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Edinburgh Live
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Edinburgh Live
Edinburgh man on staying 'down to earth' despite going viral with job he loves
Our community members are treated to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. More info An Edinburgh tattoo artist who found fame online after showcasing his colour realism portraits says he "can't believe" he has a career where people pay him to "draw pictures". David Corden, 53, showed a talent for lifelike drawing from a young age but only found his way into the tattoo industry after 15 years working as an engineer in London when he began working in a studio on a whim before the 2008 financial crisis. Despite only receiving a U grade in his A-Level art exam after being told his work was too realistic, David has turned his passion into a full-time career. And in 2015, he relocated to Edinburgh and opened his very own studio, Semper, in the Grassmarket. Now, David is an award-winning tattoo artist specialising in bringing faces to life. From celebrities and film characters to family members and pets, some of his most popular celebrity tattoos include Elvis, Marilyn Monroe and Prince, and iconic characters such as Princess Leia, Edward Scissorhands and Freddy Krueger. In total, he estimates that he has completed 'well over 5,000' tattoos, and has made a name for himself in the industry. While he does not view himself as ' famous ', his Instagram page where he shares his work has more than 180,000 followers, and he receives hundreds of likes and comments on his posts. He said: 'As an artist, my gallery walks around, gets up and leaves – my work is somewhere in the world, living a life and interacting with other people. 'Tattooing really is that cliche of if you find a job you love, you'll never work another day in your life. 'I meet other tattoo artists and we all say at some point, 'Can you believe we do this as a job? People are paying me to draw pictures'.' David has always had a passion for art and his talents were clear from a young age – although this was not always reflected in good grades. He recalled: 'I had done art in school, I did it at A-Level but I got a U, which means ungraded.' 'When we queried it, they said it was because my work was so realistic, I may as well have handed in a photo – so that was a bad thing apparently.' Despite this he went on to art college to study graphic design and started working as an engineer for a ventilation company after finishing the course. He added: 'I had every intention of just working there for a year and then going back to do something in the art world, but 15 years later I was still there.' In the lead-up to the 2008 financial crisis, David said work for the company became 'quieter and quieter', prompting him to find something else. A few years earlier, in 2002, David created and designed his first tattoo - a dragon he wanted on his arm - which he took to a studio in Kent. Sign up for Edinburgh Live newsletters for more headlines straight to your inbox He said: 'The lead tattoo artist there told me it was the first time in years where he had ever been able to make a stencil from someone's drawing. 'We just hit it off and he remembered me as the guy whose picture he didn't have to redraw.' In 2006, David connected with the artist again, and he was asked if he would be interested in joining the team. He said: 'I just thought I can do 'mum' or 'dad', or 'love' and 'hate' on someone's knuckles – it's a bit arty, so why not.' He started by working on the reception desk and shadowing tattoo artists while they worked. He later realised he had joined at the right time, after the industry "exploded" following the release of American reality series Miami Ink, and people started to see it as a career option. David produced his first tattoo for his cousin, who requested a portrait of actor Jack Nicholson from The Shining, asking for the famous 'Here's Johnny' look. 'I wasn't confident, but I wasn't as nervous as I expected to be,' David said - adding that the tattoo was a success. Years later, in August 2015, David was on a trip to Edinburgh when he instantly felt an emotional connection to the city – and he decided to relocate and open his own studio. Speaking about his realism work, he said: 'Any interesting faces are always interesting to me – monsters in horror movies for example are great because they look so cool nowadays, they're so detailed and mad.' He added: 'I copy what I see, so if there's something in the picture, I'm going to put it on the skin. 'The thing that's come from years of experience is sometimes understanding the need to boost a particular colour or to boost all the contrast to bring it to life.' He shares his work with 181,000 followers on Instagram. One post showing a tattoo of the late actor John Candy as Uncle Buck in the hit 1989 comedy film garnered more than 14,000 likes. David has made a name for himself within the tattoo industry, but he said he does not think of himself as 'famous'. He said: 'Fame to me is movie stars and musicians, but within the tattoo world, I guess that's the artists like me. 'My world has not changed, it's all very down to earth and normal. The fame bit happens online and the internet decides if it's successful.' David is attending the Big London Tattoo Show from September 19 to 21, which is set to feature 500 tattoo artists from around the world. To find out more about David's work follow @davidcorden on Instagram.
