Tattoo Artist Breathes Life Into People’s Scars Making Them a Living Piece of Art

Without a doubt, every body is beautiful, yet individuals with scars or visible marks may struggle to see it that way. Keeping this in mind, Marta Madrigal, a skilled tattoo artist in France, is using her incredible talent to work wonders by concealing scars and other body marks with exquisite tattoos. Let us tell you more about her passion and show her incredible work in our interview.

Where do you usually get ideas for the tattoos?

When I design flash, inspiration can come from anywhere: a tile on a wall, the design of a bath towel, the geometric shapes of the floor, a flower that I saw in the middle of the city, a new flower that I saw on the mountain and that I didn’t know... I always take photos with my cell phone.

But when it comes to a personal project, I ask the client to tell me the flowers or patterns they want, and above all, a photo of their whole body and another of the part we will tattoo... When I have both, the drawing comes by itself. Sometimes I have to do a thousand tests until I find the design that convinces me.

At what point did you decide to make reconstructive tattoos?

I am lucky to be part of a family of artists and tattooists. My father and my brother have a tattoo parlor in Seville (Spain), @twotattoo_sevilla. My father specializes in cover-ups, reconstructive tattoos on scars, stretch marks, burns, mastectomies and tummy tucks.

Seeing the results he got and hearing or reading people’s testimonies that he changed their lives with these tattoos, inspired me. These are the most satisfying tattoos because, in addition to the aesthetic sense, there is also the psychological one.

These tattoos are a kind of therapy for people who decide to take the plunge to be able to turn the page. Scars or pathologies sometimes mean significant trauma for people, which can directly affect their daily lives. You can’t imagine the joy and excitement of seeing the moment when the person looks in the mirror with their finished tattoo, or receiving messages in which they tell me: “I finally put on a bikini and I don’t hide my body, but I show it with pride!”

Do you remember your first reconstructive tattoo?

My first reconstructive tattoo was done on someone very close to me. My sister-in-law has always been self-conscious about her back, due to severe scoliosis. Taking advantage of a visit to Seville, she therefore talked to my father about covering her up or hiding her in some way. At that time, I wasn’t tattooing yet...

As soon as I started tattooing, I thought maybe I could help her. This was my 40th tattoo, I think the best way for you to know how you feel about this type of tattoo is to read the article, in which the tattooed person tells his or her experience in the first person.

What does your community look like?

The clients I know are very similar to each other and also to myself!

I am very demanding in my work and with the tattooing instructions. If someone wants to contact me, they must fill out a complete and concrete form by email. Therefore, if a person does not take tattooing seriously, they will not be able to get tattooed by me.

They choose me and I choose them. Chemistry comes naturally and in both directions. Since email contact can seem a bit cold (although with many people we get along well and laugh a lot over emails) and I like to feel closer to my community, I usually interact with them via Instagram. There you can find out who I really am.

Every tattoo may have different meanings and aims, sometimes even cultural ones. A 106-year-old legendary Filipino tattoo artist has created history by becoming the latest cover model for Vogue Philippines. Despite the traditional ban on headhunting, a rite of passage mainly for men, Whang-Od gained renown for her cultural tattoos and notably tattooed more women than men.