Interview
Hyeonhwa Kim (Dokhwa)
Dokhwa is a tattoo artist working in South Korea. Her tattoo style is color realism and she mainly works on pet tattoos, with occasional portrait work.
Dokhwa loves traveling to different countries and experiencing the tattoo scene.
Her work has been featured in many publications including Inked Magazine, Inkjection, iNKPPL Tattoo Magazine, and Tattoos Wizard.
What is your background and how did you start your journey in the art world?
“I’m a tattoo artist who didn’t study art formally, but was interested in drawing. When I was 20, I got my first tattoo. The artist who gave me the tattoo looked really cool, and that made me even more interested in tattoo artistry. At 22, I decided to become a tattoo artist. I learned a lot about tattooing from my mentor, but I found drawing hard as I’d never learned to draw. I started practicing drawing whenever I had a spare moment.
In the past, I experimented with a lot of different tattoo styles before finally falling in love with color realism. I’m interested in pop art, illustration, and a lot of other things.
As I move forward with my art journey, I’d like to create my own style and focus on portrait work.”
What does your work aim to say? Does it comment on any current social or political issues?
“A tattoo of their pet is really meaningful to clients. Sometimes after a longtime pet passes away, a tattoo can help them feel like their pet is still with them. Some clients cry when they see the finished tattoo, and in such cases, I connect even more with the client as I share in their sadness.
When clients are happy with their tattoos, it makes me happy.”
Do you plan your work in advance, or is it improvisation?
“I plan my work in advance. I look at photos of the pets beforehand and think about the process. I allow the client to select their preferred colors and modify the sketch. I think this preparation process makes the end result better.”
“I ask the client for their pet’s exact eye and hair color, and then I pick a color that works well with them.”
Are there any art world trends you are following?
“I seem to be doing a lot of geometric designs these days. They are more attractive and there are a lot of good designs. Many artists these days have their own style, and I’m also working on creating my own work style.”
What process, materials and techniques do you use to create your artwork?
Before I do any work, I usually listen to my clients as they talk about their pets. Also, clients usually want to make sure the tattoo will be in a part of the body that they can see, so we work together to find the right place. I use different types of needles depending on the size of the work.”
What does your art mean to you?
“Tattooing is an art which has changed so many things in my life, including my mindset and daily routine. Tattoos have made me more interested in art, and have made me a better person.
Tattooing keeps me challenged and makes me stronger, and so my work is indispensable to me.”
What is your favorite artwork and why?
“My favorite artwork is a Basquiat portrait. I came across it during a one-day class with one of my favorite artists, Q Tattoo. He gave me the opportunity to try out the tattoo style I always wanted and gave me a lot of very helpful advice. It was a really valuable class and it opened my eyes to a lot of things! So I’m really proud of that Basquiat work!”
Instagram: @lookatthe_dokhwa
