During Soviet times a tattoo was more likely to be a mark of shame than a fashion statement, as it often indicated that the wearer had served a prison sentence. But all that's changed now in Ukraine, where the Western fad for tattoos and other body art, h

Katya Smirnova’s whole back is covered with tattoos. Her first one was in the shape of a lion to mark the birth of her son Leo. Like most adult people in Ukraine, her family took it as a symbol of something dark, evil and even criminal. But Katya was 18 at the time, and they had to accept the rebel for who she was.

“I don’t get tattoos to look beautiful. They are my signs, my totems,” she says.

Katya says her tattoos help her accentuate herself as a singer and link her to the world of showbiz.

In ancient times  body art was used to show who' who in the tribe. But to get a tattoo these days, there’s no need to hunt mammoths. Patience, money and a little imagination will help you get a permanent design for your body.

Yet some artists consider tattoos an inner calling. “Grandpa’s” is one of the oldest studios in Kiev. It’s very selective with its customers. At the studio, says he’ll never penetrate a human’s body if a person hasn’t fully grasped that tattoos are not only for decor.

“Angelina Jolie’s body is covered in tattoos. Have you seen them? It’s not tattoo art, it’s show business!” he claims.

Boasting a small collection of pieces of human ears, Igor says he often gets an odd look on the street. But it’s not a big price to pay in exchange for discovering your true self.

The same applies to another artist, also named Igor. He was in prison for seven years. A former car thief, he became a respected tattoo artist.

In Tsarist Russia and Soviet times, tattoos were a way of showing the hierarchy in prison. At night, in barracks, under a dim light, with a few prisoners on guard… Almost everybody, he says, would use the same needle.

“The most popular type of dye is called ‘jijanka’. To make it you need a heel of a tarpaulin army boot. You take it off and burn it into soot. Then you add water, mix, take a handkerchief and push the substance through,” Igor recalls.

Having come out of jail, Igor found himself a family – perhaps not the most traditional, but at least highly decorated. The skills acquired in prison opened-up a new world of professional tattoo artists.

They say tattoos are addictive. Once you get one, you’ll never stop. Also, they will rarely tell you what their body art means. It’s there for a reason, that’s as much as you will get. But it definitely helps them swing in the fickle world of fashion.