French tattoo artist Void Vitriol creates brutal medieval tattoos from his own studio Les Petit Martyrs in Mouvaux, France.

Incorporating his obsession with all things occult and esoteric, Void Vitriol’s tattoos are highly textured, predominantly blackwork pieces, which are sometimes accentuated with red ink.

We talked about religious symbolism, black metal, and his wish to tattoo legendary 14th century alchemist Nicolas Flamel!

How would you describe your tattoo art style?

I work a lot with symbolism (religious, occult, esoteric, Nordic...), as well as medieval and occult imagery in general. I try to bring a brutal and graphic touch to it, with solid blacks and a lot of work on textures.

Above all, I make sure that the projects I propose always make sense for me. I find that the names "Brutal Medieval" or "Occult Blackwork" sum up my approach quite well.

Where does the name Void Vitriol come from?

It's quite personal - something a bit like Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde...

At the start my nickname was simply VOID. It echoes a rather dark period of my tormented life - I drew on it, and used tattoos and their creation as a kind of catharsis.

I then added VITRIOL, in reference to the final stage of transmutation in Alchemy; a kind of purification. It’s a way of symbolising that this part of me has come to maturity and that I have found a balance.

When did you open Les Petit Martyrs?

Les Petits Martyrs celebrated its first year of business in January 2023!

Who works there with you?

Fiefurie was with me when I opened Les Petits Martyrs, but since then she stopped tattooing to devote herself to something else. Currently I am with my apprentice Nell Nebula, who is very promising! She’s evolving in a style that is dark, witchy, and fantasy-inspired.

I also regularly receive guest tattoo artists from everywhere!

If you could get any artist in for a guest spot, who would it be?

It's a very difficult question - there are so many extraordinary artists today, and I am already very honoured and proud to receive the artists who come as a guest to Les Petits Martyrs!

Right now I would say Ruco, Sudanim, Alixe Cooper, La Spectre and Leonka or even Remy Noiraugure, Romain Bonniez or Niko Nerdo who are in France.

Which tattoo artists inspire you?

I like artists with very defined styles, but not necessarily always close to mine.

I really like the work of Ruco, Abel Miranda, Marcus Giuliano Stolz, Leonka, and MXM from Sang Bleu.

Who would you most like to do a collaboration tattoo with?

I currently have Ink Tomasz in the studio, an extraordinary artist from Poland. Our styles are quite close, and I think that during his next visit to the workshop a collaboration between us could be really cool.

If you could tattoo anyone or anything, who or what would it be?

If you can take me back in time, I would have loved to tattoo the alchemist Nicolas Flamel!

What is your favourite theme to tattoo?

I really like working with esoteric and historical themes, especially around occultism and Paganism.

What are the most common themes you work with?

Mostly Norse and occult.

How do you come up with your flash ideas?

It's a mix of several things. Inspiration can come from a piece of music, reading old books, or just the mood of the moment... it's quite spontaneous actually!

How do you design your tattoos?

There’s a difference between how I design more figurative tattoos and more symbolically oriented projects. For the first category it's quite spontaneous and fast... for symbolism projects I spend a lot of time documenting and learning.

Do you work mostly from flash or create custom pieces?

I do both, but I’m more comfortable doing flashes.

What’s the largest tattoo you’ve ever done?

I did a huge Icelandic symbol all at once, all around the chest and up to the back.

Which religion or faith has your favourite iconography to work with?

I favour the esoteric/magic and Kabbalistic iconography, as well as Scandinavian.

Would you consider using any colour inks other than red?

Not for now.

What tattoo equipment do you use? 

I mainly use hybrids and direct drive rotaries: Mother Tattoo machines, TattooMe, Vlad Blad machines and I’m also interested in the SOL Luna from Cheyenne. For the needles I use Killer Ink Precision cartridges, and for the ink, Dynamic.

Do you listen to music while you work, and if so, what?

Of course! It can go from black metal to drone or ambient music. I also like hardcore and death metal: bands like Amenra, Wolves in the Throne Room, Sunn O))), MMMD, Gorgoroth or Behemoth.

What’s your favourite thing about being a tattoo artist?

I like the freedom of creation, and the encounters I have thanks to my job.

What advice do you have for tattoo apprentices?

I’d say don’t rush, learning takes its time. Be patient and persistent.

Will you be visiting any conventions or guest spots in 2023?

Yes! I’ll be visiting Atelier Sang Froid in Limoges, France in May. For the conventions, they’re mainly in Belgium: Tox Cit’ Ink in Liège, Mons Tattoo Convention, Ink-Town in Courtrai and Brussels Tattoo Convention. I’ll also be attending and tattooing at Tyrant Fest, a black metal festival in North of France.

What do you do in your free time?

I spend it with my family, and I draw and read a lot too.

Do you create any art outside of work?

I make shirts and also collaborate with other people like the Osseus Brewery, for whom I design beer cans and logos.

What’s your favourite time of the year?

Christmas time of course! Seriously though I love the fall, when nature begins to sleep and the night starts becoming longer…

What’s fun to do in Mouvaux and Lille?

Tasting the local food: the legendary Welsh, our extraordinary beers, the French fries. And getting tattooed, of course!

What’s next for Void Vitriol and Les Petit Martyrs?

For now my apprentice is finishing her apprenticeship, and then I’ll maybe find a new resident. And just keep going with our flow!

We hope you’ve enjoyed this chat with occult blackwork expert Void Vitriol - make to check out his work on Instagram or Facebook!