ABOUT ME

My name is Vladimir Arhipkin, and I am a tattoo artist hailing from Russia. Currently, I reside and practice my craft in Graz, Austria.
With over a decade of experience in the tattoo industry, my journey as a tattoo artist commenced in 2007. I hold degrees from two art universities, specialising in painting/art teaching and graphic design.

Achievements:
Beyond tattooing, I delve into graphic design, crafting logos for tattoo studios, personal logos for artists, and collaborating with tattoo suppliers. In the past, my extensive background includes teaching roles, where I conducted lectures, master classes, and courses in illustration. I have taught drawing and painting both in group settings and through private lessons.

In 2019, I achieved the status of a finalist in the Copic Award competition hosted by a prominent marker brand. My travels have taken me to numerous international tattoo conventions, where I proudly participated and secured victories.
Since 2016, I’ve held the honored position of being a sponsored artist for World Famous Tattoo Ink, one of the largest brands in the tattoo ink industry.

2 place in individual tattoo "Saint-Petersburg Tattoo Festival", 2015 Russia
1 place in new school "Minsk Tattoo Convention", 2015 Belarus
1 place in new school "Tattoo week Saint-Petersburg", 2016 Russia
1 place in sketch "Tattoo week Saint-Petersburg", 2016 Russia
Gran Prix "Tattoo week Saint-Petersburg", 2016 Russia
3 place in new school "Tattoo week Krasnodar", 2016 Russia
1 place in new school "Tattoo week Moscow", 2016 Russia
3 place in new school "Tattoo week Krasnodar", 2016 Russia
1 place in new school "Tattoo week Moscow", 2016 Russia
1 place in new school "Tattoo week Saint-Petersburg", 2017 Russia
1 place in sleeve "Tattoo week Saint-Petersburg", 2017 Russia
3 place in new school "Moscow Tattoo Convention", 2017 Russia
1 place in new school "InkMania", 2017 Belgium
2 place in new school "Deauville Tattoo Festival", 2017 France
3 place in small colour "Brussels Tattoo Convention", 2017 Belgium
1 place in large colour "Roma Tattoo Expo", 2018 Italy
3 place in best of colour " Torino Tattoo Convention " 2019 Italy
3 place in best of show " Torino Tattoo Convention " 2019 Italy
1 place in best of Friday " Lion Tattoo Convention" 2023 France
2 place in original flash "Villain Arts Tattoo Convention " 2023 US

Taught at following workshops:
•Lecture "Tattoo as an art and art in modern world" Saint-Petersburg, festival "Time to draw!", 2015
•Workshop "Marker illustration" Saint-Petersburg, "Art & Metier" studio, april 2015
•Workshop "Marker illustration " Saint-Petersburg, design-festival "Wake Up Day", may 2015
•Workshop "Marker illustration" Saint-Petersburg, "Art & Metier" studio, june 2015
•Workshop "Marker illustration. Basics" Saint-Petersburg, "HandMadeMania" studio, july 2015
•Class "Marker illustration. Basics" Saint-Petersburg "Art & Metier" studio, june-july 2015
•Lecture "Marker drawing" Saint-Petersburg, "Time to draw!" studio, august 2015
•Workshop " Marker illustration. Basics" Saint-Petersburg, "HandMadeMania" studio, august 2015
•Workshop "Marker illustration. Basics" Saint-Petersburg "Art & Metier" studio, august 2015
•Workshop "Draw landscape" Saint-Petersburg "Art & Metier" studio, august 2015
•Workshop " Marker illustration" Saint-Petersburg design-festival "Wake Up Day", october 2015
•Workshop "Flower illustration" Saint-Petersburg, 2016
•2015−2018 — Personal classes of Academic drawing and painting

MY WORKFLOW

Every tattoo artist develops a unique workflow focusing on achieving maximum productivity. I also aim to optimize my activities, allowing me to create tattoos

quickly while maintaining high quality and not wasting the client’s time.

Client communication:

At the initial stage, it’s crucial to have a detailed discussion about the project, focusing on clear articulation and the client’s explicit explanation of their preferences. The client may provide examples, such as internet images that inspire them or works from my portfolio. This helps to understand the client’s preferences in composition, color palette, elements, and other aspects. Discussions can occur through social media or in-person consultations at the studio, with face-to-face interactions being preferable for a better understanding of the tattoo’s size. Several sketches are created during the consultation to determine the final composition, eliminating misunderstandings and ensuring the best match to the client’s expectations.

Design creation:

Over the years, I’ve preferred developing designs for clients during the session. This practical approach avoids misunderstandings and allows for resolving any potential complexities during the design process. It’s important to note that the client actively participates, observing the project’s evolution from the sketch to the final result. This interactive design approach is not only convenient for me but also gives the client an active role in shaping the final outcome. The time spent on this stage usually varies from one to 2.5 hours, depending on the image’s size and detail.

Tattoo application process:

I divide this process into stages with breaks upon completion. A short break of 20−30 minutes is scheduled for lunch in the middle of the working day. During work, I prefer listening to audiobooks to enhance concentration. While I appreciate conversation, talking during the process can be distracting and slow down my pace. This optimization allows me to accurately estimate the time for tattoo application, ensuring speed and high quality.

Tattoo healing control:

I strive to stay in constant communication with clients, addressing questions about healing or providing recommendations for ongoing tattoo care. I also ask clients to come back four weeks after the session for a healing check. In case of pigment loss during healing, I perform corrections. My goal is to provide clients with reliable support and high quality throughout the entire process.

If you haven’t gotten a tattoo from me yet but are considering it, I hope this information helps you understand how I work. Feel free to reach out — I look forward to collaborating!

Booking Tattoos