SU TRAN
SU TRAN
OWNER, TATTOO ARTIST
With over 12 years in the game, Su’s all about realism—both in color and black & grey—but he also loves getting creative with abstract and watercolor styles. He’s picked up a bunch of awards and even judged a few tattoo competitions. Su’s tattoos always carry that perfect mix of skill, soul, and imagination.
Who Is Su Tran?
Su Tran (real name Tran Huu Trong, born 1993) is a tattoo artist with more than 12 years of experience. He is the founder and owner of Su Tran Tattoo Studio. Su Tran specializes in realism and micro realism, in both color and black & grey, while also enjoying abstract and watercolor pieces.
He now runs two studio locations, in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City. Su Tran still tattoos clients directly on major pieces rather than stepping back from the chair.
This is the tattoo artist behind that studio. He is not connected to any fashion shop of the same name.
A Decade-Plus Journey in Tattooing
Su Tran entered the tattoo world early in his career. In 2012, he opened his own studio in Hanoi. Working from a small space, he built his skills one client and one long session at a time.
More than a decade later, the studio has grown into two locations. Hanoi remains the original home base. Ho Chi Minh City marks the studio's expansion for clients in the south.
Many clients first discover him through guides to the best tattoo studios in Hanoi. They often return to the studio for every new piece afterward.
Throughout that growth, Su Tran has stayed hands-on. He tattoos major pieces herself rather than only managing the studio from a distance. He treats each location as an extension of the same standard, not two separate brands.
Signature Style: Realism and Micro Realism
Su Tran's core strength is realism, both color and black & grey. The style demands precise control of light and form.
A stone-statue-style angel backpiece he completed shows this clearly. Every fold of drapery and every shift in tone reads almost like a photograph. Even now that the tattoo has fully healed, the detail still holds.
He also takes on harder technical briefs. One example is a Harley-Davidson logo tattoo built as a 3D cracked-skin effect on the chest. The technique relies on tight contrast control, so the skin appears to tear open and reveal the logo underneath.
Alongside large-scale realism, Su Tran works extensively in micro realism. These are small-format tattoos that still hold real depth and form. A black and grey micro realism rooster tattoo on the calf shows how much detail he keeps even at a small size.
For sports fans, he has also tattooed a black and grey realism portrait of Messi on the forearm. He keeps the likeness sharp despite the smaller canvas. It's the kind of work he takes on often for clients booking a tattoo in Ho Chi Minh City.
Awards and Judging Roles
Su Tran — whose real name is Tran Huu Trong — studied architecture for seven years before turning to tattooing. That drawing foundation still shapes every design he composes.
In 2016, team Su Tran Tattoo entered Hanoink Fes, an international tattoo festival in Hanoi, as the youngest crew in the field. After two days of competition, the team took home a first prize and a second prize (as covered by ZNews).
In 2018, he won first place in the "Best of the Day" category at Vietnam Tattoo Expo, one of the biggest tattoo contests of the year (reported by Dan Tri newspaper). He has also been invited to judge at several tattoo competitions.
For him, an award marks a milestone in craft. Judging offers a chance to look at the industry from a more critical angle. It also keeps him current with new techniques circulating in the field, rather than letting his own style stand still.
He sees judging as one way to keep his craft sharp after more than a decade behind the needle. It also means comparing notes with other working artists, rather than judging from memory alone.
His working philosophy stays simple: careful, deliberate linework and real respect for each client's story. Before any needle touches skin, he takes time to understand why a client chose a design. That way, the final piece is technically sound and personally meaningful.
Su Tran’s Vision: Making Tattooing a True Profession
Early in his career, Su Tran told Soha newspaper (2016) exactly what he was chasing:
"I like taking on the hard things. I want this society to see tattooing as a real profession." (translated from Vietnamese)
To him, tattooing is art and tattooers are artists — people who keep creating work built to last for years. He describes a tattoo as "a piece of jewelry that expresses your soul and personality".
Back then, he even designed and painted the artwork decorating his own studio. More than a decade later, two studios in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City stand as his answer to that early vision: tattooing done as a serious, professional craft with real standards.
Where to Find Su Tran and How to Book
Su Tran splits his time between the studio's two locations, Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City (District 1). Clients further away can follow his latest work and schedule on Instagram, @sutran_tattoostudio.
This helps clients decide when to book a session. To tattoo with Su Tran, clients should plan ahead and learn how to book a tattoo.
Clients should share design ideas and placement in advance. This lets Su Tran schedule a proper consultation before any appointment is confirmed.
The studio follows strict sterile protocols and uses single-use needles. Its artists speak English for international clients booking from abroad.
For large pieces that need multiple sessions, Su Tran typically shares reference sketches ahead of time. This helps clients understand the timeline before the first sitting begins.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Su Tran?
Su Tran is a tattoo artist with more than 12 years of experience. He is the founder of Su Tran Tattoo Studio, specializing in realism and micro realism across studios in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City.
What tattoo styles does Su Tran specialize in?
Su Tran specializes in realism, both color and black & grey, and micro realism. He also creates occasional abstract and watercolor pieces for clients open to something different.
How do I book a tattoo with Su Tran?
Reach out through the studio or Instagram @sutran_tattoostudio with your design idea and placement. The team can then arrange a consultation and confirm a slot.
Does Su Tran work in Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City?
Su Tran works across both locations. Hanoi is the original studio, and Ho Chi Minh City (District 1) is the newer, expanded location.
Is Su Tran Tattoo related to the Su Tran fashion shop in Nha Trang?
No. Su Tran Tattoo Studio is a tattoo artist and tattoo studio based in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City. It has no connection to the fashion shop of the same name in Nha Trang.
