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Here are a few of the magazines that have published my artwork....

As Featured in Crave Tattoo Magazine - Volume 22, August 07'

New Wave of Tattooing

Written by Amanda Stephan

  Surfing in Michigan? Who knew? It’s likely that very few realize the Great

Lakes’ surfing potential. Michigan has another hidden treasure, tattoo artist

Chad Stone. Stone, an avid surfer, has recently returned to his home beaches

of Michigan, after spending a year tattooing and catching waves in Cocoa,

Florida. His stint at Electric Eye Tattoo Studio in Cocoa was the finale to a

tattoo tour that took Stone into the Mid-West and down the East Coast.

“I got to sit with DJ Minor for three days and really learned a lot. I spent some

time in Charlottesville, Virginia with Ben Miller and Jon Hunter of Ben Around

Tattoo. Those guys are really nice and are awesome artists. My last tour stop

with Jason Stephan at Electric Eye was definitely my favorite. The shop had a

super laid-back atmosphere. He was always down to talk and swap ideas and

he is putting out great work so I had to try and keep up.”

  Chad’s real journey into tattooing began four years ago. He always had an appreciation for art, finding inspiration in the work of his friend, artist Dave Boensch. “He has always been an awesome artist in all mediums and just seeing the art he was putting out made me love art more and more.” However, Chad had been uncertain how to turn his passion for art into a career. In order to make a living, he worked as a machinist, programming CNC mills. For five years he spent six days a week, nine hours a day in what he describes as a “dungeon”. Finally fed up, he left that job in search of his calling. He decided to attend college, pursuing a degree in engineering. In the hopes of satisfying his interest in art, Chad took some classes in art and design. This choice resulted in a drastic change in his career pursuits. He first entered into the world of tattooing by designing flash. Soon after he landed an apprenticeship tattooing.

  In addition to his friend Boensch, Chad has also been inspired by artists who create art on the skin. There are several tattoo artists that he has immense respect for. “I have always liked work by DJ Minor, Jason Stephan, Jesse Smith, Ben Miller, Jon Hunter, and Jime Litwalk…you know, all the guys that everyone always mentions.” He has gotten the opportunity to do guest spots with several of the artists that he admires. Stone learned a great deal from each person that he has worked with. “I was way into black and gray until I started doing guest spots and learning more about color theory and application.” Chad has also collected tattoos from many of the shops that he’s visited. He hopes to get tattooed by one of his idols in the near future. “I’ve wanted a Mr. Horsepower tattoo from Jime Litwalk for a long time. I really dig his style.”

  Though he jokes that his strength in tattooing is his mastery of the art of wiping, Chad really is a talented artist. His tattoo art has a new school vibe but really offers something “new” to new school. Chad experiments with muted colors and multiple light sources, which seem to offer a refreshing take on images that have become popular in the world of tattooing. In other art mediums, Chad is equally innovative. He has taken the old school art of Pin-striping and applied it to unique objects like toasters and mannequins. Stone also enjoys creating realistic art. He is a strong portrait artist on and off the skin. Working with graphite, he often does portraits for friends and family. Chad has been commissioned to do realistic art for several fundraisers as well.

  Now back in Florida, Chad is working at Hart and Huntington’s newest studio in City Walk at Universal Studios, Orlando. He is, however, interested in doing some more guest spots. “My goal is to avoid getting stagnant as an artist. Traveling offers me a way to accomplish that goal and continue to push myself as an artist.” You can further familiarize yourself with Chad Stone and his artwork at www.ChadStoneTattoos.com. He may be coming to town near you sometime soon, particularly if you have a lake he can surf.

All Media Property of ChadStone/ChadStoneTattoos.com Copyright 2007. All rights reserved.