Barış Atilla

I'm Barış Atilla. I was born in 1992 in Bahçelievler, Istanbul, and spent my primary, middle and high school years in Acıbadem.

For as long as I can remember, drawing and sketching have been one of my greatest pleasures. My interest in drawing actually began with my older brother's drawings. Watching him, looking at what he drew and trying to make similar things gradually became an important part of my life.

I was introduced to tattooing through my brother as well. One day he came home with a new tattoo and I was truly mesmerised. In that moment I decided I wanted a tattoo too. Before long I found my way to a tattoo studio. The conversations we had while I was being tattooed, the atmosphere of the studio and everything I saw there affected me so much that the very next day I started working at the same studio as an apprentice.

After about a year of apprenticeship I started doing my own tattoos. In those days it was hardly possible to specialise in a single style, so instead of limiting myself to one, I kept learning different techniques and worked in as many styles as I could. Looking back, I think this gave me a great deal.

For many years I worked mostly in black and grey. In 2022 I turned to colour tattoos. Today, both colour and black-and-grey realism are among the work I enjoy most. Chasing realism, working on the details and trying to push myself a little further with every piece is still as exciting as it was on the first day.

Of course, the best part of this job for me is not only the tattooing itself. Leaving a lasting mark on people's lives and seeing them leave the studio happy is truly satisfying. Over the years I have met countless people, some wonderful and some very difficult. There have been many moments of happiness, sadness, frustration and stress. Each one taught me something different, and every one of those experiences has a share in who I am today and in the work I do.

One of the most important things I have learned along the way is that no matter how much experience I gain, I still have a lot to learn. I think that is one of the reasons I can still do this job with the same excitement after all these years. Staying open to growth, trying new things and enjoying my work have always mattered to me.

These days I continue my work under the Inkpeople roof, which I founded with my dear friend Ozan. It is a place where we bring together the experience we have gained over the years, our own perspective and the work we want to do. We are trying to create an environment where we don't just tattoo, but also come up with new ideas, learn from each other and enjoy our time together.

For me, tattooing has never been just a profession. It has shaped a large part of my life and brought me countless people and stories. Today I still draw, create and keep learning with the same curiosity. Because even after all these years, my favourite part of the work hasn't changed: an idea in my head becoming a line, and that line becoming a lasting piece that will have a place in someone's life.