In Elmo’s eyes, he was born to tattoo. His uncle, who was a tattoo artist, taught him how to draw flash designs at an early age. He was also surrounded with tattoo covered relatives. “Everyone who was covered in my family was the coolest at family functions”. Did I mention he got his first tattoo at age 12? Elmo’s first apprenticeship started in Dallas, TX in 1997. He describes it as “less than favorable”, but it was mainly out of convenience. Later, he moved to Kansas to work in his uncle’s shop, and that is where the credit is due.

Color work is Elmo’s favorite, and he labels himself as “neo-traditional, new school”. He really loves to tackle projects that take his work to a new level. There are tons of artists that give him the inspiration he needs for his work. Guys like Nikko Hurtado and Nick Baxter, who push the envelope for what is possible in tattooing today. He finds inspiration in every artist that he has worked with over the years…the people that have pushed him to better himself and his art.

Elmo believes that all machines serve different purposes to get different desired effects. He mainly uses Borg machines, because they are super light-weight and run like a champ. He has also used Neumas and rotaries in the past. He achieves his great color with Fusion pigment inks. He has been tattooing at conventions for quite some time, and has won over 40 awards ranging from “Small Color” to awards for portrait work. His fave piece of the moment is a space leg sleeve he recently did on a friend from Oklahoma. He has also tatted Steve Ewing from the Urge, the lead singer and drummer of She Wants Revenge, the bass player from Authority Zero, and various sports players from around the country. There is no one in particular that Elmo wants to work with, but if he had to choose it would be “anyone who would let me have free reign to do a big, cool project on!”