We were lucky to catch up with Hakan Adik recently and have shared our conversation below.

Hakan, appreciate you joining us today. Have you been able to earn a full-time living from your creative work? If so, can you walk us through your journey and how you made it happen? Was it like that from day one? If not, what were some of the major steps and milestones and do you think you could have sped up the process somehow knowing what you know now?

I started tattooing in 2014 in Istanbul. At the same time, I was taking drawing lessons and learning how to paint to improve my skills. Although the first few years were challenging, my passion for this craft and my hard work eventually paid off, establishing me as a recognized artist in the field.

I specialized in micro-realism tattoos, which became the foundation of my career. My gallery-style, painting-inspired tattoos were pivotal in shaping my artistic journey. Designs inspired by artists like Van Gogh, Monet, and Dalí helped me gain recognition and set me apart in the industry. Thanks to my creative works, many tattoo pages began featuring my designs, further boosting my visibility.

In 2024, I took a major step in my career by moving to New York, a city I had always dreamed of. This was a second milestone for me, providing opportunities to meet incredible people and continue growing as an artist.

Hakan, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

When it comes to my skills, my strength lies in creating highly creative and unique tattoos. For example, I can merge an iconic painting with a scene from Rick and Morty, or combine a Van Gogh masterpiece with a moment from Harry Potter. This allows me to design custom tattoos tailored specifically to each client’s vision, helping them get a truly personal piece of art.

I also specialize in colorful tattoos. I love working with colors because I don’t like being limited. I believe colors allow me to express anything and bring a design to life.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

For me, the most rewarding aspect of being an artist is being able to make people happy and leave them with the marks they want. That’s why I complete my entire process meticulously and by taking into account the demands of the person in front of me.

We’d love to hear the story of how you built up your social media audience?

Basically the best advice I can give is to always share your creative work with people. At the end of the day, they will be rewarded by society. However, quick-consumed and simple works are definitely forgotten.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: hakanadik