Proudly presenting Maryna Onyschenko on the cover of the December issue of Ink Legends Magazine.
A beautiful and festive cover — but her beauty is only the beginning. Her story is powerful, showing how dedication and unwavering commitment can lead to something truly extraordinary.
Dive into our exclusive interview and discover the journey behind the artistry.
Can you please start by introducing yourself and telling us about your journey as a tattoo artist?
First of all, I want to express my deep gratitude for the opportunity to collaborate with such an incredible magazine. Thank you for choosing me as your feature — it means more than I can put into words.
My journey into the tattoo world began long before I ever held a machine. I grew up fascinated not just by drawing, but specifically by images on skin — by the permanence, the emotion, the silent storytelling. In Ukraine, where tattoos were still considered something almost taboo, this fascination felt rebellious, intimate, and strangely inevitable. I always knew I would be connected to this art one day, though I imagined myself only as a collector, never as a creator.
Everything changed when I met my late husband — an extraordinary tattoo artist who saw in me what I didn’t yet see in myself. He introduced me to the craft from the inside, showed me its depth, its philosophy, its soul. I never saw tattooing as “just a profession.” To me, it was something sacred, something that required a calling — something I didn’t believe I deserved.
When he passed away, my world shattered. And yet, in that darkness, I felt an unmistakable pull to continue what he believed in so deeply — and what he believed in for me.
He used to tell me, “Maryna, you will thrive in this art. It’s yours. You don’t treat it as a business — you feel it.”
I started with permanent makeup, but after losing him, it could no longer hold the same meaning. Tattooing was where I felt his presence the strongest — in every line, every story, every moment of creation.
It became not only my profession, but the way I carry his legacy forward.
And that’s how my path as a tattoo artist truly began:
through love, loss, courage, and the desire to transform pain into something beautiful.
You specialize in fine line tattoos. What drew you to this style, and why did you choose to focus on it?
To be honest, fine line is simply what I can do best at this stage of my career.
I’m a perfectionist in everything I do — I want every line to be clean, every detail precise, every tattoo so technically flawless that no questions remain. Fine line allows me to reach that level of refinement, and my clients feel it too.
But I don’t see this style as my final destination.
I’m still exploring, still growing, still searching for my full artistic identity. My path into tattooing wasn’t traditional — I didn’t have years of uninterrupted practice. I had a newborn baby, I had a tragedy to survive, and for a long time my life simply didn’t allow me to work consistently.
In reality, only the last six months have been truly productive, focused, and fully dedicated to my craft.
So yes, I’m confident in fine line — but I also know I’m just at the beginning of my evolution. There is much more ahead of me, and I’m excited to see where my artistry will grow next.
Fine line tattoos are not only aesthetic but often carry deep meaning. How important is the connection with your clients, and how do you approach the design process?
For me, the connection with my clients is everything. People often come to a tattoo artist at very emotional turning points — after change, loss, growth, or the start of something new. I try to create a space where they feel heard, understood, and safe to share what their story really means to them.
My design process always begins with listening.
I want to understand why they want the tattoo, what feeling stands behind it, and how it should live on their body. From there, I build something simple but meaningful — something that reflects their experience, not just my style.
Fine line works especially well for this kind of intimacy. It allows me to capture emotion in a way that feels subtle, personal, and timeless.
Every line has a purpose. Every detail needs to make sense.
In the end, the tattoo becomes a shared creation — a blend of their story and my interpretation — and that collaboration is the most meaningful part of my work.
Would you like to explore more styles in the future? What can your clients expect from you moving forward?
I definitely see myself expanding my style in the future. As much as I appreciate the elegance of fine line work, I’m increasingly drawn to realism — especially portraits. Not the heavy, saturated kind, but a softer, more delicate realism that still respects the precision of fine line. A sort of natural evolution of my style rather than a complete shift.
I love working with 1RL and 3RL configurations.
They give me the control and accuracy I need, but at the same time they allow me to build depth, softness, and dimension — the qualities I admire in realistic work. My goal is to combine both worlds: the clarity of fine line and the emotional weight of realism. So moving forward, clients can expect my style to grow in that direction — more expressive portraits, more depth, more detail, but still grounded in the clean minimalism that defines my work today.
I’m not rushing this evolution; I want it to feel natural.
But I can already feel realism becoming a strong main direction for me — one that lets me tell more layered, intimate stories through skin.
What do you enjoy the most about working in the tattoo industry?
What I enjoy most are the emotions of my clients.
There’s something indescribable about seeing their gratitude, their happiness, the way their whole face lights up when they look in the mirror. It often feels like I’ve helped someone fulfill one of their deeply personal wishes — something they’ve carried inside for years. When they say, “This looks even better than I imagined,” or when they send those long, heartfelt messages later, thanking me for such an emotional and sensitive session — that’s when I know I’m exactly where I’m supposed to be.
