‘Six Degrees of Separation’ is a live tattoo performance exploring the invisible connections between strangers. Throughout the day, participants will each receive a simple black line tattoo, placed on a location of their choosing. Individually, each mark is minimal. Collectively, they form a living artwork reflecting the unseen social networks that connect us all.

The performance will take place in the front window of The Island Tattoo Studio at Custom Lane, inviting passers-by to observe the project as it unfolds. Whether you’re considering taking part or simply curious, you’re welcome to stop by and watch.

A limited number of appointments will be available to book in advance, while additional spaces will be kept open for walk-ins between 10:00 and 17:00, allowing the project to unfold spontaneously throughout the day. Every tattoo will be created using the same black ink and a single line weight, healing to approximately 1–2 mm thick. Participants are free to choose the placement and length of their line. Larger pieces (approximately 50 cm or longer) are encouraged to be booked as separate appointments on another day, while still becoming part of the wider Six Degrees of Separation project.

The completed body of work will be documented and developed into a photographic and conceptual artwork for future exhibition and open-call submissions, extending the project beyond the day of the performance itself.

Please email Jamie directly to enquire about being a part of this performance at jamjamtattoo@gmail.com.

Between the Lines

‘Between The Lines’ is an ongoing visual study of Berlin’s U-Bahn stations by Edinburgh-based photographer, Graham Williams. Described by Graham as “stepping stones in the chaotic rhythm of daily life”, the stations become a way of exploring the transience of public places designed for private journeys. The images, whilst having no people within the frames, aim to capture the fleeting convergence of strangers, the rhythm of human routine, and the layered beauty of Berlin’s underground world.

Currently on display at The Island are a selection of photographs from the series, as well as a window installation which can be viewed from Custom Lane. The exhibition will be open to the public on Monday 10^th and Monday 24^th August, 10am til 6pm, when Graham will be at the studio.

Come along to the open day and have the chance to chat to Graham about his work. We look forward to welcoming you!

Upcoming Booking Dates

Jamie’s books are currently closed and will reopen in September.

Callum’s books will be open for select dates in September, as well as October, November and December.

Suzie is booking for September, October, November and December.

Rhi is booking for October, November and December.

Kamil is also booking from October onwards.

Giacomo is booking from September onwards.

Ghazal is currently booking her last few remaining spots for the first week of September!

Upcoming Guest Artists

Here are our guest artists for September! Please take a look at their profiles and get in touch with them directly to book in.

8 - 12: Dokk (@dokk_vintage)

11 - 12: Emily Bonnet (@bonbontattoos)

29 - 1 Oct: Wika Olejnik (@olejnik.tattoo)

If you’ve visited us before and want to review your experience, please leave us a Google review! This helps small businesses like us grow.

We appreciate it, thank you!

Friend of the studio and exceptional photographer Graham Williams will be returning with a new series of photographs to decorate our walls! Between the Lines is an ongoing series of work focussing on Berlin’s vibrant U-Bahn stations.

“These bustling transit hubs, scattered across the city, each have their own unique and often eccentric design language. All 175 of them. Some are bold, loud, and geometric; others are much more quiet and utilitarian. Despite their everyday function, they seem to hum with quiet personality.

These images aim to capture the fleeting convergence of strangers, the rhythm of human routine, and the layered beauty of Berlin’s underground world.”

You can find out more about this series over on Graham’s website.

Please take a look at your next visit to the studio!

Healed Tattoo Competition!

We are holding a competition for anyone who has gotten a tattoo from any of our resident artists! Submit your best healed tattoo photo and have the chance to win prizes - the top prize being a £200 voucher for The Island! We will be posting on Instagram with the terms and how to enter in the coming week, so please keep an eye out.

We look forward to seeing everyone’s pictures!

Featured Resident Artist

This month’s featured resident artist is Rhi!

Rhi is one of our new resident artists who specialises in fantasy realism, florals and fine line tattoos. She currently has some flash designs available to book in, or you can get in touch with her directly via Instagram DM to discuss a custom project!

You can find her on Instagram @ Rhiannon.ink.

Upcoming Guest Artists

Our guest line-up for August! Please take a look at their profiles and get in contact with them directly to book in.

4-6: Aline (@alineaurili)

11-15: Nadine (@nadinelee.ink)

20-21: Jenn (@jennwartattoo)

25-29: Mag (@html_mag)

Upcoming Booking Dates

Jamie is currently booking for August to October.

Callum’s books will reopen during August for limited dates in September, and for the months of October and November.

Suzie is currently booking for August, September and October.

Rhi is currently booking October, November and December.

Kamil is also currently booking for October, November and December.

Giacomo is currently booking for August, September and October.

Ghazal is currently booking for the first week of September - only a few spots left!

Life Drawing Class

Join us on the 10th of August at 7pm for our monthly life drawing session held here at the studio. We will provide pencils, paper and drawing boards, as well as some complimentary teas and coffee. Tickets are limited so make sure to grab one! We hope to see you there!

If you’ve visited us before and want to review your experience, please leave us a Google review! This helps small businesses like us grow.

We appreciate it, thank you!

After a little time away, we have some major updates with the studio, our residents and more!

If you haven’t already heard, we have moved premises! Since March of this year, our new location is just down the road from our old address - we are now a part of the great community of Custom Lane at The Shore. We have kept our biophilic principles, and have embraced using organic materials to bring you a cosy, relaxing and grounding experience. We look forward to welcoming you to our revamped space!

To celebrate our grand opening, we held an Open Day during the Saturday market at the end of May, where people had the chance to get a free tattoo from our resident artists, let the public see the new space, and to show our new exhibition. Thank you to everyone who popped in and took part!

Distorted Realities, an exhibition created by co-owner Jamie Johnstone and photographer Graham Williams, is a series of images featuring the work of our resident artists within dreamlike compositions. Make sure to take a look at your next tattoo appointment!

