Illustrious Illustrative Blackwork Tattoos: Think Before You Ink’s Q&A With Tattoo Artist Jenn Taco
By Sidra Lackey
Jenn “Taco” Ritacco of Red Raven Art Company (a custom tattoo studio and art gallery) in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, specializes in brillant blackwork tattoos. She comes from a family of tattoo artists, which led her to be immersed in tattoo culture at a young age. She has a formal art background, having studied Art Studio at Coastal Carolina University where she earned her Bachelor of Arts Degree. In 2021, she was welcomed into the Helios tattoo pro-team as a sponsored tattoo artist.
Think Before You Ink had the pleasure of picking Jenn’s brain for an enlightening interview:
THINK BEFORE YOU INK: Where did you grow up? And did that have an impact on you becoming a tattoo artist? (ex: Were you around tattoo culture via your family / friends / people in your neighborhood?)
JENN TACO: I was lucky enough to grow up on Cape Cod, Massachusetts (an extremely artsy place). My stepfather was a tattoo artist for 20+ years, and both he and my mother owned and operated their own studio. Being a part of studios from such a young age molded me into the artist I am today and gave me an “in” into an industry that was, and still is, hard to enter into.
TBYI: How long have you been a tattoo artist?
JENN TACO: I have been tattooing for approximately 4 years, all of which I’m extremely thankful for.
TBYI: Did you choose to be a tattoo artist or did tattooing choose you? (ex: did you always want to be an artist or did you fall into it?)
JENN TACO: Tattooing definitely chose me! I honestly always thought I’d end up in the fashion industry. But as my life unfolded and I made my way up the ‘Corporate America’ ladder, things started to happen that clearly showed me the direction I was meant to move forward in. That direction was tattooing.
TBYI: Who are the tattoo artists you look up to or who inspires you? And why?
JENN TACO: Steve Wiebe. Ryan Ashley. Robert Pho. Tatu Baby. Sara Rosa Corazon. Tommy Sisneros. Lydia Madrid. Cecile (ccyle). Taesin. Gosh, the list goes on and on. There are SO MANY artists who inspire me that it’s hard to list just these few. But I will say that 90% of the artists I look up to and am in awe of, are artists who are impeccably clean with their work and who have created a style within their style genre that is so prominent, that you can immediately recognize it as their work. They are the artists who share their tattoo wisdom and create something even bigger than tattooing itself. And of course, they are the artists who laid the groundwork in the tattoo industry. They will forever have my respect and admiration.
TBYI: Did you have a tattoo apprenticeship or were you self-taught?
JENN TACO: I had the honor of being my sister’s (@jsilvatattoos) first apprentice! It was unconventional, but I wouldn’t change a single thing about it. Her talent is mind-blowing.
TBYI: Do you think tattoo artist’s tattoos should be regarded as art, even if the tattooist doesn’t have a formal art background? Why or why not?
JENN TACO: Tattoo artists who respect the craft and produce quality work 100%. You don’t need a formal art background to be an artist. If you look at skin as a canvas and tattooing as a medium, how can you not say it’s art?
TBYI: What is your style specialty when it comes to tattooing? Is there a style you feel you want to get better at?
JENN TACO: I would consider my style of tattooing to be illustrative blackwork, but I think I am beginning to morph into more of a finer lined version of neo-traditional blackwork. I’m forever evolving. Modern day tattooing is such a gift because a lot of us are able to specialize in a genre of tattooing and get a steady clientele solely based off of that, so that we don’t have to constantly be executing different styles. But I’d like to get better at literally everything and explore every style more than what I did when I was learning. I’m only 4 years in so I’ve got nothing but time!
TBYI: What types of tattoos do you enjoy and dislike doing most?
JENN TACO: I love tattooing pieces that I’m able to just do my thing with, without any guidelines or parameters. The more lines, black fill and pepper shading, the better! I wouldn’t say I dislike doing any tattoos because I’m fortunate enough to have a clientele who respects my style/craft and that values my insight about what will look best. BUT, if I had to pick, I’d say tiny inner finger tattoos because I can’t guarantee they will hold.
TBYI: How do you collaborate with a client on a piece who has no / little idea what they want? Do you prefer that or do you prefer if a client already has a set idea on a piece?
JENN TACO: I genuinely prefer when someone comes to me and tells me the subject matter and location they want, but then tells me to create whatever I want based off of those two things. I find that my best work is always created that way, and the piece flows most fluidly with the body part we are working on.
TBYI: There’s many changes happening within the tattoo industry currently: from ink colors being banned to inks being linked to cancer, to there being “made-to-fade” ink and even light sensitive ink that can “turn on” and off supposedly. Tattoos can now be turned into NFTs too. What do you think about all these innovations yet setbacks? How do you think tattoos and the tattoo industry will evolve further over the next few years into the next decade?
JENN TACO: As far as the setbacks, I think the world should focus more on the actual harmful chemicals being put in our food, rather than claims about our inks, that have no definitive evidence. Tattooing isn’t going anywhere, no matter how hard some try to take it away. When it comes to the innovations, especially the light sensitive ink, I genuinely do not have enough information about it to even have an opinion yet. What I will say is, the tattoo industry continues to grow and some of the work I see is truly mind-bending in the most extraordinary ways. All I can hope is that whatever does come, the understanding of tattoo longevity, and the responsibility that this is someone’s skin being worked on, will always be put at the forefront of everything.
TBYI: Do you have any advice for tattoo artists in training or those just thinking about entering the tattoo industry as a tattoo artist?
JENN TACO: Understand how difficult it actually is, take it seriously, and treat every single tattoo like it’s the last tattoo you will ever do. You are permanently changing someone’s body for the rest of their life, so if you don’t feel an immense amount of responsibility in knowing that and executing the best possible tattoo you can, you shouldn’t be a tattooer. ALWAYS be open to learning, respect the craft, and make sure you care about the longevity of your work and not just an Instagram photo.
You can follow Jenn on IG @jenntacotattoos
And make sure to check out the tattoo inspired, amazing apparel she creates: