In 2017, I went to study with Andrey Kolbasin at his tattoo and drawing school. We met at a concert in Germany, got into a conversation over a beer, and he told me he was planning to launch a tattoo training program. He wanted to run a test course for a small group to refine the curriculum. That is how I became one of his first students.
The conditions were simple and tough. I had to find three models for full-color portrait tattoos, each done in one long session lasting 10 to 12 hours. These people had to fully understand what they were signing up for and be ready to endure it. I quickly found suitable models and, upon arrival, rented a hostel near the studio so I could stay in work mode the entire time.
From the first day, Andrey immersed me straight into the atmosphere of a tattoo school. There was very little abstract theory and a lot of hands-on practice. The training format was simple and extremely effective. First, we painted a portrait in oils on canvas. Then we transferred the same subject into a tattoo on skin. Each full day followed this exact structure. Canvas first, tattoo second.
The first theme was Lagertha from the TV series Vikings. In the morning, I came to the studio and immediately sat down at the canvas. I ended up throwing away my first attempt at the portrait. The second one turned out much better. By night, I could barely stand. I slept for four or five hours and returned to the studio in the morning to tattoo the same portrait.
We transferred the stencil onto the skin, and I started working on the parts I felt confident in. Whenever I reached more complex areas of the portrait, Andrey stepped in. He took the machine and showed me how to simplify or improve a section, where to add contrast, and how to guide a line or shading. At the same time, he explained every action out loud. He explained why he was doing it that way and what result he was aiming for. This approach removes fear of new techniques, frees your hands, and gives you confidence to try things you previously avoided.
The intensity of the training was extreme. Several days in a row followed the same rhythm. Work, a few hours of sleep, then back to work. By the third day, I had fully entered a Spartan mode. The next subject was a portrait of Mikhail Gorshenev, known as Gorshok, from the band Korol i Shut. Once again, we started with an oil painting on canvas, then moved to tattooing that design on a model. At this stage, many things already felt easier. I began to better understand where to strengthen shadows, how to build volume, and where not to overwork the skin. Andrey still came over, gave advice, and made corrections, but there were fewer questions and both speed and quality increased.
By the fifth day, we reached the final piece, a portrait of Daniel Day-Lewis from the film There Will Be Blood. I painted it on canvas first, and everything flowed easily and quickly. I even managed to get some proper sleep. When the model arrived for the tattoo session with this portrait, I realized something important. I was barely asking Andrey for help. He came over, gave small tips, and adjusted minor details, but about 90 percent of the work was done independently. For a six-day course at this level, that was a very serious leap forward.
The format of learning tattooing through painting, combined with dense hands-on practice, delivered a powerful result. In six days, I gained a volume of knowledge and skills that would normally take me months to accumulate. Andrey proved to be a strong teacher. He does not just demonstrate techniques, but explains the logic behind them so you can repeat the process on your own.
What does this training give my models and clients today? First of all, more dimensional and expressive tattoos in portrait and realistic styles. The work has become more contrast-rich, reads better from a distance, and holds up visually over time, because it is built on a solid understanding of light, shadow, and form.