The electric hum of a tattoo machine and the gentle whisper of a flowing river might seem worlds apart, yet for Drew Wilson, they resonate with a similar energy. This Fayetteville, Arkansas-based artist has immersed himself in both worlds, becoming renowned for his vibrant and bold tattoo artistry, particularly in the realm of Fishing Tattoos. If you’ve ever found yourself scrolling through #fishtattoo on Instagram seeking inspiration, chances are you’ve already encountered the distinctive work of Drew Wilson (@drewlr). His tattoos are instantly recognizable – each a unique masterpiece born from his freehand marker approach before the ink even touches the skin.
Drew’s artistic talent, coupled with his genuine passion for fly fishing and approachable personality, has cultivated a dedicated following. While he calls Fayetteville home, a significant portion of his time is spent traversing the country, guest tattooing at various shops and conventions, strategically planning his routes around prime trout waters. Despite the allure of the open road, the Ozark Mountains of Arkansas remain his unwavering anchor.
During one of his cross-country journeys, Drew stopped in Salt Lake City, where he etched a delicate fingerling brown trout onto the forearm of a writer from The Flyfish Journal. On a subsequent visit, they reconnected, this time over greasy pizza slices and blaring metal music in a dive joint adjacent to the tattoo shop. The conversation flowed as freely as a mountain stream, delving into the captivating intersection of trout art and trout fishing that defines Drew Wilson’s unique world.
The Allure of Fishing Tattoos: More Than Just Ink
Fishing tattoos are more than just skin-deep decorations; they are powerful emblems of passion, connection, and personal narrative. For anglers, a fishing tattoo is a way to permanently inscribe their love for the sport onto their very being. It’s a visual testament to countless hours spent on the water, the thrill of the catch, and the serene beauty of nature. These tattoos often serve as conversation starters, instantly connecting individuals who share a common love for angling. Beyond the sport itself, fish can symbolize various meanings, from perseverance and adaptability to tranquility and the flow of life.
The styles of fishing tattoos are as diverse as the fish in the sea. From hyper-realistic depictions that capture every scale and fin detail to stylized traditional designs with bold lines and vibrant colors, there’s a fishing tattoo aesthetic to match every personality. Watercolor techniques bring a fluid, ethereal quality to aquatic designs, while minimalist approaches can convey the essence of fishing with simple lines and shapes. Amidst this diverse landscape, Drew Wilson has carved out a unique niche, blending traditional tattooing principles with his deep-rooted understanding of fish and their environments.
Drew Wilson: Where Angling Meets Artistry
Drew Wilson isn’t just a tattoo artist who occasionally inks fish; he’s an angler who channels his profound connection with the aquatic world into his art. His dual expertise is evident in every piece he creates. He doesn’t simply replicate images of fish; he captures their essence, their movement, and the spirit of the rivers and streams they inhabit. This authenticity resonates deeply with his clientele, many of whom are anglers themselves, seeking a tattoo that truly embodies their passion.
What sets Drew apart is his commitment to freehand tattooing. Unlike artists who rely heavily on stencils, Drew prefers to sketch directly onto the skin with markers. This allows him to tailor each design perfectly to the individual’s body flow and contours, ensuring a truly custom and organic feel. This approach demands a deep understanding of anatomy, composition, and the subject matter itself – in Drew’s case, a profound knowledge of fish anatomy and movement honed through years of observation and hands-on fishing experience.
His journey as a tattoo artist has been intrinsically linked to his love for fishing. Based in Fayetteville, nestled in the Ozark Mountains, Drew finds himself surrounded by natural inspiration. As he describes, “It’s a central hub. I can leave my house and I can be at the tattoo shop in six minutes in one direction. If I drive six minutes in the other direction I can be in a smallmouth stream. I’ve timed it. Six minutes, and I can have my feet wet.” This unique proximity to both his craft and his passion fuels his creativity and allows him to seamlessly integrate his two worlds.
Fayetteville Roots and River Inspirations
The Ozark landscape is more than just a backdrop for Drew’s life; it’s an integral part of his artistic identity. Fayetteville’s location provides him with immediate access to the White River and its tributaries, renowned for their smallmouth bass and trout populations. This easy access to nature allows Drew to constantly immerse himself in the environments he depicts in his tattoos. The textures of the river rocks, the shimmering scales of the fish he catches, the way light plays on the water – these details are not just observed; they are lived experiences that inform his artistic vision. This firsthand connection to the natural world gives his fishing tattoos an authenticity that is hard to replicate.
