Mohammad Hussein Mistrah is a renowned tattoo artist, known for his distinctive style and artistic talent. Born in 1992 in Taybe, South Lebanon, Mistrah’s passion for drawing started at a young age. His talent was evident in his schoolwork, particularly in the drawing course, where his sketches were exceptional compared to his peers. Mistrah’s parents encouraged his talent by providing him with gouaches and drawing books.
After completing high school, Mistrah applied for the entrance exam to the architecture faculty at the Lebanese University but did not pass. He then shifted to the fine arts department and graduated in 2013/2014. During his studies, Mistrah started drawing portraits for modest income. He was also working as a delivery boy when he accidentally stumbled upon a tattoo studio. Mistrah became obsessed with the drawings on the body, and when the artist found out about his talent, he offered him a tattoo machine with pigment and needles. Mistrah’s tattoo career had begun.
Mistrah’s first shop was a small room of 1.5 square meters in Choueifat, where he offered simple and unprofessional drawings. However, with the study of fine arts, Mistrah’s tattoo work evolved, and his drawings became mature and striking. Encouraged by his university professors who believed in his talent, Mistrah graduated in 2014 and worked full-time in tattooing. He expanded his business and moved to a bigger space within a distinguished area that would attract a greater number of tattoo lovers. Mistrah’s works were impressive, and everyone wanted to know who he was.
Mistrah uses black, gray, and some white in his drawings, which are admired by all his customers. When asked about the difficulties encountered in his work, he says that he may refuse a design when the customer insists on a specific drawing and design. Mistrah works on enhancing the quality of his work, and the design quality is defined by the artist and not the customer, although the design should be agreed by both parties during the preparation stage.
Mistrah has participated in several international competitions with the most famous international tattoo artists, such as Dave Paulo, Sam Barber, Jack Konoly, Benjamin Laukis, and Lukas Smyku. He was the only contestant from the Arab world in these competitions. He was also among the founders of the Lebanon Tattoo Festivals, and the first competition was held in 2016, 2017, and 2018. Mistrah is still working to reach his goal of winning the World Tattoos Championship in the years to come.
In January 2022, he moved to Michigan and is now working at Immortal Ink. He is also a guest in Inkology Tattoo Art Gallery in New York and California. Mistrah has owned the leading tattoo supply company in Lebanon, Raven Tattoo Supply, since 2017.
When asked about the motivation behind starting his business, Mistrah says that his passion for tattooing stemmed from seeing the reaction of the people who were getting tattooed by him. Knowing that his art would stay on them forever, he tried always to do his best to see the happiness on their faces.
Starting a business is never easy, and Mistrah’s case was no different. His biggest challenge was his financial situation, and he was broke when he started. However, his determination, artistic talent, and passion for tattooing led him to where he is now.
