Today we’d like to introduce you to Tyler Borich.
Hi Tyler, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I started tattooing in 2004 in Cincinnati, Ohio. I was fortunate to learn tattooing through an apprenticeship with Dana Brunson at Designs by Dana, an established shop with decades of history. I learned all aspects of how to clean and be safe, make needles, build machines, mix colors, and the countless other day-to-day parts of running a tattoo shop. I learned a ton about single needle tattooing at Dana’s and still base my work on the fundamentals I learned there. I came to Los Angeles in 2008 to work for Jason Schroder at Incognito Tattoo in Pasadena and learned more about building and tuning tattoo machines and how to approach large scale work. Since moving to Los Angeles I’ve had the opportunity to work for many great tattooers including Bryan Burk who along with Jason Schroder encouraged me and advised me on opening my shop Best Wishes Tattoo in Eagle Rock.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Tattooing is constantly changing and you have to change with it. COVID and 2020 turned tattooing upside down and the way we do business has changed a lot. Opening a shop at the beginning of a recession, getting diagnosed with cancer and recovering from surgery, all these things are part of living but it will put a kink in your plans and you have to find a way to work through them. I love Tattooing and being able to work on the shop, so even though you could call these obstacles I’m just happy to be able to come to work and work with great clients. Getting to help people with their tattoos makes my work very fulfilling and gets me out of bed every morning.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I specialize in single needle and fine line tattooing. My favorite tattoos are dog portraits, but I enjoy traditional tattoo designs too. Getting to work with other dog owners and hear about their relationships with their dogs is great. I enjoy portrait work and it’s so satisfying to see a portrait take shape and capture the energy in these photos of people’s pets. Often people are getting a portrait of their dog that is no longer around so I want to make their tattoo as great as I can to make a fitting memorial. I tattoo a lot of single needle lettering as well; I’ve always enjoyed the technical challenge and it’s a pleasure to work with people that seek out and appreciate single needle tattoos.
Before we let you go, we’ve got to ask if you have any advice for those who are just starting out?
Constructive criticism is the only way to learn and get better. No one gets great on their own, no one can figure out everything by themselves. Learning from people that already made mistakes and figured out how to do something just gets you there faster, but you have to listen and take the advice. Learning in a traditional apprenticeship environment gave me a huge head start in Tattooing and also set me up to continue learning. Also, you cannot draw enough. Learning to draw for Tattoos is like relearning to draw, so putting in the time drawing will help you make better Tattoos.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.bestwishestattoo-la.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tylerborich
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/Best-Wishes-Tattoo/61556817155216/#
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/best-wishes-tattoo-los-angeles
- Other: https://www.tylerborich.com
