Settled Ink

Shawlands, Glasgow Tue–Fri 11:00–19:00 · Sat 10:00–18:00

(02 · Blackwork and engraving)

Tomasz Wrona

Black only. Tone built out of lines, the way copperplate and wood engravers did it.

Style
Blackwork, engraving
Works
Wednesday–Saturday
Pieces
One or two sittings
Rate
£120 an hour, £650 a day
Book with Tomasz

(Healed work · 3 pieces)

Rhinoceros tattoo, after Dürer, 1515, on the ribs, healed 3 years
01Rhinocerosafter Dürer, 1515RibsHealed 3 yearsTomasz Wrona2 sittings, 7 h
Murex shell tattoo, after Haeckel, 1904, on the forearm, healed 18 months
02Murex shellafter Haeckel, 1904ForearmHealed 18 monthsTomasz Wrona3 h 30 min
Griffon vulture tattoo, after an 1871 engraving, on the upper arm, healed 1 year
03Griffon vultureafter an 1871 engravingUpper armHealed 1 yearTomasz Wrona4 h

(Drawn first)

On paper

Every piece starts as a drawing on paper, sized to you at the consultation. These are the drawings behind the healed photos above.

Rhinoceros, drawing on paper, after Dürer, 1515
Rhinoceros, after Dürer, 1515
Murex shell, drawing on paper, after Haeckel, 1904
Murex shell, after Haeckel, 1904
Griffon vulture, drawing on paper, after an 1871 engraving
Griffon vulture, after an 1871 engraving

(How Tomasz works)

Engravers made grey out of black lines, which is exactly what a needle does. I work from copperplates and wood engravings, and from your own photos if you bring them.

Line-built shading ages better than soft grey wash. In ten years you’ll still see every line of the hatching, just softer.

Tomasz Wrona · From Kraków, in Glasgow since 2015, resident since 2018

Redrawing part of the stencil freehand so it follows the arm.
Redrawing part of the stencil freehand so it follows the arm.
Keeping the stencil readable while the lines go in.
Keeping the stencil readable while the lines go in.

Book with Tomasz

Wednesday–Saturday. Consultations are free and take 20 minutes. A £50 deposit holds your date and comes off the price.

Book a consultation