Gianmarco Materazzi is a multi-award-winning tattoo artist from Italy, focusing on the traditional tattoo style inspired by classic tattoo artists from the 1900s, reinterpreted in a modern but still closely tied to the classic approach.
Gianmarco has participated in and received significant awards from prominent tattoo conventions, among which the prestigious Napoli Tattoo Convention in 2019, where he was awarded the first prize. Napoli is widely regarded as one of the most prominent tattoo conventions in Italy and Europe, gathering every year the best tattoo artists in the world and thousands of visitors to admire them competing against each other and creating incredible tattoos.
After winning the Napoli Tattoo Convention, Gianmarco’s international notoriety and reputation in the tattoo industry skyrocketed. As a result, he was honored to work as a resident artist at two iconic studios in Rome, Eternal City Tattoo and Psycho Tattoo, where Gianmarco quickly became one of the leading artists and main representatives. His presence not only elevated their standing within the industry but also attracted new clientele, bolstering their revenue and popularity.
Gianmarco also traveled throughout Europe invited to guest spots for among the most prestigious studios, such as Ink Factory Dublin, Black Garden Tattoo London, Sanctum Tattoo Stockholm, Sacrifice Tattoo Barcelona, The Family Business Tattoo London, among others.
During his career, Gianmarco had the opportunity to meet and learn from some of the greatest masters in the industry, such as Vince Pages, Stizzo, Iain Mullen, Jelle Soos, Bara, Rudy Fritsch, and many others. He shared experiences with them that have helped him grow significantly, both personally and professionally.
1. What inspired you to become a tattoo artist and when did you start it as a career?
Since I was a child, I accompanied my parents to tattoo studios and spent hours in the waiting rooms. This exposure to the art form and the vibrant atmosphere of tattoo studios sparked my fascination and curiosity. As I grew older, I started sketching at high school my first designs and experimenting with horrible tattoos made on friends and family. The more I dived into the world of tattooing, the more I realized that it was where my passion lies. When I finished with school I immediately started working as an apprentice in Rome in 2017.
2. How many tattoos do you have on your body and what’s your favorite one?
I really can’t count them, but unfortunately, I have a few spaces left to tattoo and they are painful. As for my favorite tattoo, it’s difficult to choose one because I’ve been lucky enough to collect tattoos from various artists whom I admire greatly. I am particularly fond of a dot on my ankle that I did myself at school when I was 14 years old.
3. Which is your favorite client tattoo, what was the story behind it, and how much time it took?
I am grateful to all the clients who chose me to entrust them with a piece of their skin, over the years I have been fortunate thanks to this profession to meet many people from all over the world. Despite this, I have to admit that about a year and a half ago I started tattooing Stefano, who contacted me after seeing a full arm on one of his friends. To this day, we have completed both arms and we are almost finished with the first leg, I can confidently say that he has become more of a friend than a customer and it is pleasing to see how passionate he has become about the world of tattooing.
4. What do you do in your free time when not tattooing people?
I enjoy painting, with acrylics or ceramics. I also dabble in some small sculptures, and in general, I enjoy all types of crafts. Otherwise, I like to spend time in nature, traveling for vacation, or working with my wife Maya, and my two dogs Pino and Rosie.
5. Why do you think people get a tattoo, even though it’s a painful process?
I believe there are millions of reasons why a person may want to get a tattoo, from ascribing important meaning to the tattoo or to beautifying their body to feel more accepting of oneself. Many times, people get tattoos simply because they like a design, and that is also beautiful. Certainly, if the motivation is significant enough, the pain becomes secondary.
6. Who is your favorite tattoo artist?
There are so many tattoo artists that I admire, both present and past. Choosing one is impossible, but right now I’m quite obsessed with Stoney St. Clair, his designs are crazy.
7. What are different styles of tattoos do you make?
I enjoy tattooing anything, but most of the time I end up tattooing my favorite style, which is traditional American, both in color and black and white.
8. Where do you see the future of Tattoos?
Predicting the future of tattooing is impossible, and sincerely, I hope that there is an increasing desire to learn and be curious, from tattoo artists and clients. Otherwise, there is a risk of losing a magical world, leaving only memories behind.
9. Where do you see yourself in the next 5 years?
Honestly, I’m glad to not be sure of it, I sincerely hope to have visited and worked in as many places as possible and to collect a lot of experiences.
10. If you get a choice, which celebrity would you like to Tattoo and any specific design?
If I could choose, I would pick either Anthony Kiedis or Ozzy Osbourne. Anything they want, from the flash book, is heaven.
11. Please share your social handles and how to reach out to get a tattoo.
You just need to send a DM to Instagram@jimmistein.
