Scott Martin, owner and founder of Good Vibrations Ink, has been a tattoo artist for over 37 years, and a body piercer for over 27 years. He cannot remember a time when he was not fascinated by art. At 15, he discovered a passion for tattooing. After graduating from L.H.S. High in Maryland, which boasts one of the top three high school art programs in the U.S., he studied graphic and interior design at The Art Institute of Philadelphia, specializing in airbrush. The techniques he learned in art school help to make his tattoo work exceptional.
While holding down day jobs, Scott Martin worked as a musician and a tattoo artist by night in Pennsylvania and the Washington D.C. area for nearly a decade before moving to Orlando, Florida. There he owned and operated two upscale tattoo shops on International Drive in the Central Florida tourist district. Two years ago, he and his wife decided to relocate to Hawaii to continue their dream by establishing Good Vibrations Ink on the North Shore of Oahu.
Scott Martin describes himself as “always an innovator, never an imitator.”
A lot of the tattoo artists I have seen over the years tend to stick to one style of artwork or tattooing style. I like to tattoo anything that is designed or put on the table. My favorite artists include Aaron Cain, Sabado, Paul Booth, Guy, Flip, Tom Renshaw, Dave Waugh, Little Vinnie, and Anil. Whether it is a small butterfly or a whole sleeve, I see every piece as a new challenge.
Every canvas is totally different, especially if it is a cover up. The ultimate challenge is to cover another artist’s work and make it so that no one can tell that another tattoo was there. I have seen some really bad “attempted” cover-ups!
I strive for really clean pieces with good, clean line work and really solid color and shading. I take my time with every piece, which is why I almost never have to do touch-ups, unless the customer did something to damage the tattoo during the healing process.
