Although Artem Alekhin (aka Aleki) earned a degree in pharmaceutical studies, he chose instead to become a tattooist in 2021. He always had a regard for the arts and hoped to pursue a more exciting, interpersonal, and creative career. Aleki regularly uses 3RL, 7RL, and 9RL to produce fine-line tattoos. “These needle groupings give me control over density, structure, and detail,” he comments, “and I don’t chase thinness just for show, I prioritize stability and intention in every line.” While Aleki’s work may seem scientific and mechanical, each symbol represents a client’s narrative or emotion. In addition to being motivated by his customers’ interactions, he is also inspired by classical art and architecture. You can observe in his tattoos depictions of Ancient Greek warriors, sculptures, Doric columns, and art from other movements like the Renaissance, such as Michelangelo’s marbled “La Pietà” and Albrecht Dürer’s calloused “Praying Hands.”

This interview reveals Aleki’s tenacity as a new generation tattooer, his goal for his tattoos and a deeper understanding of his influences.

Above: A tattoo prompted by the great heroes of Greek Mythology and their enduring resilience and bravery.

This person has a dahlia as a token of their affection for their beloved late partner and a tribute to their favorite flower. It is surrounded by architectural lines drawn from Frank Lloyd Wright.

What university did you attend for your pharmaceutical studies?

I started my medical education at the Peoples’ Friendship University of Russia, a respected and well-known medical institution. Later, I transferred to a more specialized and challenging university in Orekhovo-Zuyevo. The program was intense but gave me a strong foundation in anatomy and scientific thinking, which I now apply to my tattoo work.

Based on Holbein’s “The Dance of Death,” this battle scene shows that death comes for everyone, no matter how important or influential they are.

You have a pharmaceutical degree; however, you ultimately entered the field of tattooing.

I started tattooing professionally in 2021. From the beginning, I treated it seriously, not as a hobby, but as a career I was fully committed to. I’ve constantly refined my technique, deepened my visual awareness, and built strong client connections.

Ancient Greece was a period of great splendor: the composition is about discipline, not as an external law, but as an internal core and keeping personal strength together.

In 2022, you relocated from Russia to the United States. Why?

My wife was accepted into a Food and Beverage Management internship for the Loews Coral Gables Hotel opening in Miami. I moved with her to support her during that important career chapter. Tattooing was already my full-time focus at that point. The move has just added a new cultural environment to grow and evolve as an artist.

Aleki develops a tattoo merging the figures of Heracles and Odysseus from Greek Mythology.

According to my experience with Eastern European tattooers, they are often quite technical. Would you agree?

Yes, I agree. Eastern Europe has a strong tradition of academic drawing and realist fundamentals. Artists are trained from the beginning to be precise—to understand anatomy, light, proportion, and discipline.

Also, the mentality around the tattoo craft is different. The process is rooted in structure and control, not just expression—building a deep respect for detail and technical mastery, reflected in the work.

This individual has the landscape of Michigan at the top as her hometown and childhood location, followed by the Chicago skyline from her adulthood. Denver comes next, where she has fond hiking memories—birthdays for her children, musical notes about her father.

Micro tattoos are challenging to keep sharp and readable over time. Do you discuss this with clients? How do you handle retouches?

Fortunately, I’ve developed a formula that allows my tattoos to stay clean and readable for years. This makes the process more predictable for me and the client.

Yes, I always discuss these things in advance. I’m honest about what works with the skin and what doesn’t. I build designs with enough spacing, light-to-dark rhythm, and structure to keep the composition clean and legible.

If retouching is needed, I’m always open to doing it. But I take pride in the fact that my tattoos usually heal very well. A huge part of that is how the client handles aftercare, which I explain in detail, because the healing will affect the final result, much like the needle and ink application.

The client’s son is “Leo” (the most significant person in her life). The eye symbolizes hope, indicating her job as a pediatrician saving lives.

And did you develop this formula on your own? Can you disclose more about it?

I developed it through observation, trial and error, and much practice. I started experimenting early in my career, paying attention not just to how tattoos looked right after the session, but how they healed and aged over months and [a few] years. I realized both fine-line and micro-realism work demand much more than thin needles. You must consider the skin, the placement, the spacing, and how the tattoo will settle over time. I started adjusting how I build my designs—leaving more breathing space between details, mixing heavier and lighter elements, and carefully planning the flow on the body. So, the tattoo feels natural, not flat.