New Resident

The latest talent to join our team is the amazing Giacomo Grillo (@grolzart). Originally working in London, Giacomo has joined us here in Edinburgh part time. He specialises in realism, fantasy and dark aesthetics - if this sounds like your kind of tattoo, please get in touch with him directly to get booked in.

Upcoming Guest Artists

Our guest artist line-up for July! Please have a look at their Instagram profiles and get in touch with the artists directly to book.

1-4 July: Michele (@nere.nuvole)

7-9 July: Kris (@kirii.lines)

16-18: Catie (@catiedoestattoos) and San (@33.tattoo)

21-25 July: Mama (@mama_orca_)

31 July - 1 August: Yeohyun (@seom_lights)

Upcoming Booking Dates

Jamie’s books for August to October will reopen on the 4th of July.

Callum’s books are filled for July but will reopen in August.

Suzie is currently booking for her remaining dates in July and August.

Rhi has limited spaces left for July and August, and is also currently booking September.

Kamil is currently booking for August and September.

Giacomo is currently booking for July and August.

Ghazal is currently booking for the first week of September.

Life Drawing Class

Lastly, please join us for our monthly life drawing classes held at our studio. The next one will be on Monday 13 July, 7pm - 8:30pm.

There will be limited spaces going so make sure to grab a ticket! We will supply drawing materials as well as some herbal teas and coffee. We hope to see you there!

If you’ve visited us before and want to review your experience, please leave us a Google review! This helps small businesses like us grow.

We really appreciate it, thank you!

We're writing to invite you to our annual Special Exhibition Evening at The Island!

We know it’s been a while – we’ve let this Newsletter take a backseat – but we didn’t want to miss the opportunity to have you join us for this special evening 💚

The Exhibition takes place this Saturday 12 October, 17:00–21:00. A selection of drinks and canapés will be served – we'd love for you to join us, some of our favourite clients, local businesses, media, and creatives.

RSVP Here!

Each year we showcase a curated collection of exceptional photographs of some of the artists' favourite tattoo projects. This year's exhibition was shot by Graham Williams (@gwilliamsphoto) and our very own Diana Howkins Veidenthaler (@diana.veid).

If you're able to come, please RSVP via the Eventbrite page (you can bring up to 3 guests, too!). It’s completely free, but we’re issuing tickets so we have a sense of how many people to cater for.

If you have any questions or would like further information about the event, please don't hesitate to get in touch – you can email us at hello@theisland.studio.

About the Photographers

Graham Williams

Edinburgh native Graham Williams always has a camera on hand and is just as ready to spontaneously capture speckles of light dancing on a pavement as he is moments of deep emotion in a carefully-composed portrait. 

Graham is the creative mind behind ‘TALK.’ portraits – an ongoing project designed to encourage more open conversations on the subject of men's mental health. The project can currently be seen in poster form across the city.

For The Island’s photoshoot, Graham experimented with light, shadow and abstract postures to explore the relationship between the client and their tattoos.

Graham is The Island’s go-to photographer for professional studio shots and artist portraits.

Diana Howkins Veidenthaler

Diana has been a Resident Artist at The Island since it opened in Edinburgh in 2021. Her tattoo work focuses on botanical designs that dynamically flow with the body. 

Diana dedicates significant time to other creative projects, all of which incorporate nature in some form. For this exhibition, she chose to photograph the models fully surrounded by and immersed in natural elements. Each image reflects a relationship between the model, their tattoo, and the surrounding landscape.

Diana’s work seeks to evoke a sense of awareness of and appreciation for the world we inhabit, reminding us that beauty and serenity are often closer than we think.

Get Your Free Tickets Here

This time we’re celebrating Etta’s graduation from Apprentice to fully-fledged Resident; previewing some of the amazing guests we’ll be welcoming over the rest of the year; and announcing the latest winner of our subscribers’ Prize Draw!

Word-of-mouth is worth infinitely more than Instagram’s faceless algorithms, so if you’d like to introduce a friend or family member to our studio and our wonderful artists, please consider sharing this Newsletter with them – thank you 🪴

🎓 Etta’s Graduation

We’re delighted to announce Etta’s official graduation from Apprentice to Resident Artist at The Island!

If you’ve been following Etta’s journey over on Instagram, you’ll have seen them growing in confidence and establishing a distinct and bold style. We’re super proud of Etta’s hard work and development as an artist and, of course, look forward to seeing them continue to grow 💚

Formally trained as an archaeologist and osteologist, Etta also carries a deep passion for human history, ancient artifacts, and the curiosities of bone – all of which are present themes in their work.

Etta specialises in blackwork and etching-style tattooing, drawing inspiration from the natural world around us, as well as ancient manuscripts, sculpture and mythology. They love creating organic, flowing pieces, as well as more static architectural elements – all of which are developed to complement the movement of each individual's body. 

Etta strives to bring ‘grand’ elements into the sphere of personal experience, and to bring pieces of human history to life as talismans for individuals to carry with them on their skin.

Etta's Portfolio

✍️ Diana’s New Website

Resident Artist Diana has launched a new (and beautiful) website! Here you’ll find all of her creative projects (including her latest flash work and charity fundraisers) along with all the info you need to book in for an appointment.

More importantly, if you subscribe to her Newsletter, you’ll also get early access on booking days!

Most tattoo artists have become increasingly reliant on Instagram as their shop window to the world, but this places them at the mercy of Meta’s algorithms and forces them to shape their work to suit the platform.

Please consider supporting Diana and your other favourite artists directly so they can spend more time on their art and less time on social media – thank you!

Diana's Website

🟩 Upcoming Guests

One of the benefits of our expanded studio space is that we’re able to host more amazing guest artists!

