Lesya Toumaniantz’s radical facial tattoo has recently gone viral, posted on thousands of Facebook pages with captions like “next level face tattoo” from Russia. So I thought it was time to tell the real story behind this remarkable tattoo.
About a month ago, Rouslan Toumaniantz, a well known and sometimes notorious Belgium-based tattoo artist (of Tattoo Box in Kortrijk), and Lesya, a designer living at the time in Saransk, a city in central Russia started talking via chat (Rouslan speaks fluent Russian) and realized they had a lot in common, and quickly began falling head over heels in love. About a week ago they met in person in Moscow and decided to get married — their plans for their life together include her learning to tattoo (Rouslan tells me she’s already a talented artist), apprenticing under her husband-to-be, while she also gets the full-body ink that she’s always dreamed of (biomech is the current plan) — and of course a family.
Her new facial tattoo that’s getting all the attention, a huge commitment for both a person with limited experience as a publicly modified person and for a new relationship screams out the intensity of their commitment to their new life, reads “RUSLAN”, the name of her betrothed. At first glance the tattoo echoes Latin American gang tattooing — MS-13 is the first thing that’s come to many people’s minds — and I worry that it could complicate future travel in the Americas, to say nothing of putting her in danger in some cities (of course, these are places where deaf people speaking sign language occasionally are stabbed when foolish gangmembers assume they’re throwing rival gang-signs). But to be clear, the tattoo has nothing about committing to a life in a gang — it’s a commitment to love.
I know that there are people who are terrified that Lesya has made a rash decision that she’ll regret horribly, but sometimes the best decisions are the ones you make in an instant with your heart rather than the ones long-debated in your mind. I know many people whose favorite mods are the ones they got “on a whim”, and who are still happily married to the person they fell for the instant they saw — “love at first sight” is an old truism — and proposed to within the week. I wish them the best of luck and hope that their life plays out as they dream it to be.
Edit/Update: People have asked why it says “RUSLAN” when I’m writing his name as “Rouslan”. It’s simply because one is the French spelling, and the other is the Russian/English spelling of the name — they chose the latter because it fit better on her face.
Continue after the break for a more explicit photo.
Comments
435 responses to “Lesya and Rouslan”
to bad she started with the face instead of hear body
if u know she was looking so gorgious before (not really into facial tats)
http://sphotos-a.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-prn1/523158_377096122363071_48588430_n.jpg
http://sphotos-h.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc7/378941_243595735713111_1702953453_n.jpg
to bad she started with the face instead of hear body
if u know she was looking so gorgious before (not really into facial tats)
http://sphotos-a.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-prn1/523158_377096122363071_48588430_n.jpg
http://sphotos-h.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc7/378941_243595735713111_1702953453_n.jpg
to bad she started with the face instead of hear body
if u know she was looking so gorgious before (not really into facial tats)
http://sphotos-a.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-prn1/523158_377096122363071_48588430_n.jpg
http://sphotos-h.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc7/378941_243595735713111_1702953453_n.jpg
Wow thats a huge commitment. Especialy for someone without mods to take that step, its a huge step to make, I think it looks amazing. One day I will have facial work done
Wow thats a huge commitment. Especialy for someone without mods to take that step, its a huge step to make, I think it looks amazing. One day I will have facial work done
Wow thats a huge commitment. Especialy for someone without mods to take that step, its a huge step to make, I think it looks amazing. One day I will have facial work done
2 things – 1) love nearly always doesn’t last, and 2) he appears to have spelt his name wrong?!
2 things – 1) love nearly always doesn’t last, and 2) he appears to have spelt his name wrong?!
2 things – 1) love nearly always doesn’t last, and 2) he appears to have spelt his name wrong?!
Isn’t this the same guy who tattoo’d all the stars on that Belgian chicks face? Hopefully Lesya doesn’t have the same feelings afterwards 🙂 .
Isn’t this the same guy who tattoo’d all the stars on that Belgian chicks face? Hopefully Lesya doesn’t have the same feelings afterwards 🙂 .
Isn’t this the same guy who tattoo’d all the stars on that Belgian chicks face? Hopefully Lesya doesn’t have the same feelings afterwards 🙂 .
