Check Out Sketch Gamble’s Story

Today we’d like to introduce you to Sketch Gamble.

Hi Sketch Gamble; thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, you could tell our readers some of your backstories.
My name is Sketch Gamble, and I’m a self-taught tattoo artist, painter, illustrator, and creative director. I’ve been an artist since I could pick up a pencil. Art has always been an outlet to express me and even communicate even when I couldn’t verbally. I think the universe communicates with us in the same way. That’s why art is such an important part of my life. My art as a career path started in 2007, my first year of high school, as a freelance graphic designer. I would design for church programs and events, club party flyers, posters, and logos for small businesses. I enjoyed the feeling it gave me to know I was a part of creating something that gave others that same feeling of joy.

If I wasn’t in school, I was at the local tattoo shop learning as much as possible about tattooing. Eventually, I started drawing and selling my sketches in school. Quickly I was known for either drawing or sleeping in the back of the class. One day, a friend got one of my sketches tattooed on him. He came in the next day and showed me, and after that, I was obsessed with tattooing, and the art of it all encompassed me as an artist. Everything I did was catered towards becoming a better artist so that I could become a tattoo artist.

I first picked up a tattoo machine in 2010. I was attending the art institute in Durham, North Carolina, for graphic design at the time. It wasn’t easy becoming a tattoo artist the way it is now. I was tattooing in my apartment with my roommate, who was also an aspiring tattoo artist—bouncing tips and pointers off each other. So we turned our apartment into a mini tattoo shop. After a year, I dropped out and pursued my tattoo career. I first picked up a tattoo machine in 2010, my first year of college. After 4 years, I was finally accepted into a tattoo shop called Pens & Needles in 2014. I quit my job and was tattooing full-time. I worked there for about a year, then moved to a shop called Red Wolf Tattoos. I worked there for 2-3 years, and the shop was taken over by one of the artists and became Golden Coils Tattoo. I worked at Golden Coils for about 4 years and have opened my studio, Immortal Rose Tattoo & Art Gallery.

You wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle-free, but so far would you say the journey has been smooth?
Every journey has obstacles. How we approach them determines whether they are challenging or a struggle. One of the biggest obstacles I faced on my journey, along with many others, was having the discipline to keep going. To keep telling myself “yes” when everyone was telling me no. To know with every fiber of my being that what I’m doing is worth it, and if I truly want it, I’ll get it. Then, turn that ignorance into bliss when it comes to enjoying the process. That was one of the hardest parts of being an up-and-coming artist then. Being an artist was seen as something other than a solid career path the way it is now. So those obstacles turn into steps after a while need to keep moving forward.

As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar, what can you tell them about what you do?
I’m a tattoo artist, painter, illustrator, graphic designer, and creative director. In tattooing, I specialize in color-infused black and grey, black and grey realism, and bright, bold color anime/ cartoon tattoos on all skin tones. I started as a jack of all trades being able to tattoo anything that came in the door. Over time I began to shine with my work in black-and-grey realism. It’s fun to create gradients of light on the skin. Taking the darkest black, I can gradually blend to the skin tone, then take it further and add white in certain areas. I later took the same approach with my color work. Taking the darkest of color and bringing it out into the lightest tone, then white being the peak. Most of my clients can’t decide between color, black or grey. I enjoy both, so whenever the client is up for it, I create a design catering to both. Some of my clients like to ask questions about the creative process and what it takes to become an artist. I say time and patience. Everyone is an artist in their own right; you choose the canvas or canvas you want to use. Whether you have the patience and discipline to excel at it makes the difference. I’m a contemporary painter. My style uses space scenes mixed with illustrative cartoon characters of kids exploring the cosmos. A lot of people forget how to enjoy themselves, drowning in what needs to be on a day to day. I paint children exploring the unknown because that’s how I see most adults as children exploring the unknown. I also paint portrait commissions with the accents of the space scenes.

Networking and finding a mentor can positively impact one’s life and career. Any advice?
Finding a mentor can be difficult. I’m a self-taught artist, so nature is my mentor. The first step to finding a mentor, though, is networking. If you get to that point, you really want to build a cordial relationship or friendship with the person you want to be your mentor. Good and helpful knowledge can take time to come by. You want to find the right mentor you can learn from; put all your cards on the table, so they know your skill set. Bring a solid portfolio with finished work. Even if you only have 5 pieces of art to show, you are showing your best work. Don’t stop. If you get turned away at first, you can still be cut out for it, and it is meant to be. If you want it, you’ll make it happen. If you want to learn from a specific artist, start with building cordial conversation, and invest in the artist’s work. There’s no better way to show a mentor that you are serious about learning from them than if you’re willing to pay for it. Share your thoughts and ideas with them and show them that you are engaged in learning more about the craft.

Contact Info:

• Website: Sketchgamble.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sketchxgamble/
• Facebook: https://m.facebook.com/Sketchxgamble/
• Twitter: https://mobile.twitter.com/sketchgamble