Flesh Artist

Ivan J. "Chocky" Figueroa is a tapatio from Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico, who's mixing his culture with the cartoonist style of tattooing, calling it "Comic Mexicano." Chocky's attraction to tattoos began back in '92 when he lived in Tijuana. His inspiration to start tattooing came from the homies who had their bodies tattooed and the various tattoo magazines that he used to flip through. Chocky was amazed by the quality of the tattoos that he saw, and he soon picked up a homemade tattoo gun and started to do tattoos and sharpen his skills.

After a few years, Chocky moved back to his hometown of Guadalajara, where he would tattoo the local homies in the city of Miravalle with an old gun and limited technique. His skills came from making street signs and banners free-hand, and like any artist with a goal, he hit up a few tattoo shops looking for work. In '97, after a few doors were shut in his face, someone gave him the chance to work at a real shop where he could learn more techniques by using professional tattoo machines. His skills at shading and composition soon took him to the next level.

After a few years, Chocky began attending tattoo conventions all over the Republica Mexicana, where he was getting noticed by other tattoo artists. After a few years of working at that shop, he opened his own tattoo shop, where he now practices his skills, not just on flesh but on different types of canvases. His artistic knowledge includes airbrushing, acrylics, prismas and charcoal.

Chocky's new skills have helped him develop his own flash that's a mixture of comic with what influences him the most-his town and culture. His mixture of comic women and other characters have given him a name and he's become known worldwide. Other types of tattoos that Chocky can identify with are religious and new school, and he has respect for realist photograph tattoos. Chocky draws inspiration from some of the best tattoo artists to come out of Mexico, artists who have achieved their own style, including Kiki Platas, Pedro Alvarez and Goethe

Chocky sees his work as a way of life and not just a way to make money. Tattoos have given him so much that he now shares his artistic wealth with up-and-coming artists. If you like what you see here, visit Chocky's MySpace page-www.myspace.com/chockytattoos-or if you're ever in the ciudad of Guadalajara and you want to make an appointment, hit him up via e-mail at chockytattoos@hotmail.com.