Intense but all so beautiful and lovely
Intense but all so beautiful and lovely
Intense but all so beautiful and lovely
What a striking, milk white lady, perfect canvas. I’ll look forward to seeing how her suit develops
Also, my best boy, Ronnie ( Iam Hatekill) surprised me last week by getting a sailor jerry flash heart, with my name in a scroll. It’s situated on his face.He wanted it because he says he loves me in a way which he had never felt before. I asked our tattooist if she was going to try and talk him out of it,to which she replied ” I would normally, but it’s YOU two!” 🙂
Anyhoo, I believe that these kinds of occurances she be looked at with an open mind until you know the story behind them.I think this looks amazing on Lesya , they look very much in love and I wish them all the best x
What a striking, milk white lady, perfect canvas. I’ll look forward to seeing how her suit develops
Also, my best boy, Ronnie ( Iam Hatekill) surprised me last week by getting a sailor jerry flash heart, with my name in a scroll. It’s situated on his face.He wanted it because he says he loves me in a way which he had never felt before. I asked our tattooist if she was going to try and talk him out of it,to which she replied ” I would normally, but it’s YOU two!” 🙂
Anyhoo, I believe that these kinds of occurances she be looked at with an open mind until you know the story behind them.I think this looks amazing on Lesya , they look very much in love and I wish them all the best x
What a striking, milk white lady, perfect canvas. I’ll look forward to seeing how her suit develops
Also, my best boy, Ronnie ( Iam Hatekill) surprised me last week by getting a sailor jerry flash heart, with my name in a scroll. It’s situated on his face.He wanted it because he says he loves me in a way which he had never felt before. I asked our tattooist if she was going to try and talk him out of it,to which she replied ” I would normally, but it’s YOU two!” 🙂
Anyhoo, I believe that these kinds of occurances she be looked at with an open mind until you know the story behind them.I think this looks amazing on Lesya , they look very much in love and I wish them all the best x
Every person who ends up divorced started out this much in love. No one thinks their relationship will break up. She had so much clear skin to cover first. Wow, I feel so sad for her upcoming regret.
Every person who ends up divorced started out this much in love. No one thinks their relationship will break up. She had so much clear skin to cover first. Wow, I feel so sad for her upcoming regret.
Every person who ends up divorced started out this much in love. No one thinks their relationship will break up. She had so much clear skin to cover first. Wow, I feel so sad for her upcoming regret.
I wish them all the best. Wow, what a great canvas indeed!
Their relationship could work! Buck and I met online and within the first 10 days spoke about (planned for) marriage–before we ever even met in person. We just KNEW we were perfect for each other immediately.
And now we have been happy together for over 10 years. I continue to fall in love with him all the time.
I wish them all the best. Wow, what a great canvas indeed!
Their relationship could work! Buck and I met online and within the first 10 days spoke about (planned for) marriage–before we ever even met in person. We just KNEW we were perfect for each other immediately.
And now we have been happy together for over 10 years. I continue to fall in love with him all the time.
I wish them all the best. Wow, what a great canvas indeed!
Their relationship could work! Buck and I met online and within the first 10 days spoke about (planned for) marriage–before we ever even met in person. We just KNEW we were perfect for each other immediately.
And now we have been happy together for over 10 years. I continue to fall in love with him all the time.
I don’t know how you could do that to someone you really loved? If I loved someone that strongly I wouldn’t even consider letting them go through with something like this *just in case* the relationship broke up – I wouldn’t want to saddle them with it. Maybe I’m overly practical.
I don’t know how you could do that to someone you really loved? If I loved someone that strongly I wouldn’t even consider letting them go through with something like this *just in case* the relationship broke up – I wouldn’t want to saddle them with it. Maybe I’m overly practical.
I don’t know how you could do that to someone you really loved? If I loved someone that strongly I wouldn’t even consider letting them go through with something like this *just in case* the relationship broke up – I wouldn’t want to saddle them with it. Maybe I’m overly practical.
Guys, this is waycrazy. what tattoo artist would allow this to be someone’s 1 st tattoo? An artist that didnt think twice about putting 56 stars on someones face who also had no tattoos, and im not blaming him for that at all, she asked for it, but this all seems so strange to me. This kind of tattoo is incredibly isolating to a newbie and to me speaks of a control issues not true love. And btw just so you know, im heavily tattooed. No face tattoos yet, and maybe never, who knows… Bt Something like that takes really deep consideration i think, atleast for me and tho im all for true love this just makes me wary.