Here’s a preview of who’ll be joining us over the next couple of months:

To make a booking, please contact the artists directly! Click the links below to see their portfolios and to find their contact details:

• Io (@iotattooing)

• Agata (@deadline_tats_)

• Charlotte (@charlotteglatt_tattoos)

• Rebecca (@rebusefffe)

• George (@GeorgeTattooing)

• Kamil (@kamilarthurtattoo)

🎟️ Prize Draw Winner

By subscribing to this Newsletter, you’re automatically entered into our prize draw to win a £100 voucher at The Island (redeemable with any of our Resident Artists over the next 6 months).

This month congratulations go to Jo – we’ll be in touch by email with your prize!

Share The Island Newsletter

🍁 Vacancies

As The Island continues to grow, we’re looking to find some great new people to join the team! If that’s you, or someone you know, please check out the full details of each position and how to apply here.

We’re looking for:

• A Front-of-House Studio Manager (deadline: 12 January 2024)

• A new Resident Artist

More Information

🗓 Upcoming Booking Dates

Jamie’s books are currently open for the last few appointments he’s offering in December and January.

Callum’s books are currently open for appointments in December and January.

Diana’s books will open on 4 December at 19:00 for appointments in January and February.

Etta’s books will open on 1 January for appointments in the second half of January and for February.

Kamil’s books are currently open for appointments in January and February at The Island, and for select dates in London.

Suzie’s books are currently open for her last few appointments in December.

Thanks so much for reading, and for supporting our small business – we really appreciate it!

Hopefully we’ll see you soon at the studio 💚

This month we’re not only sharing new creative projects from some of our Resident Artists, but we’re very excited to announce that – at last – the new, upgraded version of The Island is here!

We’ll be celebrating the opening of our expanded space with a Special Exhibition Evening with drinks and canapés on 12 August – take a look below for a sneak peak of the exhibition, and for your invitation!

Word-of-mouth is worth infinitely more than Instagram’s faceless algorithms, so if you’d like to introduce a friend or family member to our studio and our wonderful artists, please consider sharing this Newsletter with them – thank you 🪴

🟩 Our New & Improved Studio is Here

It’s been months in the making, from pulling down walls and painting beams, to laying the floor and installing a beautiful garden… and it’s finally here: The Island 3.0!

To celebrate the opening of our newly-expanded studio, we’re hosting a Special Exhibition Evening on Saturday 12 August at 17:00-21:00. Drinks and canapés will be served – and we would love to see you there!

If you’d like to join us, please RSVP by email (hello@theisland.studio) so that we know how many people to cater for – thank you.

The Exhibition will feature beautiful portrait photography of some of our Artists’ favourite projects… presented in the style of Wes Anderson! Here’s a little teaser of what to expect:

We’ve been building towards this vision of The Island since we first began four years ago – thank you all for supporting our growth; we couldn’t do it without you 💚

RSVP for the Special Exhibition

⚕️ Diana’s Mandorla Muse Creative Collaboration

A creative collaboration between Diana and her partner Mike, incorporating prints, tattoos, articles, design and more!

In their own words, Mandorla Muse is a collaborative and creative entity. Our aim is to create images which reflect the human desire for growth, change, transformation and developing our potential. 

You can see some of their artworks in the gallery below; for any enquiries or if you're interested in buying one, click the link below for more details.

This is a project very close to Diana’s heart that we’d love to see flourish, so please consider following the Mandorla Muse Instagram; thank you!

Mandorla Muse

🌿 Nature Connections Flash from Ryan

Resident Artist Ryan is taking his flash designs in a new direction, exploring the many connections between nature and art. As many of you know, Ryan’s long made his designs by first carving them into lino to create the ‘stamp’ that becomes the stencil for his tattoo pieces. Now, he’s taking things a step further by using foraged plants to create textural prints that bring a sense of depth and physicality directly from the natural world.

Here’s a selection from Ryan’s recent designs – stay tuned to his Instagram for more, as he’s currently releasing new designs every 2-3 weeks!

Contact Ryan

🎟️ Prize Draw Winner

By subscribing to this Newsletter, you’re automatically entered into our quarterly prize draw to win a £100 voucher at The Island (redeemable with any of our Resident Artists over the next 6 months).

This month congratulations go to Lynne – we’ll be in touch by email with your prize!

Share The Island Newsletter

🗓 Upcoming Booking Dates

Jamie’s books are currently open for appointments in September and October at The Island.

Callum’s books open on 5 August for appointments in October and November at The Island. He’s currently taking bookings for guest spots in Berlin (15-16, 22-23 August), and Padova (5-7 September).

Diana’s books will open in late August for appointments in October/November/December at The Island. She’s currently taking bookings for guest spots in Prague (22-26 August) and Berlin (5-7 September). Diana is only taking bookings for flash designs.

Etta’s books are currently open for appointments in August at The Island.

Ryan’s books are currently open for appointments in August and September at The Island.

Suzie (our brilliant apprentice) will open her books on 20 July for appointments in August at The Island.

Share The Island Newsletter

As summer approaches, exciting changes are afoot at the studio – this month we’re sharing a teaser for The Island 3.0, the return of Sound Baths to the studio, and Jamie’s new tattoo-projection project!

Word-of-mouth is worth infinitely more than Instagram’s faceless algorithms, so if you’d like to introduce a friend or family member to our studio and our wonderful artists, please consider sharing this Newsletter with them – thank you 🪴

⬛️ JamJam Tattoo-Projection Project

Jamie (JamJam) is always looking for new ways to approach the art of tattoo, and this month he’s announced a bold new approach: using a projector to beam his own photographs of rocks and minerals onto the body. The beautiful shapes and textures are then moved around to suit the contours of the body, before Jamie traces the key elements onto the skin to create the template for a truly unique tattoo.

Jamie loves to create his designs spontaneously, and this new method adds a striking new dynamic to the act of creation.

Jamie has created a special video to show the whole concept in action, from combing the beaches for beautiful stones, to adding elegant ornaments to the final tattoo design – take a look!

If you’d like to be a part in this project, please get in touch on booking day to set up an appointment.

