There are projects that ask for a kind of loyalty. Not just time, but a genuine desire to come back, session after session, to build something that doesn't reveal itself straight away. And sometimes it takes a lot of tattoo sessions to get there.
A message in a bottle
I often put projects out there like this. An idea, an artistic direction, an image thrown out without really knowing what it will become. We live in a world of likes, shares, numbers that make you feel like if something doesn't get 200 reactions it doesn't exist. So you watch. 20 likes. You think, this is never going anywhere.
But it only takes one person. Not twenty, not forty. One. One arm. Thomas.
From Paris to Avignon
Thomas is from Paris. He'd seen my full arm Mucha project on Instagram, posted as an open idea. He messaged quickly, then took the train to Avignon to start the project. Honestly, I didn't think it would happen.
But he came. And let's just say we have a lot of sessions behind us now.
Since then, the arm has been building slowly. Several sessions at the studio, two full days at the Marseille convention, then more appointments stretching the story further.
One detail worth mentioning: Thomas is nearly two metres tall, so a project like this takes on a whole different scale. The skin becomes a much larger, more demanding canvas.
What I love about Mucha
What I love about Mucha's universe isn't just the aesthetic. It's the way everything feels naturally fluid. The figures never look frozen. The ornaments extend the lines of the body. Nothing is trying too hard. It's also what feeds my approach to Art Nouveau tattooing, where the composition always follows the body's movement.
For this arm, the idea wasn't to reproduce a poster or copy a style. I wanted to find a feeling. Something soft, almost ancient, with colours that feel more like a painting than a classic tattoo.
The palette
Slightly faded greens, powdery pinks, very soft blues. Shades that settle in gradually. This kind of colour takes time, you have to build depth without losing lightness.
The long game
Each session brings a new reading of the project. One part reveals the next. Some zones stay open for several weeks before finding their balance. That's often the case with large tattoo projects, where everything builds progressively rather than in a single step.
That's maybe what I love most about big projects — the feeling that they never reveal themselves all at once. They build like a story written slowly, with trust, patience, and a genuine desire to see it through. And that's also what I love about the work done at Graphicaderme Avignon, where every project takes the time to find its place.
Yes, it's a format I offer regularly. Every project is conceived around the person's morphology and intentions. The best way to discuss it is through the contact form or via Instagram.
It depends on many things, the size of the arm, the complexity of the project, how the skin heals. On a project like Thomas's, we're talking about many sessions spread over several months. It's a commitment over time, not a decision to take lightly.
Yes, I take part in conventions regularly, including Avignon, Marseille, and the Cantal Ink The Skin in Chaudes-Aigues. It's possible to continue an existing project or start a new one. Dates are announced on Instagram and on the blog.
Yes. I regularly travel for projects and conventions. If you're based in London and interested in a project, feel free to get in touch, we can find a way to make it work.
Via the contact form or directly on Instagram.
