Pro Artist of the month - Holly Marie

She's the queen of Pokémon pieces and tattoo TikTok - it could only be Holly Marie!

Found on Route CV4 in her own private studio, Inky Tattu, in Coventry, Holly is simply a master at any and all videogame body art, especially your favourite Pocket Monsters or anything on a Nintendo console.

We spoke to Holly about her tattooing journey, how she leverages social media to stay fully-booked, and her love of those cute and cuddly red pandas.

How did you get into tattooing and what originally inspired you to pursue this career?

Art has always been a massive part of my life, it was something I did consistently in my downtime and I did art at college too! I have always been so interested in body modifications, even as a young child I would beg my parents for henna tattoos on holiday and draw all over my arms in school, making a career out of art was always my dream - I love that it made it full circle for me!

Did you face challenges at the start of your tattooing journey? How did you manage to overcome them?

The main challenge was definitely people around me not seeing it as a "real job" with any self-employed person starting up I didn't make a liveable wage for a long time, but I am thankful every day that I pushed through and believed in myself. Tattooing isn't a hobby, it's a 24/7 state of mind and I am thankful every day that I pushed through the hard times to get to where I am.

This month marks 12 years of tattooing for you, congratulations! Can you share some of the most memorable moments and meaningful tattoos?

Thank you! I need to think of what to do to celebrate for lucky 13 next year. I really can't thank my customers enough for supporting me over the last 12 years, I am so thankful for everybody that comes to visit me but the moments that are still unbelievable to me even to say out loud are when people fly over to me to get tattooed. Since my videos went viral on TikTok, I have had multiple clients travel overseas, lots from the USA and I have even had someone come from Australia to be tattooed by me before! Being given permanent residence on anyone's skin is an honour but for that person to travel across the world specifically for it is mind-blowing.

What or who has had the biggest influence on your style of tattooing, and how has it evolved over the 12 years?

Gaming! My tattoo portfolio now is probably 95% gaming which was definitely on purpose, when I realised I wanted to focus on pop-culture I made sure to make a point of showcasing that online. Playing games is something I have done since I was old enough to hold a controller and is a huge part of my life still as it is the way I spend my evenings and weekends. Getting to merge my life-long special interest more specifically of Pokémon to my full time job is something I never could have imagined in my wildest dreams! As a bonus, the Pokémon community are incredibly lovely and it's wonderful to get to spend my days in their company.

Your studio, Inky Tattu, has just hit the one year milestone – what made you want to open your own private studio?

I never understood why I didn't feel like I fit in with other tattoo artists until I was diagnosed with Autism & ADHD, I always struggled with the environment of a busy tattoo studio and I flourish with routine so I knew working on my own would be the best for me. I was correct as it is the best thing I have ever done! I never feel burnt out and I love having control of the entire experience. Most days are just one-on-one with my clients and they have access to everything they could need in their appointment.

How do you ensure that your studio is as welcoming and inclusive as possible?

My studio welcomes all body types and I am confident in tattooing all skin tones too, basically - everyone is welcome! My booking process puts the client completely in control, they are able to tell me their preferred name, pronouns and if they want a quiet (neurodivergent-friendly) session. As mentioned before I offer everything a client could need in their session at no extra charge: aftercare, food, drinks and art prints (not a tattoo appointment necessity but always well received) so they really don't need to have a worry in the world about their appointment! Something little 18 year old me would have appreciated when I first started getting tattooed myself.

You have previously said that most of your clients found you through TikTok, how has content creation helped your career?

Almost my entire client base is from finding me online! Making videos on TikTok and Instagram has become a normal part of my daily work life, I probably end up posting upwards of 80% of the work I make as I just really enjoy making videos! Prior to TikTok, I did have a good online following and was quite booked out but nothing compared to now, I have to close my books most of the time due to the demand as I can't keep up with it. It can be overwhelming at times (especially as a pathological people-pleaser that hates to say no) but I am always so grateful to everyone that watches my videos and helps push them to my next potential client and I am so grateful that even if people only found me from the viral videos they saw the passion that I have for my work and decided to stick around.

From initial consultation to finished tattoo, what is your process for working with clients?

I like to do all of my bookings personally rather than outsourcing so I do them all via a booking form, my clients fill out the form and I can usually book them in with less than two emails. This works best for me because I deal with such a high number of enquiries so it takes out the back and forth of traditional booking methods, the most forms I have ever had from one book opening day is 138(!) so the form system really is for my own sanity. I have an online FAQ and also give clients the option to email me prior to books opening with any questions or enquiries they have, which I try to keep on top of weekly but there are always quite a few - most people are super patient and it makes the admin side totally worth it to get to create such fun tattoos!

How important is understanding colour theory in tattooing?

Deciding the colour palette for each piece of work is so important, I love to either stick to a cool-toned or warm-toned palette or use opposite colours on the colour wheel to compliment each other. I love using procreate for this as you can easily change the colours and play around with what works best before it makes it onto skin.

What advice would you give to someone getting their first tattoo or artists considering a career in tattooing?