Watch The Video

🟩 Sound Baths Return to The Island

After a long hiatus, we’re delighted to be welcoming Sound Baths back to The Island! Hosted by sound maestro Mika Benjamin, these deeply relaxing and restorative sessions will be taking place roughly once per month, beginning on Sunday 11 June at 18:30.

To join us, please book directly with Mika using the button below.

Sound Bath Tickets

🌊 Diana’s Charity Flash Days

Resident Artist Diana has created a new selection of small, repeatable flash designs, with all proceeds going to animal and environmental charities. Diana’s already raised more than £1,000 for the RSPB, Sea Shepherd and OneKind, and will be continuing the fundraising effort over the coming months!

Keep an eye on Diana’s Instagram, where she’ll be announcing more charity flash dates in July if you’d like to get one of these special designs and support the natural world in the process.

See Diana's Charity Flash Designs

🌿 Announcing The Island 3.0

We’re very excited to announce the next evolution of The Island! We will be expanding into the space next-door to our current studio, to create a bigger, more beautiful and much more spacious experience for our artists and clients.

We’re hard at work renovating the new space and organising the building work to connect the two rooms together to form one beautiful studio. Look out for a much larger and more comfortable seating area, a dedicated artistic space for the artists to draw and paint, and eventually a small shop where we’ll be adding some books and prints for purchase alongside our existing range of aftercare products.

Thank you to everyone who’s supported us over the past few years – none of this would be possible without you 💚

Subscribe now

🗓 Upcoming Booking Dates

Jamie’s books are currently open, with just two appointments remaining (one in July, one in August)!

Callum’s books will open on 18 June for appointments at The Island. He’s currently taking bookings for guest spots in Berlin (15-16, 22-23 August), and Padova (5-7 September).

Diana’s books are currently open for appointments in late June and August at The Island. She also has guest spots in Prague (22-26 August) and Berlin (5-7 September).

Etta’s books open on 17 June for a limited number of appointments in early July, and then again in mid-July for appointments in August.

Ryan’s books are currently open for appointments in July at The Island.

Artist Profiles

Thanks so much for reading, and for supporting our small business – we really appreciate it!

Hopefully we’ll see you soon at the studio 💚

Share The Island Newsletter

It’s a shorter Newsletter this month because we’re hard at work on the studio’s next big chapter: The Island 3.0! We’ll be sharing more about this soon, but in the meantime you’ll see some hints of what we’re building in upcoming stories on The Island’s Instagram account.

Word-of-mouth is worth infinitely more than Instagram’s faceless algorithms, so if you’d like to introduce a friend or family member to our studio and our wonderful artists, please consider sharing this Newsletter with them – thank you 🪴

⬛️ JamJam Website Launch

Island co-founder Jamie has launched a brand new (and beautiful) website!

Here you’ll be able to see artbooks filled with his latest flash designs; browse curated galleries of some of his favourite work; find the dates and locations for upcoming guest spots; and see how to book in for appointments.

This will also be Jamie’s artistic home going forwards, where he’ll be sharing some of his non-tattoo projects, designs and ideas.

Inserting these images into Substack unfortunately undermines the beautiful layout and aesthetic of Jamie’s website, so please do check out the real thing to see everything in its full glory!

Visit JamJam's Website

🏔️ Last Call (and Discounts!) for Our Metamorphosis Retreat in Rural Scotland

In just a couple of weeks, between 22-25 May, we’ll be hosting our first Tattoo & Wellbeing Retreat on the shores of Loch Tay in the heart of Scotland.

There’s still a chance to secure one of the last remaining spots with the talented artists who still have some room in their schedule to create a unique piece of art for you in this stunning setting.

Because the artists want to share this experience with as many people as possible, some have generously opened up a very small number of spaces at a substantial discount – but please move quickly and contact us as soon as possible so that we can make this happen!

Click the picture below for a video preview:

The Metamorphosis Retreat programme includes:

• Tattoo Session

• 3 Nights’ Accommodation

• Yoga

• Sound Baths

• Meditation

• Healthy Vegetarian Food

• Wood-Fired Pizza Making

• Forest Bathing

• Campfire Conversations

• Retreat Kit

• Closing Ceremony

To find out more, and to apply to be a part of this special experience, please click the button below.

Metamorphosis Retreat

🗓 Upcoming Booking Dates

Jamie’s books open on Saturday 27 May at 09:00 for appointments in July at The Island.

Callum’s books will open on 13 May for appointments in June and July at The Island. He’s currently taking bookings for guest spots in London (18-22 May and 5-7 July), Amsterdam (15-17 June), Berlin (15-16, 22-23 August), and Padova (5-7 September).

Diana’s books are currently open for appointments in June at The Island. She also has guest spots in Prague, Berlin and Hamburg in August/September.

Etta (one of our brilliant apprentices who’s well on their way to becoming a Resident Artist) is currently taking bookings for appointments in June at The Island.

Ryan’s books are currently open for appointments in June at The Island.

Thanks so much for reading, and for supporting our small business – we really appreciate it!

Hopefully we’ll see you soon at the studio 💚

Share The Island Newsletter

This month, we’re turning the spotlight fully onto our upcoming Metamorphosis Retreat. We’re now accepting bookings, but places are extremely limited, so please get in touch ASAP to join us for this unforgettable experience.

Word-of-mouth is worth infinitely more than Instagram’s faceless algorithms, so if you’d like to introduce a friend or family member to our studio and our wonderful artists, please consider sharing this Newsletter with them – thank you 🪴

🏔️ Metamorphosis Tattoo Retreat on the Shores of Loch Tay

This unique retreat experience has been years in the making and we’re very excited that we can now share the full details of the event and invite you to join us in the heart of rural Scotland between 22-25 May!

Set at Boreland, on the bonnie banks of Loch Tay, this retreat seeks to cultivate a more holistic approach to the experience of getting a tattoo. At the Metamorphosis Retreat, we invite you to experience tattooing in connection with nature – perhaps marking an important change in life, honouring a new beginning, or closing an old chapter.

