With the buzzing sounds of tattoo needles and the vast array of colorful ink on display, tattoo studios are where creative ideas come to life. Georgia State senior Blake Roberts is the man, the artist and the magic behind his tattoo shop, Cabin Ink Studios.
Roberts is a multi-talented artist who takes pride in all forms of his art, including murals, drawings and tattoos. He hones his skills at school, studying studio art as his major with a concentration in drawing, painting and printmaking.
“I had already been interested in tattoos because I was a painter and muralist at the time, so they kind of coexisted,” Roberts said. “I felt like it would be different than me just painting on canvas because I look at tattooing as painting on people’s skin, and from then on, I started learning as much as I could about it.”
Roberts became fully invested in the world of tattoos once he started getting ink of his own. He channeled his curiosity and desire to do more with his art by learning new tattooing techniques and styles and mastering old ones.
“I think I’ve always had the same style for a lot of my work, such as black and white illustrated, portraits and color illustrated, but now, I just know how to execute them better,” he said. “Since I started, my techniques have changed because I’ve gotten more experienced the more I tattoo, and I’ve learned tricks to make a tattoo look a certain way.”
Taking his life savings, a dream and his tattoo needles, Roberts ventured out so he could put his talents to work. He refused to limit his business and brand to the comfort of his home or someone else’s shop, so he decided to create a space of his own.
“I didn’t know much about commercial leasing, running a shop and other things of that nature,” Roberts said. “I had to educate myself about the rules and regulations for body art in Fulton County and just study it until I got it all together.”
After much contemplation, Roberts finally found a perfect space and his vision. Just by looking at the building, he saw his business’s potential and future coming to life.
“I finally found a place that I liked, so I sketched out how I wanted it to look on my iPad and brought my vision to life,” he said. “I started contacting people to put those plans in motion, and it was up from there.”
Taking risks and doing thorough research played a significant part in Roberts’ journey to becoming a successful business owner. While he’s where he wants to be now, he has high hopes for his business’s future. He credits his success to his clients and supporters, who keep him motivated.
“I hope that myself and my journey would inspire some people to stay on a path of their own because that’s what motivates me the most,” Roberts said. “I wouldn’t have anything or gained ideas if it wasn’t for my clients that come to me and the people that supported me and helped me along the way.”
