2023 Tattoo Recap — A Year of Stories, Milestones & Turning Points

Written By Roudolf Dimov

Some years change your portfolio.
2024 changed my direction.

It was the year I realised that tattooing isn’t just technique — it’s storytelling, trust, experimentation, and the quiet moments where you grow without noticing.
These five tattoos became the milestones that shaped my artistic identity in 2024.


Hades tattoo on the lower leg in black and grey realism, featuring detailed Greek mythology elements. Tattoo artist Roudolf Dimov, London.

Hades — The Start of a Bigger Story

Hades wasn’t just another mythological tattoo.
It was the first time I told a story without words — only through composition, contrast, and symbolism.

It became the foundation of a full leg sleeve, and the moment I truly understood how mythology fits naturally into my style.
This tattoo also marked my first steps into the world of tattoo conventions… and I’m proud that it won 1st Place at the Galway Tattoo Convention.

A turning point in every possible way.



Tiger and woman portrait tattoo on the upper arm in black and grey realism, featuring detailed textures and contrast. Tattoo artist Roudolf Dimov, London.

Fragmentation — When People Started Coming for My Art

I created this tattoo without expecting anything special to happen afterwards.
But once it was posted, something changed.

Clients started sending my own tattoo back to me as a reference.
Not someone else’s work.
Not a Pinterest image.
Not a celebrity tattoo.

For the first time, people came to me because of a concept and a style that I created from scratch — simplified shapes, painterly textures, bold contrasts, and realism that still feels like art when you step back.

This tattoo taught me that sometimes the things you don’t overthink become the ones that define you.

Skeleton hand and mythology symbol tattoo on the thigh in black and grey realism, showing detailed bone structure and dramatic shading. Tattoo artist Roudolf Dimov, London.

The Obol Coin — Photography, Concept, and Tattooing Coming Together

The second part of the Hades project had to continue the story — but also push me to evolve.

For this tattoo, I built the reference completely from scratch:

  • a real skeleton hand I bought for this project

  • a coin I sourced specifically

  • my own hand as the live reference

  • a full photography setup to get the lighting and angles right

  • additional effects finalised inside Procreate

Chains, smoke, drama — everything came together the way I imagined it.
This tattoo is still one of my proudest examples of how planning, photography, and tattooing merge into one process.


Raven and witch portrait full sleeve tattoo in black and grey realism, featuring detailed textures, mystical elements, and flowing composition along the arm. Tattoo artist Roudolf Dimov, London.

The Dark Sleeve — Full Trust, Full Freedom

I’ve never written about this sleeve before.
Mostly because I don’t have many high-quality photos that do it justice.

But it deserves to be here.

This was the first time a client gave me complete freedom.
He only wanted:
a pocket watch, a dove, and a rose — classic elements often seen in tattooing.
But the final result didn’t feel “common” at all.

Dove and pocket watch tattoo on the inner forearm as part of a full sleeve in black and grey realism, featuring soft transitions and symbolic imagery. Tattoo artist Roudolf Dimov, London.

This sleeve taught me something important:

If a tattoo has no meaning for the artist, it becomes just a picture.
You create something better later, and you stop liking it.

But this piece stayed special.
Even though today I could recreate a more advanced version of it, this one represents a milestone — the moment trust and creativity started working together.

Valkyrie warrior tattoo on the upper arm in black and grey realism, featuring Norse mythology armour, helmet details, and a sword. Tattoo artist Roudolf Dimov, London.

Valkyrie — The Pressure of Tattooing Another Artist

Tattooing another tattoo artist is different.

Clients love your work, but they don’t always understand why they love it.
Another artist does.
They see the technique, the decisions, the mistakes, the craft.

So when a fellow black-and-grey realism artist trusted me with a full upper-arm piece, it carried extra pressure.
Not negative pressure — meaningful pressure.

The Valkyrie became one of my most detailed pieces of the year, and a reminder that recognition inside your own field hits differently.

FAQs

What was the biggest artistic shift in 2023?

Learning to simplify shapes while still keeping strong realism — and relying more on photography and custom references.

Which tattoo was the hardest?

The Valkyrie — mainly because tattooing another artist requires precision and confidence.

Which project changed your career the most?

Fragmentation.
That was the moment people started coming for my visual language, not someone else’s.

What will you focus on in 2024?

More storytelling projects, more mythology, more custom references — and improving healed results even further.

🔎 Explore More FAQs: 

https://www.roudolfdimovart.com/faq

Call to Action

👉 Large Projects:
 www.roudolfdimovart.com/large-projects 

Bring your story. I’ll shape it into art.

 👉 Book a Consultation:
https://www.roudolfdimovart.com/booking

 📍 London
✉️ info@roudolfdimovart.com

Roudolf Dimov
Next

Should You Get a Tattoo Before a Holiday?