LA Tattooist 

About Brandon Notch

---I have been tattooing professionally since the fall of 1998 but an artist all of my life. I was nothing more than a punk as a kid and I started getting into trouble really young. I really don't know why I chose tattooing as a career it just happened, all i wanted to do with my life was to create art. I think the first time i was interested in tattooing, I was around fourteen. I remember seeing a tattoo on this guy when I was in juvenile hall, I remember this tattoo like it was yesterday and actually I might have been younger than fourteen. This guy had a gigantic skull with flames on his ribs. I remember seeing it thinking it was so awesome but that I could do better. At that point I told myself that it was something I had to do. I made up my mind, that I was going to become a tattooist. All I wanted to do from that point on was to learn how to tattoo. So i guess you can say the career landed into my lap but it still took some time for it to happen. I started to get allot of tattoos when I was 16-17 years old. Charlie Roberts did some of my early tattoos. At the time I was working for my dad doing architecture, drawing conceptual sketches and painting murals part time. I went out and bought a tattoo magazine because Charlie and Bob Roberts were in it. Looking through it, I found an ad of Dennis Dwyers tattoo kits. I soon ordered a set of machines. About a week later I ran into Diamond Dave Rothburg owner of Body & Soul Tattoo. After talking for a bit, I showed him my sketchbooks and some pictures of murals i have done. He must have liked them, because he took me on as an apprentice Soon after. Now at that time I was working full time with my dad (7am-11am) then at the shop (noon-6/8pm). After work I attended night school at Pasadena Art Institute and soon after Cal Arts. I hardly slept for six months to a year. Finally I was making enough money to work at the shop full time and I never looked back.

---So I was apprenticed by Diamond Dave Rothburg, out of Body and Soul Tattoo in Sherman Oaks, Ca. I tattooed at Body and Soul until December of 1999 when I moved to Seattle, WA. I was in a bad place in my life at that time and i had to move on to keep my sanity. So Seattle it was, I worked at Greenlake and Lynwood tattoo studios until late April of 2000. After leaving Greenlake, I got a two-week guest spot at Top Tattoo in Seattle. I had so much fun there with the crew and learned more and more every day i was working. They gave me an opportunity to stay even after the two weeks were up. I left Top Tattoo in December of 2000 and went on my own self fulfilling journey traveling through parts of Europe including France and England to further my study of the most unique art forms from oil painting to body art. (painting in the skin - tatouage - and as we call it in the west tattooing.) 

---Upon returning to the states, I moved out of Seattle WA. and back down to Los Angeles CA. I was working in Top Tattoos booth at Ink Slingers Ball (tattoo convention) when i met Kat Von D (Katherine Von Drachenberg) who was the manager at Blue Bird Tattoo in Pasadena CA. and she offered me a job. I started working at Blue Bird tattoo studio out of Pasadena until i got fired for using too much MadaCide and costing the shop money (I was just keeping it safe for me and my clients, go figure.) So i got a new job at Nathan's studio in good old San Fernando Valley. I tattooed there until I built a big enough clientele and bank roll to open my first shop in Pasadena CA called SACRED SAINT STUDIO. 

---I owned that studio for about five years and had the time of my life working with my crew. It was sad to let it go and have it end, but I learned and grew so much from it. I was now going through some of the hardest times in my life. I lost one of my best friends from a drug over dose and was closing my shop due to money troubles. But only at the time when i may seam to be at my weakest is when I'm at my strongest. I quickly started over and built a new shop to work in mean time till i could build a bank roll again to create a new Skin And Art Gallery. So i worked by appointment only in my Glendale Studio for about a year or two but still didn't have enough money to get a new shop up and running. So I got rid of my home and cars mortgaged everything left and sold most of my stuff (got to love eBay) to buy my new building that will and is my new Sacred Saint Skin And Art Gallery Los Angeles CA. I still work only by Appointment's but i like it that way better, no distractions. I now have the room to do what i always wanted and have a real art studio with room to paint, create, do photography, and tattooing. With your help we will tattoo the world with art. Even though tattooing fell into my lap (it was not an easy road) it was something i grew to love at a young age and now i can say I got into tattooing because of the art. The fact that i can make a living by doing something I enjoy like creating art was a plus, in the skin or on the canvas.

---I would like to thank English Craig who has been kind enough to give me so much useful information and support when I was being apprenticed. Also, Charlie Roberts for giving me my fist real tattoo. I learned so many helpful hints and tips along the way from every artist i have worked beside. I would also like to thank My dad, he has been behind me ever since I could pick up a pencil. 

---The largest influence to me and my artwork is my clients........ they are the ones that make it all happen, they come to me with the ideas and I just do my thing. There would be no pushing ink with out the skin. Another influence of my tattooing/art, is seeing other artists pushing the limits. It drives my to go bigger, brighter and cleaner in my artwork .(drive right past the ledge ,and start to fly.) I love to see art evolved and progress happening. I think the things I enjoy most about tattooing, besides the fact that I love drawing, is the permanence of the art. (the commitment) I love the feeling of selling my art to people who like it. I also enjoy all the different people I meet. My favorite tattoos are big, bold, colorful, and a little bit rugged in some way. As far as my tattooing career is concerned, it is important to me that I never stop learning. If anyone has any questions relating to the tattoo industry or would just like to make an appointment or consultation you can contact me at Sacred Saint Skin And Art Gallery my privet studio. Just email me to talk about a future tattoo.

---I work by appointment only---New clients must email me to set up some time to make a consultation before i will book an appointment. I recommend that you set up your consultation a week or two ahead because my calendar books up fast. Sometimes a month ahead just for consultations and months ahead for appointments, but I always try to keep some days open for my existing clients. (to keep the large work going)

Most of my clients consist of referrals, and with the shop away from downtown Los Angeles I do not get walk-ins and nor do i allow them. A majority of my clients are referred by other people in the art world or existing clients of mine. The shop is a very comfortable environment where anyone that comes in can feel comfortable and relaxed. Sacred Saint offers the highest quality of standards in cleanliness and in the art of tattooing.

   The importance of cross contamination in the tattoo industry:

---I offer the highest quality of standards in cleanliness and blood-borne pathogens in the tattoo industry. I give a lot of the props to all the guys and girls at Top Tattoo in Seattle WA. They taught me the importance of education in cleanliness and blood-borne pathogens, its not all just about art. So i owe a big thanks to them, AL D (god rest his soul) and Sky Renfro. They showed me the Light.