Meet Sergei Titukh

Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Sergei Titukh. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Sergei, so glad you were able to set aside some time for us today. We’ve always admired not just your journey and success, but also the seemingly high levels of self-discipline that you seem to have mastered and so maybe we can start by chatting about how you developed it or where it comes from?

The first thing I’d say is that I genuinely love what I do, and I’m grateful every day to be in a career that I’m passionate about. When you’re excited about something, it naturally brings out your commitment and focus—it feels fulfilling rather than something you have to push yourself through.

But it’s not just about passion. I feel a strong sense of responsibility toward my clients. They trust me, and I can’t let them down—that keeps me on my toes. Knowing that people are counting on me helps me stay disciplined. It’s kind of like having an invisible supervisor!

And, of course, there’s my family. I want to take care of them and make sure I’m providing the best life possible for them. That adds a layer of motivation—especially when I need to push through those challenging moments. So between my love for the work, my clients, and my family, discipline feels less like a task and more like a part of who I am.

Plus, a good cup of coffee never hurts 😉

Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?

I’ve been a tattoo artist since 2015, starting my journey in St. Petersburg, Russia, where my style really began to take shape. I got into tattooing thanks to my love for heavy music, as these two subcultures are closely connected. Being part of that music community helped me see the tattoo world from the inside, and I quickly knew I wanted to make it my own. Music is still a big part of my life—I even play guitar and hope to spend more time on it in the future.

In my work, I focus on bringing dark, mysterious themes to life. I have a unique approach to creating monsters, mystical creatures, and haunting atmospheres that feel alive. When I moved to Salem, MA, and joined Black Veil studio, it felt like the perfect place to expand my vision. The city’s energy, especially around Halloween, is inspiring. We just wrapped up the Halloween season, which brought over a million visitors to Salem, creating a lively atmosphere for the whole community. Naturally, the tattoo industry feels this energy too, and it’s exciting to be part of such a dynamic environment.

To keep growing, I regularly attend tattoo conventions, connecting with other artists and finding new ways to push my work forward. Recently, I’ve started exploring a new, more abstract style inspired by wild, natural elements. In these projects, I’m focused on using contrast and movement to create depth and impact. I work with very detailed elements to build an organic effect that feels bold and expansive. The goal is to take tattooing beyond the usual boundaries—to make it abstract, eye-catching, and unexpected.

This new approach is all freehand, without stencils or markers, allowing me to craft a unique design for each client. Freehand work lets the piece move with the body’s natural lines, adding spontaneity to each tattoo. I’m grateful for clients who trust me with their skin and share in the creative process, and we’re usually very happy with the results.

Right now, I’m mostly working on full sleeves, with the longer-term goal of creating a full-body suit that tells a unified story across the body. I envision waves of organic textures—like wood, roots, fungi, moss, and veins—that form a detailed yet abstract landscape. Each piece is meant to be bold and noticeable from afar, while drawing the eye to the finer details up close.

With this work, I hope to encourage people to be a little braver with their tattoos. Many people start with small, pre-planned designs, worrying about placement or sticking to a strict idea. But what if we went for something more bold? This project is my way of pushing the industry toward something new and exciting, and I’m constantly on the lookout for fresh ideas. Maybe it’ll even inspire a new direction in tattooing.

Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?

Looking back on my journey, I’d say the three most important qualities or skills that have had the biggest impact are staying true to myself, finding balance, and constantly building experience while staying unique.

First, staying true to yourself is key. There’s a lot of pressure to follow trends or mimic what’s popular, but I’ve found the most success—and fulfillment—by doing what feels right to me. Whether it’s in art or life in general, if you’re comfortable with what you’re doing, it’ll show in the results. My advice? Don’t force yourself into something that doesn’t feel natural. Trust your instincts, even if it means taking a different path than everyone else.

Second, it’s important to find a way to step away from your work and recharge. No matter how much you love what you do, it can still become a routine. For me, I turn to music, nature, and travel to clear my mind and refresh my creativity. Having a hobby or activity outside of art helps me stay passionate about what I do. If you don’t give yourself time to detach and recharge, you risk burning out or losing the spark that made you love your craft in the first place.

And finally, experience is everything. The more you do, the better you get, but you also need to maintain your individuality. As you grow, find ways to make your work uniquely yours. People will always appreciate authenticity and originality, so keep pushing yourself to develop your personal voice in whatever you do.

Okay, so before we go we always love to ask if you are looking for folks to partner or collaborate with?

Yes, I’m definitely open to collaborations across various fields! I’ve had the pleasure of working on some exciting projects, like creating album art for the heavy rock band Cortez, and developing a brush set for Tattoo Smart. I’m always interested in new opportunities that can benefit from a unique artistic touch.

If you have a project in mind that could use some creative flair or a distinctive aesthetic, I’d love to hear about it! You can connect with me through social media https://www.instagram.com/t_i_t_u_k_h/ or e-mail titukhtattoo@gmail.com. Let’s collaborate and create something memorable together!

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/t_i_t_u_k_h/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/titukhtattoo