Into The Mind Of Tattoo Artist Mister Cartoon

Just before the pandemic hit we had the opportunity to spend time with one of the true OG's of the tattoo world, Mister Cartoon. We were immersed into his world as he painted a mural, tattooed a client and took us cruising the streets of LA in his '59 Impala "Penny Lane" Here is the film we made out of the time we spent with him. Enjoy. Check out his work at MisterCartoon.com or @misterctoonz on instagram.

Born and raised in Los Angeles, Mister Cartoon was immersed in art from an early age. He began his career as a graffiti artist before branching into murals, album covers, logos, and now most famously known for his tattoos. His richly detailed, hand-rendered designs pull much of their inspiration from the Los Angeles of Cartoon’s youth. At one time, the black and grey, fine line style was synonymous with LA street life. Cartoon’s work has helped bridge the gap between those hardscrabble beginnings and the style’s current popularity. Stars such as Eminem, Travis Barker, Slash, Dr. Dre, 50 Cent, Snoop Dogg, along with athletes like CC Sabathia, Amarie Stoudemire and Carlos Boozer wear Cartoon’s art on their skin.

Having already gained a worldwide following from his tattooing, Cartoon has attracted a diverse and devoted fan base for his work in other media as well. The result has been highly acclaimed gallery appearances and art shows from London, Paris, Tokyo, and beyond.

Cartoon’s art has been featured in numerous publications including Rolling Stone, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Complex, Juxtapoze, XXL, GQ, and others.

Cartoons custom muralled car collection and Art Work has been featured internationally from art shows in London and Japan to the Los Angeles Museum of Contemporary Art. His style and art transcends many artistic mediums.

Service to the community has been an essential part of Cartoon’s career. He takes place in monthly outreach programs where he shares his knowledge with young people and devotes time to many other community-based initiatives.