Today we’d like to introduce you to Alex Blackwell.
Hi Alex, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I grew up in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. I found my way into tattooing through music. Back when I was in a touring band called Hundredth, we were constantly on the road, playing shows in different cities, and I’d get tattooed wherever we stopped. After a while, I realized it wasn’t just the tattoos I was drawn to—it was the whole world around them. The art, the lifestyle, the community—it all felt like home to me.
In some ways, it reminded me of how I grew up. My parents ran a sign shop and had booths at amusement parks, carving names into signs for RVs and beach houses that kind of stuff. Tattooing felt similar in spirit: something handmade, creative, and meant to last.
Eventually, through traveling I met the artist who became my mentor. I’d ask him questions every time I got tattooed, probably to the point of annoyance, until one day he told me he’d give me an apprenticeship. That’s how I got my start—learning under Tony Medellin in Reno, Nevada. I spent a few years there before moving back to my hometown, Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, to work for a while.
A few years later, I landed in Asheville, North Carolina, where I tattooed for six years. That’s where I really started to find my style and grow into the artist I am today.
About a year ago, my wife and I decided to head west again. We wanted to be closer to family, and I wanted to be back near the ocean. After years of being landlocked, I missed surfing and just being in the water. So we came to Encinitas—and now I’m at Full Circle Tattoo, surrounded by an amazing crew of artists. I feel like I’ve finally found the right place, and I couldn’t be happier.
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?
It hasn’t been the smoothest road, but it also hasn’t been as rough as I know it can be for some people in the industry. I definitely got turned down by a few shops when I was first looking for an apprenticeship. Eventually, though, I found the right place and the right mentor.
The apprenticeship itself was great—challenging in all the right ways. There was plenty of constructive criticism, a little mild hazing here and there, but honestly, I wouldn’t trade that time for anything. Those years shaped me.
Getting started in tattooing is kind of a trip. You’re learning on actual people, so your mistakes are right there, permanent, staring back at you. And the real kicker is, you’ll sometimes see those tattoos years later—it’s humbling, but also motivating. It forces you to grow.
At the end of the day, I think that’s just the nature of tattooing, and maybe of any craft. The only way forward is through time, progression, and a lot of self-reflection. That’s how you sharpen yourself—one tattoo at a time
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I’d like to think I tattoo in a more pure American Traditional style—staying rooted in the motifs and practices of the early 20th century, while still giving it a bit of my own modern twist. I really enjoy clean line work, smooth shading, and bold, vibrant colors, but I try to keep it tasteful and timeless.
For me, it’s about keeping the style honed in and specific—doing things in a way where the end result is recognizable as my work. That’s what I strive for: tattoos that carry the tradition forward, but also have my fingerprint on them.
We’d be interested to hear your thoughts on luck and what role, if any, you feel it’s played for you?
I don’t think it’s so much about luck as it is about keeping a positive mindset. I really believe that what you resist, persists—if you’re always looking for the negative, you’ll find it, and it has a way of showing up in your life. Instead, I try not to dwell on shortcomings. I’d rather learn from mistakes, grow, and move forward.
That attitude has carried me a long way. Of course, meeting good people in the industry and building friendships and lasting relationships has felt like a stroke of good fortune. But I think that comes hand in hand with the outlook you carry into it.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://fullcircletattoos.com
- Instagram: @alexblackwelltattoo
