Tattoo Trends in Los Angeles | Part 1 of 7 | Interview with Rinat Tattarin Mingazdinov

[Journalist] What do people come to you with more often: ready-made images from Pinterest or requests to “do something in the spirit of LA culture”?

[Rinat] Requests vary greatly, it all depends on the individual. They find references on Pinterest, take screenshots from movies, and use many other sources. I don't get many requests that are purely “Los Angeles” themed. I had one client who got a tattoo of a skyscraper in downtown that was meaningful to him — maybe he worked there or was born nearby. That's basically it for my collection of LA tattoos.

But I get a lot of requests about America in general: the flag, the Statue of Liberty, landscapes of familiar places. For example, a girl from Colorado Springs asked for the silhouette of a distinctive local mountain.

[Journalist] So you notice a patriotic sentiment among some of your clients?
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[Rinat] Yes, among those who ask for specifically “American” subjects without any connection to California. But Los Angeles itself is rarely featured in tattoos.

[Journalist] Moving away from the topic of LA: what do people come in with most often? Ready-made sketches, Pinterest, screenshots, hand-drawn pictures?

[Rinat] It varies. Some people describe their ideas in detail in their correspondence. Others attach references from Pinterest or personal photos.

For example, that girl from Colorado Springs sent a photo of the area, although a similar view could be found on the internet. More often than not, prepared clients provide links and references, but those who trust me simply describe the idea in words, and I turn it into a sketch.

[Journalist] What is the best source material for a realistic tattoo? Film stills, artistic photos, family photos of relatives?

[Rinat] Yes, ideally you need photos or any clear source material. This greatly narrows down the range of variations and helps me understand exactly what is wanted. If it's a portrait, then it's a portrait; if it's not a portrait, then it's a different logic.

[Journalist] In the past, portraits of grandparents were made from old, often undigitized photos. Nowadays, neural networks can greatly improve the quality. Have you seen an increase in requests for such tattoos?

[Rinat] Honestly, no, I haven't had many such requests yet. That is, few people come with photos of relatives taken at a time when the quality was far inferior to today's. But technically, it's much easier now: you upload a photo to AI, and it fills in the details and smooths out the face. I think there will be more cases where old photos of relatives turn out to be of decent quality and suitable for tattoos.

[Journalist] Perhaps local indigenous people, Native Americans, have old photos of their ancestors that they would like to have tattooed?
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[Rinat] I haven't had any such clients yet, but theoretically, yes, with current technology, it has become possible. Nowadays, almost anything is possible.

[Journalist] What images do people most often come to you with? Old relatives are a rare case. What is more typical?

[Rinat] It's difficult to divide everything into strict groups: everyone asks for different things. But Japanese subjects are clearly popular — I have a lot of demand for them right now.

[Journalist] Animals are a huge part of tattooing. How do the animal images you did in Siberia differ from those requested in California?

[Rinat] There are definitely fewer wolves and lions here, which, to be honest, makes me happy. Instead, people often get eagles and other animals that are characteristic of the local wildlife. The fauna is different, so the favorite images change too. In Siberia, people feel closer to bears, although it's funny that California also has a bear on its coat of arms.

[Journalist] What about Africa — for example, lions with crowns, which are so popular in Russia? These animals are not found there, but people like to get tattoos with their image.

[Rinat] I think it has more to do with horoscopes than with Africa.

[Journalist] Have zodiac sign tattoos lost their relevance, or are they still popular, based on your observations?

[Rinat] In certain circles, they are still relevant and will remain so as long as there is demand.

[Journalist] How often do people come to you with esoteric designs in Los Angeles?
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[Rinat] Not often. I've done a couple of werewolves — that's it.
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[Journalist] Not mystical, but esoteric :) I'm talking about the “enlightened” ones, those who go to Bali, are into esotericism and retreats.
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[Rinat] There are quite a few people like that here, but I'm not in their circle, and I think they get tattooed within their community. They worry a lot about the right month, day, time, Mercury in retrograde. I might write down “not on that day,” and they'll get upset that something “will go wrong,” so they probably feel more comfortable working with people who share their views.

[Journalist] What is the most unexpected tattoo request you have had recently? I would like to include a photo of it in the article.

[Rinat] One of the most unusual was on the back of a client named George. We did Washington on his back with NFT elements: various cartoon characters from his childhood, marshmallow clouds, candy details. On his ribs, he has three ducklings from DuckTales. In Russia, we know them as Billy, Willy, and Dilly, but here they have different names. In the tattoo, they are dancing with forks, spoons, Donald, around a jar of peanut butter and jam.

[Journalist] Let's move on to fears. What fears do you encounter most often among customers? Pain, reputation at work due to tattoos in visible places, age, or something else?
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[Rinat] At first, most people have a similar story: fear of the unknown, when a person goes for their first tattoo and doesn't know what to expect.
Then there's the fear of repeating a bad experience, of choosing the “wrong” artist. Some people are afraid of needles, but they come anyway.
A lot depends on their background: what happened before, how successful their previous experience was, if they had one.

[Journalist] How do people who are afraid of needles explain why they still go to get a tattoo? After all, it's not a mandatory procedure.
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[Rinat] Probably because the sensation of getting a tattoo is not the same as the fear of piercing the skin. Piercing and the sensation of getting a tattoo are two different things. A tattoo is closer to the sensation of a scratch or a slight sunburn than to a needle prick.
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[Journalist] So, for people who are afraid of the needle penetrating the skin, can we say that their expectations are most likely exaggerated?
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[Rinat] Yes, the sensations are different. When getting a tattoo, it's more like a small abrasion or a slight burn, rather than a needle prick. These are two different sets of sensations.

