We’re proud to feature Vova Havry as our cover artist for our January issue of Ink Legends Magazine,. Originally from Ukraine and now based in Canada, Vova is widely recognized for his standout anime tattoos as well as his bold, dynamic neotraditional work. His designs are vivid, energetic, and instantly eye-catching — built on strong color choices, clean execution, and powerful composition. In this exclusive interview, Vova shares his journey, creative mindset, and what drives him to keep evolving as an artist.
Can you please start by introducing yourself and telling us about your journey as a tattoo artist?
Hey! I’m Vova, a tattoo artist at Ethereal Tattoo in Halifax. My journey started back in a small town in Ukraine. I didn’t have any formal training or mentors; I was just a kid obsessed with anime and graffiti. I remember coming home from school to watch anime and later finding my brother’s graffiti sketchbooks.
I started pretty ”DIY.” I worked as a waiter to save up for my first machine and learned everything from YouTube. I practiced on friends at home, just figuring things out through trial and error. It was a slow process, but I was hooked from day one. Eventually, I moved to Canada, which gave me the space to really focus on my anime style. Now, I’m just enjoying the ride, travelling for conventions, and trying to push my art as far as I can.
You specialize in neotraditional and anime tattoos — what originally drew you to this style, and why did you choose it?
To be honest, it happened pretty naturally. I’ve always loved experimenting with different techniques, but anime was always where my heart was. Growing up with it, the aesthetic just felt right to me. A few years ago, I decided to stop doing ”a bit of everything” and really focus on what brings me the most joy, which is anime and bold colour work.
I love the energy in anime frames. The expressions, the movement, and the vibrant colours. Neotraditional elements help me add more depth and detail to those characters, making them look solid on the skin while keeping their authentic look. It’s the perfect mix of my childhood passion and my professional style.
Do you have any favourite themes you like to tattoo?
Anime is definitely my main thing. I love tattooing characters with strong personalities and cool stories. If I had to pick favourites, I’d say mostly any character from Naruto. There’s just something about that anime that has always stuck with me from my childhood.
I also really enjoy working with dynamic effects like lightning or flames and bright, saturated colours. Mixing those elements with anime characters is probably my favourite way to build a piece. It makes the tattoo look more dynamic and helps it ”pop” on the skin.
How do you approach your design process to balance your clients’ ideas with your own artistic vision?
I always start with a quick line sketch rather than a finished design. It’s much faster and makes it easier to adjust things if the client wants a change. This way, I don’t put too much pressure on myself to be perfect from the start, which keeps the process creative and fun.
I really value my clients’ ideas, but I always try to make sure the design actually works on the body, considering the flow and how it will look on the skin long-term. Most of my clients trust my approach and give me a lot of creative freedom, which I really appreciate. It’s all about finding that balance where we’re both proud of the final result.
You’ve attended several conventions and won many awards. Congratulations, well deserved. How have these experiences influenced your career, and what do they bring you as an artist?
Thank you so much, that really means a lot.
Conventions have given me a huge boost of motivation. Seeing people stop to look at my work, hearing their reactions and compliments in person, that feeling is hard to describe, but it really reminds me why I do this. Winning awards is great, of course, but the honest feedback from people walking by is just as important.
I’ve also met a lot of amazing artists at these shows. Talking with them, watching them work, and sharing ideas has pushed me to keep growing and to become a better version of myself, both as an artist and as a person.
What do you keep in mind when creating a winning piece?
Honestly, when I’m working on a competition piece, my main focus is just finishing it in time. I try not to overthink the “winning” part. I almost don’t take breaks during the session, because I want to use every minute to push the piece as far as I can. If I can get the idea fully finished and readable by the end of the day, that already feels like a win for me. Everything else is a bonus.
Every artist faces challenges. What were some of the biggest obstacles you’ve had to overcome in your tattoo career?
I think one of the hardest things for me has been the “public” side of being a tattoo artist. I really enjoy tattooing itself. The craft, the clients, the long sessions, that part feels natural. But promoting myself, staying active on social media, and constantly showing my best side online is something I still struggle with.
I’m not the type of person who easily says, “Hey, look at me, I’m great.” So learning how to share my work, talk about my achievements, and stay visible has been a big challenge. I’m slowly getting better at it, but it’s definitely the hardest part of the job for me compared to actually tattooing.
What piece of advice would you give an artist to help them improve their style — something you personally found helpful?
One thing that helped me a lot was really studying other artists’ work in detail. Not just scrolling and liking, but actually stopping to look at how they build everything – the lines, colours, shadows, backgrounds, flow on the body, all of it. Try to break it down and then recreate some of those ideas in your own way.
Over time, you start to notice what feels natural for you and what doesn’t. Those small experiments slowly turn into your own style. So my advice would be: stay curious, keep analyzing the work you admire, and don’t be afraid to try things out and “steal” good ideas, but always filter them through your own vision.
Do you have any exciting plans or upcoming projects you’d like to share?
Right now I’m really interested in trying something new for myself. I’d love to start doing a small series of in-person seminars for tattoo artists. There are a few things I’ve figured out over the years with colour and anime work, and I think it could be useful to share that in a real classroom setting. I don’t have much teaching experience yet, but it’s something I’d like to work on and develop.
Besides that, my main focus is still on conventions, bigger long-term projects, and growing my presence in the media. I want more people to actually see what I do, not just locally but in other cities and countries as well. So the plan is to keep travelling, keep learning, and keep pushing my work to the next level.
And finally — how do you like to spend your free time outside of art and tattooing?
When I’m not tattooing, I love playing shooters on my PS5 with friends. It’s the best way for me to just switch off and relax. And of course, I still watch a lot of anime, even if that sounds a bit funny since I tattoo it all day! There are so many series I haven’t seen yet, and I never seem to have enough time to catch up on everything, but I’m definitely trying my best to keep up.
