Ben Sloth
How did you first break into the world of tattooing?
Back in 2014, I was in an altercation where I was stabbed multiple times. When I got out of the hospital in recovery, I promised myself to only do things that I found truly important. Life is short. No more meaningless pursuits. I quit a lot of the stuff I was doing because it was heartless. Around that same time, just after I had recovered, the fellas from the tattoo shop I frequented invited me out for drinks and explained to me the freedom of tattooing and some other benefits of the job and asked if it was something I might want to try. I was an aspiring painter and illustrator at that time but strangely, I had never thought about tattooing, despite being fairly well covered myself. Turns out after a few weeks working alongside the boys at the shop, it started to feel like the right move. That began my apprenticeship and a few years later, I got my start.
I've been consistently amazed at how your designs seem to have an extra bit of originality that deviates from other American traditional tattooers out there. What's your process for drawing up new designs that haven't been executed before?
That’s kind of you to say. As far as new material, I still tend to reinvent classics and draw freestyle a lot but I’m constantly in book stores, reading mags, browsing images and taking inspiration from other artists and designers. Vintage graphics, comic books, music-related art and old school film stuff are all really big inspirations for me.
With the amount of skulls and reapers you do, is it ever difficult to come up with new concepts?
There seems to be endless ways to illustrate a skull or a reaper and they can also always be incorporated with other imagery, so it’s really flexible. I try not to get to focused on one thing for too long. Maybe because I’m leaving and coming back a lot helps me make it fresh again.
Between classics, customs or flash: which do you prefer most and why?
Most definitely flash. Nothing will ever top flash but customs can be gratifying as well. If it’s something I can do a decent job on, it’s always great to make an idea happen for a client.
Why do you lean towards all-black tattoos vs color?
Most of my first few years were spent doing chunky, bold traditional classic color tattoos and quite honestly the clientele it was attracting just wasn’t for me. I didn’t really care all that much at first because I was simply happy to be tattooing and making cash, but it really just didn’t represent me well. But, as I grew as a better technical artist, who I really was, it started to come out in my artwork. That helped me create a darker, more sinister direction that was more in-tune to who I truly am and how I really feel.
What's your favorite/least favorite parts of the body to tattoo?
I’ve been tattooing a lot of heads lately and I’ve strangely grown to like it. It’s a striking spot and it’s also a challenge to do. Albeit I don’t do them very often, I could probably go without tattooing feet.
How does living in San Francisco influence your work?
Quite frankly, it doesn’t. Working in San Francisco has its challenges. Sadly, it’s lost a lot of its grit. The subcultures and lower-to-middle class folks have suffered and as a result, the market for real true tattooing has as well. Luckily, there’s still some real ones here and there and enough normal folks sprinkled around the Bay to allow me to make due. For that, I’m extremely grateful.
Got any connections to the skateboarding world that we should know about?
I gotta mention my boy, Nestor Judkins. We met hella years ago at a rooftop party of an abandoned building that we used to mess around in, next to my old warehouse spot. That same night I introduced him to my roommate. They ended up getting married and have a kid now - crazy! Shout out to Casper! They remain some of my closest friends. He’s doing a hell of a good job with his organization “Salad Days of Skateboarding”. They bring communities together overseas by teaching, supplying and assisting young skaters and partnering with locally run skate parks that facilitate all sorts of good stuff. Check em out - they are making some special things happen.
Originally published in Issue 5 - January 2025