Today we’d like to introduce you to Bicem Sinik.
Hi Bicem, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I was born in Turkey into a family brimming with artistic talent. My parents, sister, and even my aunt are all artists, painters, or art teachers. Growing up surrounded by their creativity, I learned to draw and paint before I could even read or write. Our home was adorned with a vast collection of books from painters all over the world, serving as my early inspiration. I am proud to be part of such a creative and artistic family, and I strive to continue their legacy through my work as a tattoo artist.
I graduated from TR Ministry Of National Education Fine Arts High School, where I developed my skills as an artist. In 2016, I received a degree in Fine Arts Education from Uludag University, with a focus on Painting Education. My 8-year undergraduate program at the Department of Fine Arts Education has provided me with a solid foundation in my field and I have honed my skills as a tattoo artist through years of practice and dedication.
Throughout my 8 years of study in both high school and university, I was exposed to a wide range of art forms, including painting, graphic design, photography, ceramics, sculpture, textile, industrial design, serigraphy, oil painting, pencil drawing, and art history. I also honed my skills in contemporary art, museum education, design culture, art teaching, and English. This comprehensive education has allowed me to develop a deep understanding and appreciation of art and has equipped me with the skills and knowledge necessary to create truly unique and stunning tattoo designs.
I have a unique name, Biçem, derived from ancient Ottoman language, meaning “Style” in art. Perhaps it was destined for me, given my family background and upbringing. After completing high school and eight years of studying art and graphic design at university, I embarked on a career as a graphic and art designer at various agencies, working with renowned brands. While I enjoyed my work, I felt constrained creatively.
I am a multi-disciplinary creative with a background in graphic and art design and a deep appreciation for the history of art. In 2004, I began working as a freelance design art director for brand marketing and honed my skills in the corporate world for eight years. So, I made the decision to leave the corporate world and pursue my dream by training to be one of Turkey’s most famous tattoo artists. After years of intensive training, my natural artistic talent was recognized and I have been tattooing for the past 13 years.
Despite never imagining it, I stumbled into tattooing about 13 years ago as a hobby. Thanks to my close friendships with talented tattoo artists, I honed my skills by practicing on friends, using my own designs as gifts or for personal growth. I gained recognition fairly quickly for my unique style, which incorporated geometric and line work, departing from the conventional tattooing styles of the time.
Social media played a pivotal role in establishing my presence as a tattoo artist. By diligently sharing my work and designs online, I cultivated a loyal clientele base. My breakthrough came when platforms like Bored Panda and 9GAG shared my tattoos and story, propelling me onto the global stage as the first Turkish woman tattoo artist to be featured.
https://www.boredpanda.com/line-art-minimalist-tattoos-bicem-sinik/
https://9gag.com/gag/a9L0PZK/this-artist-creates-geometric-line-and-dot-tattoos-to-prove-less-is-more-bicem-sinik
However, shortly after my arrival, the city went into quarantine in March 2020.
In December 2020, representatives from Voice America, Turkey, and Plus 90 visited my studio in order to conduct an interview and shoot video footage. They subsequently shared the video on their respective YouTube and social media channels.
On a more personal note, I believe in the saying “a healthy mind comes from a healthy body.” I have followed a plant-based, gluten-free diet for six years and practice intermittent fasting. I feel much better than I did in my twenties and more connected to nature. I also do yoga, go to the gym, and bike or cycle every day. I enjoy going out to parties and festivals as part of my lifestyle and how I like to enjoy life.
I have a future business plan to open a Vegan Brand, Café, and Market that would focus on serving and selling healthy products. As a start, I have already begun making organic plant-based products. With my graphic agency and branding background, I plan to create my own food brand that will be approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and certified organic by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA).
In addition to this, I am also planning to build an organic and wild farm for producing and growing healthy foods from Heirloom seeds without the use of pesticides.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Leaving behind my stable job to pursue a career as a tattoo artist wasn’t an easy decision. Learning the intricacies of skin, needles, and techniques took time and dedication. At that time, being a tattoo artist wasn’t as widely accepted as it is now, and I had to keep it hidden from my family initially. However, once they understood my passion and dedication to my art, they supported and respected my decision.
As one of the few women tattoo artists at the time, I didn’t have the traditional path of working in a tattoo shop. Instead, my clientele grew through word of mouth and those who already knew me.
Transitioning into tattooing full-time was daunting. Unlike the digital realm where “Ctrl+Z” offers an undo button, tattooing demanded precision and permanence. Despite the initial challenges, I fell in love with the medium, relishing the opportunity to express myself on a different canvas – the human body.
