Yana Sulina: Living Flowers Beneath the Skin

In the world of tattooing, where realism is often reduced to technical precision, Yana Sulina has found her own voice — one woven from the subtle nuances of light, color, and emotion. Her tattoos are not just finely detailed; they breathe, move, and tell stories. A rose might pulse with the rhythm of memory, while the gaze of a mythological figure reflects the inner strength of its wearer. Yana doesn’t shy away from complexity — especially when it comes to cover-ups, where the goal is not just to conceal but to transform. Her style is a fusion of artistic training, personal experience, and an intuitive understanding of the body as canvas.

Yana was born in Melitopol, a small city in southeastern Ukraine. In 2015, she began her tattoo journey after moving to Zaporizhzhia, where her background in design and fine art took on a new dimension. Her path continued through Germany and Poland, then led to France, where she kept evolving as an artist. Today, she lives and works in Philadelphia, USA. Having recently obtained her local tattoo license, she has become part of the city’s vibrant tattoo scene. These biographical facts span nearly a decade filled with creative reinvention, cultural adaptation, and a relentless search for her own visual language.

"I wanted my art to live beyond the canvas — I wanted it to become part of people’s stories."

In Philadelphia, Yana found not only a new home, but also a culture where her aesthetic resonates deeply. A city where history meets modern edge, Philly’s art scene is full of people who embrace creativity and self-expression. For Yana, that environment became fertile ground for her style to evolve.

Her academic background gave her a strong foundation in anatomy, color theory, and composition—skills that shine through in every piece, from delicate miniatures to intricate full-scale cover-ups built from multiple layers and tones.

"Realism has always felt natural to me as an artist—I love focusing on details and bringing images to life. While many of my tattoos are palm-sized, I wouldn’t call them minimalist. They’re actually highly detailed and carefully crafted to look as lifelike as possible."

Realism became the technique that allowed Yana to express it all: the depth of a character’s gaze, the silky texture of petals, the shimmer of light on water droplets. While her European work—especially in France—was often in black and gray, she now leans more into rich, vibrant colors since moving to the U.S. Colors that are not just decorative, but alive and emotionally complex.

In this visual language, flowers play a central role. Peonies, roses, lilies, orchids—each petal rendered with a precision and softness that creates the illusion of motion. Yana’s florals are always filled with air, as if they emit light. They don’t grow on the skin—they seem to grow from the person’s inner world. Each flower carries something intimate: memory, transformation, protection.

A vital part of Yana’s craft is her work with cover-ups. It’s a discipline that demands not only technical excellence, but also a mature artistic eye. For her, it’s not just about hiding an old tattoo—it’s about completely reimagining a story on the skin. These are the projects she finds most rewarding. She uses contrast, layering, and a painter’s sense of light and shadow to integrate the old into something entirely new.

"Cover-ups deserve their own category. It’s not as simple as just tattooing a new image on top—often the client’s idea doesn’t align with what’s technically possible. Creating a successful cover-up takes both analytical thinking and artistic experience."

Yana builds her compositions in a way that allows darker elements of the new design to mask the old tattoo, while lighter areas bring air and depth. She particularly enjoys working with deep tones like blue, green, purple, and burgundy—colors that are especially effective at obscuring old black ink without weighing the design down.

"My goal is for people to look at it and not even realize it’s a cover-up—it should look like a fresh, original tattoo."

Many of her cover-ups are done without laser fading, which adds a layer of technical complexity but also a sense of artistic accomplishment. Challenging placements like the lower back or full-back pieces often involve outdated designs and require especially careful planning. One standout project involved covering an old ornamental tattoo across the back with a nature-inspired Buddhist scene—an elaborate transformation built through texture, shadow, and symbolism.

