Japanese Tattoos in Tbilisi — Irezumi-Style Work by Ivan Tahine

Traditional Japanese tattooing — irezumi — isn't defined by a single image, it's defined by a set of conventions I design around for every piece:

• Bold, confident outlines. The linework carries the composition even from a distance; nothing is left to blend into vague shading.
• Background that does real work. Clouds (kumo), waves (nami), and wind bars aren't decoration — they connect otherwise-separate motifs into a single flowing piece and dictate how the whole thing moves across the body.
• Composition built for the body, not the page. A sleeve or back piece is designed to follow muscle and movement, so it still reads correctly whether you're standing still or mid-motion.
• Selective shading (bokashi) for depth and contrast, applied with restraint so the linework stays dominant.

I don't work from flash sheets in this style any more than in any other — every piece is designed around your body, your placement, and the story or symbolism you want it to carry.

Custom design development. Every Japanese piece starts as a conversation, not a catalogue choice. We talk through the motifs that mean something to you, how much of your body you want the piece to cover, and what it needs to connect to if you already have other work — then I draw something built specifically for that space, not a stencil that would work on anyone.
Japanese dragons (ryu). Long, serpentine, expressive rather than aggressive — moving through clouds or water rather than posed like a Western dragon. These are some of my most requested pieces and among the most technically demanding: the proportions, the sense of motion, and how the body carries the flow of the design all have to work together.
Masks — hannya, oni, and foo dog (shishi). Strong, expressive facial pieces with real weight in the linework and shading. These work as standalone pieces on a shoulder or thigh, or as a centerpiece anchoring a larger sleeve or back composition.
Sleeves and full-body pieces. The traditional canvas for this style — full sleeve, full back, or full body-suit work, built as one continuous composition rather than a set of separate images placed near each other. These are multi-session projects and I plan the full layout before we start the first piece of it, so everything added later sits correctly within the whole.
Smaller pieces — flowers and standalone motifs. Not every Japanese-style tattoo needs to be a sleeve. Cherry blossom (sakura), peony (botan), and chrysanthemum (kiku) all work beautifully as smaller, self-contained pieces — a good entry point into the style, or a piece that stands completely on its own.

Is This You?

• You want a large-scale piece — sleeve, back, or body-suit — built as one connected composition, not separate tattoos placed near each other
• You're drawn to traditional motifs (dragons, masks, koi, florals) but want them designed specifically for you, not copied from a flash sheet
• You already have Japanese-style work and want to extend or connect it into a bigger piece
• You want a smaller, standalone piece — a single flower or compact mask — as an entry point into the style

If any of that sounds like what you're after, send me a photo of the area you're thinking of and any reference images that speak to you, and let's talk about what's possible.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does a full sleeve or back piece take? It depends on the size and density of the design, but expect it to be a multi-session project planned out from the start — I'll give you a realistic session count once the full composition is designed.
Do I need to already have Japanese-style tattoos to get one piece done in this style? No. A single dragon, mask, or flower works perfectly well as a standalone piece — you don't need to commit to a full sleeve to work in this style.
Can you match new work to Japanese-style tattoos I already have from another artist? Often, yes — send me photos of your existing work and we'll talk through what's realistic for extending or connecting it.
Is irezumi-style tattooing more painful because of the bold linework? Not inherently — pain depends more on placement and session length than style. Larger pieces mean more total time in the chair, which is the main difference from a smaller, single-session tattoo.
Can I mix Japanese motifs with a different style? I'll always tell you honestly if a combination will work visually or fight against itself — some blending works well, some doesn't, and it depends on the specific motifs and placement.