Kat Von D – Tattoo Artist Turned Celebrity
Many of us fantasize of a career that makes us famous; but few of us ever succeed at this dream. Kat Von D dropped out of school at the age of 16 to make her way in life as a tattoo artist. Little did she know then that her brave choice to be independent would eventually lead to a life that her classroom peers could only dream of.
At just 29, Kat Von D really is living the dream. She works doing what she loves and what she’s damn good at! Her work is admired and adored by an incredible audience both online and offline, and Kat is able to enjoy the fast paced life of fame while working towards an ever growing list of achievements and accomplishments.
Making Her Debut with Miami Ink
From her teen years to her early twenties, Kat Von D worked as a tattoo artist; opening her own studio, High Voltage, in California. Her unique style, rock star attitude and of course, her incredible capabilities as an artist got her noticed by others in the industry.
Kat Von D was invited to work at the studio where Miami Ink is filmed, to cover temporarily for another artist. For three seasons, fans of the show were able to enjoy her zest for life and her artwork, and her reputation quickly began to grow. Slowly but surely, her reputation was exceeding that of an artist, and becoming that of a celebrity.
Ultimately, personalities clashed, and Kat was asked to leave Miami Ink. Fans of the show were sorry to see her leave, and many called out for her to return to the camera, and to continue her individualistic artwork.
Leading the Way with LA Ink
Despite her departure from Miami Ink, Kat Von D soon started reaching out to her fans with her own show, LA Ink; filmed on site at her own studio in California.
LA Ink quickly became as big a success as it’s sister show, and once again, fans tuned in their TV’s to keep up to date with Kat Von D’s latest designs. Her celebrity personality reached audiences across the world, helping her to gain global recognition from clients and competitors.
Books, Make Up, Stores and More
Kat decided to do more with her audience, and since the show, she has developed a number of different outlets for her creativity.
In the past few years, Kat Von D has released two books, ‘High Voltage Tattoo’ and ‘The Tattoo Chronicles’. These are not meant as an autobiography, but they do provide insights into the life and mind of one of America’s most famous tattoo artists.
Kat Von D has also established a boutique and gallery next to her studio. Wonderland is a store like no other, and the items featured there are all handpicked by Kat herself. Kat Von D has also developed an ever growing collection of beauty items that are produced with Sephora; helping women everywhere to recreate her sexy rock star style.