One dark room, one desk

Azad Altun comes out of the painting department at Mimar Sinan Fine Arts University, and kept that discipline when he moved to tattooing: composition, light and value transitions are resolved on paper first, and the needle comes last.

He works today as Tattoo Dealer, in Istanbul. Black & gray realism is his main ground — portraits, animals, mythological figures — alongside colour work, cover-ups and fine-line minis.

The door only opens for appointments. One client at a time, one session a day; long pieces are split across sessions and breaks follow your pace.

Cover-ups and reworks are among the most requested work here. They start with a clear photo of the existing tattoo — what can be covered is decided from that.

The workstation is built entirely from single-use materials. Needles leave their sterile packaging in front of you and all inks are certified.