POINT PLEASANT – Growing up in Holmdel, Sydney “Syd” Smith was a natural artist with a keen ability to draw.
And she successfully channeled that skill into her 2020 launch of BlxckRose Ink, a tattoo shop in Point Pleasant that specializes in fine-line work, a unique format that Smith is helping to bring to the forefront of the tattoo industry — though not without its share of debate.
“I’ve been into art my whole life and I come from a very creative family,” said Smith, 25, a Freehold resident whose mother and sister were skilled at drawing. “I always loved to draw and doodle, and a cousin of mine is a tattoo artist as well.”
While Smith originally took cosmetology classes in high school in hopes of pursuing a career as a makeup artist, “it wasn’t a perfect fit for me,” she said, “so my father and stepmother suggested that I consider a career as a tattoo artist.”
Their advice hit home.
Tattoo artists:How rocker Bret Michaels helped an Atlantic Highlands tattoo artist turn his life around
“Three months before I turned 18, I started working in a tattoo shop in Monmouth County to learn about the field,” she said. “I started getting tattoos on my 18th birthday,” she noted of a collection that includes flowers and written phrases, “and a month after I turned 18, I was tattooing customers.”
Smith worked at that shop for two years, then moved on to a different tattoo shop in Farmingdale for the next four. But after meeting Syd Osso, a Freehold-based tattoo artist whom Smith tattooed in her Farmingdale shop, the two became good friends and decided to partner in a business of their own.
“During the three months that we spent looking for our ideal space, we learned that many towns either had ordinances against tattoo shops or were open to them but had reached their limit for tattoo shops, which made our search challenging,” Smith said. “But in Point Pleasant Borough, we found a nice 750-square-foot space that was ready to go and we opened BlxckRose Ink in September 2020.”
As for the name they chose, “Syd and I were at her house when we were first talking about the shop,” Smith recalled. “I’d already created a brand for myself during the pandemic and had made sweatshirts with a silhouette of a black rose on them, and Syd liked the concept. As it turned out, I have a rose tattoo, my confirmation name was ‘Rose’ because it was my grandma’s name, and I love tattooing roses,” she said, “so it all just worked out.” According to Smith, they placed an “x” in their moniker to stand out on social media and to avoid any confusion with a similarly named tattoo shop in the mid-Atlantic area.
Tattoo artists:How Ninth Wave Tattoo in Asbury Park started with crab pots
Thick and thin designs
Two and a half years later, “Syd does larger pieces, but I specialize in fine-line tattoos, which use some of the tiniest needles in the industry,” Smith said of her small-sized tattoos that can range from simpler designs to highly intricate and detailed artwork.
“I do a lot of finger tattoos, which are extremely popular, as well as small florals, written words/calligraphy, and more. My prices range from $350 to $1,000 depending on the size, placement and detail involved in the tattoo, and a set of finger tattoos starts at $500.” Smith also takes pride in fixing tattoos that clients had done elsewhere and either dislike or want changed.
A fast and efficient artist who can book eight clients a day, Smith said that “a rose tattoo takes about 75 minutes and I ask clients to come in 10 minutes early to complete all the paperwork. After we figure out the placement, I put the stencil on, determine the size, and get started. Customers usually give me an idea of what they want and I work with them to figure out the size and design that would look best,” she said. “I draw it up the night before our appointment and then we talk about it and tweak it as necessary when they come in.”
Among her clients, the majority of whom are women aged 18 to 26, “most want finger tattoos, writing and simple designs,” Smith said of current trends, “but flowers are always popular, even among guys.”
Beauty in metal:‘Punk rock’ welding drives Netflix ‘Metal Shop Masters’ judge at her Lacey business
In terms of what’s ‘out,’ “we’re seeing fewer ‘traditional’ tattoos, which involve thicker lines and dark shading and colors,” she said. “Many artists still do that and do it well, but I’m just seeing less of it these days. People now see that they can get a nice tattoo with thinner lines that cover less skin, which is especially desirable for women, many of whom like tattoos but may want them to be more discreet.”
As for the most popular location for tattoos among her clientele? “Probably the ribcage area because it’s more hidden,” she confirmed, “but that can be a little more painful.”
Though her clients are typically Gen Zers, “I’ve tattooed women in their 70s,” Smith said. “Some people bring their mothers in with them while they get their tattoo, and then the mom wants to schedule an appointment too!”
‘Bring people’s visions to life’
In an era where an estimated one in three Americans has at least one tattoo and tattoo artists are the stars of reality shows, Smith has achieved an impressive level of celebrity of her own on TikTok and Instagram, where she has 963,000 and 131,000 followers, respectively.
“My book opens on the 11th of each month, and I give clients one hour to book me through my website for the following month,” said Smith, who receives up to 400 emails in that hour and fills her entire next month’s slots. “A lot of my clients are from New Jersey and Pennsylvania, but some have driven from as far away as Boston and others have flown in from Texas and even Ireland.”
‘I should just open my own shop’:How Ocean Grove yarn store makes you feel at home
“I’ve also tattooed a few social media influencers, like Sarah-Jade “SJ” Bleau, who has 14 million followers on TikTok, as well as Seattle Seahawks football player Jamal Adams, UFC fighter Dillon Danis, and several celebrity makeup artists,” she said.
Among industry challenges, Smith believes that a glass ceiling still exists.
“The most difficult thing has been trying to prove myself,” she said. “I feel like a lot of men still run the industry, but more and more women are getting into it and becoming super-successful.” At the same time, she said, “my style of tattooing has been very controversial because the lines are so small and thin and some other tattoo artists think they’ll fade. My tattoos never fade because of the way I do them, but I think some other artists demean them just because they don’t do these types of tattoos.”
With demand for their services strong and growing, “Syd and I hope to open the second floor of our shop one day soon and potentially bring on another tattoo artist beyond our current apprentice, Alyssa Sicoli,” Smith said of their hopes for the future of BlxckRose Ink.
In addition, she noted, “I’d eventually love to teach others how to do my style of tattooing. Many people are inspired by fine-line work and I hope that these types of tattoos become more normalized within the tattoo community.”
Ultimately, “I love the freedom of my work, my clients and all of the support I receive from people, which is so uplifting,” Smith said of her favorite parts of her job. “Tattooing is an extremely creative niche and it’s exciting to bring people’s visions to life in a way that fills them with joy and pride.”
BlxckRose Ink
Location: 1662 Beaver Dam Road, Point Pleasant
Owners: Sydney “Syd” Smith and Sydney “Syd” Osso
Opened: September 2020
Website: sydsmithtattoos.com
Social media: Syd Smith Instagram: @sydsmithhh, TikTok: @sydsmithtattoo; Syd Osso Instagram: @sydney_osso, TikTok: @SydneyOsso; Shop on Instagram: @blxckroseink
