Hello everyone who stumbled upon my blog! 🥰✨
Today, as I promised in my previous post, I want to share the next chapter in my journey of growth and leveling up as an artist. And since I've been holding a tattoo machine more often than a pencil for the past three years, the art I'm sharing is naturally on the skin! 😇🙏
I want to tell you the story behind a tattoo that became a real challenge for me and proof that you must always fight for the style you love to draw. Starring in this tale is my custom, slightly more... curvy interpretation of the legendary Princess Zelda! 😜
(I apologize in advance to the canonical fans if my princess turned out so "shapely"—but, as they say, such was the creative path!)
😠 Fed Up with "Easy Projects"
First, a little backstory. You know that I worked as an art teacher in Ukraine for 6 years, loved participating in exhibitions, and always strived for realism and complex details.
But when I started working at the tattoo studio, my boss, apparently, decided to take it easy on me. I was constantly given "easy" projects: small flowers, simple lettering, minimalism. It was good for practice, but my inner realist artist was literally screaming from boredom. He felt trapped!
And then that day arrives, a client walks into the studio, and fate gives me my chance...
The Boring Sketch and the Moment of Revolution ⚡️😎🔥
The client came in with a request: Zelda, covering the entire upper arm. The theme—pure fire, because The Legend of Zelda evokes the warmest associations for me!
The problem? The sketch was... unimpressive. Boring. Zelda herself looked sad and flat. And I immediately knew: This is it, my moment!
I honestly told the client: "Give me carte blanche. I don't want to just copy a sketch. I will create something for you that completely captures the epicness of this game!" Fortunately, the guy trusted my inner rebel.
I didn't just copy the canon. I found inspiration in an AI art piece (which, by the way, is not mine, but just found on Pinterest) where Zelda looked incredibly detailed and feminine. And I decided to challenge myself: to execute this complex, detailed, realistic art across his entire arm!
⏳ 13 Hours of Realism and the Happy Ending
When I showed the client the final design, his eyes sparkled so much that I knew—we were doing this. Such a sincere desire to get the artwork is the best reward for an artist.
Since the client was a big guy, the work took two very long sessions:
• First Session: 7 hours were spent on the clothing, corset details, and complex texture work.
• Second Session: I dedicated 6 hours to the face, hair, and background detailing.
Total: 13 hours of pure realism, which made my inner artist absolutely happy (and my back, well, not so much)!
But the funniest thing happened at the end. The client was so delighted that he came back to the studio with a big gift for me! It was incredibly sweet and a little funny, as you know, tattoos are not free. But it was the best confirmation that I didn't just fulfill an order; I exceeded expectations.
👇 Behold, my "rebellious" realism!
That's the story of how you have to fight for your favorite style. Don't let routine stifle your inner realist!
P.S. You can see how this beauty looks fully healed in my short video HERE:
https://www.instagram.com/reel/DHnv_mEImu1/?igsh=MW5qeXhrd3pmaTUzYg==
P.P.S. You can find more of my work and growth stories on my Instagram — come visit, follow, and get inspired!
https://www.instagram.com/ksena.morf_tattoo?igsh=YzBtbXE4NWkxOHh6