Today we’d like to introduce you to Dave Woodard.
Hi Dave, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I first got into the business around 1994. I started out as a body piercer at Skin & Bones in Dallas, TX. I did that for about 7 years before landing a Tattoo apprenticeship. I tattooed in Addison TX for about 5 years before getting a chair at Saints & Sinners Tattoo located in Carrollton. That’s where I feel I REALLY got to learn the craft of tattooing. I was fortunate enough to have worked with some of the most amazing tattoo artists for 12 years. I learned SO much working at that shop, not just tattooing, but drawing, painting, how to map out large-scale tattoos. It also gave me the opportunity to start my tattoo travels. I’ve tattooed in Iceland, Italy, Belgium, Denmark, Switzerland, Germany, The Netherlands… not to mention many, many domestic tattoo conventions in the good old USA. I still travel and tattoo to this day. In 2021, I decided to open up my own shop in the city of Lewisville. We opened Prairie Rose Tattoo in the spring of 2021 and have been a staple in the neighborhood ever since. Our dedication of providing excellent tattoos with clean, friendly service has been very rewarding in so many ways.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Tattooing has its ups and downs like any career choice. I’d say it’s been smooth sailing for the most part. Keeping up with the times understanding that the internet has definitely changed tattooing in good and bad ways. A lot of us old-school tattooers had to adapt to how images get presented to us now, as opposed to the old way of “picking something off the wall”. However, I have noticed a resurgence of younger people starting to choose designs we have hanging on our walls. These are pre-drawn/painted designs called “tattoo flash”, usually based in the style of classic, traditional tattoos (eagles, flowers, dragons, etc.). Most people just bring in an image on the phones.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
The style of tattooing I love and do the most is American Traditional and traditional Japanese. Bold, clean lines, bright colors, or black & gray. I love recreating old-school designs from the early years of tattooing. To me, those images stand the test of time and usually look better as they age. If it ain’t broke… don’t fix it. A lot of these designs have been around for 100 years and STILL look amazing in the skin. I get the most gratification doing a tattoo that the client really wants, whether it’s a rose, or a semicolon… to see the excitement on their face after the tattoo is applied is SO rewarding. It’s all about the customer and what they want. The only time I say anything is if I think the image will look bad or not age well.
How do you define success?
Finding what you love to do and making a living out of it. It’s working for me so far.
Pricing:
- $80 minimum
- $200 hourly rate on large-scale tattoos.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.prairierosetattoo.com
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/tattoosbywoodard?igshid=OGQ5ZDc2ODk2ZA==
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063590531273&mibextid=LQQJ4d
Image Credits
Dave Woodard
