Believe it or not, tattoos have been around for over 5,000 years, the wonderful part is that they are still around for us to appreciate. Tattoos began in the form of simplified line drawings.
St. Petersburg, Russia based tattoo artist, Valentina Ryabova has skillfully made her works look incredibly realistic. When you consider that the entire image is on skin, the depth that’s achieved from subtle changes in hue and shading is truly remarkable.
Ryabova, also known as @val_tatboo on Instagram, has tattooed since 2013 and garnered a large following during that time. It’s no surprise considering the gorgeous colors and the awe-inspiring depictions of animals, people, and objects.
The artist also includes small details that you might not normally expect to see in tattoos; she’s created a stunning tribute to Marilyn Monroe, mimicked the texture of a tiger’s fur, and even highlighted the intricate reflections in someone’s sunglasses. If I were to put all this in one sentence I would say Ryabova’s technique brings a contemporary and painterly touch to this permanent form of body art. Check out the images below to see what I’m talking about.
More info: Facebook
