Meet Nastka

We were lucky to catch up with Nastka recently and have shared our conversation below.

Nastka, thank you so much for taking the time to share your lessons learned with us and we’re sure your wisdom will help many. So, one question that comes up often and that we’re hoping you can shed some light on is keeping creativity alive over long stretches – how do you keep your creativity alive?

I keep my creativity alive by constantly exploring new visual inspirations — from nature, fashion, and architecture to fine art and street culture.
Music and books are a big part of my creative process too; they help me tap into different moods and emotions, which often shape the direction of my designs.
And of course, every tattoo I create is a collaboration with my client, and their energy and stories always inspire something unique and meaningful.

Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?

I’ve always been fascinated by tattoos — at 13, I already knew I’d have them on my body someday. But becoming a tattoo artist felt like something completely out of reach. I didn’t even know where to start.

In 2019, I started dating the person who is now my husband — he’s been a tattoo artist for over 10 years. I made a few attempts to try tattooing during the COVID lockdown, but once it ended, I went back to running my own business in Ukraine.

Later, when we were living in Europe and I wasn’t working, I decided to give tattooing a real shot. This time, there were no distractions. I fully committed — I sketched, practiced, studied, and invested a lot of time and effort. When my husband saw how dedicated I was, he decided to teach me properly.

Thanks to my persistence — and his belief in me — I made it to the job of my dreams.

Now I’m working as a tattoo artist in Toronto, Canada. I’m experienced in working with different skin tones, and I especially love creating anime-inspired tattoos with a little bit of color and ornamental designs.

There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?

The most important things in my journey were : patience, discipline, and the willingness to keep learning.

Not everything came easily — I had moments of frustration, even tears.

There were times I thought maybe this path wasn’t for me. But things started to shift when I simply focused on drawing more and practicing every day. That’s when real progress began.

My advice: don’t give up. Keep showing up, even when it’s hard. Growth takes time, but it’s always worth it.

Okay, so before we go, is there anyone you’d like to shoutout for the role they’ve played in helping you develop the essential skills or overcome challenges along the way?

Without a doubt, the most helpful person on my journey has been my husband.
He’s a professional tattoo artist with over 10 years of experience, and from the very beginning, he believed in me — even when I didn’t fully believe in myself.

He supported me through the hardest moments, gave me honest feedback, and eventually became my teacher. But more than that — he was also my first client.
The very first tattoos I ever did were on him, and I’ll always be grateful for the trust and support he gave me from day one.

His experience, patience, and belief in me played a huge role in helping me grow into the artist I am today.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: nastka.tatts
• Other: Reddit : nastka.tatts
  Email : nastkatatt@gmail.com