The best thing you can do when getting your first tattoo is research your artist, we are so lucky now to have so many incredibly talented artists that work in all different styles across the world with their online portfolios easy to access. You'll be able to see their work style, booking process, reviews and location and make your decision from there. As for a career, it's very hard work and takes over your entire life but absolutely worth it, make sure to do a cross-infection course online when looking for an apprenticeship as the safety of our clients is paramount.

What are your go-to tattoo brands and products that you can’t work without?

Brands would be Magnum, obviously, your colour range is great and so easy to shop! I also really enjoy Butterluxe Cocoa Balm for during as glide and after the tattoo process for healing.

What aftercare method do you recommend to your clients? Do you have any tips you can share?

All fresh tattoos leave the studio with derma wrap (second skin) and an absorbent medical grade pad as dressing, I then give all of my clients a tub of Butterluxe Cocoa Balm to take away for when the dressing is removed after 24hrs. I have found that this is the fastest healing method for tattoos on myself and clients. My biggest tip would be that aftercare is worth investing in and factoring into the cost of making the tattoo. I also give my clients a detailed online aftercare sheet that they can read prior and refer back to as well.

You are a huge Pokémon fan, but how many do you think you have tattooed over the years? Which are your most and least favourite to tattoo?

Absolutely! I have had the pleasure of tattooing thousands! I hope to one day have "tattooed them all" which I am slowly working towards. My most favoured appointments are the bright and colourful pieces, obscure and underrated Pokémon make these even more better. I don't have a least favourite but I would say that as much as I love Umbreon, I wish the other Eeveelutions got the same amount of love! Someone book me for a Flareon, please!

Let’s say you have just beaten the Elite Four, which six Pokémon are in your Hall of Fame team?

Gardevoir, Salamance, Aggron and Sceptile were my champions when I played Emerald as a kid and beat the Elite 4 for the first time, I remember being soooo excited! I am pretty sure the other Pokémon in my party were just HM slaves that I used to revive the others, oops! Now, as an adult, I would probably have the cutest but most abysmally weak team known to mankind: put me with Cleffa, Jumpluff, Dreepy, Hatenna, Snom and Cutiefly any day!

What other videogames are you currently playing and what are your all-time favourites?

Me and my partner just finished Split Fiction which was incredible, I do believe we have game of the year already. I spent most of my life playing Runescape which is where I met lots of my friends, so it holds a special place in my heart. In more recent years I have become addicted to Dead By Daylight and Fortnite which are my two games in rotation currently. Aside from those some of my other all-time favourite games would be Sonic, specifically Sonic 2, Pokémon Emerald and Shield, Breath of the Wild, Rayman 3 and Alice: Madness Returns! Also patiently awaiting a Simpsons: Hit & Run rerelease, haha.

Is it fair to say your favourite animal is the red panda? Tell us about your love of these furry friends!

Haha, is it that obvious!? I absolutely love them! I actually got one tattooed recently on my hand, solidifying my obsession. I am also very lucky to have a partner that supports and indulges in my interests as he has taken me multiple times to meet, feed and learn about red pandas!

You’re a self-described Disney theme park enthusiast, when did your love of these start and how many have you ticked off your bucket list?

I am a huge theme park enthusiast, they are definitely my favourite place to visit for a getaway - especially Disney parks! I have only done Florida, Paris and California for Disney so far. I hope to go to Tokyo next year with my partner but we have plans to visit lots of European theme parks this year in the mean time. I was always dragging my parents to theme parks and begging to go to Disney as a child so I am glad I get to take adult-me to all of these places!

What music is usually playing in your headphones or in the studio while you’re tattooing?

My all-time favourite band is Fall Out Boy! I love listening to My Chemical Romance, Waterparks and Neck Deep. My current artist on repeat is Taylor Swift, her music is so diverse there's an album for all tastes; a lot of my clients are either into emo music or are Swifties too so this really suits us all! Sometimes I accidentally sing along too (sorry)!

Have you got any conventions lined up for 2025?

The only convention I am doing this year is Anime TattCon in Northern Ireland, I really struggle with change and the busy/loud environment so conventions and guest spots are unfortunately not something I can do a lot, but I do really enjoy them in small doses! Especially since opening my own private studio it is hard to peel myself away from the sanctuary haha. I am thinking of doing the Scottish Tattoo Convention next year and I would love to do Brighton Tattoo Convention as well at some point.

Editor's note: this interview was conducted before Anime TattCon, where Holly went on to win three awards: "1st Place Pokémon", "3rd Place Small Blackwork", and "3rd Place Small Colour" - congratulations Holly, so well deserved!

What is next for Holly Marie and Inky Tattu?

My books open on April 5th for September and October bookings so I look forward to going through those and hopefully get lots of Halloween tattoos booked in for Spooky season! Really just looking forward to more time working at my private studio and making colourful, nerdy tattoos every day. My current goal is to have my own tattoo aftercare balm!

A huge thank you to Holly Marie for taking part in this interview with us and we hope you all enjoyed it! If you want to check out Holly's work, and we know you all do, then catch her on Instagram at @hollarie, as well as @inkyelf on TikTok and @hollymarietattoos on Facebook too.