From being symbols of religious devotion to becoming fashion statements, tattoos have come a long way. This age-old art, which we once saw in black on our grandmother’s hands, is today found on youngsters across the globe in bright, trendy colours and designs. Thanks to the cool quotient, people from various backgrounds are becoming tattoo artistes. Anil Menon is one such; he gave up his IT career of 20 years to realise this dream.
Anil has a tattoo studio in Domlur, Vision of Karma. “I chose the name because I want to be the medium to realise your ‘vision’ by doing my ‘karma’. It’s a collaborative work with the client.”
Anil had earlier dabbled in mechanical drafting and industrial designing. “Then like every other Malayali, I went to the Gulf. While there, I picked up designing skills, returned here, worked with many companies, took on many roles and then one day decided to tattoo.”
Anil says he was always enamoured with tattoos. “Those who are not vocal can use a tattoo to speak about his/her personality,” says Anil, who has tattoos of his zodiac sign and oriental designs on his hands.
Vision of Karma is Anil’s second studio, which he started in 2010. “I believe I inherited drawing skills from my father who was excellent at sketching. I remember observing him at work and have imbibed sketching skills from him. From my mother I think I got the passion for colours.”
Anil is a self-trained artiste. “I used the internet as my guru, and learnt online. After practising for a while, my hands were itching to practise on some one. That’s when a young man, who was working at my house, volunteered. He was leaving for his village and wanted a tattoo as his parting gift. I was very touched and did the tattoo for him.”
That was the beginning. Anil went ahead and put a picture of the tattoo, an eagle, on his Facebook account and “jaws dropped. From IT to tattoos was the standard response but gradually my clientele grew.”
Anil can draw anything on your skin – from animals to a face. “Gone are the days when tattoos were identified with hippies or rebels. Today people from all walks of life come in to get inked. It is a statement, a way of communicating, an extension of your personality.”
The youngster assures you that he takes all safety measures and works in sterile conditions. “The needles are given to the customer or discarded. Ditto for the left over ink and needle tip.”
Anil does not have a catalogue because he believes “every person is unique. I sit with people and come up with exclusive design for them. Getting inked should not be done on an impulse. People should be confident about what they want since it’s something that they get on their skin for a lifetime. Tattooing has captured my heart as I connect with the person. It is the greatest compliment that people carry my work where ever they go. It is a living canvas — not something they put up on a wall, rather they carry on their person 24/7.”