A Signature Style: Bold Lines and Vivid Fish
Drew’s tattoo style is rooted in American traditional tattooing, characterized by bold outlines, vibrant color palettes, and strong black shading for contrast. He skillfully adapts these traditional principles to the subject of fish, creating tattoos that are both classic and distinctly his own. His color choices are deliberate and eye-catching, making his fish tattoos “pop” on the skin, as many admirers have noted. He understands how to use color to capture the iridescent sheen of trout scales or the subtle hues of a smallmouth bass.
His freehand technique is not just a stylistic choice; it’s a way of connecting more directly with his clients and the art itself. As Drew explains, “When you’re drawing it on paper, a lot of times people nit-pick it halfway through. If you do it directly on their skin, they’re going to see how it fits them. You do a little yellow line with a Sharpie and see if the size works. And if they want it smaller, you do it smaller. That’s their bit of control, and everybody wants control of what they’re going to have on them forever.” This collaborative approach builds trust and ensures that the client feels invested in the final piece, knowing it’s been custom-designed for them and their body. Furthermore, freehanding allows for spontaneity and adaptability, enabling Drew to create truly one-of-a-kind tattoos that resonate with the individual spirit of each client.
Drawn to Fish: Favorite Species and Designs
When it comes to favorite fish species to tattoo, Drew’s preferences are as dynamic as the changing seasons and his fishing pursuits. “It changes a lot. It changes based on what I’ve been doing a lot of,” he admits. He cycles through fascinations, from sunfish conglomerates to rainbow trout, each capturing his artistic attention for a period. Rainbow trout consistently rank high on his list due to their striking appearance and suitability for bold, traditional tattooing. “I always like doing rainbow trout, because I think they just make good-looking tattoos. I think that they’re strong looking. For classic, bold-line tattooing, they are great.” Brook trout and brown trout also hold special places in his repertoire, each offering unique aesthetic qualities.
While Drew appreciates tattooing a variety of fish, he’s also recognized for specific designs, most notably his “mountain scenic trout.” These tattoos cleverly integrate mountain landscapes within the silhouette of a trout, creating a visually stunning and symbolic piece. Despite their popularity, Drew is keen to diversify his artistic identity. “I don’t want that to be synonymous with me, because really in fish tattooing I like the idea of doing traditional tattoos that are of fish, or of goofy fun ideas or puns or something like that. While I’m always happy to do one of those scenes, I don’t want it to be my thing. I’d like to be known as a decent fisherman who does traditional tattoos of fish, and fun stuff.” His ambition is to be recognized for his versatility within the realm of fishing tattoos, encompassing not just scenic designs but also classic fish portraits and more playful, imaginative concepts.
Fishing First, Art Second: The Journey of a Tattooing Angler
For Drew Wilson, fishing predates tattooing by a significant margin. “I was raised fishing. I’ve got home videos of me fishing when I was two years old,” he recounts. His connection to angling is deeply ingrained, a lifelong passion nurtured since childhood. While he’s been a professional tattoo artist for over a decade, his fishing journey stretches back much further. However, his foray into fly fishing, the style most often associated with trout and the fish he frequently tattoos, was a more circuitous route, sparked by an unexpected encounter.
It was a “prickly” fly-fishing tattoo artist in Nashville who inadvertently set Drew on his fly-fishing path. Initially drawn to getting inexpensive lure tattoos, Drew faced the disdain of this particular artist who “shit-talked bass fishing” and refused to ink anything but a fly. Driven by a mix of spite and curiosity, Drew’s reaction was to dive headfirst into fly fishing. “So, I left there and bought my first personal fly rod setup. I bought a combo at Bass Pro, because I was going to learn to flyfish to be better than this dude just to spite him. And that’s how I got into it.” This humorous anecdote reveals the unexpected catalyst for Drew’s deeper engagement with fly fishing, a journey that would eventually intertwine seamlessly with his tattooing career, shaping his artistic focus and providing endless inspiration.
