Advice from tattoo artist with 15 years experience

Over the years I’ve had many clients sit down in my chair and tell me the same story.

They spent weeks scrolling through Instagram.
They found an artist with thousands of followers.
The tattoos looked great in photos.

But after a few months… the tattoo didn’t heal well, the colours faded quickly, or the design just didn’t feel right anymore.

Then they ask me the question I hear very often:

“How do I actually choose the right tattoo artist?”

In a world full of fast information and social media marketing, it’s becoming harder to tell the difference between a good tattoo artist and a good marketer.

So I want to share a few things I’ve learned from my own journey in tattooing.

My Journey Into Tattooing

I started tattooing in 2012 in Kraków, Poland, where I trained in a professional studio called Tattoo Familia.

Like most artists at the beginning of their career, I spent years learning the basics — drawing, hygiene, technique, and understanding how tattoos behave on real skin.

Later I worked at Speak in Colour, where I continued developing my skills before moving to London in 2017.

Since then my journey has taken me across different studios and cities. I worked in London and regularly travelled for guest spots in Glasgow, Edinburgh and Dundee.

In 2019 I joined Six Bullets Tattoo, one of the well-known studios in London. Working alongside experienced artists pushed me to elevate my craft even further.

I’ve also attended tattoo conventions in London, Kraków, Katowice, Manchester and Brighton, where I had the chance to meet artists from all over the world — and even won a few awards along the way.

During those years I explored many tattoo styles: realism, traditional, Japanese, abstract and more.

Eventually all of that experience led me to develop my own approach — Realistic Colour tattooing, where the balance between light and shadow creates a specific mood in every piece. But I’m not narrowing down my approach and still enjoy working in my favourite tattoo styles.

Most of my work is inspired by film, comics, games and pop culture, but every tattoo is designed individually for the client.

And this is where the most important lesson comes in.

A good tattoo is never just about the picture.
It’s about the collaboration between the artist and the person wearing it.

The Problem With Social Media focused artists

Today many people choose tattoo artists the same way they choose restaurants — by looking at popularity online.

But the reality is that Instagram numbers can be misleading.

It’s very easy to buy followers or create a polished online image. I’ve seen artists with only one or two years of experience who already have 30,000 followers.

Sometimes their designs look impressive on paper or on a screen, but when they tattoo them on real skin the results are very different.

To attract clients quickly, many of them offer very cheap prices.

Unfortunately I also see what happens later.

People come to my studio asking if I can fix or cover a tattoo that was done poorly. And suddenly the cheap tattoo becomes the most expensive one.

The Most Common Mistake Clients Make

One mistake I see very often is when people assume that if they don’t see a specific design in an artist’s portfolio, that artist cannot do it.

A client might say:

“I didn’t see this kind of tattoo in your gallery. Can you still do it?”

In most cases the answer is yes.

Experienced tattoo artists are not just technicians — we are artists who can draw and design.

Personally, I prefer creating custom pieces for every client. It allows the tattoo to fit both the person and the body properly.

Sometimes all it takes is a short tattoo consultation to turn an idea into something unique.

What Actually Makes a Good Tattoo Artist

After more than a decade in the industry, the qualities that matter most are not always the ones people expect.

Honest Communication

A good tattoo starts with an honest conversation.

Your tattoo artist should listen carefully to your idea, explain what will work on skin, and guide you if something needs to change.

Sometimes the best artists are the ones who are willing to say:

“This idea could work better if we adjust it slightly.”

Hygiene and Professional Standards

This is the absolute foundation.

Before an apprentice even starts tattooing, they should already understand proper hygiene and safety procedures.

A professional studio should always feel clean, organised and transparent about its standards.

As a client you should be informed how to heal a tattoo and have access to it in written form to make sure you don’t miss anything that is crucial for a nice and easy healing process.

Strong Ink Saturation

People often focus on perfect linework, but tattooing is more complex than that.

Different styles — like woodcut or watercolour — intentionally break traditional rules.

What truly matters for long-term quality is how well the ink is saturated in the skin.

Good saturation means the tattoo will:

• heal properly
• keep its colour
• stay readable for years

The Ability to Create Something Unique

Many young artists try to choose a style very early in their career.

But in my opinion the best artists first explore many different styles, learn the fundamentals, and then develop their own approach.

That experience allows them to design bespoke tattoos instead of copying images from the internet.

And that is where the most interesting tattoos are born.

How You Can Choose the Right Artist

If you’re thinking about getting a tattoo in South West London, Hounslow, Surrey, Hammersmith or Kensington, my advice is simple.

Take your time.

Look beyond follower numbers.

Instead:

• read reviews
• study the consistency of the work
• ask questions
• and if possible, book a consultation before committing

The Final Thought

A tattoo is permanent, but choosing the right artist should never feel stressful.

The goal is simple:
Find someone whose work you respect, whose approach you trust, and who takes the time to understand your idea.

When that happens, the tattoo becomes more than just an image.

It becomes a collaboration and a story you carry with you for life.

If you’re currently searching for a tattoo artist, you can explore my portfolio and learn more about working with a custom tattoo artist in London.