Today we’d like to introduce you to Jonel Romero Javinal.
Jonel, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
Ever since I was a kid, I always had an interest in drawing. During elementary school whatever subject we learned if it involved art it always caught my attention. I used to draw sketches and cartoon books of my favorite Pokémon and Dragon Ball Z characters for my enjoyment. I would get in this zone where nothing else mattered besides what was being drawn on the paper in front of me. I drew every single chance I had. Hundreds of sheets of paper were being filled with images of my imagination. Little did I realize I was good at replicating what I saw through my eyes onto paper. Not knowing that this simple interest and enjoyment in the drawing would bloom to what is now one of the most valuable assets in my business.
Growing up as a kid, and even until now, I have an OCD of things being proportional. It bothers me when things aren’t straight or symmetrical when they need to be or when they appear out of place. To some that may be an undesirable trait but as for me, my discomfort for disproportion eventually became a strength in my designing abilities.
Fast forward many years to the future, now as a young adult, my drawing skills have improved and this is where things start to take off. What really got me started with this tattoo journey is actually from getting my first tattoo, a Polynesian Tribal half sleeve, and experiencing the whole process behind it. I drew up the details of my design and brought it to a local tattoo shop and got it done. With this being my first, as well as my largest tattoo, I wanted it to perfectly reflect who I am as an individual and to tell a story of what I’m about. Being in that atmosphere continued to spark my interest because I was able to learn more about the process and the meanings of tattoos.
During the session, my eagerness had my eyes and mind glued to what was actually being done on my body and I realized how this would change my appearance to impact my life for the better. I was getting a permanent marking of my story on my body that will forever live on with me. After that, I gained a newfound love for the art and more sketches and designs were created but this time I started posting them on Facebook when Instagram wasn’t as popular yet. From this, I would get numerous requests for designing tattoos for people and that’s when it clicked. I felt like this is something I could be good at.
What really pushed me to get where I am today are my family, friends and clients who have supported me in my early years. Constant reassurance from them and from people who enjoy my work kept my drive going to master this skill. I would say consistency was the key here as it is in many growing situations. What continues to fuel my passion for this craft until this day is the unique pieces I create and the amazing people that I meet. It fills my heart knowing that people really love and appreciate the quality of my work and trust me enough to permanently apply my designs to them in the form of a tattoo. Those pieces will forever live with that person along with the memory/meaning behind the story. What amazes me the most is that a simple interest in anything can turn into a hobby, in turn grow into a full-fledge business. Anything is possible as long as you have the drive and the passion to achieve it as well as staying consistent with it. I learn something new every single day and I will continue to provide quality pieces for years to come.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
There have been many struggles along the way when I started. From trying to find clientele to trying to perfect the craft. Staying consistent with everything really helped alleviate the struggle as I started to get better and better and constant reassurance from the people that I love really helped my drive going.
Please tell us about your art.
Reddirt Tat2 is a tattoo shop that specializes in Polynesian Tribal art. We cater to people who want to tell a specific story through tattoos. As an artist, my specialties include floral, Japanese, Polynesian, as well as symmetrical patterns like mandalas and geometric repeating shapes. One of my strengths as an artist is my ability to make consistent and clean lines, which I’m highly known for. What I’m most proud of the company is the ability to make our clients happy in a comfortable setting.
Any shoutouts? Who else deserves credit in this story – who has played a meaningful role?
When I decided to gain more knowledge about tattooing when I was still starting I went to my buddy, Sherbo Anorma, who’s been in the game for a few years now and he educated me how to start. He advised me to practice on pigskin since it’s the closest thing that simulates human skin and is disposable. With this knowledge, I was able to set up and begin the process. I bought a slab of pork from my local butcher shop and started to practice. I practiced and practiced until I got the hang of it. Besides drawing with a pencil and paper I got to feel how it was to draw with a different instrument on a different medium. Of course, it all felt new at first and despite a few doubts and worries with a lot of time, dedication, and consistency to the practice I was able to hone the skills of a successful tattoo artist.
I continued to create designs and practiced at home, which is where many artists start until I got the opportunity of working in a fully established shop know as Reddirt Tat2 and gained my first official mentor, Dannie Baisa. From there I was able to continue to learn more and grow as an artist diversifying my portfolio in a professional setting. Although I already had a few years under my belt during this time from learning on my own I was able to officially learn through my mentor. He helped me brush up my skills and taught me how to make things flow consistently as well as how to connect pieces to make them look as if they were all once piece instead of separate ones, keeping the overall flow of the design.
Contact Info:
- Phone: 6199625914
Suggest a story: SDVoyager is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
