Kat Von D

Kat Von D - Tattoo Artist, Timeline and Family

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Kat Von D Biography Stories 

Kat Von D's Personal Details

Mexico-born Kat Von D is a tattoo artist, popular for her stint on TLC shows, Miami Ink and LA Ink

InformationDetail
BirthdayMarch 8, 1982
NationalityAmerican
FamousBusiness People, Fashion, Miscellaneous, Tattoo Artist
SpousesDeadmau5, Oliver Peck
SiblingsKaroline von Drachenberg, Michael von Drachenberg
Known asKatherine von Drachenberg
Founder / Co-Founder
  • High Voltage Tattoo
Birth PlaceMontemorelos, Nuevo León, Mexico
Height176
GenderFemale
FatherRené Drachenberg
MotherSylvia Galeano
Net Worth$10 million
Sun SignPisces
Born inMontemorelos, Nuevo León, Mexico
Famous asTattoo Artist

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Kat Von D's photo

Who is Kat Von D?

Katherine Von Drachenberg, better known by her registered trademark name Kat Von D, is a renowned Mexican-American tattoo artist, who’s recognized for crafting intricate and artistic designs, drawn from different cultures and influences she experienced during childhood. She is often heard crediting her grandmother for exposing her to art, be it learning the piano, listening to the classical compositions of Beethoven, or creating Latino-inspired tattoos. What she started off as a young teenager grew into a flourishing career, making her famous not just in the United States, but across various nations as well. After trying her luck at various tattoo shops, she found success and recognition at True Tattoo. And soon, she was one of the busiest tattoo artists in Los Angeles, even before she entered the notable Miami Ink. Besides, she opened her own Hollywood tattoo parlor, LA Ink, in Hollywood. Apart from tattooing, she has displayed her talent in modeling and acting by playing cameo roles in films and television programs. To add to her ever-increasing career graph, she has launched her own fashion brand and make-up line, and runs an art gallery and boutique. Her on-and-off romantic relationships with various reputed celebrities have got her enough limelight, largely in the form of controversies.

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Childhood & Early Life

Katherine Von Drachenberg was born on March 8, 1982 in Montemorelos, Nuevo Leon, Mexico, to Argentinean couple, Rene Drachenberg and Sylvia Galeano.

While her father is of German descent, her mother is from Italian-Spanish ancestry. She shares a close bond with her siblings – brother Michael von Drachenberg and sister Karoline von Drachenberg.

She migrated to Los Angeles, with her family when she was four, and settled in Colton, California.

She received classical training in piano when she was six years old, developing a liking for Ludwig van Beethoven’s masterpieces.

Her grandmother's love for music and art, along with the Latin culture and punk rock scene prevailing in Los Angeles, helped her realize her artistic interests, which later reflected in her tattoo arts and styles.

She was influenced by punk rock bands to such an extent that she spent most of her time listening to Misfits and Ramones, at the tender age of 12.

At 14, she got an old-English ‘J’ letter inked on her ankle as her first tattoo. Her artistic craft soon came out when she picked up a tattoo machine and created a Misfits skull on her friend.

Career

She dropped out of school at 16 to work as a tattoo artist and was employed at a local professional shop, Sin City Tattoo, in 1998.

Over the next few years, she spent time in various shops, such as Blue Bird Tattoo and Inflictions, gaining experience and polishing her talent.

She landed at True Tattoo, where she worked with Tim Hendricks, Clay Decker and Chris Garver, who recommended her to try her luck at ‘Miami Ink’.

She was hired at 305 Ink, Miami, as a replacement to injured Darren Brass, in 2005. She worked for two seasons on ‘Miami Ink’, a reality television series on TLC network, but her differences with owner Ami James forced her to leave.

She returned to Los Angeles and opened her own shop, High Voltage Tattoo, in Hollywood, California, in 2007. This helped her telecast her own reality series ‘LA Ink’ on TLC, which features tattoo stories of various clients.

She released her first book ‘High Voltage Tattoo’ in January 2009, as a compilation of tattoos and artwork, with a foreword penned by Mötley Crüe's Nikki Sixx. The book was ranked #6 in the list of New York Times Best Sellers.

Her second book ‘The Tattoo Chronicles’ was out in October 2010 and was listed at #3 in The New York Times ‘Hardcover Advice & Misc’ best-sellers.

