Valentina Riabova

About

Russian tattoo artist and Instagram star known for being the owner and head tattoo artist of Sharp Objects Tattoo Studio, for her highly realistic tattoo portraits, and for her Instagram page @val_tatboo, where she showcases her tattoo and painting work with her followers.

Before Fame

Her artistic career began when she attended the Alexandrino Art School, Stiglitz Academy, and the Repin Academy in Russia. She also studied graphic design at the European University of Experts. She initially worked as a tutor in arts and languages while she saved to purchase her first tattoo equipment. She embarked on her tattooing career in 2012. She quickly gained recognition for her unique style and technical skills, and by 2014 she was winning international competitions and serving as a judge at European tattoo conventions. 

Trivia

She has received numerous awards, including the Best in Show award at the New York Empire State Tattoo Convention in 2022. She has led seminars and workshops worldwide to teach tattooing techniques, painting, and Shibari. She appeared on the Two Fun Guys Podcast in March 2025. Her work has been featured in Tattoo Life Magazine and Models Ink Magazine.

Family Life

She was born and raised in Saint Petersburg, Russia.

Associated With

She has done tattoo portraits of Prince, Audrey Hepburn, Shelley Duvall, Rihanna, and other celebrities.