Tattoos embed emotion onto the skin. They are a marker of the present, but also carry echoes of the past and future. They have become an important part of cultures around the world.

Here at The Island, we want to reconnect with the ritualistic roots of mark-making on the body in a contemporary and authentic way.

Wellbeing activities designed to deepen and complement the experience will be held across this 4-day immersive retreat. Our small group will share sessions of meditation, sound baths, forest bathing, yoga, and more, all against the stunning backdrop of Loch Tay.

Click the picture below for a video preview:

The retreat will feature the following Artists:

• Desi (@little_lazo.tattoo)

• Callum (@callumblack.ink)

• Diana (@dianaveidenthaler.ink)

• Jamie (@jamjam.tattoo)

APPLY NOW

The Metamorphosis Retreat programme includes:

• 1- or 2-Day Tattoo Session

• 3 Nights’ Accommodation

• Yoga

• Sound Baths

• Meditation

• Healthy Vegetarian Food

• Wood-Fired Pizza Making

• Forest Bathing

• Campfire Conversations

• Retreat Kit

• Closing Ceremony

To find out more, and to apply to be a part of this special experience, please click the button below and get in touch with us via the form on the retreat’s webpage.

If you have any questions, please just drop us an email!

APPLY NOW

🎟️ Quarterly Prize Draw Winner

Congratulations to Eddie, who was the lucky name pulled from the virtual hat in last month’s prize draw! Eddie wins a £100 voucher which can be redeemed with any of the Residents Artists at the The Island 🙌

As a thank you for supporting us by subscribing to this Newsletter, you’re automatically entered into the Quarterly Prize Draw. We’ll be picking the next winner in just under two months’ time!

🗓 Upcoming Booking Dates

Jamie’s books open on Saturday 8 April at 09:00 for appointments in May and June at The Island. On the same date, he’ll be taking bookings for guest spots in London (27-28 July, 31 July - 1 August), and Berlin (15-16, 22-23 August).

Callum’s books will open on 2 April for a limited number of larger designs (at The Island). He’s currently taking bookings for guest spots in Vienna (13-15 April), London (18-22 May and 5-7 July), Berlin (15-16, 22-23 August), and Padova (5-7 September).

Diana’s books open on 30 March at 18:00 for appointments in May at The Island. She also has guest spots in London (15-17 May), and in Prague, Berlin and Hamburg in August/September.

Etta (one of our brilliant apprentices) is currently taking bookings for their last remaining appointments in April, and will be opening their books again soon for appointments in May and June.

Ryan’s books open on 10 April for appointments in May at The Island.

Thanks so much for reading, and for supporting our small business – we really appreciate it!

Hopefully we’ll see you soon at the studio 💚

Share The Island Newsletter

This month we’re previewing our first Tattoo Retreat, highlighting some of our apprentices’ fantastic design work, and taking a peek inside the studio’s cabinet of curiosities.

Word-of-mouth is worth infinitely more than Instagram’s faceless algorithms, so if you’d like to introduce a friend or family member to our studio and our wonderful artists, please consider sharing this Newsletter with them – thank you 🪴

Subscribe now

🏔️ Metamorphosis Tattoo Retreat on the Shore of Loch Tay

We’re very excited to announce that our first Tattoo Retreat will take place on 22-25 May!

Set at Boreland, on the bonnie banks of Loch Tay in rural Scotland, this first retreat by The Island is a special event which seeks to cultivate a more holistic approach to the experience of getting a tattoo. At the ‘Metamorphosis’ retreat, we invite you to experience tattooing in connection with nature – perhaps marking an important change in life, honouring a new beginning, or closing an old chapter.

The retreat will feature the following Artists:

• Desi (@little_lazo.tattoo)

• Callum (@callumblack.ink)

• Diana (@dianaveidenthaler.ink)

• Jamie (@jamjam.tattoo)

The programme will include forest bathing, meditation, yoga, sound baths, and, of course, a truly unique tattoo session. Further information coming soon!

To register your interest, please email hello@theisland.studio, with the subject header ‘Tattoo Retreat'. We’ll be in touch soon with some more info.

Register Your Interest

🔲 Our Cabinet of Curiosities

Well, OK, it’s not quite a cabinet of curiosities, but our little corner-shop now features some very cool products.

We’re still buzzing about the new range of Ink Balm aftercare products featuring original designs from The Island’s Artists. The Ink Balm is a fantastic, local Scottish company and we’re delighted to offer these premium aftercare products in the studio.

New on the scene are some delicious CBD gummies from Cold Pressed Cannabinoids. CBD is a natural way to promote relaxation and to reduce inflammation, making them a perfect complement to a tattoo studio. We’re not scientists, so please check out the manufacturer’s website if you have any questions about the product.

Last, but not least, you can pick up a copy of The Psychedelic Journal. This lockdown collaboration between Jon and Jamie offers you space to explore, document and reflect on your experiences. Its pages are filled with beautiful artwork, stimulating quotations, poetry, and a series of carefully chosen prompts designed to kindle creativity, reflection and insight.

Feel free to take a look at any of these products when you’re next in the studio!

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🟩 Follow Our Apprentices’ Tattoo Journeys

Jamie’s currently training up two very talented apprentices – Etta and Suzie – who are already well on their way to becoming Resident Artists at The Island.

Here’s just a taste of some of their design work:

It can be tough to build a following as a new tattoo artist, so it would be fantastic if you could show them some love by following their Instagram accounts.

• Follow Etta’s Instagram (@nockrock__)

• Follow Suzie’s Instagram (@suzies_ink)

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🗓 Upcoming Booking Dates

Jamie’s books open on Sunday 19 March at 09:00 (for appointments in May and June) at The Island. His books are currently open for his guest spot in Vienna (13-15 April).

