Spilling the Ink

Peste, the highly successful tattoo artist better known off the skin as Sebastiano Perazzetta, grew up outside of Venice and has been passionate about art for as long as he can remember. He began his tattoo apprenticeship in his native Italy at just 16 years old and has since become a worldwide sensation for his unique “oil spill” designs — free-flowing, organic works crafted to accentuate the natural curves of the human body.

“Everything started with a love of drawing, painting, and a love of the Orient and Japanese culture,” Peste said in a recent phone interview. “Since I can remember, I was drawing. It was during a time when I was surrounded by an underground world of skating and punk that I discovered the world of tattooing. It was the first time I saw a tattoo artist, and I thought it was the coolest thing.”

Peste was raised and immersed in an underground community that didn’t conform with the masses, and it was a huge influence for him at a tender age. “It was inevitable to embrace art in some way walking around such an old country,” he said. “Drawing is a common hobby in Italy, and my mother was always interested in art. It was a good solution for the cold winters.

“I attended a Picasso exhibit when I was 7, which is my first big memory of a great exhibition. My love of art is the most important reason I became interested in tattooing. I loved the idea of being able to express myself through my tattoos. With my love of art and tattoos, I thought I could find a way to make a living at it.”

When he was starting out, Peste knew he could not make a living as a tattoo artist in Italy, so he decided to move to Australia. “Traveling has been one of the most important experiences of my life,” he said. “I was let down from the Italian scene of tattooing, and the U.S. was not a possibility at the time. Australia was much more open-minded.

“Now, I spend most of my time in Europe, but I am looking forward to traveling to the United States for the first time to New York, Chicago, Denver, and Orlando,” he continued. “The influence in the American tattoo industry is insane. I have so many friends tattooing there that I look up to and love.”

While Peste has always appreciated the self-expression that comes from creating his signature designs, he attributes his success to not only being disciplined but also receiving encouragement from friends pushing him to succeed and inspiring him along the way.

“If you are looking for a tattoo specialist, one of my favorite artists is Jondix, who owns a studio (Seven Doors Tattoo) in London. I have been guesting there for six years.” he noted. Outside of tattooing, Peste finds inspiration from anyone who represents avant-garde; those who push boundaries and find innovative ways to hone their craft.

Today, Peste has made a name for himself with his unique artistic style that embraces both blackwork and abstract art. One of his most popular tattoos incorporates eyes into the design, creating a complex and mysterious style.

“My job is to give the best tattoo, and I found a painting technique called Suminagashi, which was really impactful,” he said. “When I was painting, I was trying to see how the human body could empower the art.”

Peste’s love of fashion has also played a major role creating his signature style as he realizes “tattooing is dressing someone forever.” Creating customized body art designed to highlight a specific piece of the anatomy requires a lot of planning to study both placement and movement. “It’s incredibly technical, but I’m a nerd and the beauty of the human body is already there.”

While Peste loves abstract art and has lately become interested in integrating subject matters, his main goal is to create a piece that feels timeless. “It has been the biggest honor sharing my tattoo journey.”

The award-winning tattoo artist who has tattooed in more than 15 countries still remembers getting his first ink. “My first tattoo was of a crab that I did in my bedroom two minutes after I turned 18,” he laughed. “It looks absolutely terrible, and I still can’t find the answer why I got that. I guess I felt it would be easy to draw.”

While Peste says traveling to conventions has been a fun way to share his art, last year, one of his most challenging projects was at Frankfurt’s world-famous Gods of Ink Tattoo Convention.

“I challenged myself with something massive and created a psychedelic woman portrait combined with my abstract style,” he said. “It took three days and about 30 hours to complete an outer leg and hip for the Best in Show contest. I overshot the size of the tattoo because I wanted to bring something new to the most challenging expo in the world. It was a bit of a gamble because I didn’t know if I could finish it, but I got on the top five.”

While Peste appreciates the support and encouragement he has received along the way, he believes training at a young age is one of the best ways to hone your skills.

“Definitely go through an apprenticeship,” he said. “I remember it as a really good time to understand the dynamics of the business. I have enjoyed every step of this journey. If you study, learn, and work hard, everything will fall into place if you want it enough. Don’t be afraid to try something different. If it’s a crazy idea, go for it! Go nuts! Because, why not?”