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Monroe gets Ink’d Up

Tattoo artist sets up shop, offers personalized designs

Adam Monroe begins outlining the design for an elaborate sleeve on Matthew Augustine of Camden on April 8, the official opening of Adam's studio, Ink'd Up Custom Tattoo Design in downtown Monroe.

Staff photo by Linda Weisenborn Adam Monroe begins outlining the design for an elaborate sleeve on Matthew Augustine of Camden on April 8, the official opening of Adam's studio, Ink'd Up Custom Tattoo Design in downtown Monroe.

ENLARGE PHOTO

Adam Monroe applies ink to an original sleeve design for Matthew Augustine of Camden at Ink'd Up Custom Tattoo Design in Monroe. Staff photo by Linda Weisenborn

Linda Weisenborn Adam Monroe applies ink to an original sleeve design for Matthew Augustine of Camden at Ink'd Up Custom Tattoo Design in Monroe. Staff photo by Linda Weisenborn

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By Denise Wilson, Staff Writer 8:42 PM Sunday, April 19, 2009

MONROE — The city of Monroe just got a little more colorful.

Tattoo artist Adam Monroe, 26, a native of Hamilton who lives in West Chester Twp., recently opened Ink’d Up Custom Tattoo Design at 640 S. Main St.

Monroe said he decided to open his first custom tattoo business in the community because it is located near many of his clients.

“I know a lot of people in Hamilton. I know a lot of people in Mason, West Chester, Dayton and Middletown. I know they say Union Centre is the center of everything, but I think for my business and for me, I think this would be the center of everything for me,” he said.

“I like the small town and I like the busy road, and the fact that people are more personal around here,” he said.

Monroe said he has been a freelance, custom design tattoo artist for four years. He has worked at Vertigo Tattoo Shop in Oxford and Black Label Studios in Hamilton.

“It’s just something I naturally grew into,” he said. “I guess I have the gift and I just didn’t know it. It’s was something I just stumbled across.”

How much his original art work will cost is based on how elaborate it is, the time he puts into drawing it and the colors used, Monroe said.

He said he uses a skin marker to freehand draw his custom tattoo design work on customers.

“It’s out of my head, that way there’s not anything to pick off the walls,” he said.

“So if someone comes in, I will try to talk to them and work with them and explain to them their options,” Monroe said. “You can get your baseball tattooed on you, but it can be so many different ways. So it’s not something you’re going to see walking down the street tomorrow on Johnny or whoever.”

Monroe said he will not do custom gang or drug-related tattoos or perform work on minors.

“It’s got to be morally up to my standards,” he said. “I don’t smoke, I don’t drink, I don’t promote it, I don’t allow it, and it’s not going to happen around me.”