Rich Hardy #4Real
#4REALFRIDAY IS WHERE I ASK 5 QUESTIONS TO SOME DAMN REAL, DAMN AWESOME PALS WHO ARE LIVING AND DOING DOPE STUFF 4REAL!
THEY'VE INSPIRED me OR BEEN A SUPPORT IN SOME WAY AND I WANNA SHARE THEM WITH YOU.
Rich Hardy
WHAT COFFEE DO YOU DRINK?
Black, mostly filter. Aeropress or V60. Haven't had a milky coffee in a long time.
WHAT WORK DO YOU DO?
I make tattoos
COOLEST ACHIEVEMENT?
Being fortunate to be able to travel around the world and be busy with work in every place I visit.
BIGGEST CHALLENGE?
Dealing with the bastardisation of tattooing
BEST ADVICE?
Don't become a tattooer and never kiss anyone's arse.
I met Rich about 5 years ago when him and his best mate Greg used to come in. While Greg was very chatty, Rich was a quiet and polite guy who liked to drink soy flatwhites and the vegan baked-beans made by the lady he's now engaged to - ah, not me... but one of my very good friends. So now I can harass him more than usual...well I try.
Over the past few years Rich has been traveling around the world tattooing wherever he goes. I think this is a pretty cool lifestyle he has been able to carve for himself. Though I don't think this is the norm or an easy path for any tattooist to follow. Rich has earned a strong reputation for his full frontal and bold 'traditional' styled western tattoos in which he takes inspiration mostly from the early to mid 1900's black and white tattoo pictures. He personalises them by simplifying them in some way or making certain lines bolder, taking in to consideration the design for the aging of his work. He wants his work to still look good as it ages. He prides himself on honoring traditional ways of tattooing which shows his respect for past tattooists he admires and the strong value of quality in his own work. It's interesting that weirdly there seems to be a similarity to aspects about coffee making also.
To me, Rich comes across introverted and reserved, but as I've gotten to know him, he definitely has strong opinions and isn't afraid to voice them if need be. He's funny too. He doesn't say things with a huge energy, just tells it as he sees it, and sticks to what he believes. Efficient and effective - like his work. I really like that about him. He's aware of whats going on around him but he's unlikely to give in to any pressures that aren't of his own doing. There's an underlying groundedness about him too which I think comes through his authentic approach towards his work.
I love that a lot of the tattoos he does only has a limited amount of colour, many are just black and white. They're my favorites actually.
Ever since i've known Rich he has always been very focused on his craft in every way. He's involved in everything to do with his tattooing and continually educates and inspires himself through actively collecting pictures and ideas as he travels. I hope to see this collection one day.
This guy is #4Real.
I'm yet to get a tattoo from him - hopefully this October when he's back in London again - something cute and girly, of course.
Check it out.
