With 14 years of experience, Oliver L. Boots has developed his own signature style — Displaced Realism, a bold fusion of depth, distortion, and emotion. In this exclusive interview, he reveals how the style was born and shares his insights on creativity, growth, and his journey through the tattoo world.
Can you please start by introducing yourself and telling us about your journey as a tattoo artist?
My name is Oliver L Boots and I have been tattooing for around 14 years. It has been an interesting journey breaking into the tattoo industry in that time. I was initially met with a lot of roadblocks, but I was determined to pursue my dream of becoming a successful artist and a unique addition to the tattoo community. I did not go through a traditional learning route, but thankfully I have been fortunate enough to be guided and supported by a number of wonderful like-minded artists that gave me the time of day in the beginning stages of my career, and I’m happy to say still do to this day.
Initially, I started with learning as much as possible about most styles of tattooing so that I could learn from multiple disciplines and also appeal to a wide demographic. Gradually, I worked my way up into more challenging and intricate styles as the goal was to eventually be comfortable designing anything and be able to recreate my designs onto skin.
14 years later I have definitely achieved a lot, whether it’s been the approval of my peers, traveling to a number of exciting locations to work, and also winning awards at some prestigious conventions. As well as this, I have also developed a real level of consistency and my own unique self-titled style, DISPLACED REALISM.
You specialize in realism. What first drew you to this style, and why did you choose it as your main focus?
I was initially drawn to realism in my early years of traditional artworks and have always loved the process and challenge of not only capturing the “realism” but also capturing and visually expressing my view of realism, which tends to be slightly more graphic and I think adds its own personality.
I think realism chose me in the end, albeit I have a real love for many different styles such as Japanese, traditional, and many others. It was realism that prevailed and now I twist it into my own expression of realism.
Your signature approach is Displaced Realism, which we find fascinating. Can you tell us more about this concept, and what inspires your creative direction?
Displaced Realism is my attempt to push my ability not only in technical tattooing but also in design and creative approach. Largely it’s been inspired by graphic novels, visual narratives, and minimalist modern art influences to create something really unique for my clients.
I also have a background in graphic design and comic illustration, so my style has also been heavily impacted by these two principles in ways that I hadn’t utilized before. This in turn has led to the detailed minimalist style that is Displaced Realism.
I also think it’s worth mentioning that working with the individual client and what they hope to capture in a design really adds so much into the mix to make it a real collaborative process. My clients will supply their personal information which I can then derive as much inspiration as possible to truly create something individual, stand-out, and unique for them.
You even won first place at a tattoo convention honoring your original style—congratulations! How did this recognition influence your career, and what does the award mean to you personally?
Thank you, it was a real honour to receive the first place award in the “Avant Garde” category at the Liverpool Tattoo and Arts Expo. It’s an invitation-only event, which was already very humbling, to be working alongside some truly incredible artists, but to be awarded 1st place in such a creative category was really awesome.
The panel of judges were some of the best artists around, so for them to judge my work and think it’s deserving of such a prestigious award is a real reinforcement of my hard work and passion for the craft, as well as my own artistic goals.
So it meant a lot not only for myself as an artist, but also for my client—because to be wearing an award-winning tattoo is a great feeling for him, and it’s incredibly validating of the style I have created. It has also opened a number of doors to some truly great opportunities such as interviews and features in publications and social media.
You’re also an ambassador for tattoo supply companies, which is a great recognition for any artist. How did this collaboration start, and what does it bring to your artistic journey?
My very first sponsor was Starr Tattoo Supplies. They approached me at a convention some years ago and they have truly remained one of the best companies that I have worked with to date. They have supported me and my artwork continuously for a number of years, and I am very proud to be a part of their team.
I have also been sponsored by an incredible company called Sknworks that makes some incredible products for use during the process as well as after, and I’m very proud to be working with them as a company and brand.
This kind of support is not only gratifying and validating to me personally, but professionally they have allowed me to reach further into new and exciting areas of the tattoo community as well as individuals that want to get tattooed by me. I am very grateful to be working with some wonderful people.
Your work and style are constantly evolving. From your perspective, how do you see your art developing in the future?
My style is definitely still evolving and taking new directions with every piece I get to create with my clients. It is expanding into some much larger projects that I am excited to figure out in terms of placement and flow with and against the shape of the body.
I am also excited to expand the style of traditional art mediums as well, with paintings, sculptures, and more that are really a part of the style—some of which will be installed in some incredible locations such as social establishments and a gallery in the not-too-distant future. So I’m very excited to ride the wave and push my Displaced Realism style in all directions going forward.
What do you find most rewarding about being a tattoo artist?
For me the most rewarding aspect is working with people from all walks of life, clients and artists alike. I’ve met some of the best people throughout my career and have been fortunate enough to work alongside some incredible artists. I love the art, the deep conversations, as well as the whole process of tattooing.
I also love to learn. Learning new techniques and processes is invaluable to progressing as an artist, and I relish the opportunity to learn from other artists as well as growing as a person from the personal connections that I’ve made with my clients.
Do you have any upcoming plans or projects you’d like to share with our readers?
So I mentioned previously that some of my Displaced Realism artwork is going to be placed in a number of locations, which is truly amazing for me to see, and I’m excited to see what people make of the pieces once they have been installed for display. I am also embarking on some exciting new travel plans to spread my Displaced Realism style far and wide, which I can’t wait for. So stay tuned, as there’s plenty more to come.
