...
Call us Enroll Now
Online seminar · Anastasis "Anko" Koukoulas

Tattoo portraits that look alive.

The exact method behind Anko's award-winning black and grey and colour portraits: machines, needles, stencils, colour mixing and two full live portraits, filmed in super-zoom. Skip the 11 years of trial and error.

Watch the trailerSee exactly how the seminar is filmed
10+Years of realism
2h 41mCore seminar
2Live portraits
∞Lifetime access
Champion1st place · Cyprus 2023
SponsoredInkjecta machines
SponsoredKwadron needles
FeaturedInked Magazine

Tattooing realism is no easy task

Clients want a portrait of their child, not their neighbour’s. They want a lion, not a dog in a wig.

Realism separates the amateurs from the masters. Clients pay well for it, but only when the result is excellent. As Anko puts it: “It’s easy to learn the techniques that are involved in tattooing, but it’s very hard to master it.”
  • Blowouts, because machine speed and hand speed don't match.
  • Patchy packing and black that heals grey instead of staying dark.
  • Stencils that fade halfway through a long session.
  • Portraits that go too dark on the first pass, which is permanent.
  • Great work that heals badly, or photographs flat and full of glare.

The fastest path to mastery

There have always been two ways to learn from a master.
Now there’s a third.

I was self-taught. It wasn’t bad, but it took me 11 years and a lot of headaches. The best way to become a master is to learn from other masters, and the earlier you start, the better.
Way 1

The apprenticeship

If you're lucky, you get to spend hours watching a master work.

  • Very few places available
  • Only where the master lives
  • Years before you see it all
Way 2

The seminar trip

Sometimes you can attend a live seminar and pick up a few tips.

  • One day, then it's over
  • Travel and hotel costs
  • No way to rewatch the hard parts
Way 3 · This seminar

Everything, recorded raw

Everything I've learned from years of working, travelling, competing and talking to the best artists in the world.

  • Watch from anywhere in the world
  • Rewatch any step, as often as you need
  • Lifetime access, for less than one trip
Anko, founder of Viaticum Gallery
Founder · Hyperrealism

Anko

HyperrealismPortraitsColour realism

Your instructor

A decade of realism,
distilled.

Anastasis “Anko” Koukoulas is a multi-sponsored realism artist and the owner of Viaticum Gallery in Oslo, featured in Inked Magazine. He specialises in black and grey and colour realism. This seminar is the method behind his work, taught step by step.
“I’ve worked hard, travelled, competed and talked to some of the best artists and tattoo business owners in the world to gather this knowledge. I’m confident that I won’t disappoint you.”

A LETTER FROM THE ARTIST

More about Anko →

What’s inside

From bare steel to a portfolio that sells.

Eight chapters that take you through the whole process, in the same order Anko works in his own studio.
01

The station

Dry-heat or steam autoclave, a true sterile zone, and the glove routine you never break. Anko builds his full station on camera.

02

Machines and strokes

Which stroke for which mark, from 2.5 mm to 5.0 mm, why "perfect voltage" doesn't exist, and Anko's two-machine pair.

03

Needles

Read any needle code at a glance, plus Anko's exact setups for black and grey and for colour.

04

Stencils

The 6-step application that keeps a stencil on the skin after twelve hours of tattooing.

05

Colour theory on the needle

Mix on the needle, not in the cup. Includes carriers, warm and cold dip ratios and the Procreate palette trick.

06

Two live portraits

Colour realism on a client and black and grey on practice skin, start to finish, with every choice explained.

07

Healing

A great heal starts at the needle. Anko's day-by-day second-skin routine for layered realism.

08

Photography and editing

Soft box, polarising film, a raw preset, dodge and burn. Show your work the way it really looks.

The standard

Built to be seen up close.

This is the level of work the seminar teaches: hyper-realistic portraits that hold up even at 200% zoom.
FREE19 pages Realistic Tattooing Seminar free preview guide

Free preview guide

Not ready yet?
Read the first chapters free.

A 19-page guide straight from the seminar: Anko’s exact needle setups, the stencil method that lasts twelve hours, the six layering rules and his full photo setup.
  • IThe artist and who it's forP. 04
  • IIFoundationsP. 06
  • IIILive portraitsP. 12
  • IVHealing, photography and editingP. 14
  • VStudents and enrolmentP. 17

Watch the trailer

See exactly how you’ll learn.

Student Results · Before & After

Same artists.
A different level.

Real work from artists who took the seminar. On the left, a tattoo from before they learned the method. On the right, what they’re tattooing now. No filters, no tricks, just the techniques from the course put into practice.
Before After
Student
01/ 09

Enrol today

Learn the method
behind the work.

