Five years after his celebrated 10 Years of Grindesign, Robert Borbas returns to the spotlight with Incubus — a dark beautiful volume that captures his evolution as both tattoo artist and visual artist, a new chapter from the mind behind Grindesign. Across 280 pages and more than 300 works, Borbas opens a window into his creative universe: a world where tattoos, illustrations, and personal mythology intertwine into one haunting narrative.
Incubus is a tattoo collector’s item, the new title in the series The Great Books on the Art of Tattooing published by Tattoo Life. It’s a visual diary, a personal milestone for Borbas that gathers key moments from the past five years featuring sketches, line drawings, and rarely seen concepts.
Renowned for his dark, layered, and powerful imagery, Borbas continues to refine his craft, showcasing powerful linework, raw sketches, and striking graphic imagery, many of them featured as iconic album covers for metal bands. Incubus reveals Borbas’ reflections on mental health, anxiety, and creation as therapy.
His art has always been an escape route, a way to process emotion through texture and form. In his words, “Art is a cure, but you have to learn how to navigate through the dark.” This new book is his most open and mature work yet: a powerful statement about the link between artistic intensity and personal healing.
The Lidérc: Demons from the Depths of Sleep
Among the many creatures that inhabit Robert Borbas’ universe, the Lidérc stand out, disturbing, fascinating, and deeply symbolic. Rooted in Hungarian folklore, these demons are said to cause sleep paralysis and anxiety. For Borbas, they became a mirror of his own struggles, and ultimately, a source of transformation.
My ghouls and creatures are the interpretation of my inner struggles mixed with folkloristic and grim vibes. Often they are just curious creatures, harmless, but sometimes mean and cruel as life is. They hide everywhere, and when you face them it’s up to you if you deal with them or simply see the scary part of their real nature. Drawing these creatures helped me face my fears,” he says. “They’re part of me, my nightmares turned into something alive.
A must-have for collectors and tattoo art lovers. Beautifully produced and conceptually rich, Incubus is a must-have addition to any serious tattoo art collection. It confirms Robert Borbas as one of the most distinctive voices in contemporary tattoo art.
INCUBUS – The Art of Grindesign by Robert Borbas
With over 285 pages including linework, sketches, and graphic imagery – many of which have become iconic album covers for metal bands – INCUBUS delves into the world of classic subjects such as demons, skulls, crosses, goats, and irreverent religious iconography. These are joined by the evil spirits that define his visual language and bring to life his very own Lidérc – his nightmare…