‘LA Ink’ ran for four seasons before ending in 2011, citing cancelation of the contract by TLC, although she claimed that it was her decision to not continue the show further.

She is credited with the creation of MusInk Tattoo Convention and Music Festival in Southern California, in 2008.

In 2008, she created her own cosmetics line – Kat Von D for Sephora, soon after which she launched an art gallery and boutique – Wonderland Gallery, adjacent to High Voltage Tattoo, in 2010.

During the fall 2011 season, she started her own clothing line – KVD Los Angeles and Kat Von D Los Angeles in Canada and United States.

She has made guest appearances on various chat shows and television series, namely, ‘Pimp My Ride’ (2004), ‘Bam’s Unholy Union’ (2007), ‘MADtv’ (2008), and ‘I Love Jenni’ (2013).

She has acted in a few movies, which include ‘Bam Margera Presents: Where the Fuck Is Santa?’ (2008) and ‘The Bleeding’ (2009).

She has got the emblems of a large number of music bands tattooed over her body, such as ZZ Top, Mike Got Spiked, Misfits, AC/DC, HIM, Slayer, Guns N’ Roses, and Turbonegro.

Her celebrity clientele includes Sebastian Bach, Eric Balfour, Ryan Dunn, Jenna Jameson, Nicole Richie, Travis Barker, Green Day, Mira Sorvino and Ville Valo among others.

Major Works

She rose to fame in 2005 with her appearance in two seasons of ‘Miami Ink’, a reality television series on TLC network, displaying her realistic tattoo portraits. However, her constant verbal clashes with the owner led to her termination.

Her 2007 reality television series ‘LA Ink’ became one of the highest-rated programs on TLC channel, handling distinguished celebrity clientele, including actor Stephen Baldwin, comedienne Margaret Cho and rocker Dave Navarro.

While working on ‘LA Ink’, she set a Guinness World Record for making the most tattoos in a given period of 24 hours, in 2007, totaling 400. However, the record was outnumbered by her then-husband, Oliver Peck, in 2008 with 415 tattoos.

Awards & Achievements

She was ranked at number 62 in the 2008 list of ‘Hot 100 World’s Most Beautiful Women’ by Maxim magazine.

Personal Life & Legacy

She got married to Oliver Peck, her fellow tattoo artist at True Tattoo, in 2003. However, their relationship ended in a divorce in 2007.

She started dating Nikki Sixx, a bassist in American rock band Mötley Crüe, in 2008, but broke off the relationship in January 2010.

She got engaged to West Coast Choppers CEO and reality TV personality, Jesse James, in January 2011. The two broke up and patched up in the next eight months before finally announcing their break-up in September 2011.

She began dating Canadian music producer Joel Zimmerman, popularly known as deejay Deadmau5, in September 2012 and announced their engagement in December. Later in June 2013, she broke off due to infidelity.

She is rumored to be dating comedian Tom Green since July 2013, when the two were spotted together.

Trivia

She is said to be the reason behind the divorce of Jesse James and Sandra Bullock, thus bringing an end to their five-year marriage because of infidelity.

The Eagles of the Death Metal band created the song ‘High Voltage’ after her shop’s name, which was featured in their third album ‘Heart On’, released in 2008.

She is usually found at True Tattoo in Hollywood, California, or Elm Street Tattoo in Dallas, Texas, when not working at her LA Ink Studios.

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Kat Von D biography timelines