I also love that my story inspires people.
Many of my clients tell me that watching my journey helps them believe that everything in life is survivable — even the unbearable. I’ve learned that tragedy doesn’t define you unless you let it. And if my experience helps someone see their own struggles as just another step, another small obstacle they can overcome, that makes me genuinely happy.
And of course — freedom. The freedom to create, the freedom to build my own rhythm, the freedom to balance my work with being present for my daughter. This profession gives me flexibility and space, and I value that more than anything.
All of this together — the emotions, the connection, the inspiration, the freedom — is what makes this work truly meaningful for me.
Every artist faces challenges. What were some of the biggest obstacles you’ve overcome on your tattoo journey?
One of the biggest challenges I’ve ever faced was losing the life I once knew.
I’m from Mariupol, Ukraine, and the war changed everything in an instant. I lost my home, my city, my friends — and at seven months pregnant, I had to leave everything behind and start again in a new country. At the same time, I was grieving the tragic loss of my husband. My world collapsed all at once.
I had to rebuild from nothing — emotionally, financially, and physically — while becoming a mother and learning how to survive in a new place with a new language. The psychological weight of that period was enormous. And yet, I kept moving.
Not because it was easy, but because I didn’t have another choice. I had a child who needed me, parents who relied on me, and a life I refused to give up on.
My journey hasn’t been linear or smooth. It’s been heavy, complicated, and full of moments where I could have broken.
But I didn’t.
I will always be deeply grateful to the owner of MyStory studio. He trusted me when he had no reason to. He gave me a chance, a place to work, a place to learn, a place to grow. He believed in me knowing I had no real experience, no portfolio, no stability. That act of faith changed my life.
The whole team supported me, taught me, encouraged me, and helped me stand on my own feet when everything around me was collapsing.
My path has been messy, painful, and anything but linear.
But every challenge, every loss, every moment of fear pushed me to become stronger. I started from far below zero — and yet, I kept going. Because sometimes survival becomes the first step toward becoming an artist.
If anything, it proved to me that human strength is bigger than circumstance. That even the deepest pain can be transformed into something meaningful.
And today, every line I tattoo, every story I hear, every client I meet — reminds me that I survived. And that I’m still becoming someone stronger.
You also do PMU. How does this practice enrich you as a tattoo artist?
PMU taught me precision. It trained my eye to see symmetry, balance, and the smallest details — the kind most people don’t even notice. That level of control and accuracy translated directly into my tattoo work. It also taught me patience and sensitivity. PMU is very intimate: you work close to the face, you read emotions, you learn how to keep people calm and comfortable. Those skills made me a better artist overall. So even though tattooing became my main path, PMU was the foundation that helped me build the hands, the focus, and the confidence I have today.
What do you think makes a tattoo truly timeless?
A tattoo becomes timeless when it carries emotion rather than trend. It’s the kind of piece that still feels true years later — not because it’s complicated, but because it reflects something real about the person wearing it. When intention, story, and placement come together naturally, the tattoo stops being just an image and becomes a part of someone’s identity. Timeless work isn’t about chasing style — it’s about creating something that will always feel personal, honest, and deeply connected to the wearer.
Do you have any exciting plans or projects coming up in the near future?
Yes — this year changed a lot for me. I’m proud of myself and of the long, difficult path I’ve walked. Now that I’ve finally rooted myself in Germany and resolved many of the basic challenges of rebuilding my life, I feel free to create more, give more, and grow more. My main goal moving forward is simple: to make people feel happier, stronger, and more confident in their own skin.
And I’m working on a new project that I’m incredibly excited about — a space where I’ll help PMU artists reconnect with their creativity, reshape their vision, and discover a deeper emotional side of their craft. I want to inspire them the way others once inspired me, and help them move closer to their own dreams.
I’m endlessly grateful for how far I’ve come — and I’m even more grateful for what’s still ahead.
How do you like to spend your free time outside of art and tattooing?
Outside of tattooing, I try to enjoy life in the simplest and most meaningful ways.
My daughter is my biggest source of joy, and spending time with her grounds me more than anything else. Whether we’re at the park, by the river, or just laughing together at home — those moments mean everything to me.
I also love the gym. Training helps me stay balanced, focused, and strong — both mentally and physically. And whenever I can, I travel. Exploring new places, theme parks, the sea, the mountains… it all reminds me how big and beautiful the world still is.
But most of all, I’ve learned to appreciate the small things: a sunny day, a quiet morning, fresh air, a simple walk. After everything I’ve lived through, even ordinary moments can feel inspiring.
Sometimes the simplest experiences are the ones that fill me the most.
