Royston Chapman aka “The Boogy Monsta” is the owner of this fine establishment, and has 25 years’ experience in the art of tattooing.

The story of how he became involved in the world of tattooing takes you on an interesting journey. Iit all started in 1989 in Greece, where he met a “local clown” / street performer called Bozo.

Before I tell you about Bozo The Clown, it is imperative to share with you the fact that becoming a professional tattoo artist was his destiny or "in his blood" as they say.  He is closely related to Captain James Cook,  (7 November 1728 – 14 February 1779) who was a British explorer, navigator, cartographer, and captain in the Royal Navy. A legendary world explorer, officially endorsed by the King of England, he was also a true pirate.  Why is this knowledge relevant in this story, well, the art of tattoos have long been a traditional part of the life of the seafarer. The word “tattoo” entered the English language after Captain Cook’s voyages to Tahiti in 1769. James Cook reported on the tatau (which became tattoo in the English language) among the Pacific Islanders. Cook’s own crewmen and subsequent English crews started getting tattooed. Sailors adopted the practice eagerly, tattooing themselves onboard using gunpowder and needles.

At the tender age of 13, Royston gave himself his very first tattoo.  He took a couple of sewing needles, which was tied together with thread and re-enforced with four match sticks, in other words a “hand poked” tattoo.  Starting off his “unofficial tattoo career”, where he “hand poked” his way through high school in exchange for cigarettes.

In the beginning of 1989 Royston went travelling in Israel where he met two British Football Hooligan Fellows, and they were the first really heavily tattooed people (tattoos made with real tattoo machines) he ever saw.  This as he puts it “blew his mind away”…. 

 1989, Greece where he met Bozo, he was a “local clown” busker and local tattoo artist, Royston befriended Bozo, who was also a street tattoo artist working with a homemade machine, they regularly tattooed each other; this is where Royston learnt his first basic tattooing skills.  Pretty soon Royston started working on customers, and ended up spending a season on the island Naxos, tattooing tourists, gaining valuable experience.

After the season in Greece he moved to the UK where he spent time tattooing “informally”, starting off tattooing friends and acquaintances, growing his “client base” by means of word of mouth, at this point in time it was more of a hobby.  He also worked on construction sites, in a pub, an old age home / day care centre, serving coffee and lunches to the pensioners.

In 1994 he came back to SA, where stated tattooing out of the back of his mothers “café” / general store, which was located in Krugersdorp, tattooing on his friends and their friends, and word of mouth referrals  After about 3 months, and as he got busier he realized he needs a bigger space, and a more sterile environment to work in, so he moved his “tattoo studio” into the upstairs apartment.  It had no name, no signage, and was a very basic set up, but more than adequate for the time being.

Later that same year he opened his first “real” shop called “Quiet Bizarre” in Brixton.  Soon he had built up a fair sized client base.  He ran a successful shop up until 1999 (5 years).  In early 1995 he took in his first apprentice, Fabio, who has been running his own very successful studio in Cambridge, England , see Fabio’s marvellous work by clicking on this link http://tattooingbyfabio.com/

During this time Royston met the infamous Uncle Eddie Graham, the “Godfather” of piercing in SA.  Royston was privileged enough to be taught the art of body piercing from Eddie.

In early 1999 he moved his shop to the West Rand (Johannesburg), still trading as Quiet Bizarre, during this time he employed his second apprentice Marissa, who now owns a Johannesburg based studio called, Tattoolya, have a look at her work by clicking on this link www.tattoolya.co.za

By 2002 Royston decided to close down Quiet Bizarre, putting on his travel boots to embark on a seven year “globetrotting” journey.  Occasionally tattooing in countries such as Nepal, India and the UK.

In 2008 he teamed up with his wife, Karen, at which point they decided to open a shop in SA, called Chapman’s Art Emporium and Tattoo Studio, an art gallery (with a bit of a twist) and a tattoo and piercing studio.  Five years later the need to expand the tattoo studio, lead to the decision to close down the art gallery and relocate Chapman's Tattoo Emporium into our current premises, in Arcade Empire in Lynnwood Road.  Fingers crossed, and with hard work, with the assistance of our two new apprentices, Ritchie and Kyle, we are certain that this venture will be rewarding and successful.