Every tattoo begins with a conversation. Yana listens closely, asks questions, and often discovers the real idea behind the client’s initial request. She doesn’t offer default solutions—instead, she constructs a visual code unique to each person. Anatomy is central to her process: she considers the curves of the body, the movement of the shoulder, the flow of the spine. That’s why her tattoos look so natural, as if they belong to the body rather than being placed upon it.

One of the most distinctive features of Yana’s work is how she blends florals with mythological, symbolic, and fantasy elements. This has become a signature of her style—opening up endless opportunities for creative storytelling. She doesn’t limit herself to flowers alone. Her designs often include animals, mythological figures, and human characters, turning every tattoo into a unique visual narrative.

"I love combining florals with characters or animals to create more storytelling in my pieces. I often bring in fantasy creatures, mythological figures, or symbolic elements that make the tattoo feel deeply personal and meaningful."

Among her favorite projects are those that feature myth-inspired beings intertwined with botanical elements. Roses, peonies, orchids flow seamlessly into surreal imagery—emerging from divine characters, wrapping around dragons, or dissolving into fire, smoke, water, or wind. This approach allows Yana to go beyond decorative composition and build entire living, symbolic worlds on skin.

Working in different countries also gave her a keen sense of how tattoo culture varies across borders. In Europe—especially in France—clients tend to favor understated black-and-gray realism. In the U.S., and especially in Philadelphia, the demand for colorful, emotionally charged tattoos is more prevalent. People look for meaning and symbolic depth in their designs—and florals often carry specific significance.

"Here in the U.S., I’ve noticed that many flowers people choose for tattoos correspond to the birth months of loved ones. It adds an emotional layer that makes the piece even more special."

Even a simple flower can take on the weight of memory, serving as a tribute, a charm, or a private reminder. Yana embraces this approach, transforming even the most minimal request into an emotionally resonant, richly layered work.

In 2025, Yana won 1st place in the “Best Sleeve” category at the Baltimore Tattoo Arts Festival. The winning piece—a dramatic black-and-gray sleeve infused with fire elements and inspired by the video game Diablo—was a true milestone. In it, Yana combined technical precision with atmosphere and symbolic weight, creating a work that stood out for its depth and composition.

She was also invited to serve as a judge at the Philadelphia Tattoo Arts Convention—an experience that offered a different, more analytical perspective on the industry. Evaluating the work of fellow artists allowed her to observe trends, techniques, and the ever-evolving pulse of tattoo culture.

"Judging allows me to look at the industry from a different angle—analyzing technique, spotting trends, and drawing inspiration from the creativity of others."

After years of navigating the global tattoo scene—across Europe and the United States—Yana has not only found her place in the industry but has also developed a distinct artistic language. Her work balances emotional storytelling with refined execution. Now, she’s thinking not just about individual projects, but about the creative space she wants to build.

She dreams of opening her own studio—not just a place to work, but a full expression of her artistic philosophy. A space where every detail matters: the atmosphere, the lighting, the energy, the people. A welcoming environment where clients feel seen, heard, and inspired. In the future, she hopes to invite guest artists, host collaborations, and share knowledge.

With her rich international experience and personal approach to tattooing, Yana is ready to teach. She’s interested in more than just technique—she wants to mentor artists in how to think, observe, and connect. How to see the body not just as a surface, but as part of the story. How to turn an idea into an image that breathes.

Yana Sulina’s style is already recognizable: refined cover-ups, vibrant flowers, deep realism with emotional depth, and characters rooted in myth and symbol. But what truly sets her apart is the lasting feeling her work leaves behind. Her tattoos don’t just decorate the body—they reveal something, softly, from within.

"For me, tattooing is a way to connect art and people. In every project, I try to find that exact intersection between the outer image and the inner story."

For Yana, tattooing is not a product. It’s a process. A living act of translation—where the client’s history, her artistic voice, and the language of skin converge into something that’s both permanent and deeply personal. If there’s a style where realism becomes intimate, symbolism becomes modern, and the body becomes a story, it’s the one Yana speaks—quietly radiant and undeniably her own.