Rule number one: You don’t want to be generic. The problem with tattoos is that they aren’t symbols of rebellion any more. If anything, getting inked today means you’re just conforming to the wannabe hipster stereotype; especially if you settle for the most predictable designs — yet another angel, overtly stylised feather and strings of random Chinese words. Worst of all? Being stuck with the name of an ex-boy friend across your back, years after a nasty break-up.
“Relationships may be short-lived but a tattoo is forever,” says celebrity tattooist Sameer Patange, as he discusses the weird and wacky requests he’s had from customers. “Strange patterns and quotes on peoples’ bottoms to start with.” Sameer started at the age of 20 and inked his way to the Limca Book of Records as the youngest tattoo artist in the country. After 15 years in the industry, he’s worked on celebrities such as Hrithik Roshan, Sushmita Sen, Kangana Ranaut and Sanjay Dutt. “Sushmita has got six. Most of them are texts such as Soli Deo Gloria , ‘Temptation’ with a sword through it, a Latin inscription... she’s only got one in an art form and that’s a leopard and lotus that show the two sides of her personality. For Kangana, I covered up a botched up job that some other tattoo artist had done. She has a crown with wings and a sword passing through it on the nape of her neck. ”
Sameer’s forte is drawing neat lines and complex patterns on skin. But of late, creating designs out of alphabets and names has become his specialty too. “Covering up names is common these days. In a week, my studio Kraayonz does at least three such cover ups. That’s why I always ask clients to refrain from getting names inscribed. This is also why I don’t entertain drunk people. To underline the fact, he says, just five days ago, a girl with the initials RS tattooed on her visited his Mumbai studio, wanting to get rid of the R. When Sameer asked her if it was her boyfriend's initial, her reply was surprising — she had no clue what it stood for as she got it in Goa when she was drunk.
Tattoos are not niche anymore. Even those who don't want designs on their body find permanent ink an effective way to enhance facial features. “Women want the permanent lipstick look — so they get pink or red tattoos on their lips. It tends to fade after a while. A client got me to ink her eyelids so it looks like permanent eyeliner,” says Sameer.
Vishwas Gunwanth Dorwekar, a tattooist at Hakim’s Alim Salon in Mumbai, says, “In a week, at least 10 women clients come wanting beauty spots. I figure out which spot on the face most enhances their look and do it for them,” he says.
This is why the trend of using organic tattoo inks has picked up. With people choosing sensitive body parts to get inked on, these inks are a safe bet. Tattoo ink has been getting a lot of bad press lately as people are becoming aware of how most metal pigments are derived from heavy metals like lead and mercury. These are a problem because they are absorbed by the skin and can trigger a whole range of health issues.
Navin Nandakumar, owner of Irezumi in Chennai says, “I have been using vegetable and fruit-based inks right from the beginning. I get them from the U.S. One of the brands, Stable, even makes vegan ink. However, there are also a few brands that do contain metals, but not the harmful ones.”
The organic variety is supposed to be skin-friendly, chemical-free and non-carcinogenic. The inks have changed; the machines have changed from weighty coils to rotary ones, and as for designs, they keep changing too. He says Sanjay Dutt started the trend of getting parents’ names tattooed. But the new thing now is getting their portraits tattooed. “A line of little black birds is also the new “in” thing, so is hieroglyphics. Motifs depicting Shiva or zodiacs are still cool,” he says, adding that Sonakshi Sinha just got her zodiac sign inked.
A safe rule to follow is to always get a pattern that means something to you. “I recommend getting something that has a deeper meaning,” says Sameer. What irritates him, and most tattoo artists, is when clients say: ‘I don't know what to get done. Suggest something.’ “I certainly can't decide for them. They need to do their home work. Don’t copy another person’s tattoo just because it’s visually appealing,” he says, rolling his eyes.
Then, sounding exasperated, he adds, “Patience. In addition to being a good artist, a visualiser and having steady hands, you also need to have a lot of patience to be a good tattooist."