Callum’s books are currently open for guest spots in Vienna (13-15 April), London (18-22 May), Copenhagen (14-16 June), London (5-7 July), Berlin (15-16, 22-23 August), and Padova (5-7 September).

Diana’s books have just opened (for appointments in April) at The Island. She also has guest spots in Amsterdam (13-15 March) and London (15-17 May).

Ryan’s books are currently open for appointments in April at The Island, and for a guest spot in Newcastle (2-5 March).

Artist Profiles

This is one of the stunning paintings which our very own Diana created for the studio. Diana is open to commissions for original paintings, so if you love this mural as much as we do, please drop her a line to enquire!

Thanks so much for reading, and for supporting our small business – we really appreciate it!

Hopefully we’ll see you soon at the studio 💚

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This month we’re announcing a special reduced-price Miniatures event from Jamie; a fundraising flash day from Diana; and a new range of aftercare featuring designs from The Island’s artists!

Word-of-mouth is worth infinitely more than Instagram’s faceless algorithms, so if you’d like to introduce a friend or family member to our studio and our wonderful artists, please consider sharing this Newsletter with them – thank you 🪴

⬛️ JamJam Special Miniatures Day – Booking Opens Tomorrow!

Bookings will open tomorrow (Saturday 28 January) at 09:00 for two special Miniatures Days from Jamie (JamJam)!

These are financially stressful times for many people, so we’ve decided to do a couple of special events on 11 & 30 March, at which Jamie will be offering brand new designs that are smaller, and priced lower, than his usual flash.

Spaces are very limited, so please email (jamjamtattoo@gmail.com) as close to 09:00 as possible to book!

All the flash designs will be revealed later today (27 January) on Jamie’s Instagram.

Jamie's Instagram

🌿 The Island’s Own Range of Premium Aftercare

We’re very excited to announce a brand new range of tattoo aftercare featuring stunning original artwork from The Island’s Resident Artists!

Some of you will already be familiar with The Ink Balm – a local Scottish company – whose products we’ve been stocking for a while. These all-natural aftercare ‘sticks’ very quickly became our favourite product to support the tattoo healing process, so we were delighted when they invited us to create a brand new range of labels.

You can check out the full range of designs by our artists on The Ink Balm’s Instagram. The new collection is currently being toured around various trade shows, so let us know if you spot one of our designs at other studios!

The Ink Balm's Instagram

🌊 Diana’s Fundraiser Flash Day in Support of Sea Shepherd

We’re excited and proud to announce that on 2 April, Resident Artist Diana will be hosting a special fundraiser flash day! All of the proceeds will be donated to Sea Shepherd, an incredible charity dedicated to protecting marine wildlife. Their fleet works with governments to help enforce conservation laws and protect ocean life from illegal fishing.

Diana will be creating and sharing brand new flash designs for this event and we hope that you’ll join her in supporting this fantastic cause.

Stay tuned to Diana’s Instagram and the Newsletter for more details on the booking day for this event!

Find Out More About Sea Shepherd

🗓 Upcoming Booking Dates

Jamie’s books open on Saturday 28 January at 09:00 for his special Miniatures dates (11 & 30 March).

Due to some rescheduling, Jamie now has a couple of dates available for regular flash designs in March.

Jamie’s next full booking day will be Saturday 11 February from 09:00 (for appointments in April).

Callum’s books are currently open for two remaining appointments in March.

Diana’s books open on 31 January (for appointments in March), and then on 28 February (for appointments in April) at The Island. She also has guest spots in Newcastle (18-20 February), Amsterdam (13-15 March) and London (15-17 May).

Ryan’s books are currently open for appointments in March at The Island, and for a guest spot in Newcastle (2-5 March).

Artist Profiles

Thanks so much for reading, and for supporting our small business – we really appreciate it!

Hopefully we’ll see you soon at the studio 💚

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We’re a little late getting this one out, but the mulled wine haze has finally cleared sufficiently to write and release this January 2023 edition.

This month we’re highlighting a huge project from Jamie (JamJam Tattoo), welcoming some fantastic new members to The Island Team, and giving you a sneak preview of our very first Tattoo & Wellbeing Retreat in the Scottish Highlands!

Thank you for subscribing – we don’t want to be held captive by Instagram’s capricious algorithms, so with this Newsletter we hope to build a genuine community as The Island continues to grow 🪴

If you know someone who’d enjoy the Newsletter or who’d like to support our work (and get free entry into our Quarterly Prize Draw in the process!), we’d be very grateful if you would share it with them; thank you.

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◼️ Exclusive JamJam Project Preview: The Space Between Us

The Space Between Us is a huge, ongoing project exploring our place in the cosmos and our relationship to one another, our history and our environment. Starting with the cosmic dawn of the Big Bang, the project abstractly represents the stages our universe, solar system, and planet went through to produce all life on Earth. The final project will eventually include 100 unique tattoos, each linking subtly onwards to the next, reminding us of the shared connection we have not only to each other, but to everything in our universe.

Each tattoo will only be created once and has fixed parameters for sizing and placement, depending on the design. At the end of the project, each client will be invited to an event to meet the other connected members of the community, where you’ll be able to discover the newly visible connections you now share.

Jamie is developing and releasing these artworks gradually, so we’re excited to give you a first look at the next batch, which will be available to book from 14 January!

This image hopefully gives you a sense of how each design flows into the next to form one complete artwork (it’s best to check it out on the original post on Substack to see the image properly). You can see each design separately on Jamie’s Instagram to get a better sense of how these will appear as individual tattoos.

Jamie's Instagram

🟢 Welcome to Our New Team Members!

2023 marks a new chapter for us at The Island as Jamie will be training two new apprentices: Etta and Suzie. We’re excited to be a part of their tattoo journeys and we hope that you’ll support their progress over the coming months.

You can already follow the first steps in Etta’s artistic journey by following their new Instagram!

