Scott Sylvia started working in a tattoo shop as a teenager, after his good friend Aaron Cain got him a job. Aaron showed some of Scott’s drawings to the owner of the tattoo studio where he worked and that was that. From then on, Scott Sylvia has worked his ass off, following his own personal mantra of “work fucking hard at everything you do and stay inspired.” I can’t think of much better advice for anyone, anywhere. That just sums it all up.
After much hard work and planning, Sylvia opened up his first tattoo shop, American Graffiti, with fellow tattoo artist and friend Eric Hogan. Sylvia was in his early 20’s at the time and working like a madman when the offer to work for Marcus Pacheco at Primal Urge came along. During this time, Scott worked on perfecting his own style while also gaining a new and fresh outlook on tattooing by being immersed in the creative environment in which he found himself in.
As of 2004, Sylvia works in San Francisco at Blackheart Tattoo, which he owns and runs with fellow artists Jeff Rassier and Tim Lehi. Scott is apparently one of the innovators of the “American Power” style that is a modern play on the Classic American tattoo style. The buoyant and deeply colourful pop that make up Sylvia’s work can be seen all over the American Power style, giving an otherwise classical look a completely lush and original beauty. I don’t think it’s any exaggeration to say that fans of tattoos and tattoo artists alike have a lot to thank Scott Sylvia for.
Take a look at some of his stuff, here.