Meet the Manly tattoo artist who traded in his naval uniform to create beautiful body art

Warrick McMiles swopped a decade at sea for a career in body inking — but says that when it comes to military life, old habits die hard

Warrick McMiles from Manly Tattoo. Picture: Troy Snook

The northern beaches is full of amazing characters and interesting stories. This week Ali Lowe talks to Manly tattoo artist Warrick McMiles.

Before doing my artwork for a living, I was in the navy for 10 years as a small arms specialist.

My title was a boatswain’s mate and I did border protection and things like that.

During my naval career I maintained everything from machine guns to small handguns and rifles. I went all over the place, including East Timor, and to Fiji when the military coup happened in 2006. While I was there I witnessed the Black Hawk crash on HMAS Kanimbla.

McMiles at work at Manly Tattoo. Picture: Troy Snook

It was pretty terrifying. I was in the second boat that was in the water, and I saw the pilot and the guys being pulled out.

Yeah it was pretty bad, but I come from a military family — my dad Rick served for 20 years — so it was second nature to push on through afterwards. That’s what you’re trained to do. I don’t think about it much now.

I also did a couple of tours in the Middle East towards the end of my naval career — off the coast of North Africa: Somalia and Oman.

When I was in The Gulf and I was on watch, I’d just be drawing the whole time.

It got to the point where the navy was taking away from my creative spirit and I wanted to do art for a living.

McMiles and pals returning from deployment in 2012

One of the guys I served with on my last tour in the Middle East introduced me to Caspian de Looze, who’s been doing artwork around the beaches for a long time.

We became really good friends, and he gave me my start. Now I live with him in North Curl Curl with two other boys who work in Manly Tattoo.

I’m 31 now, and I started working in the shop on my 29th birthday. As a former military man, I still make my bed every morning, it’s routine. I read a lot of men don’t wash their sheets but I am a massive hygiene­ freak, so I do it once a week.

Some of Warrick McMiles’ body art

At sea you do your washing every day. At home, the boys always notice that the tumble dryer is on and say, “Can’t you just do your washing once a week?” I don’t ever let it pile up …

You have to be hygienic as a tattooist — everything has to be spot on, there’s no room for error as cross-contamination is so easy.

I found that aspect of it easy, especially coming from weapons maintenance.

I’ve got tattoos on my leg, feet and chest, and they are all really big pieces.

I’ve got a swallow for every 10,000 miles I did at sea — I have 14 swallows in total.

Game of Thrones artwork by Warrick McMiles

There’s also the zombie Elvis on my hand. When I was growing up, my dad was a phenomenal Elvis fan. He had every LP on vinyl besides­ one. I love Elvis — I was totally born in the wrong era — and zombies are just cool. I also have tattoos for my mates Julian and Pete who passed away. They were like family, especially Pete, who died in a car accident.

Having a tattoo for someone you’ve lost is a great way to remember them — it’s a good reminder to keep on living, I guess.