Polish tattoo artist Daria Stahp creates her incredibly bold, saturated colour tattoos from her very own AURA TATTOO based in Bydgoszcz, Poland.

Daria’s work is defined by crisp lines and remarkable saturation, as well as the iconic colour she works into nearly every piece – red.

We spoke to Daria about her modest dreams as a child, how she plans her world tattooing tours, and her remarkably practical advice for apprentice artists!

When you were a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up?

Well, to be honest I don’t really remember having a dream job in mind as a kid! I never fooled myself thinking I would be a pop star or anything like that. I’ve always had my feet firmly on the ground, so I was mostly thinking of choosing a job that is respected and earns good money, like a lawyer or architect.

Who helped you or inspired you the most at the beginning of your career?

My husband was and still is my biggest support. He was helping me from the beginning, not only by being my sketchbook to practice on but he also believed in me and made things happen for me by never saying ‘no’. I also had good friends that let me practice on their skin. I am definitely very lucky to have attracted the best people into my life.

How do you describe your tattoo art style?

I get that question a lot. I really just think it’s “graphic” and don’t know if there is any other category that it could go into, but if you have an idea - let me know!

When did you set up AURA TATTOO, and who works there with you?

I’ve opened AURA TATTOO in 2019 and at first it was just me. Now I have four amazing tattoo artists - some of them started as apprentices under my eye, and there’s one permanent makeup artist who is top tier in Poland, so I have a really strong team by my side.

What is your secret to those incredibly saturated colours?

I would say that my secret mostly is doing strong contrasts. I use a lot of black in my work and almost every colour gradient starts with black and then transitions into lighter colours. The presence of black gives a strong frame for the colours around it and makes them pop.

I also do very precise application of ink and work in layers. This helps me to not cause trauma to the skin and be sure that the skin is evenly pigmented.

I work with Radiant Colors and their inks are very bright and vivid, so it makes my work easier as well.

Do you ever work on collaboration pieces? And is there anyone you would like to collaborate with?

I haven’t had a chance to do a collaboration piece yet but I think it would be nice to do it with someone with a totally opposite style. I see a lot of collaborations that look like the tattoo was done by one person because the tattoo artists work within the same style. The work is mostly fire, but I think it just misses the point of collaboration in the first place.

What are your favourite elements to include in your work?

I love using the colour red in my work!

Where do you find tattoo inspiration?

I really love to search for simplified shapes in sculptures and architecture.

What advice do you give to your clients about healing?

I recommend keeping the second skin on for no longer than 48 hours. After that, clean the tattoo and put on the NEBA cream that I always provide for my clients after our session. I trust this brand so I can easily recommend it for tattoo aftercare.

Do you have any words of wisdom for the apprentice tattoo artists out there?

I know that everybody will say that the most important thing is to draw everyday etc, and that is true, but also the industry has changed, and you have to make room for social media and try to not hate it from the beginning. Many great tattoo artists struggle with getting clients because they don’t take care of their socials, and this is the best portfolio that we can have these days.

What is your favourite tattoo that you’ve done in the last year?

I have started two backpieces. One with a white tiger fighting a black panther, and the other one with a burning church theme. I can’t wait to finish off both of them!

Which tattoo artists are doing amazing work right now?

There are so many great tattoo artists right now! I really like the work of Kelvin Gabriel with the sketchy vibes. Bastian Blau’s blackwork stole my heart and soul and I would love to get a piece one day from him! I like the cleanliness of Velco with the precise pepper shading. Chen for his clean blends and technique! Magda for her amazing dinosaurs! And there is also Sersky out there doing amazing colour work. I had a chance to see it healed and it's amazing!

Can you talk us through your workstation please?

On my workstation you can find Flux from FK Irons. I use JConly needles a lot - their liners especially are super precise. For inks Radiant Colors is my one and only choice. I totally fell in love with their formulas and I can 100% recommend them. During the tattoo I use NEBA foam and butter.

How do you get in the zone for tattooing?

I am always in the zone for tattooing. It is my safe space, and I can do it anytime and anyplace!

What is the tattoo scene like in Bydgoszcz?

I would say the clients are pretty conservative, so most of my clients are from bigger cities or abroad. In terms of shops there are not a lot of them, and we mostly do different stuff so we get along well!

How many tattoos do you have, and which is your favourite?

I haven’t counted, but I have two sleeves, a big backpiece and one bigger one on my thigh. I would love to get more but it started to be painful after my 30th birthday.

My favourite is probably a sleeve done by Andrzej Lipa.

Do you have any conventions or guest spots lined up for 2024?

Yes! Quite a lot! I will travel around Europe this year - I have already visited Munich, and soon will be in Stockholm, Malmo, Edinburgh and Rome. But I’m also thinking about going to London, Helsinki and Amsterdam. I take into consideration every invitation I get from a shop or tattoo artist, and have a list of them in my notes where I take a look and pick one depending on where I want to go!

In terms of conventions I will be in Warsaw in September and for 2025 I am one of the Ambassadors for the upcoming World Of Ink Convention in Poznań.

What do you enjoy doing outside of tattooing?

I can easily say that I’m crazy about tattooing and it is almost always in my mind, but I am also very passionate about interior design. I spend a lot of time redesigning spaces around me. I love designer stuff which I mostly cannot afford, so I always have some DIY mission on the horizon, and sometimes I even pull people around me into helping me. Lately I’ve finished working on a 3x3 meter rug that you can see in my studio waiting room and I totally love it!

What does the future hold for Daria Stahp?

I want to keep pushing myself into becoming a better tattooer and better boss. I hope to travel more and gather experiences in the tattooing field!

I also can’t wait for all the adventures I am going to have with my husband and our dog Lucy!

We hope you’ve enjoyed our catch-up with Daria! Make sure to check out her work on Instagram or Facebook, or book in at AURA TATTOO for your own original Daria Stahp artwork!