From a First Tattoo to a Full Body Suit: Willis’ Journey in a Paris Tattoo Studio

In October 2019, Willis was 18.
He had just come back from his first hardcore festival, Thunderdome. The adrenaline, the music, the atmosphere – everything was still buzzing in his mind when he made an impulsive decision. He walked into a tattoo studio with a very specific idea: getting the festival’s logo tattooed across his entire chest, in color.

The appointment was booked.
Three days later, the excitement faded. Willis canceled the session.

He lost €100 in deposit, but today he considers that decision one of the best he ever made. In fact, he doesn’t spend time in that scene anymore, as it no longer aligns with his values.

“Looking back, I realized I didn’t want to start getting tattooed for the wrong reasons.”

That aborted first attempt ultimately laid the foundation for everything that followed.

His first project is eventually done by Lola. The design is personal: his initial, surrounded by a crown and acanthus leaves. The session lasts three hours.

When he leaves the studio, something has already shifted.

“I was satisfied… but more importantly, I already had new ideas in mind.”

Very quickly, Willis feels the urge to move toward something much more ambitious. He books a consultation with Moka, a tattoo artist known for his realism work in Paris.

In October 2022, they meet to discuss a full leg project.

The initial concept blends several inspirations:
Paris on the upper leg, a map of France on the knee, and the French Riviera on the lower leg.

But Willis hesitates. He has never seen anything similar on the artist’s Instagram. Eventually, he decides to trust him.

In January 2023, the first session begins. When he sees the result, all doubts disappear instantly.

“When I saw the outcome, it literally took my breath away.” The entire leg eventually becomes a tribute to Paris – its monuments, architecture, and feminine figures.

The project has just taken on a completely new dimension.

From that point on, tattooing is no longer about isolated pieces. It becomes a global project.
Each part of the body turns into a chapter of a larger composition.

The right leg is dedicated to the French Riviera, Willis’ favorite region after Paris, with Mediterranean landscapes and architecture.

At the center of the body, the chest features a female portrait surrounded by roses, acanthus leaves, and two hands holding a diamond.

The acanthus leaves gradually become the visual thread connecting the entire project – linking the neck, ears, stomach, feet, and even the hips.

Slowly, the whole composition starts to feel like a single artwork.

“My goal is a living piece of art – harmonious and coherent.”

The project evolves through a genuine collaborative process.

Willis spends a lot of time searching for images and visual references. He even bought Procreate Pocket to start shaping some of his ideas.

Moka then reworks those inspirations, adjusts the composition, and proposes alternatives.

“It’s a real partnership.”

Over time and through many sessions, Willis became much more than just a client – a genuine friendship developed between him and the team at the studio.

Today, Willis no longer sees his body as a collection of tattoos. For him, everything has become one single piece.

“I see it as a living artwork.”

The next step will be the back, which will become the central piece connecting the entire project.

After that will come the arms and hands.

Once his full body tattoo is finished, Willis would like to enter a tattoo competition at a convention – and maybe even work as a photo model.

But ultimately, the project goes far beyond aesthetics.

“A tattoo doesn’t necessarily have meaning when you get it. But over time, it can gain meaning – or be interpreted differently by everyone, like a piece of art.”

And that’s exactly what his body has become. A living artwork.