MOTIVATIONAL CONTENT

You are not alone, hear Anko’s stories and ups and downs in the industry. Stay focused, stress free and be your best! Never give up. Art will always create magic.

UNLIMITED SUPPORT

This course does not expire. Learn without time limits, at your own pace. Lifetime support through Anko’s email and social media.

100% ENGLISH AUDIO

Access your course in a second from any mobile device.

VIDEOS IN FULL HD AND SUPER ZOOM

So you can see the tattoo in detail as if it were right in front of your eyes (or closer).

After the seminar, you'll be able to:

  • Set up a clean, sterile station step by step
  • Mix accurate colours directly on the needle
  • Choose strokes, voltage and needles on purpose
  • Build a portrait in the right order of values
  • Apply stencils that last through long sessions
  • Photograph and edit your work for your portfolio
★★★★★

"I already had a few years of tattooing behind me, so I wasn't expecting to learn much. I was wrong. Anastasis showed me a completely different way of approaching design and contrast, and his equipment advice alone saved me months of trial and error."

Anna A.

✓ Verified user
★★★★★

"The level of precision Anastasis teaches is on another level. Every lesson pushed me to slow down and really look at what I was doing. It honestly feels like having a mentor standing next to you while you work."

Migle S.

✓ Verified user
★★★★★

"I come from a drawing and illustration background, and turning that into tattooing was always the hard part for me. This course bridged that gap perfectly. Anastasis explains how skin behaves differently from paper, and that changed everything for me."

Luciana F.

✓ Verified user
★★★★★

"This course went way beyond what I expected. Every step is broken down so clearly that even as a beginner I never felt lost. I learned more in a few weeks than I thought was possible. A must for anyone serious about tattooing."

Stavros K.

✓ Verified user
★★★★★

"I wanted to start tattooing for years but never knew where to begin. This course gave me a clear path and the confidence to actually pick up the machine. The videos are easy to follow and Anastasis's passion comes through in every lesson."

Nikos G.

✓ Verified user
★★★★★

"Smooth black and grey gradients were always my weak spot. After going through the shading modules, I finally understand how to build tone in layers instead of forcing it. My realism work looks cleaner and heals much better now."

Filippos X.

✓ Verified user
★★★★★

"What I love most is how well the course is structured. I could go at my own pace, rewatch the tricky parts as many times as I needed, and every lesson builds naturally on the one before. It never felt overwhelming."

Carina W.

✓ Verified user
★★★★★

"The parts on composition and placement were eye-opening. I used to focus only on the tattoo itself, but Anastasis teaches you how to design for the body and how the piece will flow. My stencils and layouts have improved so much."

Veronica S.

✓ Verified user
★★★★★

"No fluff, no filler, just real technique explained honestly. The lessons on skin texture and contrast completely changed how I approach realism. I rethought my whole process after just a few modules."

Vera S.

✓ Verified user
★★★★★

"I hesitated for a long time, thinking I could just learn everything from free videos online. This course proved me wrong. The depth and clarity here are on a completely different level, and it's worth every cent."

Olga K.

✓ Verified user
★★★★★

"The technical side was exactly what I was missing. Machine setup, needle choices, voltage, hygiene, all explained in a simple and practical way. I finally understand why things work instead of just copying settings from others."

Andreea O.

✓ Verified user
★★★★★

"I've taken other online courses before and none of them come close. Anastasis is as passionate about teaching as he is about tattooing, and it shows. My clients have already noticed the difference in my latest pieces."

Damien E.

✓ Verified user

Questions

Frequently asked questions

This is the level of work the seminar teaches: hyper-realistic portraits that hold up even at 200% zoom.

Is this seminar right for beginners?

Yes. Beginners get the most out of it, because you learn hygiene, machines and needles properly from day one. Working artists use it to fix blowouts, patchy packing and fading stencils, and realism artists go deep on colour mixing and value building.

Does it cover black and grey or colour?

Both. You watch one colour realism portrait on a client and one black and grey portrait on practice skin, each from start to finish.

How long is it, and how long can I watch it?

The core seminar is 2 hours 41 minutes. Your access never expires, so you can rewatch any part as often as you like, at your own pace.

When do I get access?

Straight after checkout. It works on phone, iPad and desktop, wherever you live.

Can I ask questions?

Yes. Every video has its own Q&A section, and you get lifetime support by email at [email protected] and on social media at @ankotattoos.

What's in the free guide?

A 19-page preview of the seminar: Anko’s needle setups, stencil method, layering rules, healing routine and photo setup.