millington_tattoo

Hey there, I’m Ruslan. I’ve been living and breathing tattooing for as long as I can remember—basically my entire conscious life. I’m a self-taught artist who learned the hard (and fun) way: endless hours of spilled ink, stacks of sketchbooks, and the vast, chaotic classroom of the internet. Forums, YouTube tutorials, late-night sketch sessions—I studied other artists’ work like it was my job before it actually became one. Even before tattooing, I was drawn to art in all its forms. So how did it all start? At 15, I came across a video showing how to make a DIY tattoo machine. Naturally, I couldn’t resist. That same day, I pieced together a machine with whatever I could find, grabbed a friend, and gave them their first (and very questionable) tattoo. Gel pen ink, a lot of alcohol for “sterilization,” and zero experience—it was chaotic, hilarious, and hands-down the coolest thing I’d ever done. From that moment, I was hooked. Determined to turn my obsession into something real, I got my first job at a construction site and saved every penny for a proper tattoo kit. My mom didn’t just tolerate my new passion—she supported me wholeheartedly (shoutout to Mom for always having my back!). By 17, I was working at a studio, taking walk-ins, and learning everything I could on the job. These days, that scrappy 15-year-old with a homemade tattoo machine feels like a lifetime ago, but the excitement hasn’t faded. I’m still chasing that feeling, still learning, still creating. For me, tattooing is so much more than a job—it’s about connection, storytelling, and turning fleeting ideas into something permanent and meaningful.