Our October 2025 cover features Michelle Bergen, a talented tattoo artist known for her refined style and creative vision. Her cover captures both strength and elegance, reflecting the essence of her work. In our exclusive interview, Michelle opens up about her artistic journey, influences, and what drives her passion for tattooing.
To start off, could you introduce yourself and share a bit about your journey as a tattoo artist?
First of all, thank you so much for featuring me and my art in your magazine. My name is Michelle Bergen, I’m 37 years old, and I’ve been tattooing for about 13–14 years now, 12 of those running my own little studio. As a child, I actually wanted to become a special effects makeup artist, but I got my first tattoo at 15. In my early 20s, under the supervision of my tattoo artist at the time, I tattooed myself for the first time—and what can I say, I was hooked. From then on, it was clear to me that the tattoo world was my path. I dutifully finished my training as a hairdresser (which was supposed to be the first step toward makeup artistry), but then I went looking for an apprenticeship in a tattoo studio. For many years, even after I became self-employed, I tattooed everything—tribal, fine line, old school. I was a typical “tattoo service provider.”
You’re known for specializing in realism. What drew you to this particular style?
Yes, realism has always been my true passion. Even as a child, whenever I drew, it was always in a realistic style. I used to sit in school and sketch portraits of my classmates. With Sailor Moon, my fascination for drawing female faces and bodies began. What captivates me about realism is that there’s always room to push the boundaries—you can always go further, make it sharper, more vivid, more lifelike. For me, it feels as though the horizon for improving in realism is endlessly open. The diversity of realism, the play of light and shadow, offers so much freedom, and that’s an incredible source of motivation for me.
Do you prefer working in color or black and gray? What unique challenges or differences do you find between the two?
I love both black and gray and color work, and I really enjoy the variety—they’re completely different worlds. Honestly, I’ve only been working more intensively with color for about two years, and mostly at conventions, since my regular clientele prefers black and gray. But I have to say, I’ve completely fallen in love with color realism—it feels almost easier to me in some ways. Both styles have their own challenges, though. With black and gray, achieving super smooth transitions without the needle marks showing is something I’m always trying to refine, working in layers and building strong contrast. I also think my black and gray tattoos more beautiful when healed, especially when the lighter tones lose the redness of the skin and soften nicely. With color, on the other hand, it’s much easier to overwork the skin. You need to find the right tone quickly, and color theory is extremely complex. But that, again, opens up new possibilities. With color you have another way to influence the mood and create deep, powerful emotions.
You’ve won several awards at conventions—congratulations on that achievement! What do these recognitions mean to you, and how do you view the role of conventions in the tattoo industry?
Thank you very much. Winning an award does mean a lot to me, of course, but there’s so much more to it. Entering a contest is always a personal challenge—can I finish my piece in time, stay calm despite the nerves, and push myself to grow? The objective comparison is also a great reality check to see where you stand. I find it very inspiring to meet other brilliant artists and see their work. My experience so far has been that conventions bring together the nicest people—artists I never would have met otherwise. You get to exchange ideas, sometimes even form friendships, and you learn so much from that, which helps you evolve. Plus, the atmosphere at a tattoo convention is simply different—even for the clients being tattooed there. It has its own kind of magic, and that makes all the stress of traveling, setting up, and tearing down absolutely worth it.
Was there a turning point in your career—whether through technique, education, or equipment—that had a major impact on your work?
Yes, I did have a turning point, though on a different level. Since I used to tattoo everything and fulfill every customer request, I started to lose myself. I was sliding straight into burnout. It all felt like assembly line work. The only way out was learning to say “no”—which was hard, because you love your clients and build relationships with them. But I didn’t want to tattoo every style anymore. That was the moment I decided to focus on realism. Of course, when you have a family with two children, a house, and you’re the main provider, it’s not easy to face those financial fears. Most of my clients back then were fine line clients, which couldn’t be further from my passion for realism. Saying no, however, gave me breathing room again and brought my passion back. This shift wasn’t that long ago, but looking back, it was the best decision I could have made—I only wish I’d made it sooner. It feels like I wasted years doing everything, because since focusing on realism, I can see just how much I’ve improved.
You come across as a very positive and approachable person. How important is building a connection with your clients when it comes to creating the overall tattoo experience?
I believe that building a strong connection with clients is essential. Many tattoos carry deep meaning, and being able to empathize and truly understand my clients is what makes a strong design possible. I think the best tattoos express profound emotions, and to put those emotions into art, you first have to feel them yourself. On top of that, my clients really open up to me—I’ve heard stories so intense that I’ve thought to myself, “Wow, this person is still standing strong despite everything.” That connection isn’t one-sided; it helps me grow too, and deepens my respect for life. I enjoy the flow I share with my clients, through both the sad and the joyful moments, and I’m grateful that they trust me with such intimate parts of their lives. It allows me to put a piece of my own soul into their tattoo.
Are there any exciting projects or future plans you’d like to share with us?
Right now, I’m having a lot of fun transforming anime characters into realistic versions. I’m sure more of those will follow. I’m also planning my first collaboration with another artist, and I’m excited about attending bigger conventions abroad—so far, I’ve only been working within Germany.
Outside of tattooing and art, what are some of your personal hobbies or passions?
As a mom of two, there isn’t much time left for hobbies outside of tattooing. But I do have a horse, and he’s my way to get out into nature, recharge, and of course get some exercise—because, well, I’m not getting any younger 🙂
