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.