Yana Laguta is a tattoo artist known for her delicate, fine-line designs that feel more like hand-drawn jewelry than ink. With a background in graphic design and a portfolio spanning continents, her style is calm, intentional, and quietly captivating. We sat down for a live conversation to talk tattoos, intuition, and the unexpected joy of a single line.
Interviewer:
Yana, thank you for taking the time to do this. You’ve just come from a session, right?
Yana (smiling):
Yes—I wrapped up about an hour ago. It was a fine-line floral piece on the ribs. A bit intense for the client, but it turned out beautiful.
Interviewer:
You’re known for this incredibly delicate, jewelry-like tattoo style. How did you land on that aesthetic?
Yana:
Honestly, when I started, most of the tattoos I’d seen were bold, very dark, very… heavy. Then I came across the work of the team at Sashatattooing, and it was like something clicked. It was the first time I’d seen tattoos that felt light and feminine. I wanted to create something similar—soft but still striking.
Interviewer:
And before tattooing, you worked as a graphic designer?
Yana:
Yes, for about five years. I was working in digital, but I really missed making things with my hands. Tattooing gave me that—and more. You’re not just drawing. You’re creating something that lives with someone. It’s so personal.
Interviewer:
That’s a big shift—from pixels to skin.
Yana:
Definitely. There’s no Ctrl+Z when you tattoo. You learn to be intentional. To slow down. It forces you into a kind of mindfulness that’s rare in most creative work.
Interviewer:
How do you typically start the design process with a client?
Yana:
Usually, I ask them to send me examples of tattoos I’ve already done that they like. That gives me a sense of the vibe they’re drawn to. Then I ask for a photo of the exact spot they want tattooed. It’s not just about measurements—it’s about how the tattoo fits the body. A millimeter can change everything.
Interviewer:
You mentioned once that you think of your tattoos like jewelry.
Yana:
Yes. I love the idea of creating something that decorates the body naturally—something that enhances rather than distracts. I try to make each tattoo feel like it was meant to be there. Like a piece of custom goldwork, but with ink.
Interviewer:
You’ve tattooed in so many places—Russia, Europe, Asia. Has that global perspective influenced your work?
Yana:
Absolutely. Every place has its own rhythm, its own approach to beauty. Working in Asia, for instance, taught me a lot about subtlety and space. Europeans often go for symbolism and composition. It keeps me evolving. I’m never bored.
Interviewer:
What’s the weirdest—or maybe the most unexpected—tattoo you’ve done?
Yana (laughing):
That would have to be the Seoul metro map. It was huge, with all these colored lines criss-crossing. I remember thinking, “Why did I say yes to this?” But the client was so passionate, and it turned out better than I expected.
Interviewer:
What’s a part of tattooing people don’t see?
Yana:
The amount of roles we juggle. We’re not just artists—we’re managers, photographers, content creators, accountants. People imagine this rebellious, wild lifestyle, but actually… we’re incredibly disciplined.
Interviewer:
Do you ever say no to clients?
Yana:
All the time. I’ve learned to trust my intuition. If someone wants something far outside my style, I’d rather refer them to someone else. You don’t have to be everything to everyone.
Interviewer:
You’ve done conventions too—how do you feel about that scene?
Yana:
It’s like walking into a tattoo Olympics! Everyone’s showing their best work, the energy is buzzing. I love it, even though fine-line artists like me are still a bit underrepresented in awards. But that’s slowly changing.
Interviewer:
Let’s say someone’s getting their first tattoo. What do you wish they knew?
Yana:
That this is something you carry with you every day—so don’t rush it. Don’t bargain-shop. Don’t pick something random off Pinterest. Find an artist whose work you genuinely love and trust their process.
Interviewer:
And for you, what’s a tattoo you could do over and over and never get tired?
Yana (pausing):
A single, clean line. Just one. Long, short, curved, straight. You can place it anywhere and make it mean anything. That kind of simplicity is endlessly inspiring.
As we wrap up, Yana glances at her phone—another client has just confirmed. Her day moves on, one precise line at a time.
Follow Yana Laguta
🖋 Instagram: @ohh.yana
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