Carlos Truan

How did you get introduced to the world of tattooing?

I first started seeing tattoos in the neighborhood where I grew up and of course I was very fascinated. I started hand poke, tattoos on friends and on myself. When I got a little older, I reconnected with some people I knew from my neighborhood and they were working in a tattoo shop. I stopped by occasionally to visit with them. They asked me if I wanted help to clean up so that we could get out of there faster and get to the bar. I didn’t have any plans on working there or getting a job in that shop nor did I think that anyone would even want me around. I was a little shithead running around selling drugs. One thing that I knew for sure was that I loved being there in that environment. Eventually, I started cleaning up helping out around the shop. Then somehow they let me pierce people but I was always drawing. I had an art background kind of because my father was an artist and it was something that I always really enjoyed doing. I guess the people in the shop saw that I was drawing a bunch and one of the guys I worked with offered me an apprenticeship. That was 1998.

How would you describe the tattoo culture in Austin / Texas as a whole? 

Austin has always had a really heavy tattoo culture. There has been some very influential tattoo artist here, and in Texas. I remember they always used to say that Austin had more tattooed people per capita than anywhere else. I’m not sure what that was based on or if it was a fact but it definitely seemed like that. Since early on, you could go anywhere and see people with some really cool, large scale tattoos. At most of the shops that I’ve worked in there has always been an influx of traveling guest tattoo, artist coming to work and lots of collectors traveling to get tattooed. It has been really cool to see. And I would say for the most part Tattooers here in this town all get along like there isn’t any type of rivalry.

What’s it been like to build Communion from the COVID uncertain days to a point where you’re able to open up a second location?

I signed the lease at communion not realizing that we were about to be in a worldwide pandemic. It was very scary and nothing was certain. But I went ahead and pushed through just to see what would happen and my landlord was very supportive so that definitely helped. I really had no intentions on working with anyone at first, but to be honest, working alone is pretty lame in my opinion. I figured if the right person with the right attitude showed up that I would bring them in. I really did not think people would want to work there. Over the next couple years more and more people wanted to be a part of it. It is a very special place with a special energy! I had a couple of people that were wanting to work with us, but I was pretty much out of room and right at that time I was offered another space just down the road at a really cool coffee shop that a friend of mine owns. So I was able to make a little more room for the overflow of the first shop. it has been so great and not anything what I expected. Both shops are really small and have a very welcoming, peaceful, relaxing energy.

Congrats on 10+ years of sobriety. How has that time affected your creativity and your lifestyle as a whole?

Thank you! Yes, on July 17 I will celebrate 12 years of sobriety  (I hope ) I’ve learned everything in sobriety. I learned how to be a father to be a friend, a good partner,  son, and a brother. I’ve learned to approach everything with love so far that has worked out really well. I had no idea all those years of using that all I had to do was the right thing no matter what and everything would be rad. I feel like I was always a pretty hard worker but now it’s completely different. I strive so much to be better than I was yesterday at everything and anything that I’m doing. I owe that to my customers that are trusting me with their body and I owe that to my family and myself.

What’s more difficult to tattoo: a neck or a head?

Neck and head tattoos are so hard! I do so many of them and still I’m so nervous every time I will even procrastinate to get started because I’m anxious about it. L O L I think that for positioning and how comfortable it is a head tattoo is easier to do. But it definitely bleeds more than any other part of the body. Neck tattoos are very uncomfortable for me to tattoo because it’s hard to get in a position that works. It’s a much smaller space and it’s hard to really plant your hand down so a lot of times my hand is just kind of floating. And also when I’m doing a neck tattoo I’m kind of like laying all over them so sometimes it feels kind of weird. But all in all I love doing them and I love the way they look and I’m so grateful that people trust me with such special parts of their body.

I’ve been told you have a crazy sock game. What’s the best pattern? Argyle or stripes?

I really do love my socks I don’t have any Argyle ones. But I’d love the colorful patterns or floral patterns and of course absolutely love checker patterns and stripes. Did you sneak into my house and look at my sock drawer? I’ve been collecting them for a while and I buy them any chance I get. I don’t know why I’m like this I’m assuming a lot of people are and that’s why there are so many different kinds.

How long have you been skateboarding and who do you look up to in that world?

I started skateboarding when I was around 12 or 13 and then I quit or stepped away. I don’t think I actually ever fully quit. But I stepped away the more I got into drugs and crime. No matter what I’ve always gone back to it in some capacity. When I met my partner Cat , skateboarding or the love of skateboarding was something that we had in common. She was getting more into the scene here in Austin when she moved here and she wanted me to be there with her so she bought me one Christmas. It was fully immersed. we have a really good time and have a lot of really great friends here that we skate with. It is such a great community. I have always loved Natas Kaupas and everyone from The Search for Animal Chin.

What was your first board?

The first board I had was from Walmart or whatever just some cheap board I don’t even remember what it was called. But then I guess the first real board was that classic Santa Cruz board. I think it was a hand me down for one of my cousins or something.

Originally published in Issue 3 - May 2024