Sought-after tattooist Hannah Dudley puts the Samsung Note9 to the test!

The new high-tech, spec-packed Samsung Galaxy Note9 was already impressive enough, but THEN Samsung challenged the incredible tattoo artist Hannah Dudley of Seventh Day Studio to design an entire tattoo using this innovative new phone. We love that she was able to utilise the Note9 right from concept to post-work, and we were lucky to sit down with Hannah and chat about her success in the tattooing world! 

Where did your passion for tattooing come from?

With my Dad being arty, growing up I spent a lot of time drawing and following in his footsteps. In high school, art was the only subject I loved.  After working in an admin job I realised I wanted to pursue a creative career. Once I got an apprenticeship, I started experimenting with dot work and continued in that style. That landed me a job at Seventh Day Studio when I moved home from Australia!

Tell us about your artistic style? What inspires you?

I specialise in fine line illustration. This has always been a style I was super drawn to even before I started tattooing myself, so naturally my work reflects that. My inspiration changes depending on what mood I’m in or the client I’m collaborating with. Most of the work is custom made, so once I have a concept I can then be more creative with how I execute it. 

What’s the most memorable tattoo you’ve created?

Luckily we have awesome clients who allow me to come up with super fun and interesting concepts daily, so I find I have a new favourite tattoo every month. 

You have 40k+ followers on Instagram. How has the platform helped you in your career? 

Having that exposure means my artwork can be viewed internationally and people come to me specifically for my artwork. Another positive is that I don’t have to compromise artistic integrity so I enjoy coming to work every day. Having the freedom to be able to travel to other countries to tattoo is amazing too!

What have been the tools to your success as an artist? 

I’ve been fortunate enough to be an artist at Seventh Day in an environment with people who are encouraging and always striving to do their best so I’m constantly developing my skills and learning. Having a platform like Instagram where I’m able to share my work daily without people having to come into the studio is a massive advantage!

You’ve been working with the new Samsung Galaxy Note9, what are you loving the most about the device?

Having the accessibility to draw when I’m inspired, anywhere and everywhere when I’m out means I don’t have to lug any drawing books around like I used to. The S Pen is super comfortable to use and awesome that its stored in the phone so it never gets lost! And the camera is incredible, so I can always capture quality images of my work to share.

What are your tips for others wanting to break into the industry?

Draw heaps and heaps. Keep an open mind towards constructive criticism, surround yourself by people you’re inspired by and keep pushing yourself to learn and advance your skill. I recommend trying to get an apprenticeship with a studio that does similar work to your artistic style so your skills can translate into tattooing. Be patient because it’s not easy but it’s super rewarding once you start! 

After this review from Hannah, along with the touted features of superior storage space, all-day battery, a super-intelligent camera and the epic S-pen, plus the fact that the Note9 just looks damn sexy, we know EXACTLY the phone we’ll be upgrading to next. We also know Hannah will be our next port of call for ink, no matter how long the waitlist!

For more information about the new Note9, go to https://www.samsung.com/nz/smartphones/galaxy-note9

Hannah’s Instagram page: https://www.instagram.com/hannahnova_tattoo/