A Fit-to-You Apron Provides Protection and Professionalism
Meet a Maker:
Schyler Ames designs intricate, colorful works of art he applies to the skin with ink and needle. But don’t call him a tattoo artist, a term he thinks is overused.
Schyler is a tattooer.
He also happens to be engaged to our daughter, Alex. We’re excited that he’ll be joining our family of makers this summer.
Schyler started out as a photographer. His mentor, Rich Helton, built tattoo machines. Schyler took photos for him in exchange for tattoos. When Rich asked Schyler if he wanted to learn how to be a tattooer, Schyler eagerly accepted.
“I was always fascinated by tattooing,” Schyler said. “I knew I would love it.”
He went through a two-year apprenticeship and worked at several shops. He’s now been a tattooer for six years and currently works at Black Tooth Tattoo Co. in Akron, Ohio.
Some customers bring Schyler reference images. He also creates his own designs, drawing with the Procreate app on his iPad and printing the images to turn into stencils.
One of his favorite creations is the jackalope he tattooed on Alex’s back. She told him she wanted a jackalope, a mythical hare with horns. From there, his imagination took off, resulting in an image with flowers, cacti, a sun and more.
“You look more professional when you’re wearing the (Leather By Dragonfly) apron ...”
Schyler owns two different styles of Leather By Dragonfly aprons that he wears when working.
He used to use a cheap single-leg apron that he didn’t really enjoy. A medium-weight Custom Leather Apron from Leather By Dragonfly was a big upgrade, Schyler said.
His apron, made of black full-grain leather and veg tan straps, protects his clothes from ink splatter and staining, easily wiping clean. Plus, it keeps his core toolset right at his fingertips. It has a pocket on the chest for business cards, two pen slots next to the cards, three Sharpie pockets on the right leg, and a phone pocket on the left side. He chose a split-leg design for extra comfort when seated.
“It’s an extra level of protection,” Schyler said of the apron, which still looks and feels brand new after two years of use. “The fact that you can wipe it off and it still moves with you — it’s perfect.”
Donning the apron makes Schyler feel prepared and polished. “You look more professional when you’re wearing the apron, instead of just like a scumbag with a bunch of tattoos,” he said.
One feature that Schyler likes best about the apron is that it is custom-designed to fit him perfectly. “I’m very skinny. I’m like a stick bug,” he said. “If I go anywhere else online to buy an apron, it’s going to be way too wide and fit like a dress.”
Each Dragonfly Custom Leather Apron, on the other hand, is 100% unique and made to order. From our 8-way fitting process to the individual selection of a pocket and place for each of your core tools, your apron is designed exactly for you and your workflow — and your size.
Schyler especially likes to wear his bespoke apron during the colder months to keep warm, joking that he’s never been in a tattoo shop where the HVAC system works properly. When he needs to feel cooler but stay protected, Schyler turns to another Leather By Dragonfly product, the Leather Tattoo Single Leg Apron, which comes in a choice of right or left leg cut and includes a fully adjustable waist and leg strap for fit and comfort. Schyler selected black leather with veg tan straps, to match his full apron.
No pressure from your future in-laws, Schyler, but would you recommend a Custom Leather Apron by Leather By Dragonfly to your fellow tattooers?
“100 percent,” Schyler said. “You can wipe it down. It’s comfortable. It does its job. It’s fit to you.”
See Schyler’s tattoo designs, including Alex’s amazing jackalope, on Instagram, @schyleramestattoo. You’ll also find information there on how to contact him or book an appointment.
Read previous posts in our “Meet a Maker” series: