Competition Categories
The motif/theme (aside from the main categories), style, and placement of the competition tattoo are up to each participant's choice, but it must fall into one of the categories.
All tattoos, including stencil placement, must be completed exclusively within the premises of the Tattoo Festival. Each competition tattoo—or even just a part of it—can be entered into **only one** of the following categories. This ensures fairness and allows each piece to be judged within its appropriate artistic framework.
One-day categories: Friday
BLACK/BLACK & GREY
– Tattoo created using black ink, or black ink combined with shading colors or shades of gray
– The tattoo can be of any size, style, and technique.
– The use of white ink is allowed.
– Any size, style, and technique.
– The use of any other color is prohibited.
– Deadline on Friday at 18:30 (tattooing time is 9.5 hours).
COLOR
– Color tattoo using at least 5 different colors.
– Any size, style, and technique.
– Deadline on Friday at 18:30 (tattooing time is 9.5 hours).
CARTOON / ANIME
– This includes cartoon/anime, drawn characters, video game characters, mythical creatures, fairy tale beings, etc.
– Any colors and size.
– Deadline on Friday at 18:30 (tattooing time is 9.5 hours).
NEOTRIBAL / CYBERSIGILISM
– Any colors with a theme of neotribal or cybersigilism.
– Any colors and size.
– Deadline on Friday at 18:30 (tattooing time is 9.5 hours).
OLD SCHOOL
– This includes traditional tattoos, characterized by bold black outlines, a limited color palette, and iconic motifs.
– Any size.
– Deadline on Friday at 18:30 (tattooing time is 9.5 hours).
ROOKIE
– This category is exclusively for beginners, i.e., people who started tattooing in 2024 (if you tattooed in 2023 or earlier, you do not belong in this category); in case of violation of this condition, the award may be revoked even afterward.
– Any colors, size, and style.
– Deadline on Friday at 18:30 (tattooing time is 9.5 hours).
Two-day categories: Friday and Saturday
BLACK/BLACK & GREY 2days
Mandatory theme: MOVIE
– Tattoo created using black ink, or black ink combined with shading colors or shades of gray
– The tattoo can be of any size, and any technique can be used.
– The use of white ink is allowed.
– Any size, style, and technique.
– The use of any other color is prohibited.
– Deadline on Saturday at 18:30 (tattooing time is 19 hours).
COLOR 2days
Mandatory theme: MOVIE
– Color tattoo using at least 5 different colors.
– The tattoo can be of any size, and any technique can be used.
– Any size, style, and technique.
– Deadline on Saturday at 18:30 (tattooing time is 19 hours).
SMALL TATTOO
– Only small tattoos up to 6×6 cm.
– Any colors and style.
– Size configurations such as 7×5 cm, 8×4 cm, etc., are prohibited – the size of 6 cm must not be exceeded.
– A tattoo artist who is registered in another category on the first day of the tattoo festival can also enter the SMALL category.
– This category is primarily intended as a supplementary category, meaning it is possible to enter it alongside your preferred category.
– Each tattoo artist can enter this category with only one tattoo.
– Deadline on Saturday at 18:30.
EROTIC / PORN
– Any style and any colors with an erotic theme (from nudes to hardcore porn).
– Any size, any colors, any style, and technique.
– Deadline on Saturday at 18:30 (tattooing time is 19 hours).
FREEHAND
– Any style and any colors, with the only condition being that the entire tattoo must be done exclusively within the premises of the Tattoo Festival, without the use of stencils.
– Any size, any colors, any style, and technique.
– Deadline on Saturday at 18:30 (tattooing time is 19 hours).
GEOMETRY / MANDALA
– Any style, size, and colors with a theme of geometry or mandala.
– Any size, any colors, any style, and technique.
– Deadline on Saturday at 18:30 (tattooing time is 19 hours).