We’re also delighted to have Emma join the team as our new Social Media Content Creator. We’re not in love with the terminology for this kind of role, but we’re definitely excited to see Emma bring her film and photography skills to the studio as we continue to share as much as we can from inside The Island on Instagram and here in this Newsletter.

Stay tuned over the coming months for new artist interviews, short films, and more from Emma!

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🏔️ Coming Soon: Tattoo & Wellbeing Retreat

We’ve got something very special coming later this year… The first Island Retreat in the Scottish Highlands!

This is an idea we’ve had in our minds for a long time – to take a small group into the wilderness for a deeper, more meaningful tattoo experience. We want to explore a renewed sense of ritual in having a tattoo – perhaps the design is created from natural materials you find on a walk; perhaps a new beginning or chapter in life can be marked on the skin while gazing at the mountains and valleys of Loch Tay.

Our first Tattoo & Wellbeing retreat will take place between 22-25 May, on the bonnie banks of Loch Tay in the heart of Scotland. More details to follow in the coming months!

🗓 Upcoming Booking Dates

Jamie’s books open on Saturday 14 January at 09:00 (for appointments in March (plus a few in February))

Callum’s books are currently open (for appointments in January and February)

Diana’s books are currently open for appointments in February at The Island; she’ll be opening her books later this month for appointments in March. Diana’s books are also currently open for guest spots in Newcastle (18-20 February), Amsterdam (13-15 March) and London (15-17 May)

Ryan’s books are currently open (for appointments in March)

Artist Profiles

Thanks so much for reading, and for supporting our small business – we really appreciate it!

Hopefully we’ll see you soon at the studio 💚

Share The Island Newsletter

This month we’re excited to share a look back at our first Exhibition; an exclusive peek at new flash from Jamie (JamJam Tattoo); a preview of some brilliant upcoming Guest Artists; and we announce the first winner of our Quarterly Prize Draw!

Word-of-mouth is worth infinitely more than Instagram’s faceless algorithms, so if you’d like to introduce a friend or family member to our studio and our wonderful artists, please consider sharing this Newsletter with them – thank you 🪴

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🖼️ Our First Exhibition

We held our first Exhibition – ‘Contemporary Skin’ – at The Island on 18 November, in which we showcased our artists’ work through a series of beautiful, portrait-style photographs. The first of its kind, the Exhibition looked at how modern tattoo culture fits into the world of art, highlighting how these are more than mere marks on the skin. They are stories, memories, reflections of the unconscious, and explorations of how the body can be transformed.

It was wonderful to bring together our local community, and for so many clients to meet each other in a social setting – thank you to everyone who attended, and especially to everyone who modelled for the photographs (and to Jamie’s Mum, who provided fantastic food for the evening)!

The event also marked the first anniversary of The Island in Edinburgh… here’s to the next Exhibition in 2023!

As well as the photographs above, you can currently see a further selection from the Exhibition on the homepage of our website.

The Island

◼️ Exclusive JamJam Flash Preview

Jamie’s books will be opening very soon (see below) and he’s excited to share a sneak peek of some of his brand new flash designs. These mock-ups highlight a new direction Jamie is exploring.

To book in with Jamie, please email (jamjamtattoo@gmail.com) on booking day from 09:00, including a screenshot of the design you’re interested in.

Jamie's Instagram

🎨 New Guest Artists

We have a packed roster of fantastic Guest Artists who we’ll be welcoming to The Island in 2023. If you’d like to secure a spot with one of them, please don’t wait – all of our Guest Artists get fully-booked very quickly!

Here’s a small selection of what to look forward to:

Clockwise from the top left:

• Giliz Tattoo

• Terra Tattoo (Magda Stanecka)

• Universe Within Tattoo (Sara Aurea)

• Prats Tattoo (Pablo Prats)

To book in with any of our talented Guest Artists, please contact them directly. You can see the full schedule of upcoming Guest Artists by clicking the button below:

More Upcoming Guest Artists

🎟️ First Prize Draw Winner

As a thank-you for subscribing to The Island Newsletter, you’re automatically entered into our Quarterly Prize Draw. We thought we’d do the first draw a little early, so we’re delighted to announce the first winner is Shaniese!

Shaniese will receive a £100 tattoo voucher which can be redeemed with any of our Resident Artists!

We’ll draw the next winner in 3 months’ time, so stay tuned and subscribed until then for your chance to win 🙌

Subscribe now

🗓 Upcoming Booking Dates

Jamie’s books open on Saturday 3 December at 09:00 (for appointments in January and February)

Callum’s books are currently open (for appointments in January and February)

Diana’s books are currently open for appointments in January at The Island, and for guest spots in Amsterdam (13-15 March) and London (15-17 May)

Ryan’s books are currently open (for appointments in December) – do move quickly to secure your spot, as Ryan will be spending time with his family back in Australia for most of January and early February!

Artist Profiles

Thanks so much for reading, and for supporting our small business – we really appreciate it!

Hopefully we’ll see you soon at the studio 💚

Share The Island Newsletter

Word-of-mouth is worth infinitely more than Instagram’s faceless algorithms, so if you’d like to introduce a friend or family member to our studio and our wonderful artists, please consider sharing this Newsletter with them – thank you!

Share The Island Newsletter

📷 Exhibition Invitation: Contemporary Skin

November marks The Island's first anniversary in beautiful Edinburgh! We're celebrating the occasion with a Special Exhibition Evening featuring portrait photography of some of our artists' finest work.

We would love for you – our first Newsletter subscribers – to join us, other clients, local businesses and friends of the studio, for this special occasion. If you're able to come, could you please RSVP to let us know how many people would like to attend. To help us prepare, we’d really appreciate hearing from you by Tuesday 15 November.

The event will take place on Friday 18 November, 18:00-21:00. Drinks and canapés will be served!

RSVP

🌿 New and Upcoming Flash Designs

Resident Artists Ryan and Diana have some fantastic new designs to share with you.

