Illustrators with Ink is back! After months of radio silence, Jessica Roux is here to share her gorgeous tattoos and illustrations. She’s an animal and plant enthusiast (which you’ll see shortly) who’s originally from the woodlands of North Carolina, where she grew up surrounded by an abundance of nature. Now, Jessica is in Brooklyn, New York, where her clients include The New York Times, Smithsonian Magazine, Garden & Gun Magazine, Anthology Magazine, and many more. Read my interview with her below!
How many tattoos do you have? 5
How old were you when you got your first tattoo? 19 – it’s the lowercase Delta on my wrist. [See below!]
Did you design any yourself? If not, would you ever?
Nope! I try to find artists with a similar but different enough aesthetic to my own work. I think I’d end up hating something I drew myself in a few years.
Do you have a favorite? If so, which one and why?
My favorite is the wild boar! She’s my most recent addition. I got her right before one of the toughest, saddest weeks of my life. She makes me feel strong and powerful, and wild boars are my favorite animals.
Where did you get your work done?
Wild Boar – Sue Jeiven, East River Tattoo, Brooklyn
Dogwoods – Rachel Hauer, East River Tattoo, Brooklyn
Laurel – Magic Cobra Tattoo Society, Brooklyn
Key – Ricky McGee, Anonymous Tattoo, Savannah
Delta – Avail Tattoo, Savannah
Is there any meaning behind any of your tattoos?
Some are just pretty things, and some go a little deeper. I got the dogwoods for my home state of North Carolina. I got the key with my husband, who has a matching lock, a few months into dating him. I love sappy love stories, romance, and true love, but our couples tattoos probably make most people gag. That’s okay though, because I think they’re sweet!
What sort of visual connection do you see between your tattoos and your illustration, if any?
My tattoos are mostly flora and fauna, the same subject matter as the vast majority of my work. I find plants and animals so inspiring that they’re a part of who I am through my tattoos.
Now that you’ve seen her tattoos, check out these same sensibilities—such as subdued colors and rhythmic shapes—are imbued within her illustrations.
Jessica describes her images as “old world beauty,” and I’d have to agree.
Thanks, Jessica!!
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