Meet Roman Grazhdantsev, a self-thought tattoo artist who has traveled far from his hometown in Russia’s Far East to make his mark in the international tattoo scene. From a young age, Roman had a natural talent for drawing, but it wasn’t until he discovered tattooing that his passion truly blossomed. Today, he’s known for his mastery in realism and his ability to bring vibrant colors and intricate details to life on the skin. Based in the UK, Roman continues to grow as an artist, inspiring clients and fellow tattooists around the world.
For the readers who are not familiar with you, how would you introduce yourself?
Hello. My name is Roman Grazhdantsev. I was born in 1981 and raised in the small town of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky in the Russian Far East.
Where did your fascination for tattoos come from?
From early childhood, I painted. For some reason, unknown to me, I did it better than most of the people around me. But, unfortunately, I refused to enter an art school because I did not consider it a serious hobby. I drew for the soul, at the request of friends and school teachers. At the age of 16 in 1997, I saw a tattoo process for the first time. This happened, of course, in terrible conditions, with a homemade machine with a sharpened guitar string as a needle and pen ink instead of professional tattoo ink. I can say that it did not make a great impression on me then and did not arouse much interest. But a couple of weeks later, my friend asked me to tattoo him, motivating it by the fact that I could draw, and I would do a great job with this matter.
I refused because I was afraid to harm and cause pain, not understanding the technical details of the application. But he was very convincing. Together, we constructed my first tattoo machine, and I drew a cobra by hand (as I imagined it then), which he ordered. We got to work. It’s both funny and sad to remember it, but it was my first experience in tattooing. A friend still has it on himself as a memory. And I keep the photo. After that, there were dozens and hundreds of friends and acquaintances with similar requests.
At what point in your life did you become a professional tattoo artist?
At first, tattooing was nothing more than a hobby and practice. I still didn’t plan to do it professionally. I entered law school and graduated. I served in the army. All this time, I continued to draw and tattoo friends and acquaintances in a handicraft way. Bit by bit, I collected information about the tattoo industry, artists, and equipment. And suddenly, I realized that the office work of a lawyer was not for me. I came to the first small tattoo studio in my small town to get a job and develop my skills. After working for 2 years, I realized that for training and development, I needed to go to a big city. It was a long journey of trial and error, based mainly on my own experience and self-education.
There were no training courses then, and the masters were not very willing to share information. I watched the works of my favorite masters. In 2007, I attended the tattoo festival in Russia for the first time in St. Petersburg. It was the brightest impression and a source of inspiration. Having seen the best tattoo artists of those years at work live, I realized what I should strive for. A lot of time has passed since then. I moved to St. Petersburg, worked in several tattoo studios, met many tattoo artists, and attended conventions and master classes, continuing to constantly learn and grow. Tattooing became not just a profession but also a lifestyle.
Where are you based?
A few years ago, I found myself in the UK, surrounded by very ambitious and enthusiastic people who created a huge international team of talented tattoo artists. Now, I have been successfully working in an excellent company in England with tattooers literally from all over the world.
How would you define your current tattoo style and how did you end up focusing on it?
After working for a long time and trying myself in different styles, I found realism to be the most interesting for me. I love playing with color and working with details.
Please walk us through your process when you start a new tattoo for your customers.
When working on a new project, the client’s idea, his vision, and his thoughts are very important to me. I’m interested in working together so that not only I enjoy the work and the result, but also the client receives something that is close and interesting to him. I try to make every project a challenge. The more complicated, the better.
What’s the most challenging aspect of being a tattoo artist in 2025?
Being an artist.
What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a tattoo artist?
Self-development.
Did you ever participate in any tattoo contests?
I have participated in many of the world’s biggest international tattoo conventions (Moscow, St. Petersburg, Florence, Manchester, London, Chicago, Philadelphia, etc.).
What’s your primary reason to attend a tattoo convention?
Conventions are a great opportunity to enter an artist community, meet new people, get new knowledge and experience, and examine yourself. Having awards at festivals, I never set them as my goal. Conventions helped me optimize my work process and develop my own algorithm of work. I am a perfectionist and the strictest judge of my work. I always compete with myself, trying to make each next work better than the previous one.
What’s your favorite tattoo convention so far? And why?
It’s really difficult to pick one. They are all different in atmosphere and mood. Sometimes it’s a festival and holiday, and other times it’s like a championship or Olympic games.
What advice would you offer to someone considering a career as a tattoo artist?
Draw. Don’t stop learning. Develop your skills.
What’s your biggest accomplishment as a tattoo artist?
I’m a little better today than I was yesterday.
How do you stay at the top of your game?
I’m still walking to the top.
Do you do other forms of art besides tattooing?
I am fond of oil painting. I really love it. That is my meditation and training at the same time.
Is there anything else you would like to tell our readers?
Enjoy the things you do. Compete with yourself.
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