Remko is a tattoo artist from the Netherlands and the owner of Hook’s Ink in Zoetermeer. He works confidently in black-and-grey realism and is steadily advancing in color realism. Remko’s primary focus is portraits—from film characters to music icons—but his portfolio also includes large-scale Chicano pieces and even anime.
The choice of style came naturally: since his school trips to museums, Remko has been drawn to close observation and truthful depiction.
“Back in school, during our museum visits, I was first and foremost captivated by realist painting, and in every museum I gravitate to realistic works,” he says.
His technique was strongly shaped by being tattooed by several well-known artists: from them he took a key principle—they showed him numerous techniques and how to treat the skin gently.
“The biggest turning point was when I was tattooed by Ben Ochoa, David Vega, and Owen Paulls.”
To better understand light and texture, Remko studied painting and airbrushing with Marissa Oosterlee, a multi-award-winning hyperrealist artist.
“She’s an amazing realism artist!” Remko notes.
The themes he returns to most often are iconic faces from pop culture, cinema, and music—as well as vintage sepia photographs. Hence the calm tone in his portraits and the absence of aggressive contrasts, which helps his tattoos heal and age beautifully.
Remko’s path into tattooing began with a small electronics repair business and supplying equipment to studios and tattoo shops. Over time he realized he wanted to change course, took a vacation, and went to study with a friend who was a tattoo artist in Amsterdam.
“Later I flew to Los Angeles and started attending seminars and workshops with big names,” he recalls.
Hook’s Ink has its own story. The project began modestly in 2015, then grew into a larger space with many residents and monthly guest artists. A few years later Remko intentionally returned to a compact team of six artists with regular guest days. The pace became steadier, he gained more freedom for personal projects and training, and the quality of his own work improved.
Remko is demanding of himself and rarely satisfied “one hundred percent,” which is why he shows less on social media than he could. It’s understandable: portrait work—especially when tied to personal stories—requires deep engagement with the client and their emotions. One such piece was a portrait for a father who had recently lost his daughter in a tragic accident.
“When the tattoo was finished, we shared a very emotional moment with the whole family. Those things stay with you forever.”
Remko has extensive convention experience—he has worked at many across Europe, won several awards in categories such as Best Realistic Design, Best Color, and Best Portrait; his healed pieces have also received prizes at major conventions, and he has served as a judge at events around the world. But the most important victory was the first one.
“I’m very insecure about my work and almost never submit it to competitions. One day my friend went on stage with a color portrait I did and took first place. It was a powerful moment we shared.”
Remko’s core audience is in the Netherlands, and in recent years more clients have been flying in from across the ocean and from Northern Europe. He usually books about two months ahead—this helps maintain quality and avoid disrupting convention travel. To book an appointment, email info@hooksink.nl. If you value realism without fuss or effects for the sake of effects, this address is worth saving.
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