luck has mainly played a part in my career when it comes to social media. I have no idea what I’m doing but I post once a day and hope for the best. So far, it’s going all right! Everything else is work. Nonstop drawing for 4 years. In my life? I am not sure. I had a rough upbringing but I am a happy person and I love what I have been able to accomplish in spite of it. My business is my life. That has pros and cons. I’m 24 and been career driven for 6 years so my social life definitely took a hit. In the last year I’ve been working on having more of a balance between work and life. I’ve met a lot of incredible people that I’m proud to call my friends, clients and colleagues.

Pricing:

• Our shop is $150 minimum but that is flexible if you’re wanting something quite small
• We are always willing to work within a budget! Even if that means simplifying the design or breaking up the tattoo into multiple sessions.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://laluztattoo.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mickey.inks?igsh=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ==
• Youtube: https://youtube.com/@mickeyinks?si=Bww2-Jw7pu5pTMi3
• Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@mickey.inks?_r=1&_t=ZT-96J2jHe2Y86