For the last five years, I’ve been in what I can only describe as total immersion. I made a decision to pour everything I had into large-scale, custom work — portraits, realism, and pieces that required time, patience, and full creative control.
It wasn’t just about taking on bigger tattoos. It was about developing a level of skill and focus that only comes from deep repetition and commitment. I had to tune out distractions, say no to smaller projects, and make peace with the fact that it would mean financial sacrifice at times. It was a trade-off — but one I knew I had to make to grow into the kind of artist I wanted to be.
I probably alienated a few potential clients along the way. That was never the goal, but when you’re trying to evolve, you can’t split yourself in a dozen directions. You have to go all in.
Now I’m finally at a point where I can breathe a little. The foundation I built from those years of focus gives me room to open the door again — even just slightly — to smaller projects. They can still be mentally draining in their own way, especially when every detail gets overthought or micromanaged, but there’s also a certain satisfaction in revisiting that kind of work with a new perspective.
This isn’t a pivot — it’s more like balance. After years of total immersion, I finally feel ready to integrate everything I’ve learned back into a wider range of work, without losing the focus that got me here.
