Primary research

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 Primary research is a research where a researcher collect data and information directly, rather than using data done by someone else. My primary research is an interview with a Slovakian tattoo artist - Romana Kondracikova. I texted  Romi and I asked for a shot meeting. She was very pleased when she find out that she will be my inspiration to the project and she said that I have made her day. That was very nice and a good start to the conversation. She is working as a tattoo artist for 15 years now and her tattoos are amazing. However she is still modest and was very surprised about fact, that I want to interview her. 

Firstly I asked her about her life back in Slovakia and what schools she has finished. Romi said that she always loved drawing, however her parents didn’t support her, they thought that is only a hobby and she will never make money from art. She was allowed to join after school art clubs as she never stopped drawing. When she was 15, her boyfriend tattooed friends at home, that was firs time when she run across tattoos. Unfortunately he never let her to try tattooing.  Few years later she applied to the  Presov Art School and she got a place in the fine art course, however, to pleased parents, she chose  fashion design to have a plan B. They said that “ at least you will learn how to saw clothes”. 

My next questions were about her beginning in England and why she decided to move to the different country. Romi wanted to change her life completely, far from parents and to challenge herself. That was 2007, not longer after she got pregnant. Luckily her little daughter slept trough the night and many hours during the day, and out of boredom she ordered her first tattoo kit on eBay. That linked me to the next question where I asked how she became a tattoo artist . As she knew how to draw and her first tattoos looked good, friends always asked for more. That was a very good experience, once she got more confident, she went to real tattoo studio asking for an apprenticeships. 

To pay the bills etc, Romi find a part time job in the food factory and for a few hours in a month she was learning and observing other tattoo artist. In was difficult time for a single, working mum. Slowly she increased hours in the studio and she stayed there working full time till 2019. 

That time Romi was ready to open her own studio. Unfortunately lockdown happened and she was at home for long months. Her new place stayed empty until she was allowed working with clients again.

I also asked about her equipment and is it difficult working many hours with heavy tattoo machine. She said that was never a problem for her , however the modern tattoo machines are very light and the design is different, now they are more in a thick pen shape.  sometimes she fill a back pain after long tattoo session. One, big tattoo might take all day sometimes.  Depends how brave is  the client. Obviously, I asked do males or females have higher pain tolerance? Romi said: women. That was her quickest answer so far. We both laughed.

Romi was very keen to answer all my questions. We spend very lovely morning together.

 








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