One of my most personal side projects involves building custom tattoo machines inspired by prison-made devices, reinterpreted through my own aesthetic somewhere between toy-like forms and raw handmade construction. Each machine is unique: I repurpose small motors from electric razors, toothbrushes, or old walkmans and combine them with improvised frames made from everyday objects such as forks, lighters, Bic pens, or spoons-anything that sparks a connection or visual idea.

These are not technical experiments but functional instruments created with intention, each used to execute a single tattoo. Every machine is made for one person only, reflecting symbols or personal motifs that evoke the tradition of prison tattooing while carrying a private, individual meaning.

This project began with the first machine I ever built, which I used to tattoo a small swallow on my own leg. The intensity of that

experience made me want to share a similar sense of authenticity with the clients to whom I feel most connected, offering them a moment that returns to the essential core of tattooing.