“In this art, every dot proves that beautiful things in life can’t be achieved in an instant.”
Who is Roel Garcia and why is he taking the world of tattooing by storm?
Garcia is a hand-poke tattooist. He holds intricately done hand-poke tattoos to a high regard because, for him, these represent his and other Filipinos’ identities quite well.
His masterpieces include depictions of nature, Philippine mythology, ancient weaponry, and more. He also inks Baybayin scripts.
Hand-poke tattoo, Bathala photo from Baybayin Hand-Poke Tattoo, facebook
Hand-poke tattoo, Katatagan photo from Baybayin Hand-Poke Tattoo, facebook
Baybayin, for him, is an important aspect of being Filipino, and growing to love this form of writing brings pride and joy to it.
He started doing this full-time in 2020, and the now-28-year-old artist has been having a constant stream of clients since then.
“I chose hand-poking over other ways, even though it’s more difficult, because of the connection it gives between the artist and the receiver of the tattoo. Both sides are investing time, effort, patience, and willingness to finish a tedious procedure to create a masterpiece,” Roel explained.
“In this art, every dot proves that beautiful things in life can’t be achieved in an instant.”
Hand-poke tattoo, Tatay photo from Baybayin Hand-Poke Tattoo, facebook
Hand-poke tattoo (Adlaw,Bulan) photo from Baybayin Hand-Poke Tattoo, facebook
He can accommodate only a few clients in a day, and he always makes sure that health protocols are observed.
His tattoo studio is an open-air venue in San Jose Del Monte, Bulacan. (EFO)
Tags: #art, #tattooing, #RoelGarcia