Valhalla Tattoo, Larnaca, Cyprus

Thor
It’s wonderful when you meet a true artist !  Gabriel ‘Thor’ Pavlimbey is exactly that !!!  You’ll understand when you see his work but then you’ll like it even more when you appreciate that he often illustrates straight onto the skin and in fact is one of less than 5 Tattooists in Europe who can tattoo with the traditional Japanese ‘Tebori’ technique aka Handpoke with astounding results !

Qualifications Galore
Gabriel has always been into art, and he’s been tattooing for 10 years now, boasting a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Graphic Design from University of Wales in Swansea and Art & Design from University of Lancashire, a Diploma in Health & Hygiene assuring me all needles are surgical steel and pre-sterilised and never reused and mad as it sounds his hobby is music, he’s also got a Degree in Sound Engineering, and a recording studio, hmm, maybe that’s how he muffles your screams ? 😉

Art Perception
He’s quite well travelled to enhance his perception, and has worked at several high profile studios in Europe including; Cold Steel in Camden, Golden Inksters in Denmark, Thai Ink in Warrington, UK, to mention but a few, oh and also holds an Award from the Cyprus Tattoo Convention !

Brotherly Love
You really must check out this video of the work on Gabriel’s sister’s back omfg!!!

Handpoke
This art of tattoo, using a Tebori, a long rod, with an array of needles, soldered by hand and manually attached to the wooden or metal rod and naturally fully Auto Clave sterilised and then using a ‘Hand poke’ technique aka ‘Chiseling’, he creates absolutely stunning tattoos and before you ask … he said some people say it hurts more and some say less ! Hmm?

Passion & Perfection
Another big plus is Gabriel is a perfectionist, his fav style is Realism and Japanese Traditional, but he follows a strict rule, saying “each tattoo I do has to flow with that part of the body, it’s not just a stamp”, so he studies everything before he tattoos it and loves his designs that flow and tell a story, but for it to flow correctly, the story has to be accurate, oh and he never uses white ink on a Traditional Japanese Tattoos coz white ink didn’t exist then ! Now that’s what I call passion and perfection!

Spacialities
Realism is his speciality, explaining; portraits or landscapes, have to be dimensional so they look like a photo, rather than a painting, he uses gorgeous blends of colours, vibrant and vegan friendly btw !

Japanese Demons
One of his fav styles is a little dark, but explained to me ‘Oni’ Tattoos, which he studied in his own time in Thessaloniki, are part of a Japanese Shinto Religion where the Oni, the Japanese word for demons, but not just evil demons, sometimes there’s a good side to them too … another art style is ‘Yasha’, which are a race of demon gods worshipped as benevolent Gods and feared as wrathful demons … all awesome themes for ink and Gabriel hopes to travel to Japan soon to study these styles in depth !

Special Offers
Gabriel likes to take time to create his art so offers a full day session for only € 500 and he’ll buy you lunch ! Brilliant !!!

Piercing & Jewellery
Happy to pierce almost any part of the body except one ;), coz it makes him flinch and that’s no good lol … Gabriel uses only the highest graded quality surgical steel all pre-sterilised all never pre-used and some really cool jewellery !!!

After Care
Stocking the best in after care creams and products, all 100% Organic, and if you mention What’s On when you get a tattoo he’ll give you a pot free …

Great Stories
While you’re getting your tattoo, you must ask him to tell you how he chose the name Valhalla Tattoo studio, an enlightenment into Mythological story of The Hall of The Gods, if they die in battle, they go to Valhalla, which is where he gets his artist name ‘Thor’, the God of Thunder and Lightening of course!

Open all Year
Monday to Saturday 11 am ‘til 6 pm by appointment preferred. oh and he will come and collect you if you need a lift.

Directions
You’ll find them at 41 Pavlo Michaela, Aradippou, Larnaca … Heading from the motorway towards Larnaca, take a left at the first Roundabout towards the industrial estate, keep on that road and its about 200 metres before Appostollos Pharmacy and in the Summer months he’s a guest at Easy Riders Tattoos by the Nissi Avenue traffic lights in Ayia Napa.

This guy turns illustrations into art with dimensions ! 

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