Hilliary Custom Living: tattoos without the pain

Do you remember those temporary tattoos that you put on with water when you were younger? Well now you’re all grown up you can get a tattoo but without the pain. Here’s how:

Hilliary Custom Living is the label created by Hilliary Laneville. She’s a young Canadian artist and has been doing artwork for over 12 years. She’s also a graduate from Fleming’s Haliburton School of the Arts. She has explored pretty much every medium, but drawing is where it all began. 

The idea of selling temporary tattoos came to Hilliary from being addicted to the idea of getting real ink after her first tattoo. On her 19^th birthday, she got a tattoo on her foot and since then she has wanted to fill her body with artists’ work that inspires her: from artists such as Salvador Dali and Andy Warhol, to newer artists such as Sherri Boyle and Courtney Brims. Each of these artists helps Hilliary along her way when she’s thinking about a new drawing or project. What she loves most about the temporary’s is the idea of feeling like a rebel, with no regrets. Hilliary wants people to feel comfortable in their skin while wearing her tattoos.

“It’s fun to express your weird side. I have always had the goal of trying to help people feel the best they can, and sometimes, I have to say, when wearing these tattoos out in public, it makes me feel good and gives me some confidence when they are on my chest or neck. I almost feel tough. I also like the compliments from people who don’t know they are fake, and on top of it all freaking out family members with my skull tattoos on my chest, just for kicks.”

Hilliary’s tattoos are beautiful and it’s understandable why people think you have a genuine tattoo when you’re wearing one. The Air Balloon tattoo is really cute and if you’re into vintage, you will love it. If you want something subtle, perhaps this Floral Flower Silhouette will suit you. For slogan lovers, this Believe tattoo could be placed anywhere and it would look like a genuine tattoo. If you’re a bit of a rock chick, the skull tattoo will suit you. You are literally spoilt for choice at her Etsy shop.

What inspires such an eclectic range of temporary tattoos? “I look for inspiration from Mother Nature, animals and plants. I have always had a connection to Mother Earth and am looking forward to starting to sell items where those tattoo sales go to the rain forest, shelters and organisations that need an extra hand in funds. Aside from Mother Earth, it is hard to narrow down my inspiration and where it flows from. I am constantly looking at the world from another perspective, and I always find weird ways to come up with art. About ten times a day I think about creating something that is normally completely off topic from what I am actually creating at that moment. I have three books full and a computer with ideas and little drawings. I don’t think I will ever get around to all of them, not enough time in the world. But the point being I can’t really say, the inspiration will come and go when it feels.”

Wearing one of Hilliary’s pieces is not only like wearing a tattoo, it’s wearing a piece of art. What’s great is you can change your tattoos as much as you change your outfit, and they’re pain free and a damn sight cheaper.

Jenny Rodgers

Head over to her Etsy site now and explore what she has to offer.