Shamil "SYFi" is a talented tattoo artist hailing from Brooklyn, New York, and currently a resident artist at Skin Design Tattoo in SoHo, New York. With 6 years of professional experience, he specializes in a variety of tattoo styles, including Traditional, Neotraditional, Black and Grey Realism, and other illustrative works...

Known for his attention to detail, Shamil places a high priority on the connection between his clients and their tattoos. He focuses on elements like composition, flow, contrast, legibility, and longevity to ensure that each tattoo not only looks great in the moment but will continue to stand the test of time. His easy-going personality and sense of humor make him a great collaborator, allowing for a smooth brainstorming and design process with his clients.

BACKGROUND:

Shamil was born in Baku, Azerbaijan. Due to frequent power outages, he taught himself how to draw under the light of an oil lamp, at the age of three, in order to pass the time. Since then, art became an integral part of his life. Shamil comes from two generations of shoemakers, so at the age of seven and in pursuit of better opportunities, his family moved to Brooklyn, New York. 

With pressure from his family from a young age to study medicine or law, he pursued an academic path to Optometry while working as a paralegal in a law office. But after graduating from college with a B.S. in Psychology and a minor in Studio Art in the Spring of 2017, Shamil had a revelation that his true passion will always be intertwined with art. He decided to fully immerse himself into the trade of tattooing, which integrated his love for art and science. ​