Former Malta national footballer and tattoo artist who divides his time between his island and the United States (mainly New York and San Diego), Neil Chetcuti seeks both art and the “fun dimension” of art in making tattoos.
Neil, can we say that, having chosen football first and then tattoo art, your goal was never to pursue a career, a proper job, but rather to live on the wings of your passion?
Sports and art were both passions growing up, so it never felt like choosing a career in the traditional sense. I simply followed what came most naturally, and drawing always did.
For some time now, meticulous Black-n-Grey Realism has become your primary form of artistic expression. However, in the past, you were also known for your famous skulls influenced by graffiti and other graphic elements. In short, I’d say your art is constantly evolving…
I’ve always focused on Realism Black-n-Grey but my work is always moving. The graffiti and graphic elements came around 2019 and were a turning point, bringing balance and flow to my pieces. Today I still lean fully into Black-n-Grey Realism, but I never want to stand still: each project is a chance to try something I haven’t done before.
Has it been difficult over the past ten years to become a tattoo artist with your own personal style, or have you found good teachers and excellent opportunities for growth during your formative years?
Both, really. It takes years to find your own rhythm, and I’m still refining mine. I’ve always pushed to be as creative as possible with every design, incorporating a variety of elements and references, and that helped me narrow down my personal taste. I also had a great mentor at my first studio.
A relentless mentality to be better with each project and enjoying it along the way, that’s the honest formula.
How does one of your tattoos/big pieces come about? From a conversation with a client? From careful photographic research? From an inexplicable blend of talent, inspiration, and naturalness?
It usually starts with a conversation, then a lot of time on the design before the machine ever touches skin. The design carries the piece, so I put serious effort into references and composition. I love clients who give me freedom to bring my own concepts, that’s when the fun, the research and a bit of instinct come together into a well balanced design.
You once said that Maltese people tend to tan a lot, so it was more natural for you to go Black-n-Grey than color. Because colored tattoos don’t look great on tanned skin, of course. It might sound trite, but it’s actually very true…
Yeah, it sounds trivial but it’s true. We get a lot of sun here, and tanned skin doesn’t carry colour the way it carries Black-n-Grey. It still effects heavily the results in Black-n-Grey when it comes to smoothness and contrasts. Beyond that, I’ve always loved graphite and fine paper, so Black-n-Grey felt like a natural extension of how I already drew.
Where do you work mainly? Malta or the United States? Tell me about your main places of work, whether you’re in Europe or America…
Malta is my base, but I travel back and forth to the US regularly, mainly New York and San Diego.
What are your expectations for summer/fall 2026? Will you be staying primarily in, or do you have any guest spots and tattoo conventions planned elsewhere?
It’s going to be a busy stretch. After summer I have tattoo conventions lined up in Switzerland, Poland and Venice, and I’ll be travelling for most of the period in between too. I aim for a couple of tattoo conventions a year, they’re still the best places to motivate yourself and connect. Summer itself I’ll be working in Malta, taking some time off and fitting in a guest spot if my schedule allows.
And your last famous words are… ?
Keep pushing, keep enjoying it. The moment it stops being fun, the art stops growing.
