We sat down to have an in-depth chat with tattoo artist Dmitrii Palkin who tattoos from Mimik Tattoo, in Charlotte, NC.
What first made you fall in love with tattooing? Do you have a very strong first defining memory?
Of course. It was in Russia. I was 10 years old and I saw the movie From Dusk till Dawn for the first time. George Clooney was so cool and he had a big brutal tattoo on his arm. This movie impressed me so much that I couldn’t sleep all night… I became a fan of tattoos after that.
What tattoos are on your own body? How old were you when you got your first? Do they tell a story – or are they more random? Do you still enjoy getting tattooed?
I only have five tattoos on my body… but that’s two arm sleeves, one leg sleeve , and my whole back and chest!
I got my first tattoo done by myself when I was 13 years old. I put together my own machine out of a spoon, guitar string instead of a needle, a ballpoint pen and a motor from a CD player. It was a very bad machine and the result was the same. It was a hieroglyph and I have no idea what it means. But from then on, I fell in love with the process of tattooing and that love has been with me all my life.
How did you become a tattoo artist? Is it a constantly evolving process?
After graduating from university, I tried my hand at different fields, but I always felt out of place. The love for tattoos is something I’ve always felt.
In one of the hard moments of life, when I lost everything, I decided that this would be the best moment for the dream to become a reality. I gave myself six months to try my hand at being a tattoo artist. It was the best decision of my life. I started learning how to tattoo every day. And this learning doesn’t end even now, seven years later.
How would you describe your style?
Black and white tattoo, microrealism, fineline.
What inspires you? Do you have any artists you admire?
I am very inspired by Dmitry Troshin, Sergey Murdoc, Sashatattooing, Orge Kalodimas. They are very cool masters, and besides their work I am inspired by the fact that they achieve everything by themselves.
Do you have any guest spots planned? Where and how do customers book in?
Yes, I plan to visit many different states in the US, I want to explore California, Florida, Vegas. To book a session with me, you can use any means of communication. Instagram direct or email Palkin@mimiktattoo.com.
You specialise in covering scars, how did that come about and what do you love about it?
I once had a situation where my wife badly burned her leg and I lived the recovery journey with her. She was left with scars after the incident and after healing I offered to help her cover them with a tattoo. When I announced on my blog that I was willing to help other women cover their scars as well, I saw huge feedback.
I started getting hundreds of hard tragic stories and pictures of scars sent to me. It was heartbreaking to read them, but I felt compelled to make their lives better. Scars are the heartache of thousands of women.
What’s different about tattooing scarred skin and what should customers think about if they have scars they’d like to tattoo over?
Tattooing over a scar is much more difficult to do than over just a skin. It takes a lot of experience to choose the right design and control the depth of the piercing. In the inexperienced hands of an artist, overlapping a scar will look like mush/a bruise. Not all scars can be resurfaced, sometimes I send clients to a dermatologist for a consultation to get the go-ahead.
We love how open and honest about your past you are on social media, why is that important to you?
Thank you so much! When I talk about my past, I get a lot of feedback from those who are having a hard time right now. And by seeing my journey and what I’ve come to, people see hope for a brighter future. It’s important for me to spread the message, it’s in my recovery programme. It’s also important for me to remind myself where I came from.
You’ve recently moved to the USA, where were you before and what made you make the move? What’s next?
All my life I have lived and worked in Russia and travelled a lot to other countries. America was my childhood dream. And I am happy that I have had this opportunity. America is a great country and I am honoured to work here now and learn the American culture!