Interview with Ivana Tattoo
Hello Ivana! Thank you so much for taking the time to
do this interview. Please start by telling us something about
yourself and your background. When did you get into tattooing? It was around 10 years ago.. I just finished school and I wasn’t
very sure what am I going to do. My friend offered me a job in her
new shop and since then till now I started to tattooing full time.
Q: Do you have any artistic background?
A: I don’t have any art training, I draw since I was kid
and I used to paint graffiti for fun. I would love to paint in future!
Q: You say that you are
self-taught tattooer. Is it true?
A: Yes it’s true. I taught myself. Once I tried to do a little
tattoo for my friend and the feeling I had back then I cannot compare to
anything else. I was hooked straight away! It took me years to get
into this level, but I’m never satisfied. I look at tattoo I did
yesterday and I would change it today. My style is changing
constantly, but there’s similarity in my work when it comes to
colors and the themes I tattoo, it's mostly fantasy. With every tattoo I do I’m learning
something new and the level I'm at right now it's not definite and
never will be.
Q: What was the first tattoo?
A: It was a little tribal I did on my friend's leg.
Q: How important is to have a talent? Or it's all about hard
work?
A: Both. But I always say if I teach you how to tattoo, you can do
it. Everyone can... But without talent it will never be good enough.
Talent makes a big difference between tattooist and tattoo artist.
Q: How your style changed over the years?
A: It changed a lot! I started with black and grey tattoos and I did
this for years! I knew and used only 2 type of needles- 5 liner and
14 round shader. I was working like this for such a long time until
I met Joe Capobianco who told me I cannot do colorful tattoos with those 2 needles. So I started to use magnums and it got
me to a completely different level! I was experimenting a lot and
I’m still trying different techniques and tools.
Q: Your portraits are awesome! What
parts take a long time to complete?
A: It’s the proportions.. so it will look more like to the original picture. I
don’t want to do a mistake because every different shape will change
the whole feel and posture. Yet, in photo realistic tattoo I can add
something mine and play around with it. It all depends of kind of
job I do for a client.
Q: You are a very talented person. Your tattoos are
a great mix of fantasy and realism. Tell me more about your style.
A: I like the fusion of people’s fantasies with mine, but mostly I
like the freedom in what I do. I like when someone gives me a little
description of what they want and I can create whatever... In many
cases I’m the main creator.
Q: I guess there were a lot of weird requests, have you ever
turned down someone?
A: Many times. When I disagree with a client, when they want me to
do something I won’t enjoy. When I think that particular
picture won’t work on skin... I want my tattoos to look good in years
time, not only the next few months. Not everything that looks good on
paper will look good on skin.
Q: How often do you visit tatoo conventions? Any
favorite?
A: Not really often, I go maybe 2-3 times
a year. The one I’m always enjoying is Sydney tattoo expo. I always
meet a lot of my friends from Australia and overseas. I also
like the London tattoo convention. But the most memorable is Berlin
tattoo convention I must say. I didn’t leave my hotel room for four
days, but I heard Bob broke his arm.
Q: Have you ever meet any famous artists?
A: Yes I did! I met lots of my favorite at different tattoo
conventions, just to name a few Jo Harrison,
Boris,
Hernandez, Shige, Volko, Capobianco, Kamil and many many more!
Q: Any travel plans?
A: Yes, I’m going to travel all across.. but In the near
future I’m not planning to attend any tattoo conventions, I’m just going
to do guest spots.
Q: What do you like the most about your job?
A: My freedom! My freedom in what I do, where I go, when I work.
Creativity I love to join people’s fantasies with mine! My
lifestyle. People I meet, stories I have, things I learn. I wouldn’t change my
job for anything else.