We came to this Moscow Tattoo Convention with Tania @green.vesper, to showcase her healed sleeve, which by that time also included her thigh. At the same time, Tania brought her model, Purple Bitch, and they also went on stage as a team.
For me, this convention was the first time I participated in the NeoTrad category. We entered Tatyana’s sleeve and took third place. It was a new category, a new experience, and another line added to the list of awards. It was nice to see that work in the neotraditional style was appreciated both by the jury and the audience.
But the most valuable part of this trip was not even that. I originally came not just to spend the whole day tattooing, but to connect with other artists. At most conventions, the usual routine is from morning to evening working, then quickly submit your piece, exchange a few words, and go to sleep to prepare for the next day. Here it was different. I finally had time to walk around the hall, see other work, talk with colleagues, and simply spend time in the community.
I got to talk to a lot of people, sit down with a beer, discuss the industry, techniques, and plans without rushing or constantly checking the time. This format is very different from a usual work marathon. You are not tied to a long mandatory session and can focus on what you genuinely want to do in the moment.
On the other hand, constantly traveling just to socialize is not what I want either. Some conventions are great to go to specifically to work and compete for awards, while others are better for leaving space for networking and conversations. For me, the takeaway is that sometimes it is worth choosing this freer format, where a tattoo convention is not only about work but also about real, lively interaction with the tattoo community.
For me, this convention was the first time I participated in the NeoTrad category. We entered Tatyana’s sleeve and took third place. It was a new category, a new experience, and another line added to the list of awards. It was nice to see that work in the neotraditional style was appreciated both by the jury and the audience.
But the most valuable part of this trip was not even that. I originally came not just to spend the whole day tattooing, but to connect with other artists. At most conventions, the usual routine is from morning to evening working, then quickly submit your piece, exchange a few words, and go to sleep to prepare for the next day. Here it was different. I finally had time to walk around the hall, see other work, talk with colleagues, and simply spend time in the community.
I got to talk to a lot of people, sit down with a beer, discuss the industry, techniques, and plans without rushing or constantly checking the time. This format is very different from a usual work marathon. You are not tied to a long mandatory session and can focus on what you genuinely want to do in the moment.
On the other hand, constantly traveling just to socialize is not what I want either. Some conventions are great to go to specifically to work and compete for awards, while others are better for leaving space for networking and conversations. For me, the takeaway is that sometimes it is worth choosing this freer format, where a tattoo convention is not only about work but also about real, lively interaction with the tattoo community.