Daily Record
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Record
Edinburgh tattoo artist who started working in studio on a whim found social media fame
'As an artist, my gallery walks around, gets up and leaves – my work is somewhere in the world, living a life and interacting with other people.' An Edinburgh tattoo artist who found fame online after showcasing his colour realism portraits of people and animals says he "can't believe" he has a career where people pay him to draw pictures. David Corden, 53, showed a talent for lifelike drawing from a young age. He only found his way into the tattoo industry on a whim before the 2008 financial crisis, after 15 years working as an engineer in London. Despite receiving a U grade in his A-Level art exam with criticism for his work being overly realistic, he has turned his passion into a full-time career. He later relocated to Edinburgh, and opened his own studio, Semper, in the Grassmarket area in August 2015. David is now an award-winning tattoo artist specialising in bringing faces to life, from celebrities and film characters to family members and pets. Some of his popular celebrity tattoos include Elvis, Marilyn Monroe and Prince, and characters such as Princess Leia, Edward Scissorhands and Freddy Krueger. He now estimates he has completed 'well over 5,000' tattoos, and has made a name for himself in the industry. While he does not view himself as 'famous', his Instagram page where he shares his work has more than 180,000 followers, and he receives hundreds of likes and comments on his posts. He said: 'As an artist, my gallery walks around, gets up and leaves – my work is somewhere in the world, living a life and interacting with other people. 'Tattooing really is that cliche of if you find a job you love, you'll never work another day in your life. 'I meet other tattoo artists and we all say at some point, 'Can you believe we do this as a job? People are paying me to draw pictures'.' David has always had a passion for art and his talents were clear from a young age – although this did not always translate into good grades. He recalled: 'I had done art in school, I did it at A-Level but I got a U, which means ungraded.' 'When we queried it, they said it was because my work was so realistic, I may as well have handed in a photo – so that was a bad thing apparently.' He went on to art college to study graphic design and started working as an engineer for a ventilation company after finishing the course. He added: 'I had every intention of just working there for a year and then going back to do something in the art world, but 15 years later I was still there.' In the lead-up to the 2008 financial crisis, David said work for the company became 'quieter and quieter', prompting him to find something else. A few years earlier, in 2002, David created and designed his first tattoo - a dragon he wanted on his arm - which he took to a studio in Kent. He said: 'The lead tattoo artist there told me it was the first time in years where he had ever been able to make a stencil from someone's drawing. 'We just hit it off and he remembered me as the guy whose picture he didn't have to redraw.' In 2006, David connected with the artist again, and he was asked if he would be interested in joining the team. He said: 'I just thought I can do 'mum' or 'dad', or 'love' and 'hate' on someone's knuckles – it's a bit arty, so why not.' Join the Daily Record WhatsApp community! Get the latest news sent straight to your messages by joining our WhatsApp community today. You'll receive daily updates on breaking news as well as the top headlines across Scotland. No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Daily Record team. All you have to do is click here if you're on mobile, select 'Join Community' and you're in! If you're on a desktop, simply scan the QR code above with your phone and click 'Join Community'. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'exit group'. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice. He started by working on the reception desk and shadowing tattoo artists while they worked. He later realised he had joined at the right time, after the industry "exploded" following the release of American reality series Miami Ink, and started seeing it as a career. David produced his first tattoo for his cousin, who requested a portrait of actor Jack Nicholson from The Shining, asking for the famous 'Here's Johnny' look. 'I wasn't confident, but I wasn't as nervous as I expected to be,' David said, adding that the tattoo was a success. Years later, David was on a trip to Edinburgh when he instantly felt an emotional connection to the city – and he took the decision to relocate, before opening his own studio. Speaking about his realism work, he said: 'Any interesting faces are always interesting to me – monsters in horror movies for example are great because they look so cool nowadays, they're so detailed and mad.' He added: 'I copy what I see, so if there's something in the picture, I'm going to put it on the skin. 'The thing that's come from years of experience is sometimes understanding the need to boost a particular colour or to boost all the contrast to bring it to life.' He shares his work with 181,000 followers on Instagram. One post showing a tattoo of the late actor John Candy as Uncle Buck in the hit 1989 comedy film gained more than 14,000 likes. David has made a name for himself within the tattoo industry, but he said he does not think of himself as 'famous'. He said: 'Fame to me is movie stars and musicians, but within the tattoo world, I guess that's the artists like me. 'My world has not changed, it's all very down to earth and normal. The fame bit happens online and the internet decides if it's successful.' David is attending the Big London Tattoo Show from September 19 to 21, which is set to feature 500 tattoo artists from around the world. To find out more about David's work follow @davidcorden on Instagram.