These stunning designs from Ryan are a new and exciting direction for him and, thanks to their flowing, organic shapes, he can also create them freehand. This means the design can be developed spontaneously on the day to create a unique tattoo that suits your body specifically. They’re available to book now.

Diana is hard at work on a new range of flash which will be available to book soon. Here’s an exclusive preview:

These designs won’t be publicly released until next week, but Newsletter subscribers have early access! If you contact Diana before Wednesday 9 November, you can secure one (or more!) of these designs before the rest of the world has even laid eyes on them

Please email the artists directly to enquire and to book; please include a screenshot of the design(s) you’re interested in.

Contact the Artists

🌲For the Forest Flash Day Update

Last month, Resident Artists Jamie and Diana held a special Flash Day to support Cairngorms Connect – a charity working to rewild, reforest, and increase the biodiversity of the Scottish Highlands.

We’re proud to announce that Jamie and Diana (who worked all day and late into the evening) raised over £2,500 – all of which will go towards supporting the work of this fantastic charity. We’d like to give a special shout-out to Helen, one of Diana’s clients from the flash day, who works as a ranger in one of Cairngorms Connect’s restoration zones – it was an honour to have you with us, and thank you for the work you’re doing 🙌

Cairngorms Connect

🪘Upcoming Tattoo & Sound Evening

We’re excited to announce our next (overdue!) Tattoo & Sound Evening, which will take place on Wednesday 14 December from 17:00. For these special events, your tattoo will be created while Mika Benjamin provides a meditative Sound Bath experience to relax the body and calm the mind.

Tattoos are often deeply personal markers in our lives, and with these evenings we want to nurture a sense of ritual and reflection. If you’ve never experienced a sound bath before, here’s a handy introduction.

Resident Artists Jamie, Diana and Callum will be offering appointments for smaller flash designs for this event. Please stay tuned to The Island’s Instagram account for when bookings will open for this event.

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🗓 Upcoming Booking Dates

Jamie’s books open on Tuesday 8 November (for appointments in January)

Callum’s books open on Sunday 27 November (for appointments in January)

Diana’s books are currently open for appointments in November and December at The Island, and for guest spots in Copenhagen (29 November–2 December) and in Amsterdam (20-23 March)

Ryan’s books are currently open (for appointments in November & December) – move quickly to secure your spot, as Ryan will be spending time with his family back in Australia for most of January and early February!

Artist Profiles

🧳 Not Quite Goodbye

This month we’re sad to be saying a not-quite-goodbye to our Resident Artist, Vin (@eras.end). Vin – a master of the ‘ignorant’ tattoo style and much more besides – has been with us as a part-time Resident since we opened our doors last year, commuting across from Glasgow every weekend.

From mid-November, Vin will be based closer to home at a new studio in Glasgow, but we’re pleased to say he’ll still be dropping in from time to time as a Guest Artist at The Island!

Thank you for being a part of The Island; you will be missed 🙏

Thanks so much for reading, and for supporting our small business – we really appreciate it!

Hopefully we’ll see you soon at the studio 💚

Share The Island Newsletter

Each month we’ll share a mixture of news, photos, exclusive previews and studio news. And just by subscribing to this newsletter, you’ll automatically be entered into our quarterly prize-draw to win a voucher that you can redeem with any of our Resident Artists 🙌

Word-of-mouth is worth infinitely more than Instagram’s faceless algorithms, so if you’d like to introduce a friend or family member to our studio and our wonderful artists, please consider sharing this Newsletter with them – thank you!

Share The Island Newsletter

🌲For the Forest Flash Day: Raising Money to Rewild Scotland

On Sunday 23 October, our Resident Artists Jamie (JamJam) and Diana are putting on a special Flash Day. All proceeds will be donated to a charity working to rewild and restore natural habitats in Scotland.

Jamie and Diana have created new flash designs specially for this day, priced from £150.

Here’s a preview of some of the designs (check out Jamie’s and Diana’s Instagrams to see more designs as they’re released).

For the Forest Flash Day is by appointment only – to secure your spot, you’ll need to book in advance with the artists. Flash designs are released on Saturday 8 October and can be booked from Sunday 9 October.

To book with Jamie:

• Please email jamjamtattoo@gmail.com, including a screenshot of the design you’d like to book.

To book with Diana:

• Please email dianaveidenthaler.ink@gmail.com, including a screenshot of the design you’d like to book.

🗓 Upcoming Booking Dates

Jamie’s books open on Saturday 15 October (for appointments in December)

Callum’s books open on Sunday 23 October (for appointments in December & January)

Diana’s books are currently open for appointments in November at The Island, and for guest spots in London (11-12 November) and Copenhagen (29 November–2 December)

Ryan’s books are currently open (for appointments in November & December)

Vin’s books open on 22 October (for appointments in November). Please use this form to book in with him

Artist Profiles

🖌 Guest Artists

We love hosting exciting and original Guest Artists at The Island – you can check out who’ll be joining us over the coming months (and preview some of their work) on this dedicated page of our website.

Each Guest Artist handles their own bookings, so please get in touch with them directly to book in.

Upcoming Guest Artists

🍁 Vacancies

As The Island continues to grow, we’re looking to find some great new people to join the team! If that’s you, or someone you know, please check out the full details of each position and how to apply here.

We’re looking for:

• A Tattoo Apprentice / Studio Assistant

• A Social Media Content Creator

• A Part-Time Resident Artist

The application deadline for all positions is 09:00 on Monday 17 October.

Details & How To Apply

Newest Member of the Studio

We discovered this mighty shell in a tiny shop in the Scottish town of Callander and knew that he had to become part of the studio team! Shells are a big creative influence for Jamie’s work in particular, so don’t be surprised if this (as-yet-unnamed) shell turns up as a flash design at some point 🐚

Thanks so much for reading, and for supporting our small business – we really appreciate it!

Hopefully we’ll see you soon at the studio 💚