French tattoo artist Marie Tanagra is driven by painting, craftsmanship, and a deeply introspective creative spirit. Tattooing since 2014, her journey began almost by chance and grew through determination and an unstoppable desire to improve. Today her style blends Realism and Ornamental into elegant compositions that follow the natural flow of the body. We meet her at LMT Tattoo her newly open tattoo shop!
Hi Marie, nice to meet you. Can you tell us something about yourself and your tattoo personality?
My name is Tanagra. I am passionate about painting and, ever since I was little, I have loved creating and crafting all kinds of objects with my hands, regardless of the material. I am quite a solitary person; I enjoy being at home in my own little world, creating. I am both ambitious and audacious, but also very anxious. This constantly pushes me to question myself and to look for ways to improve, always working harder in an attempt to stand out… even at the risk of never feeling satisfied.
How long have you been in the tattoo world? How did you first start?
I started tattooing in 2014. Before that, tattooing was simply a passion I carried on my skin. I got my first tattoo at the age of 16, but I never thought this career could be within my reach. I lost my way in neuroscience studies without really knowing why. Then I reconnected with a friend named Lily, who had started tattooing, and she invited me to join her in this adventure.
I first tried a tattoo machine on fruit and immediately loved it.
After that, I worked very hard and we opened our first shop together. Later on, we joined an existing team in another studio.
You live in France and you are the owner of LMT Tattoo. When did you open it? Can you describe the place to us?
LMT has been my new haven for a little over a year now. The name is a tribute to my first shop. The atmosphere feels like an apartment—warm and calm—and there is no storefront. The style is vintage, with ceiling moldings, marble floors, and Art Deco and Haussmannian details, exactly the kind of architecture I love in old French houses.
How would you describe your tattoos to our readers?
My tattoo style is a blend of realism and ornamentation. I like my pieces to be light and clean, and to follow the natural curves of the body. I prefer this approach to classic realistic tattoos that completely cover an area without defining its contours.
You work on very different subjects, from Neo-Traditional women’s faces to dark fantasy. What do you like to tattoo the most?
I don’t really have a favorite subject. What I love most is having complete freedom when I designing for a client. That is truly what I enjoy the most—working with a few or no constraints at all.
Where do you find inspiration for your style?
I draw a lot of inspiration from what I read, as well as from video games and cinema. I am also a great lover of art and Gothic architecture.
What kind of clients do you have?
I tattoo all kinds of clients, women and men alike, ranging from 18 to 75 years old, coming from all social and professional backgrounds. The only thing they all have in common is their love for large tattoos, because it is difficult to work on small pieces in a realistic style. Every day I meet someone new.
I love discovering their stories, their journeys, their daily lives.
It is an incredibly enriching profession. My clients’experiences and what they confide in me often bring me back down to earth.
