Piotr Balcerak

At the beginning, it was a bumpy road. From curiosity and an attempt to get to know technical aspects of tattooing, to getting fully overwhelmed with the topic and devouring every single fact about it from the web. Everything happened with different intensity. Buying my first equipment was an impulse; later on, it was shoved in a drawer for months. And the first tries to hook myself up with some studios also varied. A lot of determination was needed to not to quit along the way. I’ve visited a few less or more professional places trying to learn something new from each one of them.

I can safely say that broadly understood watercolor is my comfort zone. In my works I almost always use casual splashes as they make the work more dynamic. They are often an addition to the main theme, which often varies - from sketches to cartoon characters and realistic motives. However, strictly abstract works have been absorbing me lately. Having fun with splashes, making composition match the anatomy. Drawing on the skin in such a way that tattoo becomes a natural part of the client. Doesn’t matter if it’s grayscale or color.

When something that used to be your hobby and escape from daily life becomes your work, it is hard to find balance and stop thinking about it 24 hours a day, so in my free time I still create and think about my projects - tattoo, drawing, painting or tinkering wise. And I am always decorating our studio, but I suppose it’s a never ending process. I also try to keep my sanity, not forget about every single thing I have to do, find some time for people closest to me and keep my body and soul in check.

If I knew what is a key to success, I probably would have been in a different place now. But really, pretty useful besides a solid portfolio is being outgoing, so besides good works you can also present something else, like the whole process standing behind a tattoo or the new places you visit during your work. And obviously a bit of luck is also pretty useful.