The documentary project Skin Deep has released the final episode of its second season, dedicated to Mike Rubendall — one of the most respected artists in modern tattooing and the founder of Kings Avenue Tattoo.
The episode, titled SKIN DEEP : Mike Rubendall | Modern Day Master, is now available on the YouTube channel Skin Deep | The Tattoo Docuseries. It concludes the East & West season, in which Josh Adams explores the stories of key figures in the tattoo industry through personal conversations, archival materials, and a closer look at tattoo culture from within.
The episode about Rubendall is not only a portrait of a renowned tattoo artist, but also a conversation about professional ethics, discipline, and the attitude toward tattooing as a craft. It features a tour of the original Kings Avenue Tattoo Shop, as well as rare archival footage from 1997, showing 19-year-old Mike visiting Filip Leu to get tattooed.
For anyone interested in the history of modern tattoo culture, this episode offers a chance to see Mike Rubendall not only as an artist, but as a person whose work and approach have influenced an entire generation of tattooers.
The full episode is available on the YouTube channel Skin Deep | The Tattoo Docuseries.
He began his career in 1995 at DaVinci Tattoo under the guidance of Frank Romano, later went through an important stage at Adorned Tattoo, and in 2005 founded Kings Avenue Tattoo — a studio that over time became one of the notable landmarks on the American tattoo scene and a symbol of strong schooling, high-level work, and respect for tradition.
