With his own take on the ‘woodcut’ style, ‘Maidstone John’ has built a huge following of gothic tattoo fans

If you have ever read any of those old books of nursery rhymes, more often than not the cautionary, if a little over the top, tales of reckless children are accompanied by gothic illustrations almost equally as disconcerting as the stories themselves.

Gothic, creepy and forever imprinted in my memory, these sketches had the ability to turn the likes of Hansel & Gretel and Little Red Riding Hood into fearsome chronicles.

Tattoo artist ‘Maidstone’ John Kaveski (@maidstonejohn) has taken gothic illustration from paper to skin, building a huge following for his own spin on the genre. While usually based at Oathbreaker in Canterbury, John pops up all over the UK, where fans of his work book in for a piece of his amazing work. We got in touch to find out more.

Hey Maidstone John… can we ask what the story behind the name is?

Yeah, I was taken away from my family at age eight and moved around many different places. I was sent to a school in Somerset for kids who were full-on off-the-rails and I was one of four Johns in the school, so I was nicknamed ‘Maidstone’. It kind of stuck wherever I moved to and, thanks to my pal Craig ‘Questions’ Scott, it continued in Kent.

What was your introduction to the world of professional tattooing?

I was lucky enough to start working as a shop boi at a tattoo shop in Maidstone after I finished art college. I loved talking to people about tattoos and helping out in the shop. I had no intention to start tattooing, I was just happy to be around it and always have been.

Are you a tattoo artist who has tattoos or one of those guys who keeps their art on the client?

Ha ha! At this point I am definitely running out of space - I started getting tattooed at 18. I think it helps to have an understanding of what you’re putting your clients through when tattooing and by getting a lot of coverage myself I feel it has helped a lot. I have nothing against tattooers who don’t have many themselves, it’s a very personal thing.

How did you find and develop your style? Does it have a specific name?

I broke my leg skateboarding one summer and my pal Craig Questions inspired me to start drawing as he has always drawn in that old woodcut, illustrative style, so I started making some of my own.

I was particularly drawn towards old textbook illustrations and Medieval dark, witchy stuff - I enjoy drawing that stuff so much. ‘Woodcut’, ‘engraving’, ‘etching-style’ tattoos are the main names going around.

It has a very gothic, Olde English style to it. Like from the Grimm’s Fairy Tales... do you look back at old artworks for inspiration?

I love those old illustrations, for sure. I tend to sketch up a lot more stuff out of my head on the spot now, but yeah, absolutely, I have a crazy collection of old books that I still reference and do my own thing with.

You have a great following on social media - does that mean more people come to you for your creations, or do they still want their ideas but in your style?

Thanks so much! I’m very lucky and grateful that so many people are asking for my flash/drawings, but I’m always just as stoked to draw up custom designs for people based on their ideas. It keeps it fresh and interesting, for sure.

With tattoo artists doing guest spots and touring the country (like Parliament Tattoo London), are they now the rockstars of Instagram?

Ha ha! Personally, I love travelling and tattooing at other shops and visiting new places, but I’m definitely no rockstar.

I love drawing and tattooing and I wouldn’t have what I’ve got right now without so many awesome people showing that support. I’m forever grateful for that.

Who are your favourite/most influential tattoo artists in the game?

There are sooooo many, but for now I’m just gonna say Duncan X. In my apprenticeship, I would watch his interviews every day and I still do now to get hyped up and inspired. He’s the first person I ever saw introducing that ‘woodcut’ style into tattoos, too. I have a tattoo by him and it’s one of my favourites.

Officially… what is the hardest part of the body to tattoo?

Umm, that’s a very good question and nothing really comes to mind, but palms

maybe take a little longer. The skin is very different there for sure, but then again everyone is different and most of it is down to how the person sits for the tattoo.