Instagram as a Fishing and Tattooing Tool
In today’s digital age, social media plays a significant role in shaping careers and passions, and Drew Wilson is no exception. Instagram has become an invaluable tool for both his fishing pursuits and his tattooing business. For fishing, it has opened up a world of local knowledge and unexpected opportunities. As Drew describes, “I was going to have a layover in Miami on my way to Brazil, a 21-hour layover. I posted something on Instagram saying, ‘anyone in Miami know anything about fishing in Miami? I just want to catch a fish while I’m in town.’ I had someone pick me up at my hotel and take me to a flat, and I caught a bonefish on a layover.” Similar social media interactions have led him to prime fishing spots in diverse locations, highlighting the power of online communities in connecting anglers and sharing valuable information.
For his tattooing career, Instagram serves as a vital portfolio and marketing platform. It allows him to showcase his unique style to a global audience, attracting clients who specifically seek out his distinctive fishing tattoos. “It’s made my fishing life and my life as a tattooer significantly easier,” Drew acknowledges. However, he also recognizes the inherent precariousness of relying on social media for business. “But I worry every day that Instagram will crash and no one will want to get tattooed by me anymore, that’s how important it is. It’s so dumb that it’s like that, but it is. It’s so key.” Despite these concerns, Instagram remains an indispensable tool for Drew, enabling him to connect with clients, share his art, and even fuel his fishing adventures.
The Creative Process: Stress and Satisfaction
Drew’s relationship with the creative process is surprisingly complex. While his finished tattoos are admired for their effortless style and vibrant energy, the act of creation itself is not always a source of pure joy. “I have zero satisfaction in creating. It stresses me out so much,” he confesses. This honesty reveals the internal pressure that many artists experience, the drive for perfection and the anxiety that accompanies bringing an idea to fruition. However, this stress is counterbalanced by a distinct form of satisfaction that emerges upon completion. “And every time I make something and get done with it I’m like, ‘OK, I can show this to the world now.’ And I do, and then I have an idea to continue with it, but I’ve already shown it to the world.” This constant cycle of creation, release, and renewed inspiration fuels his artistic output, even amidst the inherent stress.
Interestingly, Drew finds a parallel between the satisfaction he derives from tattooing and fishing in the element of “wittiness.” In both domains, he values cleverness and the ability to execute something skillfully and unexpectedly. “But now I feel satisfaction when I feel like I did something witty and it worked,” he explains regarding fishing. “I feel the same in tattooing. If it’s witty and it works, and they didn’t see it coming, then that means I did it right.” This emphasis on ingenuity and surprise suggests that for Drew, both fishing and tattooing are not just about technical skill, but also about intellectual engagement and the satisfaction of achieving a clever and effective outcome.
Iconic Catches and Tattoo Tales
Drew’s fishing adventures are often intertwined with his tattooing career, creating a rich tapestry of experiences. His travels for guest spots and conventions frequently lead to remarkable fishing opportunities, fueled by local tips and his social media network. He recounts catching a bonefish during a Miami layover thanks to an Instagram connection, and landing a 25-pound tarpon in Mexico based on a tip gleaned from a hashtag search. These anecdotes illustrate how his passion for fishing seamlessly integrates into his nomadic tattooing lifestyle.
One particularly memorable fishing tale involves tiger trout in Utah. “We got tipped on a place where we might be able to catch some tiger trout without putting waders on. We don’t have tigers in the South, so I never pass up a chance to catch one—even though this was several hours out of the way.” This dedication to pursuing unique fishing experiences mirrors his commitment to creating distinctive tattoos. He concludes, “The best thing about doing fishing tattoos is that a lot of my clients are avid anglers and give me some great information.” This reciprocal relationship, where clients become sources of fishing knowledge and inspiration, further blurs the lines between his two passions, enriching both his art and his angling pursuits.
Conclusion
Drew Wilson embodies the unique intersection of art and angling, seamlessly blending his skills as a tattoo artist with his lifelong passion for fishing. His dedication to freehand tattooing, his deep understanding of fish anatomy, and his ability to capture the spirit of the aquatic world have made him a sought-after artist in the fishing tattoo community. More than just replicating images, Drew’s tattoos tell stories, evoke emotions, and celebrate the profound connection between anglers and the natural world. As fishing tattoos continue to grow in popularity, Drew Wilson stands out as a true innovator, pushing the boundaries of the art form while staying true to the heart and soul of angling.
Drew Wilson inks a fingerling brown trout on Colin Clancy at Lost Art Tattoo in Salt Lake City. Salt Lake was one stop of many on a multi-week road trip during which Drew tattooed and fished all across the West.
Drew Wilson setting up fishing gear in the Catskills, with bamboo rod.
