Sticks, Stones, and Tiny Tattoos: The Art of Hand-Poking with Charlotte

Charlotte is the mastermind behind Sticks Not Stones, a hand-poke tattoo studio in London where the tattoos are delicate, the lines are fine, and the whole experience feels less like being tattooed and more like being let in on a secret. She didn’t set out to be a tattooist, exactly. But then she got tattooed by a hand-poke artist who casually mentioned they’d started by practising on their friends, and suddenly, the idea of repeatedly stabbing people with ink didn’t seem so daunting. It seemed… possible.

What she loves most about hand-poking - aside from the fact that it doesn’t sound like a dentist’s drill - is the pace. It’s slow. It’s calm. It’s a tattooing experience where the result feels more like something that grew there naturally rather than something that was put there. There’s a softness to it, a quietness. It’s tattooing but with a cup of tea.

Your hand-poked tattoos are known for their minimalist and fine-line designs. What initially drew you to the hand-poke technique, and how do you feel it enhances the personal connection between you and your clients?

I initially gravitated toward hand-poking because it felt like a more accessible entry point into tattooing. When I first got tattooed by a hand-poke artist, they shared with me that they started by practicing on friends before working his way up to a studio, and that really inspired me.

What I love about hand poking is that it gives me the chance to take my time with each piece. It's a much more relaxing process, both for me as the artist and for the client, which I think makes a huge difference in how people experience getting tattooed. There's a gentleness in the technique that gives the tattoos a softer, more hand-made feel, which I find really rewarding. The final result often feels more intimate and personal, which is something I always strive for when tattooing people.

Transitioning from a graphic design background to tattoo artistry is quite a shift. Has your graphic design experience influenced your tattoo work, and what challenges did you face during this transition?

After finishing my graphic design course and starting tattooing, it definitely helped me with the more practical aspects of running my tattoo business, like creating business cards, designing my logo and managing my branding. It's fun to be able to do both and I can only imagine how much money I have saved myself!

As for the tattooing itself, the main challenge was adjusting the medium as graphic design is done digitally and can be easily edited. With tattooing, working on people's skin can be less predictable. It takes time to realise that the imperfections of a tattoo make it unique for the person and for myself as the artist (although sometimes it would be easier if our skin acted like an iPad screen).

Operating a private studio in London, you've created a space that prioritises comfort and safety for your clients. How do you think this environment impacts the overall tattoo experience, especially for first-time clients?

Having my own private space allows me to create an inclusive environment that prioritizes my clients comfort and safety, which is crucial! I have been in situations while getting tattooed where I haven't felt the most comfortable, so taking that experience and realising how important it is to be provided with a safe space, where clients aren't afraid to speak up and let me know if they need anything is so important. I get a lot of people come and it is their first time getting tattooed, so I make it my mission to make them feel special and comfortable from the second they walk through my door.

Your tattoos often feature nature-inspired elements like flowers and animals. Can you share more about your inspiration for these designs and how you keep your work fresh and unique?

It's funny because when I started tattooing I never had a set idea on what I wanted to focus on, I was tattooing everything and anything people wanted. When I got a year or so into tattooing, I moved to Vancouver, Canada where I noticed a lot of clients wanted more nature inspired tattoos like mountains, flowers, stars and sparkles etc. So because I was posting these more on my instagram, that became what people came to me for. I am always open to tattooing anything that suits my style because I love tattooing in general and want people to get whatever tattoo they want, no matter how silly it might be :)

And finally, a very important question from my five-year-old son: What's your favourite dinosaur?

Oh, this without a doubt is the most important question of all. I like a Microraptor because they are small but mighty.

You can follow Charlotte on Instagram @sticks.not.stones

Interview by Johnny Larran, 2025.