Daz Interview Series: Birdie, Victoria 8.1 Tattoo Artist

Have you seen Victoria 8.1? Not only does she come with stunning features new to Genesis 8.1 with improved UVs and Skin Shaders, but she also has killer tattoo pieces, thanks to Birdie. 

Birdie is a tattoo artist based in British Columbia, Canada, who worked closely with the Daz team to create each of Victoria’s incredible tattoos. We couldn’t be happier with how everything turned out and are proud to feature Birdie and her work!

The Interview

Your artwork/tattoos are amazing! How did you get involved in art?

My appreciation for art began at a young age. I love being able to make something tangible with my hands. I find creating is very fulfilling, and I enjoy exploring different mediums constantly. 

The opportunity of tattooing was presented to me when I was getting my sleeve tattooed by my mentor. It is very rare to get an apprenticeship offered to you, and I was very keen to learn the craft. It has been my favourite medium to work in so far. Tattooing is such a permanent art form, so I don’t take it lightly and always strive to better my work.

That’s incredible. What inspires you and sparks your creativity?

What most inspires me is nature, being outdoors, and the whimsical feeling it can have. Also, pop culture and anything from cartoons, video games, and toys inspire me. They remind me of a simpler time.

We love how colorful Victoria’s tattoos are! What is your favorite part of creating color tattoos/art?

I adore making colour tattoos. Playing with colour palettes is one of my most favourite things about tattooing and designing pieces. There are so many possibilities. My favourite tattoos are pieces that are very saturated, bright, and have contrast. It’s what I look for when I get tattooed and what I try to bring to life for my clients. 

Your passion is seriously contagious. What was your approach to creating tattoos for a digital character, and how did it differ from real clients?

I loved making designs for this digital character. It was fun to make designs that were large scale and that read well. Also, having no tattoo “roadblocks” in the way allowed me to have more freedom in the designs I made. Working around small tattoos that clients often get before moving onto large-scale pieces can create little obstacles that make creating a flowing design a bit of a challenge.

Also, I found myself designing tattoos I wish I could have had myself. I do pull a lot from pop culture at times, but when you are making pieces for the digital character, you cannot due to licensing reasons. It was an exciting project to take on.

Had you ever worked in the digital space like this before working on Victoria? What was this experience like?

I have never worked in a digital space like this before. It was amazing to see the process and all the hard work the artists put into the character. The details are unreal. It was honestly mind-blowing seeing the smallest details, down to the pores, come to life. I have the utmost respect for all of the artists involved.

And all of us here at Daz have the utmost respect for you and your dedication to your craft. Thanks for working with us and taking the time to tell us more about it!

Check out more of Birdie’s artwork on her Instagram account.

See the beauty and realism in Victoria 8.1.