Patrick Kabale

DRAWING THE "IDEAL" ROSE

@patrick.kabale

I've always been that cliché kid who was constantly drawing and honestly, I embrace clichés. I like playing around with them and even if it's just about breaking the stereotype.

When I was 16, I first thought about becoming a tattoo artist. My mom wasn’t exactly thrilled, so I took a detour into the creative industry before coming back to the idea in 2016.

From the start, I approached tattooing from a graphic perspective. Every style has been done a thousand times, so instead of chasing trends, I focus on capturing the essence of a design; something that won’t feel off years later. In the Western world, that often means panthers, roses, skulls. Some call it kitsch; I don’t see that as a flaw. I’m still trying to draw the “ideal” rose.

I approach every medium differently, but with tattoos I like when a drawing immediately reads as a tattoo. Like a white T-shirt or a Cartier Tank, it works across decades. Still, aesthetics are shaped by their time, and taste is deeply subjective. That’s why i think finding an tattoo artist is about shared aesthetics and, even more importantly for me, someone you wouldn't mind spending a few hours with.

I believe every form of art has an essence that fits its context, and my goal is always to bring that essence to the surface. But my handwriting naturally adds grit, that’s just how I work.

Today i stopped to believe in true timelessness. Tattoos will always reflect the era they were made in and that’s part of the charm. There's no authority on what makes a good design, and I'm definitely not claiming to be one. Theres no Accounting for taste. Do what you want, have fun. I don’t regret my “out of style” tattoos; they mark moments, teach acceptance, and remind me not to take things too seriously.