On 10–11 October 2026, Nitra belonged to tattoo artists who refuse to settle for what they already know. Next Level Tattoo Academy was created as a live weekend seminar for artists who are already tattooing and have clients, but feel they’ve stopped moving forward. Instead of dry theory, the programme was built around real work: black-and-grey and colour tattooing performed live, technique breakdowns, design and client work, as well as how to photograph, present and price your work properly.
The seminar was led by Roland Owec, a multi-award-winning tattoo artist with more than eleven years of experience, owner of 3DE Tattoo studio in Nové Zámky and founder of 3DE Tattoo School. Participants could follow the entire process from design to finished piece, step by step, asking questions along the way about whatever holds them back – from linework and shading to colour and contrast, all the way to pricing and building a name for themselves. Roland shared not only his technique, but also his journey into tattooing and the experiences that shaped his style.
The greatest value of the weekend, however, was the people. An amazing group of artists came together, openly sharing their stories, insights and doubts, and in just two days became a true community. We learned from each other, inspired one another, and left knowing that none of us is in this alone. This is exactly the atmosphere we hoped to create – and it exceeded all our expectations.
A big thank you goes to our partners Pro Elite Tattoo and Quantum Tattoo Ink SK, who supported the seminar and prepared packs of tattoo supplies and inks for the participants. The event was organised and supported by Ink Legends Magazine, and live production and video post-production were handled by the pixelent.sk team. Thank you to everyone who was part of this weekend – we’re already looking forward to the next level.
Author: Lenka Banyarova, published on November 3rd.