Ioannis

“A great tattoo isn’t just about the artwork — it’s about the journey.”

Every tattoo is different. Some people come in knowing exactly what they want; others just have a feeling and a few pictures. Either way, we talk it through before I draw anything.

Japanese is where I feel most at home — the flow, the way a piece moves around the body, how every element in it means something. But what I really specialise in is larger custom work, whatever the style: blackwork, illustrative, black and grey. Moving between them keeps me learning, and it makes me better at all of them.

The big pieces are the ones I love most. A back or a sleeve can mean forty or sixty hours in the chair together — that isn’t just a long tattoo, it’s a relationship, and the trust builds naturally along the way.

After working in Barcelona, I knew I wanted this place to feel quiet, private and personal — one person at a time, somewhere you can be yourself without feeling judged. I’d rather do a few tattoos well than rush through a lot of them.

My job isn’t to copy an idea straight onto your skin — it’s to help you end up with the strongest tattoo you can. So if I think something could be better, I’ll say so: usually it’s the flow, or giving a design more room to breathe. Sometimes it’s just suggesting you take your time, because it’s permanent and what we’re into changes over the years. I’d rather you left with something you’re still glad of in twenty years.

Away from the studio I’ve got a young son, and watching him pick things up is a fair reminder that I shouldn’t stop either — I’m always reading up on new techniques and other artists’ work.