Chaim Machlev, also known as DotsToLines, didn’t grow up dreaming of becoming a tattoo artist. Although he appreciated art, he worked in IT until his thirties. Then when he got his first tattoo, he had an awakening, left his computer job in the dust and worked to become one of the most innovative tattoo artists around. Machlev’s designs are minimalist and instantly recognizable as his own. We spoke to Machlev about his groundbreaking work, how he found his style and the joy of collaborating.
When did you first become interested in art?
Since my youth I have been interested in art, mainly through music. It wasn’t until I got my first tattoo at 30 that I realized that my own creativity was what was missing in my life. It was a life changing event that opened my eyes and awakened a side of me I didn’t know [existed]. That was the moment I started creating and slowly transitioned from an IT guy with no artistic background to an artist who dedicates his life to art.
What were some of the first media you worked in?
In the beginning I tried many different drawing techniques, mainly Japanese-style drawings with pencil and paint. It seemed very strange to me. This got me exploring digital creations and styles on my computer. I was an IT engineer, I’d never touched a brush or drawn in my life, so working on designs on my computer was my entry point into the creative spectrum.
Do you remember when you first became interested in tattooing?
I was never really interested in tattoos when I was young, a tattoo wasn’t something I ever saw until I came back from a trip. I suddenly had the spark in me to get one, so I went to an artist in Israel called Avi Vanunu. After he finished my tattoo, I remember that everything suddenly changed for me.
how did you learn Did you have an education?
After getting my first tattoo I knew tattooing was what I wanted to do and I had to figure out how I was going to do it. I drove out into the desert and just sat there thinking how I could do it. After a few days there I decided to quit my job and move to a new city to continue what turned out to be Berlin. I moved to Berlin with a backpack. My bag and a big dream full of motivation. I asked almost every tattoo shop in town if they would teach me in exchange for work. In the beginning it was very hard and I mainly cleaned floors until I met a nice tattoo artist who let me practice in her studio.
How would you describe your style? How has it evolved over the years?
I like to work fluidly and not tied to one style. However, I take most of my inspiration from nature, specifically how creativity and even geometry can be found in natural elements. Working with a natural formation like human anatomy and applying a geometric structure has its own beautiful result. I love working in a minimalist way, but at the same time I enjoy creating intricate mandalas and geometric designs. Most importantly, it flows well with the body and looks like it should have been there all along.
Can you walk us through your design process?
I usually start by asking for ideas and placements that the person has in mind. Most of the design is done in the appointment itself, as placement is just as important as design. I have some really great clients who come to me with an open mind and trust me to do something for them. Often someone walks in the door without ever having a tattoo and ends up walking away super happy with a really big piece that they never imagined or imagined but trust the whole process. I really love doing things like that.
We’ve all seen friendship tattoos but not the way you do them. Can you tell us about those eye-catching tattoos you do on multiple people?
I love making pieces that look like they complete a whole picture when people are together, but also look great on their own. I find it such a strong bond that holds the individual [part of] a whole. Even with my one-off pieces, I try to create designs that don’t reveal the whole picture from every angle and arouse curiosity in a humble way.
What fascinates you so much about large-scale minimalism?
I love the ability to show movement in a relatively simple way, without paying attention to body structure, shape and curves, just emphasizing them. With great pieces, the key is aesthetics and composition.
In some of your pieces you have intentional glitches, for lack of a better term, where you have a near-perfect circle, but then it’s gone. It takes an incredible amount of precision to get this done without looking bad. Tell us a little bit about the risk involved with pieces like this and how you came up with the idea.
I consider my work to be extremely risky in every respect. Even the pieces that are 100 percent flawless should be as accurate as possible, which is extremely difficult when the medium is a living, breathing person, and so it can never be perfect. The concept of embracing imperfection is the inspiration here. It’s something we all need to do to be balanced.
How did you move away from tattooing with your art? What collaborations have you worked on?
I love collaborating, be it with other tattoo artists or with brands. I think it helps me to keep evolving as an artist and as a person. I love watching other artists at work and getting to know new perspectives. I designed a car for Mercedes-Benz a few years ago and it was an eye-opening experience. Firstly, to see such a large, relatively conservative organization working with a tattoo artist, and secondly, the whole design experience was amazing. I’ve also collaborated with some artists resulting in amazing results that push the boundaries like Joao Bosco and Filip Leu.
They also created an amazing back piece with Corey Divine, who is featured in this issue. How was it?
I love working with Corey, our styles are so different yet so similar. We actually did a few collaborations, which I really enjoyed. They are like an art installation on the body.