Guys, this is waycrazy. what tattoo artist would allow this to be someone’s 1 st tattoo? An artist that didnt think twice about putting 56 stars on someones face who also had no tattoos, and im not blaming him for that at all, she asked for it, but this all seems so strange to me. This kind of tattoo is incredibly isolating to a newbie and to me speaks of a control issues not true love. And btw just so you know, im heavily tattooed. No face tattoos yet, and maybe never, who knows… Bt Something like that takes really deep consideration i think, atleast for me and tho im all for true love this just makes me wary.
Guys, this is waycrazy. what tattoo artist would allow this to be someone’s 1 st tattoo? An artist that didnt think twice about putting 56 stars on someones face who also had no tattoos, and im not blaming him for that at all, she asked for it, but this all seems so strange to me. This kind of tattoo is incredibly isolating to a newbie and to me speaks of a control issues not true love. And btw just so you know, im heavily tattooed. No face tattoos yet, and maybe never, who knows… Bt Something like that takes really deep consideration i think, atleast for me and tho im all for true love this just makes me wary.
P.s. All that being said i really do wish them the best.
P.s. All that being said i really do wish them the best.
P.s. All that being said i really do wish them the best.
Well that’s just freaking adorable 😀
Well that’s just freaking adorable 😀
Well that’s just freaking adorable 😀
The tattoo is beautiful. However, I am incredibly skeptical and weary of anyone that tattoos their name on their partner’s face (even if it is done with full consent).
I will be blunt: this doesn’t *look* like love, this looks like him claiming her as his property in the most public way possible.
The tattoo is beautiful. However, I am incredibly skeptical and weary of anyone that tattoos their name on their partner’s face (even if it is done with full consent).
I will be blunt: this doesn’t *look* like love, this looks like him claiming her as his property in the most public way possible.
The tattoo is beautiful. However, I am incredibly skeptical and weary of anyone that tattoos their name on their partner’s face (even if it is done with full consent).
I will be blunt: this doesn’t *look* like love, this looks like him claiming her as his property in the most public way possible.
I agree with BARF in some respects- whose idea was this? Was it hers or his? She appears significantly younger than he is, as well. There is a power dynamic there that makes it weird; a good guy would want his girlfriend to wait a bit before diving into a serious mod like this. Hell, most tattooists would not do a facial piece on someone without a lot of other tattoos. He appears to just have a thing for tattooing faces.
Shannon has for years pushed a (usually subtle) misogyny on Modblog, so it’s not unusual for him to think that “marking her as his property” and “love” are the same thing, especially considering his own sexual attachment to modification and his constant projection of that onto others.
I agree with BARF in some respects- whose idea was this? Was it hers or his? She appears significantly younger than he is, as well. There is a power dynamic there that makes it weird; a good guy would want his girlfriend to wait a bit before diving into a serious mod like this. Hell, most tattooists would not do a facial piece on someone without a lot of other tattoos. He appears to just have a thing for tattooing faces.
Shannon has for years pushed a (usually subtle) misogyny on Modblog, so it’s not unusual for him to think that “marking her as his property” and “love” are the same thing, especially considering his own sexual attachment to modification and his constant projection of that onto others.
I agree with BARF in some respects- whose idea was this? Was it hers or his? She appears significantly younger than he is, as well. There is a power dynamic there that makes it weird; a good guy would want his girlfriend to wait a bit before diving into a serious mod like this. Hell, most tattooists would not do a facial piece on someone without a lot of other tattoos. He appears to just have a thing for tattooing faces.
Shannon has for years pushed a (usually subtle) misogyny on Modblog, so it’s not unusual for him to think that “marking her as his property” and “love” are the same thing, especially considering his own sexual attachment to modification and his constant projection of that onto others.
I think she is still beautiful. And that is an amazing looking tattoo
I think she is still beautiful. And that is an amazing looking tattoo
I think she is still beautiful. And that is an amazing looking tattoo
It’s well done, and because it’s new (that style, that placement, that size) there’s going to be a lot of crap talking, but as long as she likes it and can live with it, awesome. If she doesn’t, I hope she calls us and we can help.
It’s well done, and because it’s new (that style, that placement, that size) there’s going to be a lot of crap talking, but as long as she likes it and can live with it, awesome. If she doesn’t, I hope she calls us and we can help.
It’s well done, and because it’s new (that style, that placement, that size) there’s going to be a lot of crap talking, but as long as she likes it and can live with it, awesome. If she doesn’t, I hope she calls us and we can help.
True love shows in many languages!
True love shows in many languages!