We recently had the chance to connect with Mike Boyd and have shared our conversation below.
Mike, it’s always a pleasure to learn from you and your journey. Let’s start with a bit of a warmup: What is a normal day like for you right now?
Most mornings I get woken up by my friend’s cat — I’m looking after him while my buddy’s on tour. It’s usually around 7 or 8am. I give him some biscuits, turn on the coffee machine, and start my day. I’ll stretch a bit in the lounge; after sixteen years of tattooing, my body definitely needs it, especially now that I’m creeping up on forty.
My wife and I chat over coffee about the day ahead while I check my inbox and my various socials. Then I crack open my sketchbook to rough out ideas and warm up my brain and hand. I’ll look at what’s on the schedule, finalize any tattoo sketches, and sometimes do a quick color mock-up. I like doing that sort of thing in the morning when my mind’s fresh — it’s just when I work best.
Around nine I’ll head to the gym with my mate who lives nearby (he’s always late). After a quick bite and another coffee, I walk to the studio — tattoo or paint, depending on the day. Both are only about a twenty-minute walk from my apartment, which feels like such a luxury after living in London. No subway or underground to deal with, and it’s especially nice this time of year with the leaves changing color.
I usually work until six or seven in the evening. Sometimes I’ll grab a drink with friends or locals afterwards, but if not, I’ll take a slow walk home, catch up with my wife, and make dinner. Later I’ll check messages again, stretch a bit more, and do some loose sketching while she watches TV. I’ll usually end the night watching color theory videos or going down a YouTube rabbit hole before winding down and heading to bed.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
Hi, I’m Mike Boyd — a creative based in New York City. Originally from Hampshire in the UK, I moved to North Brooklyn in 2023 to work alongside some of the best tattooers in the world. I specialize in a bold, colorful style of tattooing — a craft I’ve been dedicated to for over sixteen years. It’s taken me across the world, opened doors I never expected, and given me a life I couldn’t have imagined when I started.
Like many artists, the pandemic shifted my perspective. I realized I needed to explore beyond tattooing, to keep growing creatively. Since then, I’ve returned to mural painting, started designing merch, taken on graphic design projects and commissioned paintings, and begun creating educational material for other tattooers. Each medium feeds the next — they all connect back to the same love of color, form, and experimentation.
Being a creative today isn’t without its challenges. The uncertainty, the constant self-reliance — it can be tiring. I work most days and rarely take real vacations, much to my wife’s frustration. She’s incredibly patient though — my grounding force through the chaos. We take things one day at a time, and I’m grateful for her support through it all.
I’m always chasing new creative avenues, and New York constantly offers opportunities to push myself further. I travel often for work, and I want to see as much of this beautiful, massive country as I can while I have the chance. I wouldn’t trade what I do for anything — the freedom, the movement, and the time it gives me to create and share life with my wife are what make it all worthwhile.
Thanks for sharing that. Would love to go back in time and hear about how your past might have impacted who you are today. Who taught you the most about work?
I was lucky enough to grow up in a loving home with incredibly supportive parents. My mum has always been creative — she still makes these huge, colourful quilts, and I’m sure that’s where my obsession with color began. My dad ran his own company and taught me the value of hard work. He always said that talent means nothing without effort, and that mantra has stuck with me ever since. From both of them, I learned that almost anything is possible if you stay focused and put the work in — lessons that continue to shape everything I do.
When did you last change your mind about something important?
Over the last couple of years, I’ve completely shifted how I think about creating. I’ve come to realize that creativity is universal — it doesn’t matter what the medium is, the act itself is what’s important. What really matters is simply making something, no matter how small, and doing it regularly. Creativity’s like a muscle — it needs to be used and stretched constantly to grow.
I used to be really precious about my work. Everything I made had to be “epic” or sellable, and that mindset often left me frozen with the fear of messing it up. Now, I see creating as more of a daily practice — like putting coins into a slot machine. You keep feeding it, and one day it pays out.
As I’ve gotten older, I’ve realized it’s all about the time and energy you put in. Shifting that mindset gave me more freedom and took the pressure off. It made the process fun again — something to play with rather than stress over. And honestly, that’s when the best ideas tend to appear.
Next, maybe we can discuss some of your foundational philosophies and views? Is the public version of you the real you?
Yes — I honestly think it has to be. Keeping up a façade is exhausting, and I don’t want to waste energy on something fake. People can always tell when you’re not being genuine — it might not show right away, but it comes out over time.
In tattooing, I’m face-to-face with people every day, so being authentic isn’t optional. I want to build real connections with my clients — relationships that grow over the years. Art resonates differently with everyone, and I’d rather people connect with my true values than some version of myself I’ve invented to sell work online.
Social media is full of curated, filtered lives, but I want people to see the real me — the person behind the work, not just the persona.
Thank you so much for all of your openness so far. Maybe we can close with a future oriented question. When do you feel most at peace?
There are two places where I feel completely at peace. The first is when I’m deep in a creative flow state — that moment when time stops existing and it’s just me and the work. Nothing else matters apart from what I’m creating. It’s almost like a psychedelic experience in a way. It takes a while to get there, and everyday life can definitely interrupt it, but when it happens, it’s pure bliss.
The other place is out in nature with my wife. After years of living in London and New York, the stillness and quiet hit differently. It’s grounding. I live in cities for my career, but I know they’re not where I ultimately want to be. One day we’ll make that change — but while I’m still (sort of) young, I’m making the most of the opportunities that big-city life offers.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.mikeboydtattoos.com
- Instagram: @mikeboydtattoos
- Facebook: Mike Boyd tattoos
- Youtube: mikeboydtattoos
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