  • // 8th Mar 1982
    Katherine Von Drachenberg was born on March 8, 1982 in Montemorelos, Nuevo Leon, Mexico, to Argentinean couple, Rene Drachenberg and Sylvia Galeano.
  • // 1998
    She dropped out of school at 16 to work as a tattoo artist and was employed at a local professional shop, Sin City Tattoo, in 1998.
  • // 2003 To 2007
    She got married to Oliver Peck, her fellow tattoo artist at True Tattoo, in 2003. However, their relationship ended in a divorce in 2007.
  • // 2005
    She was hired at 305 Ink, Miami, as a replacement to injured Darren Brass, in 2005. She worked for two seasons on ‘Miami Ink’, a reality television series on TLC network, but her differences with owner Ami James forced her to leave.
  • // 2005
    She rose to fame in 2005 with her appearance in two seasons of ‘Miami Ink’, a reality television series on TLC network, displaying her realistic tattoo portraits. However, her constant verbal clashes with the owner led to her termination.
  • // 2007
    She returned to Los Angeles and opened her own shop, High Voltage Tattoo, in Hollywood, California, in 2007. This helped her telecast her own reality series ‘LA Ink’ on TLC, which features tattoo stories of various clients.
  • // 2007
    Her 2007 reality television series ‘LA Ink’ became one of the highest-rated programs on TLC channel, handling distinguished celebrity clientele, including actor Stephen Baldwin, comedienne Margaret Cho and rocker Dave Navarro.
  • // 2007 To 2008
    While working on ‘LA Ink’, she set a Guinness World Record for making the most tattoos in a given period of 24 hours, in 2007, totaling 400. However, the record was outnumbered by her then-husband, Oliver Peck, in 2008 with 415 tattoos.
  • // 2008
    She is credited with the creation of MusInk Tattoo Convention and Music Festival in Southern California, in 2008.
  • // 2008 To 2010
    In 2008, she created her own cosmetics line – Kat Von D for Sephora, soon after which she launched an art gallery and boutique – Wonderland Gallery, adjacent to High Voltage Tattoo, in 2010.
  • // 2008 To 2009
    She has acted in a few movies, which include ‘Bam Margera Presents: Where the Fuck Is Santa?’ (2008) and ‘The Bleeding’ (2009).
  • // 2008
    She was ranked at number 62 in the 2008 list of ‘Hot 100 World’s Most Beautiful Women’ by Maxim magazine.
  • // 2008 To Jan 2010
    She started dating Nikki Sixx, a bassist in American rock band Mötley Crüe, in 2008, but broke off the relationship in January 2010.
  • // 2008
    The Eagles of the Death Metal band created the song ‘High Voltage’ after her shop’s name, which was featured in their third album ‘Heart On’, released in 2008.
  • // Jan 2009
    She released her first book ‘High Voltage Tattoo’ in January 2009, as a compilation of tattoos and artwork, with a foreword penned by Mötley Crüe's Nikki Sixx. The book was ranked #6 in the list of New York Times Best Sellers.
  • // Oct 2010
    Her second book ‘The Tattoo Chronicles’ was out in October 2010 and was listed at #3 in The New York Times ‘Hardcover Advice & Misc’ best-sellers.
  • // 2011
    ‘LA Ink’ ran for four seasons before ending in 2011, citing cancelation of the contract by TLC, although she claimed that it was her decision to not continue the show further.
  • // 2011
    During the fall 2011 season, she started her own clothing line – KVD Los Angeles and Kat Von D Los Angeles in Canada and United States.
  • // Sep 2011
    She got engaged to West Coast Choppers CEO and reality TV personality, Jesse James, in January 2011. The two broke up and patched up in the next eight months before finally announcing their break-up in September 2011.
  • // Sep 2012 To Jun 2013
    She began dating Canadian music producer Joel Zimmerman, popularly known as deejay Deadmau5, in September 2012 and announced their engagement in December. Later in June 2013, she broke off due to infidelity.
  • // Jul 2013
    She is rumored to be dating comedian Tom Green since July 2013, when the two were spotted together.

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Kat Von D's FAQ

  • What is Kat Von D birthday?

    Kat Von D was born at 1982-03-08

  • Where is Kat Von D's birth place?

    Kat Von D was born in Montemorelos, Nuevo León, Mexico

  • What is Kat Von D nationalities?

    Kat Von D's nationalities is American

  • Who is Kat Von D spouses?

    Kat Von D's spouses is Deadmau5, Oliver Peck

  • Who is Kat Von D siblings?

    Kat Von D's siblings is Karoline von Drachenberg, Michael von Drachenberg

  • Which company or organization was founded by Kat Von D?

    Kat Von D was the founder/co-founder of High Voltage Tattoo

  • How tall is Kat Von D?

    Kat Von D's height is 176

  • Who is Kat Von D's father?

    Kat Von D's father is René Drachenberg

  • Who is Kat Von D's mother?

    Kat Von D's mother is Sylvia Galeano

  • What is Kat Von D's sun sign?

    Kat Von D is Pisces

  • How famous is Kat Von D?

    Kat Von D is famouse as Tattoo Artist