Martin Crosthwaite is a multiple award winning, international Tattooist with over 20 years experience currently working from Epona Art and Tattoo in Southwell, Nottinghamshire, England.

Martin served his Tattoo apprenticeship under Mark "Lofty" Sutcliffe at Inkskin's Tattoo Studio at 19 years old; where he learned the finer points of the trade and how to make tea for ten!

Martin opened Flesh Scribe studio in early 2005 but an offer from Flaming Gun lead to the decision to join forces in 2007. Whilst working at the 2007 Colchester Tattoo Extravaganza Martin won his first award for tattooing and has gone on to collect others since. Martin has also been a judge for tattoo competitions at prestigious Tattoo Conventions in the UK. Martin made the decision to seek new adventures and leave Flaming Gun in 2017 and joined the Epona Tattoo Family in September of that year.

Since starting to tattoo Martin has continued to study long and hard in all aspects of the craft to constantly improve both his knowledge of tattooing and the service he offers to clients. Martin's tattoo work has been featured in many UK and international magazines; from the best in the UK to Hotrod periodicals in New Zealand!

Martin remained the only British member of the ShopTalk collective, a group of American and Canadian Tattooists that released "ShopTalk Sketchbook Volume 1" in 2007. Martin remains in contact with many of the original members and counts them among his closest peers. Martin is also a proud member of the Bristol Tattoo Club (established in 1953), the British Tattoo Artist Federation and the Needle Gangstas group (founded in 1993).

Outside of Tattooing Martin has also provided his artistic skills in Graphic Design creating various advertising designs including the T-Shirt designs for a charity organisation (The Condom Rally) for over 20 consecutive years, Flaming Gun T-shirts/ advertising and also ran the Flaming Gun website for almost 10 years. Martin paints, sculpts, doodles and even manages to find the time to torture musical instruments every so often. Martin builds bespoke guitar pedals once in a while and sells them under the KVNT banner along with other musically themed items.

Martin is also a keen amateur Magician and a competent moustache tamer.

To get tattoo work from Martin please contact him directly by email: martinxtattoo@hotmail.com or through the studio.

We can only accurately quote with clear reference material and size specifications.

Epona Art and Tattoo, 1&2 Waterloo Yard, King Street,
Southwell, Nottingham, NG25 0EH.

Telephone: (01636) 815771

Portrait and realism work requires really clear images in a larger scale. It's worth printing your reference in a high resolution on photographic paper.

Only providing one reference picture that comes up first on Google or pintrest doesn't give a Tattooist a lot of scope to design something individual for you. Try collating a few images that you like and give good examples of what you like in way of content, style, colour, boldness, etc.

A cover up will generally have less leeway in terms of design, but that doesn't mean you have to settle for something you don't like. Come in with reference of what you would like, just expect there to be more compromise when it comes to what will actually cover the old tattoo.

No alcohol or other recreational drugs for 24 hours before your tattoo appointment. Make sure you have a good night's sleep and a hearty meal before coming in. Bring some sweets and bottled drink but leave your friends outside the studio (Tattooing isn't really a spectator sport!).