Meet Tamara Santibañez

“Tamara Santibañez relocated from Georgia to New York at a young age and has made the city her home for the past decade. She currently lives and works in Brooklyn, combining a fine art practice of drawing, painting, and printmaking with tattooing full time at the legendary Saved Tattoo. ”

♫ LISTEN TO TAMARA'S PLAYLIST

*Jumpsuit, Carhartt ; Top, American Apparel ; Belt, Zana Bayne ; Shoes, Chloe Sevigny for Opening Ceremony ; Necklace, Helen Michelsen ; Rings by Plutonia Blue*

on her morning routine

I usually wake up between eight and nine. I go to the coffee shop and get an americano, then come home and drink tons of water and make a blended green juice or smoothie and maybe a little egg and toast if I’m hungry. I eat while I look at emails, social media, and poke around online a bit. I normally do some drawing before I head to work around noon.

on how she started as a tattoo artist

I started tattooing on my own while I was in my last year of college and then began working in a shop at the beginning of 2010.

on her tools as an artist

I make primarily paintings and drawings on paper. I use gouache and liquid acrylic and work pretty large. I go through tons of FW inks in black and white and I have these brushes I love that have short, fatter matte black handles.

“Hanna Liden’s “Ghost Town” is a book I come back to often when I need focus and inspiration. The way she uses such simple elements of everyday life in a very potent way is something I need to be reminded of every once in a while.”

— on her favorite book

*Jumpsuit, Carhartt ; Top, American Apparel ; Necklace, Gothic Renaissance ; Rings by Plutonia Blue*

on her shopping habits and style

I generally like all black, well-fitting, simple pieces I can easily mix and match. I’ll then add a ton of accessories and good shoes and leather pieces. I realized recently I don’t like shopping much. Whenever I try to buy clothes I end up just getting versions of things I already own. I like supporting small companies when I can, like Ovate for really timeless handmade basics.

I wear American Apparel more often than I’d like just because it’s mindless, like, oh, I need a black cotton skirt, I know I can find it there. I’ve been realizing finding good basics is harder than it seems.

“I am generally a creature of habit when it comes to a beauty routine. ”

— on her beauty routine

*Top, EricaM ; Skirt, American Apparel ; Harness, Zana Bayne*

on her beauty routine

I don’t usually do anything to my skin in the morning unless it’s dry, then I’ll spritz with rosewater and add a few drops of a facial oil like Laurel Whole Plant Facial Serum, Josh Rosebrook Deep Hydrating Serum, and Le Labo 'Santal 33' Perfume Oil. I also use Dr Alkaitis Organic Eye Cream, Oribe Oribe Gold Lust Nourishing Hair Oil, Clairol Professional Conditioner & Shampoo for Blonde & Silver.

I always do my eyebrows with Anastasia Dipbrow Pomade Waterproof Brow Color and Anastasia Brow Gel and I’ll do a little concealer if I need it. I wear black liquid eyeliner almost every day so it’s just the way I draw it that changes depending on how elaborate or dramatic I want to get. Sometimes I’ll add a little silver glitter with Urban Decay Heavy Metal Glitter Eyeliner underneath my eyes for fun.

With liquid eyeliner it has to go on fluidly and opaquely and stay all day, but be easy to take off at night. Stila Waterproof “stay all day” Eyeliner is the best I’ve found. I also use NARS Velvet Matte Lipstick Pencil and Benefit Cosmetics Benefit BADgal Lash Volumizing Mascara.

“The “Killed by Deathrock” comp is a current favorite. Every song is so good. It was put out by friends and the artwork for the cover was done by my friend, Alex Heir.”

— on her favorite record