Today we’d like to introduce you to Tyler Borich
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I started tattooing in 2004 in Cincinnati, OH. I was lucky to do a very old school apprenticeship with Dana Brunson and his family, I learned so much about the foundations of what makes a good tattoo and mistakes to avoid. Getting to learn from someone who had been tattooing over 30 years at that point and all the other tattooers in the shop with decades of experience was amazing, I absorbed so much information and still rely on much of it today.
I had friends in Los Angeles and there was a job opening so I moved to Pasadena in 2008 to work for Jason Schroder at Incognito Tattoo. Jason put a lot of time in with me and went over not just the technical part of doing tattoos and creating designs, but a lot of great insight into how to work with clients and really figure out what they’re looking for in a design and the overall experience at the tattoo shop. I’ve been fortunate to work at a bunch of great shops since I’ve been in L.A. I worked with Bryan Burk at Dark Horse Tattoo and learned a lot about the business side of tattooing, Bryan was very generous helping me open my shop Best Wishes Tattoo in Eagle Rock in 2022.
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?
There have been so many bumps and changes. After 21 years of tattooing and 17 years in Los Angeles I feel like the tattoos I do feel very different from where I started. I have been doing fine line and single needle tattoos for all of my career, but I didn’t start focusing on them more exclusively until 2013. I’m lucky to have dedicated clients that are interested in the different styles I have explored, and I have worked with so many talented tattooers that were free with information and techniques that pushed my tattooing even further.
Getting my shop off the ground has been a challenge, I was diagnosed with throat cancer while getting everything finished with the shop and it’s hard enough just opening a business. I am extremely fortunate and grateful to be one year cancer free this month and getting to get back to work with great clients on their Tattoo ideas.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I like many styles of tattooing, but I am most partial to fine line and single needle dog portraits. I have a Pomeranian named Spencer and he has changed my life. Getting to work with people to create a tribute to their pet is one of my favorite parts of Tattooing. People have such an important bond with their animals and it’s a huge honor to work on these tattoos with them. I obviously love getting to tattoo Pomeranians and other dogs, but I’ve been asked to do cats, and even a duck. Animals have so much personality, it’s great to be able to bring that out in their portraits. Sometimes I get to make a tattoo of a dog that is still around, but often it will be a dog that has passed away and I get to help someone create a lasting tribute to their pet and give them some form of closure. Getting to talk to someone about their pet and hear how they were changed by their time together is a real privilege and I’m getting be a part of that tribute to their bond.
If we knew you growing up, how would we have described you?
I was a handful growing up, but luckily that was a long time ago. I am fortunate to have creative parents that encouraged me to explore all different mediums and not get discouraged when things take time to learn. My dad is a painter and has always had great insight when it comes to art and art history. I was interested in tattoos at a young age, but started tattooing later in life. Getting into Tattooing when I did I got to experience a huge shift in the culture, some parts good and some bad. I am grateful to have met the artists I did and see some amazing work getting done.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://tylerborich.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tylerborich
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tylerborichtattoos
- Twitter: https://x.com/tylerborich
- Yelp: https://yelp.com/biz/best-wishes-tattoo-los-angeles
- Other: https://bestwishestattoo-la.com
