Contrast
Light only exists because of the dark it's pulled from. Every piece is built on that tension first.
Black & Grey Realism · Fort Lauderdale
Portraits, statues & legends — large custom black-and-grey pieces, built over full-day sessions.
I About
The long
way here.
I'm Ivan, and I work only in black and grey. Large custom pieces are my focus: full sleeves, backs, chests and panels, though I'll gladly take a single strong piece too. Every design is built from scratch for the person wearing it, never copied off someone else's skin.
What matters most to me happens before the machine ever turns on: understanding your idea, choosing the right placement, and planning the composition so it flows with your body and holds its contrast for life. I care how a piece looks once it's healed and years down the line, not just fresh under a phone light.
I came to this the long way. I grew up in Serbia with very little, and spent years working in medicine before I found tattooing almost by chance and knew, from that first day, it was what I'd do for life. I taught myself from nothing, left home with one suitcase, built my own studio in Germany, took awards at conventions, and earned an artist visa to the United States. When I'm not tattooing, I paint, the same obsession in another form.
II Selected Work
The Gallery
Most of these are healed — years in the skin, not days. That's how a tattoo actually looks, and the only honest way to judge one. Tap any piece to view it full-screen.
01
Saint Michael
02
Caesar
03
Olympus
04
Capone
05
The Statue
06
The Dragon
III What Holds Up
Four things every piece needs
Depth
Skin isn't flat, and neither is the work. Shadow gives it a body you can feel from the side.
Readability
It has to read from across the room and hold up an inch away. Clarity is the discipline.
Longevity
Made to age like stone. Placed and packed to still be here, and still be clear, in thirty years.
IV Questions
Before you book
Do you tattoo in color?
No, I keep it black and grey only. It's what I love and all I do, so you'll always get my strongest work.
Do you do cover-ups?
I don't take cover-ups, sorry. I work on fresh skin, or rework a healed piece of my own.
What kind of designs do you take on?
My focus is large custom work (full sleeves, backs, chest and front panels), but I'll gladly take a single piece too, like a forearm, upper arm or calf. Every design is custom, made digitally and built to fit your body. I'm happy to work from your ideas and references, but I won't copy someone else's tattoo one-for-one. I build you something that's truly yours.
How much does a session cost?
A full day is $2,500. I only take one client a day, so the time is all yours, start to finish.
Are there placements you won't tattoo?
A few spots I skip: hands, fingers, and the front or side of the neck. Everything else is fair game.
How do I book?
Easy. Fill out the form just below with your idea, a placement photo, and up to five references, and I'll get back to you personally. A deposit holds your date and comes off the session.
V Booking
Tattoo bookings
Here's how a session works. Read the terms, tell me what you want to make, and send it over — you'll hear back from me directly.