This week, I had the chance to have a conversation with an award-winning tattoo master from Turkey who has recently been winning a significant number of prizes in the USA thanks to his impressive and unique tattoos. Let’s get down to learning more about Berhan.
For the readers who are not familiar with you, how would you introduce yourself?
I am Berhan Tabih who was born in 1992 in Manisa, Turkey. My drawings and artistic endeavors, which were a place of resting and recharging for me in my childhood, have been continuing as a professional tattoo artist for 9 years. Also, besides art, I am into motorcycles, cars, and soccer!
How & when did you start tattooing?
Before I started tattooing, I mostly drew motorcycles and cars, but about ten years ago, I got my first tattoo, and it completely blew my mind. Watching a tattoo artist do his work got me hooked. That’s when I decided to move from paper to skin and enter the industry as a tattoo artist.
What do tattoos symbolize for you?
Actually, there is more than one answer to this question. Sometimes you get a tattoo because you want to reflect the emotions you feel, sometimes to remember the people or moments you miss, sometimes to have the character you want to be, and sometimes to look good as an accessory. Tattoos have different reflections in every life, but in short, tattoos mean life to me. Lives with thousands of different feelings.
How would you define your tattoo style?
I define my expertise in black and gray style, yet I enjoy doing colorful and realistic designs too. I like to design unique personal tattoos due to my client’s stories.
What kind of tattoo projects do you enjoy doing the most?
My favorite style is black and grey realistic tattoos, but the things I enjoy in terms of content are either tattoos with memories and soul or designs with utopian and deep feelings. Of course, in both cases, the natural integration and harmony with the body are the parts I enjoy the most.
What’s the main source of inspiration for your tattoos?
My tattoos’ main source of inspiration stems from the unique connections between different objects and elements. I find beauty and creativity in bringing together diverse ideas and concepts into a cohesive design. It’s in these connections that I discover endless possibilities for artistic expression, allowing me to create tattoos that tell truly distinctive stories.
What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a tattoo artist?
As a tattoo artist, the most rewarding aspect is undoubtedly the opportunity to bring people’s personal stories, emotions, and visions to life through my art. Creating a tattoo that holds deep meaning for someone and witnessing their joy, satisfaction, and sometimes even tears of happiness when they see the final result is incredibly fulfilling. The connections formed with clients as we collaborate on a design and the trust they place in my skills are also highly rewarding. Additionally, the constant growth and evolution of my own artistic abilities and the freedom to express my creativity in each unique piece make being a tattoo artist an exceptionally rewarding profession.
What’s your experience at tattoo conventions so far?
I have been to several conventions in the United States this year. I made tattoos in only a competitive manner, and I won a total of 20 awards, 3 awards at the Fountain City Tattoo Expo, Columbus, GA, 9 awards at the Birmingham Tattoo Convention, Birmingham, AL, and lastly, 8 awards at the Asheville Tattoo Arts Festival, Asheville, NC. These events, which are perfect for meeting people known worldwide and showcasing your work, have been very good experiences for me. I also judged at the Knoxville Tattoo Convention this year. What a proud experience for me…
What’s your favorite tattoo convention so far? And why?
I can say that I enjoyed all of them separately. I met wonderful people at every event. The Fountain City Tattoo Expo was special for me because I got my first award there. At the Birmingham Tattoo Convention, I tattooed for 35 hours in total over 3 days and won 9 awards in total. It was a great and exhausting experience:) The Asheville Tattoo Arts Festival was also very nice, and I got 8 awards there. At the Knoxville Tattoo Convention, I was a judge, and even though I was not tired, I loved the different pressure and that feeling. It was a great experience to be a decision-maker.
What advice would you offer to someone considering a career as a tattoo artist?
If you are at the beginning of your career, never rush to choose a style. Try each style and each work a few times. There are two important points here. The first one is which style you are really good at and the second one is which style you are comfortable and happy working in. If you can be happy and comfortable in the style you do best, you will achieve great things, eventually.
Who are the people you admire the most within the tattoo community?
Obviously, there is no one in a specific way. I admire every artist who does their job with passion, especially tattoo artists who have been doing this art for 30–40 years and still continue with the same enthusiasm. I hope I can continue to do this art for many years with this passion, like those artists. It is a great privilege to be able to do this with the excitement of the first day.
What’s your biggest accomplishment as a tattoo artist?
In fact, as an award-winning artist, I think what is more important than awards is the reactions of the people who see my tattoos. Especially the glow in the eyes of my clients, who will carry them for a lifetime, when they first see the finished tattoo is priceless. Sometimes there are emotional moments when they see it for the first time, all these are very special for me.
What are your goals/dreams for the future?
No matter what level I am at in my career, I always motivate myself to do better work. I love to see the sparkle in the eyes of the tattooed person when they first see the tattoo after tattooing, and I will continue to work and tattoo to see this as long as I live. My biggest dream is to go to every country in the world and tattoo at least one person there, so I want to go down in history as a tattoo artist who tattooed people from every country. I don’t know if I can do it, but I will make a serious plan for this in the future.
Anything else you would like to tell our readers?
First of all, thank you for inviting me for this interview, it was an honor for me to be a part of World Tattoo Events. I would like to tell the readers that every field of art is beautiful, but I think some very important differences distinguish the art of tattooing from others. I think that these wonderful emotions and patterns engraved on the skin will reach more and more mind-blowing levels every day, and your readers will be able to get inside
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