Fashion Based Tattoo Design | Ryan Ashley | EP 203
Fashion Based Tattoo Design | Ryan Ashley | EP 203
Ryan Ashley sits down to break apart the creative process behind fashion-influenced tattoo design, and this conversation is packed with gold for anyone trying to level up their work. She walks through everything from her healing protocols to how her fashion design background completely transformed the way she approaches fitting tattoos to the human body.
Her and Jake talk about finding your authentic style, building confidence in your technical execution, and why your peers' respect might matter more than you think. If you've ever felt stuck between being a technician and being an artist, this episode is going to make a difference.
This episode was made possible thanks to:
This episode was ALSO made possible thanks to:
Interview by By Jake Meeks —
Writing By Daniel Pushcarich —
Topics: Ryan Ashley, tattoo healing process, Saniderm, fashion design, tattoo technique, body curvature, individual style, artistic voice, peer approval, boutique tattoo shops, client experience, production quality, technical execution, creative process, pattern making
“Don't be afraid to let your hand do what it wants to do; you just have to trust it." — Ryan Ashley
Ryan Ashley (@ryanashleymalarkey) Known for her appearances on the television shows Ink Master and its spin-offs, Ryan made history by becoming the first female tattoo artist to win Season 8 of “Ink Master.” She was such a fan favorite that she became part of two InkMaster spin off shows: ‘InkMaster: Angels’ and a judge on ‘Ink Master: Grudge Match’. In 2022, she returned to InkMaster as a Judge for several seasons.
Ryan is known for her intricate Black and Grey tattoos, her Jewelry, and Lace-Like Skin Art. She comes from a background in the fashion industry, having graduated from FIT, the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York City, and worked in the fashion industry where she designed beadwork, lace details, embroidery, and appliqués for garments. She uses the artistic skills she learned from working with beading and lace and translates those inspiring and ornamental designs into the medium of tattooing.
Ryan Ashley is based in Grand Junction, CO and tattoos at Elysium Tattoo Studio.
Please enjoy!
INTERVIEW LINKS, MENTIONS, AND SHOW NOTES BELOW…
SELECTED LINKS FROM THE EPISODE
Connect with Ryan Ashley Malarkey:
SHOW NOTES
[01:44] Tattoo Technique and Healing Process
[03:44] Presentation Insights from Ryan Ashley
[05:10] Fashion Influence on Tattoo Design
[07:04] Finding Individual Style in Tattooing
[08:37] Embracing Your Unique Style
[09:36] The Influence of Early Experiences
[10:19] Transitioning from Fashion to Tattooing
[11:41] Navigating Technical Challenges in Tattooing
[13:23] The Importance of Confidence in Art
[14:09] Evolving as an Artist
[17:04] The Desire for Peer Approval in Tattooing
[17:26] The Importance of Tattooing Experience
[18:30] Working in a Supportive Environment
[19:30] Tattooing in Smaller Markets
[21:00] Clientele and Personalized Attention
[24:05] The Evolution of Tattoo Shops
[26:16] Team Dynamics in Tattooing
[26:40] Production Quality and Audience Engagement
From Fashion School to Skin: How Ryan Ashley's Design Background Changed Her Tattooing Game
Ryan Ashley didn't just stumble into her signature approach to tattooing—she built it on a foundation most tattooers never touch. Her fashion design education, specifically her training in pattern making and human anatomy, gave her an advantage when it came to understanding how designs flow across the body's natural curves. She's taken those hard-learned lessons about draping fabric and translated them directly into creating tattoos that work with the body instead of fighting against it, and that difference is what separates decent work from pieces that genuinely look like they live and belong on a person.
The transition from designing textiles to tattooing skin wasn't instant, and Ryan's honest about the technical growing pains she experienced early in her career. She spent time experimenting with different styles, making mistakes, and learning from tattoos that didn't age the way she wanted them to. That combination of technical refinement and artistic vision is what she's constantly balancing now, and it's what gives her work the staying power that collectors are looking for—not just something that photographs well fresh, but something that holds up years down the line.
Finding Your Artistic Voice Without the Noise
What really stands out is how Ryan emphasizes trusting your own hand and developing your personal style instead of chasing what's already working for established artists. She advocates for keeping a throwaway sketchbook where you can create without judgment, letting your instincts guide the work instead of external expectations. That's where the magic happens—when you put your headphones in, stop worrying about what everyone else is doing, and just let your creativity flow without second-guessing every line, because that's when you start creating pieces that actually resonate with both you and your clients.
Here's the thing about comparing yourself to other artists—it's a creativity killer that leads straight to self-doubt and hesitation. Ryan talks about how crucial it is to trust your artistic instincts the same way you'd trust yourself merging onto a highway in heavy traffic, because hesitation in either situation leads to problems. Your hand already knows what it wants to do if you'd just get out of your own way and stop overthinking every decision based on what you think will get approval or what's trending on Instagram right now.
The throwaway sketchbook concept is a game-changer for breaking through that creative paralysis that comes from worrying about judgment. This isn't about creating portfolio pieces or posting everything for validation—it's about giving yourself permission to explore without consequences, to make marks that might be ugly or weird or completely off-brand. Ryan's own creative process involves spontaneous sketching on her iPad without worrying about the outcome, and that freedom is what allows genuine artistic voice to emerge instead of just producing technically competent but soulless copies of what's already been done a thousand times before.
MORE Ryan Ashley QUOTES FROM THIS INTERVIEW
Fashion Influence on Tattoo Design
[05:10] "A huge part of my education was learning how to get things to fit the human body right."
— Ryan Ashley
Finding Individual Style in Tattooing
[07:04] "The pieces that you're going to create that are going to resonate the most are the pieces that you draw when you're sitting down, putting your headphones in, and just sketching."
— Ryan Ashley
Clientele and Personalized Attention
[21:00] "We try to show them a really good time if they come for a couple of days to get tattooed."
— Ryan Ashley
The Evolution of Tattoo Shops
[24:05] "The industry is evolving to support every type of shop and artist."
— Ryan Ashley
PEOPLE MENTIONED
Gallery Of Ryan Ashley
This episode was made possible thanks to:
This episode was ALSO made possible thanks to:
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