Today we’d like to introduce you to Sam Payab.
Hi Sam, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
Since high school, I’ve known that tattooing is my passion. As a kid, I was always drawing, but as I got older and become less comfortable in my body, I moved my drawings from paper to skin. I also dabbled in Henna and body glitter, but mostly I would come home from school every day with a newly Sharpie-d arm sleeve. After high school, I went to the University of Oregon and studied Art & Technology with a minor in Business. These were probably the longest four years of my life as I could not wait to start an apprenticeship. Once I graduated, I debated on whether I wanted to stay in Oregon, move back to my hometown of Los Angeles, or completely change my environment. Obviously, I chose the latter and decided San Diego is where I wanted to be (for now). Then, I had to start the process of acquiring an apprenticeship, which was absolutely grueling. I carried a large portfolio full of flash sheets, finished canvas paintings, and other watercolor art I had done over the past 3 years, and proceed to walk into every tattoo shop I saw. Most shops weren’t even remotely interested in having an apprentice but checked out my art anyway. Some shops turned me away simply because I had no tattoos myself, and then there were the very very few which considered taking me on. I actually had 3 different shops interested in me (at different times), and for one reason or another they did not work out. I started going back around to some shops which liked my work, and Absolute Tattoo eventually had the time and resources to give me a chance! It has been 7 months since I started there, and I am so grateful to the shop owner Roxy and my mentor Toni for giving me this opportunity.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
OH hell no! This will be easier in list mode:
1. My parents, both Jewish, not thrilled that their daughter wants to “mutilate” skin (it’s been 8 years, so they are coming around), but they still have this rule that I can’t get any tattoos or piercings until I am financially independent.
2. College generally because I did not want to be there; I wanted to get my career started!
3. All the verbal rejection from artists and shops
4. I had started an apprenticeship at 2 other shops before I got to Absolute, and obviously those had their own drama
5. My initial mentor at Absolute Tattoo was fired 5 months after he took me on, which was a whole ordeal. Thankfully, Toni had given some thought to having an apprentice, and two days later, I had a new mentor who knew exactly how she wanted to teach.
6. Now the struggles are within myself, not beating myself over little mistake and trying to remember that these techniques and styles will not be ingrained in muscle memory overnight.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
For as long as I can remember, I have been an artist. To this day, it doesn’t really matter the medium; as long as I am creating with my hands, I love it. Drawing, painting, knitting, light design, stage design, ceramics, graphic design, and website building have all been a part of my artistic repertoire. However, my career is in the tattoo industry. I currently do not have a specialization or tattoo in a specific style. I knew when I first begun my search for an apprenticeship that I wanted a versatile mentor because I want to be diverse; I don’t want to pigeonhole myself to one style, and I want to be able to help anyone who walks in the door. It is hard to say what I am known for or what sets me apart, as I have only been in the game for 7 months, nonetheless, I think the thing I am most proud of can also be the answer for these two. I am most proud of my progress over the past 3 months particularly. I look at my work compared to some artists who have been tattooing for decades and see where I excel, and then I compare my work to “prodigies” and see where I can improve- but I still know that for only having a machine in hand for less than a year, I am doing a pretty good job.
Contact Info:
- Website: sampayab.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sampayab/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tattoosbysampayab
Image Credits
Roxanne Hinkle
Sam Payab
Charlotte Koczera
