I had an amazing collaboration at Tattoo Expo Neumarkt. I went to Nuremberg to visit my friend Sasha, who runs his own studio, Alex Tattoo, and he suggested, "let’s do a joint project for the next convention."
Sasha took care of finding a model since he already has a strong client base in the area. Together, we built the design, each contributing our own elements, discussing the composition, deciding who was responsible for what, and planning how everything would be placed on the body. At the convention, we set up and worked in shifts so as not to interfere with each other. I started by outlining my key elements, then took breaks to walk around and see what others were doing in the hall, while Sasha added his parts to the project.
I really liked this kind of paired workflow. It gives you a chance to rest, eat, walk around the convention, and see other artists instead of sitting from morning to night on one big tattoo without breaks. At the same time, when you have the tattoo machine in hand, you work in short sprints, giving everything you have to finish on time. We alternated: I completed my areas, then he worked from below, making sure we did not get in each other’s way, and sometimes we worked simultaneously on different parts of the body.
Our model was amazing. She hardly moved, stayed calm, had snacks, drank juice, and approached the session responsibly. This is important because a tattoo session requires attention to things like staying nourished and keeping blood sugar levels steady. Sometimes even a little Coca-Cola helps to keep the energy up. Thanks to this, the session went smoothly without any issues, and we finished on schedule.
In the end, we submitted the piece in the Best of Day category and took first place. The crowd’s reaction was incredibly warm. The audience in Germany always cheers for the winners—applause, shouts, and general excitement added even more emotion to the victory. It was one of those moments when you not only create a strong tattoo but also share the result with a friend and collaborator.
Next on the schedule is a tattoo convention in Palermo, Italy. The plan is to bring models with healed projects, such as a fully healed sleeve and perhaps a couple of other large completed pieces. I will share the story of that trip and how the Palermo convention goes separately.
Sasha took care of finding a model since he already has a strong client base in the area. Together, we built the design, each contributing our own elements, discussing the composition, deciding who was responsible for what, and planning how everything would be placed on the body. At the convention, we set up and worked in shifts so as not to interfere with each other. I started by outlining my key elements, then took breaks to walk around and see what others were doing in the hall, while Sasha added his parts to the project.
I really liked this kind of paired workflow. It gives you a chance to rest, eat, walk around the convention, and see other artists instead of sitting from morning to night on one big tattoo without breaks. At the same time, when you have the tattoo machine in hand, you work in short sprints, giving everything you have to finish on time. We alternated: I completed my areas, then he worked from below, making sure we did not get in each other’s way, and sometimes we worked simultaneously on different parts of the body.
Our model was amazing. She hardly moved, stayed calm, had snacks, drank juice, and approached the session responsibly. This is important because a tattoo session requires attention to things like staying nourished and keeping blood sugar levels steady. Sometimes even a little Coca-Cola helps to keep the energy up. Thanks to this, the session went smoothly without any issues, and we finished on schedule.
In the end, we submitted the piece in the Best of Day category and took first place. The crowd’s reaction was incredibly warm. The audience in Germany always cheers for the winners—applause, shouts, and general excitement added even more emotion to the victory. It was one of those moments when you not only create a strong tattoo but also share the result with a friend and collaborator.
Next on the schedule is a tattoo convention in Palermo, Italy. The plan is to bring models with healed projects, such as a fully healed sleeve and perhaps a couple of other large completed pieces. I will share the story of that trip and how the Palermo convention goes separately.