I also learned to adapt my depth and pressure depending on the client’s skin type, because what works on one person won’t always work the same way on another. It’s not a fixed formula. It’s a mindset of building every tattoo with long-term clarity and personal meaning. I try to design clean, readable, and accurate to the client’s story, not just something that looks good in a fresh photo.

Cycle of day and night, equilibrium, and renewal. The artwork has Braille and a Bible verse—musical notes memorializing the person’s mother (a former singer) and paw tribute for beloved pet.

Do you gather client ideas and combine them into cohesive tattoo compositions?

Not quite. I collect the clients’ stories and emotionally connect with them. I need to feel what they’re going through and understand the moments [their narratives] they want depicted on their skin. It could be warm memories or deep losses—my role is to express through symbolism.

I don’t just “combine images,” I build a composition where every element has meaning and purpose. If you study my work, you’ll notice the layouts are different: depth, layering, and intentional variety. Every detail has its place and a reason for being there.

The motorcycle represents liberty and forward movement. Spiderweb symbolizes life’s interconnectedness. The overall meaning emphasizes the value of perseverance in the face of adversity.

Kindly explain the underlying expressive symbolism and therapeutic powers of your artwork.

While my work might look technical on the surface—focused on precision, light, and structure—it’s constantly built on a more profound basis. Many clients come to me after meaningful emotional moments (such as loss, heartbreak, betrayal, or personal transformation). And for them, the tattoo becomes more than just decoration. It turns into part of their healing process. When people choose to wear something on their skin that they have thought about and that has value to them, they reclaim their story by making what they have felt inside visible and permanent. It’s where the real power of tattooing is for me. Not just about combining images that look good on the body. It’s about building a composition, which feels “alive,” where every detail and line carries emotion. I spend so much time listening to the client before drawing. I see it as a collaboration, bringing together their story and my visual language to create something intimate. I never take any of this for granted. I consider it a real privilege to be trusted with interactions like these.

Discover the meaning of the fictional character Rock Lee and other motifs on this tattoo in the response provided below.

Explain the story of the tattoo shown above.

This project is a tribute to gratitude, inner strength, and the client’s values. It combines meaningful elements that tell a story about family, individualized growth, and a life philosophy. At the core of this piece is the philosophy of Kaizen, the Japanese principle of continuous self-improvement. The client wanted to represent this concept and include its definition as a reminder of the lifelong journey toward becoming the best version of oneself.

A key symbol is the butterfly, representing transformation and the power of change. The word “Gratitude” is a reminder to appreciate the simple things and practice daily thankfulness. Another image is the hand from the Sistine Chapel, manifesting free will and the power to shape one’s life. The musical lines were integrated at the customer’s request, reflecting how music has a special place in their heart.

An additional element is Rock Lee, a character from anime who represents the strength of character and hard work to the client, someone who achieved everything not through talent, but through effort. This mirrors the customer’s journey. And lastly, the most critical part of the design is the word “Family,” displayed alongside the birth dates of his loved ones, serving as a lasting reminder of what truly matters most in life.

A fragment of a classical Roman sculpture embodies reason, vigor, and acceptance. Symbols and words indicating the balance of extremes: light and darkness, calm and chaos.

You have expressed how classical art, architecture, and sculpture inspire you. Name the works and artists who made an impact on you?

I’m inspired by several eras—i.e., anywhere I see clarity of thought and visual rhythm. In Caravaggio’s paintings, especially “The Calling of Saint Matthew,” his use of light and emotion is unmatched.

Bernini’s sculpture, “Ecstasy of Saint Teresa,” shows the balance of spiritual tension and physical motion, which is breathtaking.

I admire Tadao Ando mainly because he uses space and light to create a presence in architecture.

As for movements, I’m drawn to Baroque for its drama, Bauhaus for its purity of form, and Brutalism for its honesty and power.

Aleki wins third prize for “Best Small Black-and-Gray Tattoo” at the Milwaukee Tattoo Festival.

You have said, “Learn to draw well; that’s the foundation.”

Drawing is a language. Without it, a tattooer is just a technician, not an artist. I started drawing as a child, studied in art school, and kept practicing independently. I still draw regularly; even if it’s just digital sketches in Procreate, it keeps my eye sharp and my hand connected.

You also control the result if you understand light, structure, and proportion. Tattooing starts in the mind of the artist, not in the machine.

Photos © Artem “Aleki” Alekhin