I have found peace and passion in tattooing. Of course, there have been moments when I wondered if I should continue, but then I would receive a letter or email from a customer expressing their appreciation for their tattoo. There were also times when I saw tears of joy in my clients’ eyes after giving them a tattoo. Those moments make my day and motivate me to keep doing what I’m good at. I feel very grateful and lucky to have met so many amazing people through tattooing.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
When I started tattooing, I always aimed to create designs that reflected my minimalist and geometric style, influenced by my background in graphic design. I mostly use Illustrator and vector programs to design my tattoos, favoring fine lines and light shading in engraving or dot-work styles. This technique has been a part of my art since high school, where I studied graphic illustration and art. Back then, I used very fine line Rapidograph pens, filling them with ink myself to create realistic or minimalist clean line works on canvas. This approach naturally translated into my tattoo style.
At the time, there weren’t many artists working in this way, which set me apart and made my style unique. Additionally, being a tattoo artist without any tattoos myself made me somewhat of an anomaly.
Tattoo machines and needles used to be quite cumbersome, and with my small hands, they were challenging to handle. Thankfully, modern machines have become much smaller and lighter, even resembling pens, which has made them much more manageable for me.
To showcase my vision, I used Photoshop and Illustrator to create tattoo concepts on photos of my own arms. This approach garnered a lot of attention, and I received numerous emails from people who admired these concepts and asked if I could create something similar for them. Here are some posts from my Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/p/B3pJ7IZJWFF/?igsh=anA5bnA4bDU5YWI1
https://www.instagram.com/p/B-UoACHJpJ6/?igsh=MXhhdWlmNzdrbXpkdQ==
https://www.instagram.com/p/CHAqdBPpMHt/?igsh=MTZ1NW94Z3pqYzY5NQ==
I have great respect for large, dark, realistic full-cover tattoos—they are impressive feats of art on a challenging canvas. However, I prefer to see the skin, muscles, and natural form of the body through the tattoo lines and ink. I enjoy creating designs that flow seamlessly with the body’s contours, rather than disrupting this flow with heavy or dark ink.
These days, not having a tattoo is quite extraordinary, as almost everyone either has one or is considering getting one. Tattoos are a unique form of self-expression and personal decoration, setting us apart and making our bodies distinct.
I always tell my clients, “Let’s start light and thin. We can always add more, but we can’t take it back.” This approach ensures that the tattoos enhance rather than overpower the natural beauty of the body.
Interestingly, despite my profession, I didn’t have any tattoos myself for the first three years. It took drawing inspiration from my childhood hobby of collecting mineral stones and gems to create my first tattoo – a quartz stone on my finger, which later became the logo for my tattoo brand. Here is my first tattoo and my logo;
https://www.instagram.com/p/j1YQ_om68y/?igsh=NzJmYnBndW8xcG9x
When I did my first tattoo on an actual skin, it was incredibly challenging, and I wasn’t satisfied with the result. I knew I could do better if it weren’t on the skin or with a tattoo machine. However, my tattoo artist friend reassured me that it was a commendable first tattoo. Now, I understand the significance of that experience. Here’s a photo of my first tattoo on human skin:
https://www.instagram.com/p/PxZa5SG688/?igsh=MXgxeTZmOHk0b3B6Ng==
Before I began tattooing on human skin, I practiced on bananas and fake plastic skin. Here’s a photo of me practicing on a banana and fake plastic skin:
https://www.instagram.com/p/PPMX74m65h/?igsh=c3p1MWt6NXpieXJn
I’ve always approached sharing my work with a sense of branding and aesthetics, likely influenced by my background in agencies.
During that period, I had the opportunity to collaborate with renowned brands serving as both their face and designer.
I have participated in several projects with well-known brands, including PUMA, Adidas, and Samsung. I collaborated with Adidas Turkey on their “Future House” project, where I taught tattoo workshops and seminars.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BLlC89xA016/?igsh=NGw3MGFwNHE3N3Bu
https://www.instagram.com/p/BNPI_QLAdhb/?igsh=MWI0OGVvOHY0MTVxZQ==
https://www.instagram.com/p/BhdzaS9HE8u/?igsh=NTU4dzd5MWMyb3Jk
https://www.instagram.com/p/BudppMcBISC/?igsh=dGdkenczc2ZhdGg=
I also worked with Samsung Turkiye to create their first pen cell phone, which allowed users to design tattoos on their phones. I was featured in their commercial demonstrating how to create a tattoo design using a Samsung cell phone.
