EXPLORE THE CRAFT.

Learning / 25.10.2026

Before buying a stencil printer: paper and connection matter too

A printer is only part of the setup. Learn which paper it needs, how it connects to your devices and what to check before printing your first design.

Learning / 22.10.2026

Tattoo lettering: give a word a voice of its own

From calligraphic movement to abstraction: learn to look at letters, spacing and flourishes before drawing a tattoo phrase. With real images and a practical exercise on paper.

Learning / 21.10.2026

Beyond “looks good”: how to ask for feedback that improves your drawings

Specific questions, a rose in three variations and a short exercise for using critique without losing your own intention. A practical guide for people learning to draw for tattooing.

Learning / 19.10.2026

Your first tattoo apprenticeship portfolio: what to show while you are still learning

Choose your drawings, show their development and prepare a clear introduction to a studio. A beginner's guide without inflated experience or pages added just to fill space.

Learning / 18.10.2026

Neotraditional tattooing: beyond pretty flowers and bold colour

Learning to draw neotraditional designs starts with more than choosing a subject. Explore its influences, study real artwork and try an exercise in line, hierarchy and colour.

Learning / 18.10.2026

Blackwork: learning to draw the space you leave untouched

Black catches the eye; the space around it makes the composition work. Explore history, artists and four real photographs before taking those ideas into your sketchbook.

Learning / 18.10.2026

Phone tattoo photography: show the work, not the filter

A useful photograph shows the whole design, preserves its colour and explains its placement. Build a simple routine for documenting your progress without disguising the result.

Learning / 18.10.2026

RL, RS and Magnum: stop buying tattoo needles by guesswork

Needle count is only part of the label. Learn to distinguish grouping, diameter and taper, then compare catalogue options without confusing size with technique.

Learning / 18.10.2026

Your first flash sheet: six drawings that show your direction

Flash lets you think about a tattoo before making it. Study two historical sheets, then build your own coherent series with purpose and room to learn.

Learning / 18.10.2026

Saving a thousand tattoos will not teach you to draw: build a useful reference library

A useful archive is more than an endless folder of screenshots. It is a collection of questions, sources and observations you can turn into your own drawing decisions.

Learning / 24.10.2026

Maud Wagner: behind the portrait of a tattooed woman was a tattoo artist

Two archive photographs offer a different way into tattoo history: Maud Wagner, Nora Hildebrandt and what a portrait reveals—and leaves out—about a life.

Learning / 23.10.2026

Before drawing the tattoo: turn an idea into a clear design brief

Practise listening, clarifying scale and composition, and agreeing on expectations with a simple brief. A consultation exercise for aspiring tattoo artists.

News / 21.10.2026

Gathering of Ink: an Oklahoma event centred on Indigenous tattoo artists’ voices

The 23–25 October gathering puts cultural representation at its centre. It offers a reason to look at who makes the work, what they say and where they are speaking from.

Learning / 20.10.2026

Dragons on paper: the prints that help explain Japanese tattooing

From Water Margin heroes to kabuki actors: two Kunisada prints offer cultural context for Japanese tattooing and a practical lesson in drawing around the body.

Learning / 18.10.2026

Your first tattoo kit does not need more pieces: every piece needs a purpose

How to organise a purchase by function, compare a kit’s contents and decide what belongs in your setup now or later.

News / 16.10.2026

Madrid Tattoo Convention 2026: a date in Arganda to look beyond the tattoo feed

The second edition is announced for 23–25 October. Alongside checking the programme, it is worth thinking about how you want to explore it.