Today we’d like to introduce you to Ian Seth.
Hi Ian, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
I’ve been an artist my entire life. I think since I could remember, art has just always been a part of my normal everyday.
In grade school teachers would take notice of my artistry. I felt different amongst my peers, so being appreciated for something I was good at and took an interest in, gave me a sense of purpose and direction.
Fast track to the end of highschool (2015). I don’t walk the stage. Instead I’ve made music my priority and my band at the time “Minds & Machines” is thriving in the Austin, Texas music scene. We’re coming off of our first tour, making appearances at Warped Tour and So What Fest and things are great. But as time passed the progression of the band started to slow and priorities began to shift. I have to leave home abruptly… and begin adulthood a little sooner than I was prepared to.
It’s the end of 2019, my now fiance Laina and I move to North Austin for job opportunities and new life experiences. It’s definitely a little intimidating, as we both grew up in small neighboring towns. But once we settle in things are new and exciting. That is right until about March of 2020…
Yes, the COVID virus has hit and the pandemic is in full swing. Not only are we navigating new found adulthood and learning how to work as a functioning couple, but we are now facing an entire pandemic during what was supposed to be our average mid 20s life experience. Of course bills and responsibilities did not slow down any. So I ended up taking a job at a very well known (and would soon find out) sleezy smoke shop for the summer. It’s not ideal but it’s money. I gave it a few months but I’m ultimately fired. I refused to be taken advantage of by this company and called them out for their sketchy practices and ridiculous expectations. Lucky for me I was able to collect unemployment (which was unheard of for recently fired employees of this company). But there was little to no reason for the termination, and I refused to sign off on the false reason they tried upholding against me.
It’s now 2021, things aren’t exactly back to normal but we’re holding steady. We make a quick move into a rundown duplex to accommodate our financial situation and we’re basically getting by. But even in all the chaos, something keeps calling me… My passion for art, specifically in tattooing. It was actually right out of highschool when I started to build a portfolio for a tattoo apprenticeship, but never found a stable moment to actually go for it. A few years later I have these unemployment checks coming in, a stable living situation and a supportive partner beside me. I take it all in and I can’t help but feel like this is the moment I’ve been waiting for. So I began my search for a tattoo apprenticeship! I say “search” but I think within weeks of making this decision, my friend happens to mention that his buddy Yogi Ramirez is in need of a shop apprentice. I jump at the opportunity, shoot Yogi a message, set up an interview with the shop and it goes incredibly well. A little intimidating at first, but I instantly clicked with the crew and they were happy to bring me aboard! Now every apprenticeship is a little different. I had the fortunate (or unfortunate, depending on who you ask in the industry) experience of working as an apprentice for about 6 months before I was thrown into the fire completely. Now I won’t disregard the fact that the timeframe was certainly a little quick when looking at what a “traditional” apprenticeship looked like in the decades prior. But like I said, I’ve been an artist my entire life and I was taking advantage of every resource I could at the time to build up my skills and knowledge of tattooing. I’m proud of the time I put in because it was hard work and I took nothing lightly. I asked questions, gained the perspectives and advice of many artists and really took in what I could.
Eventually after leaving my first street shop I found myself at Shaman Modifications, a popular destination in Austin for all body modifications. Unfortunately, my time there didn’t last long due to… Let’s just say “the vibes were off”. I think that’s the best way I could describe it. Not all shops (or shop owners) are the right fit, ya know? But soon after I had locked in a private room at Deep Well Tattoo, a start up in Round Rock. I was nervous because I definitely didn’t have the clientele I should’ve had in order to rent a private room by that point. But I had a partner who believed in me and the will to make this happen for myself and the life I was creating. I rented that private room for about a year, all while continuing to secure more clients and grinding hard on social media to bring those clients in. So much so I even took part in running social media for the shop! It was fast, it was exciting and I felt like I was really making my place in this new world I had danced myself into.
After those few years of ups and downs, living in North Austin unfortunately came to an end. We said goodbye to our new friends and favorite restaurants and made the move back to our hometown Kyle, Texas. Arriving in Kyle there really wasn’t a huge tattoo scene. We’re talking maybe three shops total, so options were extremely limited compared to Austin. I landed at a small shop for about a year and a half. I made some friends, gained some new clientele and as always things were moving along great. It just so happens this shop is on its last leg around the time I join. So after the year and a half of working and continuing to build my craft, the doors permanently close at the end of a 5 year lease. At this point I’m at a weird standstill and I’m not entirely sure what to do or where to go from here. I’m so far away from my tattoo colleagues, Industry standards tell me it’s too soon to open a private studio on my own and I’m feeling discouraged. Now when I say that I’m forever grateful for my fiance, I truly am. Because she convinces me to bet on myself and to make the leap on opening my own studio. And that’s exactly what I did…
It’s now mid 2026 and I’m about a year into owning, managing and tattooing in my own private studio “Ian Seth Tattoos”. To say I’m blessed (in the least religious way possible) is an understatement. I just hit my 5 year mark of tattooing and I couldn’t have asked for a better outcome to my first 5 years. This job is so much more than a job (hell some people don’t even consider this a job) but more of a lifestyle. It touches all parts of your life without you even realizing. You take that title and you wear it proudly, because you play such an important yet small role in people’s lives. You mark their bodies permanently. During people’s happiest moments, during their hardest moments. First tattoos, matching tattoos, memorial tattoos, tattoos people want just because they like your art… I am extremely grateful for this craft, it’s changed my life in ways I didn’t think were possible. And such a huge thank you to anyone who’s trusted me with their vision and skin. I hope to tattoo y’all for many years to come.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
In every journey lies difficulties and set backs. I think one of the bigger obstacles I struggled with (and sometimes still do) is balancing work and home life. Ask any tattoo artist, this work inevitably follows you home, heavily. And it’s been a struggle I didn’t even anticipate. Management doesn’t end at work, I now have the responsibility of knowing when to put the phone down. And let me tell you… As a new business owner, it is not always easy.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
As of 2026, I’m a tattoo artist of 5 years and I own / operate Ian Seth Tattoos (Inside of Phenix Salon Suites Southpark Meadows). I also sing for my band Hurt People Hurt People.
I’d say I specialize in full color tattoos, usually of the spookier and or unusual influence. But really I like to say I’m a jack of all trades. I work with Full Color, Black and Grey, Floral, Horror, truly all types of subjects and styles!
What do you like and dislike about the city?
What I like best about tattooing and owning a business in Austin is that we are in no shortage of amazing people. This is where I’m extremely lucky. Because as someone who’s definitely more introverted, I have a job that introduces me to some incredibly kind, generous and expressive folks!
Now what I like least about our city, is the loss of identity. Look I’m young, I’m barely about to be 30. I got a crumb of what Austin truly was like in it’s prime. But it’s almost unrecognizable now from what I remember as a kid. From the infrastructure, to the small local favorites that are no longer with us (Emos, Lucy in Disguise just to name a couple) it’s sad to see not only our city physically change, but also lose it’s core identity of Keeping Austin WEIRD.
Pricing:
- $150/hour
- $100 minimum for tattoos that take under an hour
- And I have flash deals available throughout the year for a flat rate.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://linktr.ee/iansethtattoos
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/iansethtattoos
- Other: https://www.google.com/search?q=phenix+salon+suites+at+southpark+meadows+reviews