Prior to relocating to New York, I had been featured in The New York Times America’s 36 Hours television program in the Istanbul episode. During their visit, I tattooed the host of the show, Kristen Kish, an American chef who is renowned for having won the tenth season of Top Chef.
https://www.instagram.com/p/B-fBRwWJDTo/?igsh=MWJoNmFobHVlamMydA==
https://www.instagram.com/p/3qU_v4m63c/?igsh=N3cxMTVzNHpsbzk1
In the meantime, I’ve ventured into guest tattooing in various countries. I’ve had the privilege of tattooing in Athens, Berlin, Barcelona, Paris, London, and New York. Initially, my intention wasn’t to relocate to New York City. In 2017, I visited as a guest artist for two months and fell in love with the city. I returned in early 2019 with plans for another short stay, but it extended into a year, during which I obtained my 01-B extraordinary eligibility visa. Eventually, I made the decision to move to New York and have been living in Brooklyn’s Williamsburg neighborhood ever since. It’s been five years now, and I couldn’t be more grateful. New York truly feels like my new home, where I’ve found fresh inspiration and connected with amazing artists who continue to inspire me.
As a designer, In addition to my tattoo designs, I also create jewelry inspired by my tattoos. I have a small collection of solid 14K gold pieces in my studio, including chains, Saturn pendants, quartz stone illustration pendants based on my logo, and some signature pinky rings.
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https://www.instagram.com/p/CdGOn6sOrjW/?igsh=eGx3Z3B4bGYxcHd1
https://www.instagram.com/p/CdN9B3funnE/?igsh=MTJyaDk5YngzazJoMw==
I continue to enjoy creating and drawing in various mediums. In the past, I have particularly enjoyed wood-burning and light installation projects. Here are some videos from my Instagram;
https://www.instagram.com/tv/CMcTMhcJyGz/?igsh=ZnNrOHIyYWVxenVy
https://www.instagram.com/tv/B9HbRKepIIg/?igsh=MWFrMWpxaGx6d255OQ==
https://www.instagram.com/tv/B_cr_cgpJjz/?igsh=ZThrNndiOGlwbGdt
https://www.instagram.com/tv/B_-S4k3Jrc8/?igsh=ZWk4ZTZ4bjIwYnhm
https://www.instagram.com/p/B_nCWWrpWHj/?igsh=MWhmeTN1and5em9qNw==
https://www.instagram.com/p/CAF3iJRp6ww/?igsh=MXNuM2ZwZWcxNGIwdg==
I have been also planning to open a large art studio where people can create art, get tattoos, and use the space for galleries and events. Many young artists have expressed interest, and I’d love to provide a space for them to learn and create. Perhaps in the future, when the time is right, this dream will come to fruition.
Is there any advice you’d like to share with our readers who might just be starting out?
In those 13 years, I received numerous emails and messages from people, including friends, who expressed that I was their idol and inspiration. Many of them shared how they changed their career path to become tattoo artists after discovering my work, which was incredibly humbling for me. I gladly offered guidance and assistance to those who reached out, teaching them the art of tattooing.
Some of these individuals have gone on to achieve great success in the tattooing industry, while others found it challenging and stressful. However, I always emphasized the importance of being unique in their designs and style. It’s immensely rewarding for me when customers recognize my work and attribute tattoos to me. Hearing stories of people identifying my style is truly meaningful to me.
I have found peace and passion in tattooing. Of course, there have been moments when I wondered if I should continue, but then I would receive a letter or email from a customer expressing their appreciation for their tattoo. There were also times when I saw tears of joy in my clients’ eyes after giving them a tattoo. Those moments make my day and motivate me to keep doing what I’m good at. I feel very grateful and lucky to have met so many amazing people through tattooing.
On a more personal note, I believe in the saying “a healthy mind comes from a healthy body.” I have followed a plant-based, gluten-free diet for six years and practice intermittent fasting. I feel much better than I did in my twenties and more connected to nature. I also do yoga, go to the gym, and bike or cycle every day. I enjoy going out to parties and festivals as part of my lifestyle and how I like to enjoy life.
Pricing:
- I don’t provide quotes for tattoos on an hourly basis like many tattoo artists do. For me, tattooing is an art form, and the cost depends on the level of detail and size of the tattoo. I prefer not to stress myself or my clients about the passage of time during the tattooing process. What matters most to me is ensuring that both my clients and I are enjoying ourselves and that they leave my studio feeling happy and satisfied with their tattoo.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://bicem-sinik.tumblr.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bicemsinik/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bicem.sinik/
- SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/user-891305094
- Other: https://tr.pinterest.com/bicemsinik/