Yahoo
10-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
10 West Virginia Cities Where Home Prices Are Expected To Surge in 2025
West Virginia's official motto is 'Montani Semper Liberi.' In English, that means 'Mountaineers Are Always Free.' The motto is written in the state constitution, which was signed in 1872. Does this motto hold up in 2025? Well, if you equate freedom with relatively affordable costs of living, then possibly. Find Out: Read Next: How Middle-Class Earners Are Quietly Becoming Millionaires — and How You Can, Too The cost of living in West Virginia is 9% lower than the national average, per RentCafe. Housing is the cheapest aspect of living in the Mountain State at 21% lower than the national average. But bear in mind that though single-family homes are generally cheaper in West Virginia than they are in most other states, there are areas in the state where home prices are climbing. In a new study, GOBankingRates analyzed cities across West Virginia to find the 10 cities where home prices might surge in 2025. The cities were ranked to show the largest percentage and largest dollar change in home prices anticipated. Livability: 71 Average value of a single-family home: $195,468 Forecast of home value change (percentage) in November 2025: 2.2% Forecast of home value change (in dollars) in November 2025: $4,300 Forecast of home value in November 2025: $199,769 Explore More: Livability: 64 Average value of a single-family home: $140,641 Forecast of home value change (percentage) in November 2025: 3.3% Forecast of home value change (in dollars) in November 2025: $4,641 Forecast of home value in November 2025: $145,282 Livability: 73 Average value of a single-family home: $157,056 Forecast of home value change (percentage) in November 2025: 3.0% Forecast of home value change (in dollars) in November 2025: $4,712 Forecast of home value in November 2025: $161,768 Livability: 63 Average value of a single-family home: $170,507 Forecast of home value change (percentage) in November 2025: 3.2% Forecast of home value change (in dollars) in November 2025: $5,456 Forecast of home value in November 2025: $175,964 Livability: 59 Average value of a single-family home: $184,608 Forecast of home value change (percentage) in November 2025: 3.5% Forecast of home value change (in dollars) in November 2025: $6,461 Forecast of home value in November 2025: $191,069 Livability: 71 Average value of a single-family home: $156,427 Forecast of home value change (percentage) in November 2025: 4.3% Forecast of home value change (in dollars) in November 2025: $6,726 Forecast of home value in November 2025: $163,153 Livability: 72 Average value of a single-family home: $220,686 Forecast of home value change (percentage) in November 2025: 3.2% Forecast of home value change (in dollars) in November 2025: $7,062 Forecast of home value in November 2025: $227,748 Livability: 65 Average value of a single-family home: $320,115 Forecast of home value change (percentage) in November 2025: 2.5% Forecast of home value change (in dollars) in November 2025: $8,003 Forecast of home value in November 2025: $328,118 Livability: 73 Average value of a single-family home: $291,828 Forecast of home value change (percentage) in November 2025: 2.8% Forecast of home value change (in dollars) in November 2025: $8,171 Forecast of home value in November 2025: $299,999 Livability: 64 Average value of a single-family home: $303,978 Forecast of home value change (percentage) in November 2025: 2.7% Forecast of home value change (in dollars) in November 2025: $8,207 Forecast of home value in November 2025: $312,185 Methodology: For this study, GOBankingRates analyzed cities across West Virginia to find the places where home prices might surge in 2025. First, GOBankingRates identified cities in West Virginia with housing data using Zillow Home Value Forecast from November 2024. For each location, a number of factors were found including total population, population ages 65 and over, total households and household median income all sourced from the U.S. Census American Community Survey. Using this data the percentage of the population ages 65 and over can be calculated. The cost of living indexes were sourced from Sperling's BestPlaces and include the grocery, healthcare, housing, utilities, transportation and miscellaneous cost of living indexes. Using the cost of living indexes and the national average expenditure costs, as sourced from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Consumer Expenditure Survey, the average expenditure cost for each location can be calculated. The livability index was sourced from AreaVibes for each location. The average single-family home value was sourced from Zillow Home Value Index for November 2024. Using the average single-family home value, assuming a 10% down payment, and using the most recent national average 30-year fixed mortgage rate, as sourced from the Federal Reserve Economic Data, the average mortgage can be calculated. Using the average mortgage and average expenditure costs, the average total monthly and annual cost of living can be calculated. Using the Zillow Home Value Forecast, the one-year percentage change in home values are identified and along with the current home value, the dollar amount and estimated future home value can be calculated for each city. The cities were ranked to show the largest percent and largest dollar change. All data was collected on and is up to date as of Jan. 10, 2025. More From GOBankingRates3 Things You Must Do When Your Savings Reach $50,000 Find Your State: The Best Banks of 2025 For Each State 9 Things You Must Do To Grow Your Wealth in 2025 This article originally appeared on 10 West Virginia Cities Where Home Prices Are Expected To Surge in 2025 Sign in to access your portfolio