[Journalist] How long does your session last on average?
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[Rinat] It varies: it depends on the detail of the drawing and the area being tattooed. There are areas where it is more difficult to apply the ink, such as soft areas like the stomach. The skin on the forearm is taut, so it's easier to work on.

[Journalist] Let's say I want a realistic portrait on my entire shoulder. How long will it take?

[Rinat] On average, a session lasts 6-8 hours. But the nuances depend on the body type (thin, athletic, large shoulders) and muscle relief. This greatly affects the time it takes to complete the work.

[Journalist] Is a session the maximum amount of time a person can consistently endure and feel more or less normal?
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[Rinat] A person can endure longer. It all comes down to motivation and limitations. If it is important for the client to finish in one session, they are often willing to endure an extra hour and a half beyond the planned 6-8 hours so that the work looks complete as soon as possible.
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[Journalist] But the sensations during such a session are still unpleasant?
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[Rinat] Of course. It's a needle, you can't call it completely pleasant.

[Journalist] What do you do with those who are afraid of pain, come to a session, but continue to worry? Do you give them any anti-stress devices?
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[Rinat] I don't specifically bring up this topic. From experience, the more attention you pay to discomfort, the worse it becomes. It's better to offer words of encouragement: “Hang in there, we're almost done.”
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There are some aids, such as Numbing Spray, which contains a small amount of lidocaine. I use it towards the end of the session when I need to finish up on an already traumatized area: add some light accents, go over the fresh tattoo. The spray makes it feel better. But I don't like creams with anesthetics and don't recommend them.

[Journalist] Does alcohol help?
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[Rinat] No, on the contrary, it gets in the way.

A session with alcohol is usually two to three times shorter. Blood pressure rises, blood flows more strongly. People become restless: they want to change the music, call someone, go to the bathroom, and so on. This is very distracting and affects the quality of the work. Ideally, you should get a good night's sleep, eat a hearty breakfast, and arrive sober, in a good mood, and without any unnecessary worries.

[Journalist] Let's move on to the topic of “the magic of transformation.” The client says, “I want something about space,” and you deliver a complex, realistic project. How do you find the image?

[Rinat] Most people have some kind of internal idea of what they want. They send a bunch of pictures—5–10 of them. From these, you can extract recurring elements, identify their favorite color scheme, and understand their compositional preferences.
For example, if a planet, UFO, or ship appears everywhere, even in different styles, that's already a direction. The next task for the artist is to put together a complete sketch: change the layout, bring important elements to the foreground, add details, and finish the composition.
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[Journalist] Let's say I want my first tattoo: a UFO abducting a cow from a field, as a small design on my forearm. But you see a whole sleeve. How do you build a dialogue? Do you suggest a sleeve right away or wait for me to take the initiative?
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[Rinat] I'll honestly explain that any tattoo looks better when it's large, the elements are visible from a distance, and there is good contrast.
Small, detail-laden images are harder to see. If someone says, “I'll get a small one on my shoulder blade and then turn it into a full back,” I try to change their mind and plan the whole back right away so as not to ruin the composition later.

[Journalist] Have there been cases where someone started with a small tattoo on their shoulder blade and then it was impossible to organically assemble a large back?
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[Rinat] Yes, there was a client who started with a shoulder blade, and a year later wanted a large tattoo covering his entire back, so I collaborated with four other artists to cover his entire back in one session. It was an interesting experience, but it's better to plan the area for one complete image from the outset.

[Journalist] So, to avoid such situations, is it better to allocate large areas of the body for a single design? For example, between a UFO with a cow on a small forearm and the same design, but covering the entire back, is it more rational to choose the second option?

[Rinat] Not necessarily the entire back. You could put the cow on the entire forearm and continue the UFO above it, extending it to the sleeve in perspective.

Or move the subject to the back if it requires a flat surface. The back is a more even surface, making it easier and more interesting to build a composition on. On the arm, you need to take into account the circular view, several planes, and the reverse side. It all depends on the sketch, the shape of the body, and the client's readiness for large formats.

[Journalist] The client may try to mentally scale the tattoo, but their ideas may differ from yours. How do you show how the tattoo will look larger? Do you use 3D models, photo fittings?

[Rinat] There are several options. Digital: a sketch in Procreate on a photo, but this is not always accurate. “Live”: consultation, printing sketches at different scales, fitting on the body.

During an in-person consultation, you can attach the printout to the person's arm or back, let them look in the mirror from different distances, and compare the small and large options. After such a fitting, most people say, “Yes, this is really better, let's go with the larger size.”

[Journalist] This expansion significantly changes the client's plans, both in terms of body and budget. From a single session on the forearm, the project turns into a sleeve. How many sessions does a sleeve take on average, and how much does it cost?

[Rinat] On average, a black and white sleeve takes 5-6 sessions, a colored one 6-8 sessions, depending on the detail.

One session currently costs me $1,700. That's at the end of 2025. I offer discounts to people who are willing to book two or more days in a row.

[Journalist] So, from one small project, a person can “grow” to a sleeve in about six sessions at $1,700 each, which is about $10,000 for a premium sleeve?
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[Rinat] Yes, something like that. But it's not a one-time payment. A sleeve usually takes at least a few months to complete. If you do one session per month, it takes about six months for a black and white sleeve.
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[Journalist] Once a month because of healing?
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[Rinat] Physiologically, the skin heals faster, usually within two weeks. But once a month is comfortable for almost everyone.