The Tattoo..
Okay... so as promised, here is the tattoo update







I always wanted a tattoo but never till date had the balls to do it. I had given up on that idea completely until the past week when I began seriously considering it. It was then that a bunch of us from work decided  to go on a trip to Goa sometime early next month. I planned like everyone else who has wanted a tattoo to go there and get one done when high on something or some such variation of the classic story.

That trip however fell through for a variety of reasons and with it, my tattoo plans.

But then, a good friend of mine, Aparna Chopde told me about Mr. Pradeep Menon, an amazing tattoo artist in Bangalore itself. She  had recently gotten a tatto done by him and one look at it and I was sure this was where I was going.

On the right is a small picture of  Aparna's Tattoo. It is on her upper back, a little below the nape of her neck. It is the theatre representation of one happy face and one sad face. This is apparently to exemplify her schizophernia. The two faces are drawn to the backdrop of a stage. You can see a larger version of the same tattoo here

A long long chat conversation with Aparna which ended at 5 in the morning convinced me to just jump into the river and not do the test the waters crap. And so I did.


I gave Pradeep a call and scheduled and appointment with him to discuss designs and look at the place etc. I was least prepared to get the tattoo done. But then I went there and things just fell in place. I told him my concept and drew a rough sketch of what I wanted which was then refined and re-designed by his artist ( I forget his name). After about 3 tries and modifications at different places, we came up with the design that I would carry for the rest of my life!

Well, its just a simple design of the Bass Clef and a mermaid's tail below it. The bass clef is for my affiliation with my bass guitar and the mermaid's tail is for Ariel of the Tempest and Ariel the mermaid (its a long story!).

    This is a picture of my tattoo. It is on my right shoulder. This one is just a small tattoo which measures about two and a half inches in length
    and about an inch or a little  more in width at its widest point. It has been done in such a way to allow for additions around it which I plan to in
    due course of time. You can see a slightly hazy but larger version of this tattoo here

    Yay !








I went to the studio in the morning around 11.30 to find that Pradeep was 'setting needles' for the tattooing. Needle setting is a process by which about 6-8 small needles are stuck to a longer steel/aluminium bar so that it can be attached to the tattoo gun. There was then the discussion about the design with the artist and a succesful design that was drawn on paper. This design was then transferred to a tracing paper (wax paper) and then to some sort of a carbon sheet so that it could be tranferred on to the skin. The other way of doing tattoos is free hand where there is no trace on the skin and so its like an artist painting on a fresh canvas. This is generally done for the large and intricate designs. Also, it depends on the skill of the tattooist.

The tattoo was then transferred to my skin and a final confirmation given. Pradeep then began his work.

The gun was loaded and tattoo ink taken in the pallette. He began by tracing the outline with the gun. All the while he was talking to me and things went on very smoothly. Pradeep ensures that he uses surgical gloves, fresh needles, imported good quality ink and keeps his studio clean and hygienic.

The most important part of the entire story. The PAIN. Yes tattooing hurts, but not as much as you all of you think it does. Its just a slight niggling pain which you get used to after some time. No it is not like receiving injections, its less than that. I don't know what to compare the pain with. Its just a slight niggling pain which one gets used to. In Pradeep's words, its addictive. I'm beginning to see that now!

Once the tattoo was complete (which took about 25 mins), I was given an instruction card and the needles used for my tattoo to keep as a souvenier. About 12 hours now since the tattoo was completed and I can't feel any pain. Its beginning to heal and that process should take about 3 weeks. Though it depends on your body.

Scabs are supposed to form on the tattoo and they will fall off in due time after which the tattoo will take its actual colour.

The cost:
The tattoo of mine cost Rs. 1400/-. The charge is as per design and not by the hour. The general thumb rule applied in that studio is that a 2 inch by 2 inch tattoo should cost about Rs. 1500/- but it still depends on the design and the work to be done.

The Studio:

The Dark Arts Studio is located in Frazer town just behind St. Germain's School. The studio is to move to Commercial Street by the end of the month in the mall next to the Westside Store. The current address:

#32/11, Spencer Road Cross,
Frazer Town, Bangalore 560005

directions:
Go to coles park. Take the left at the signal in front of St. Germain's High School. Go past the Centurion bank ATM and take a left at the 2nd circle on the road. Take the first left after that into a slightly small lane, the studio is in the 3rd house on the left.

The Artist:
Pradeep Menon has been doing tattooing for a living for over 2 years now. He is a skilled artist and takes personal interest in each tattoo he does and is quite picky and choosy about the designs etc. He uses safe imported ink (forgot details) and sterilized needles and in time, if nothing happens to me, you will know he is a safe bet for your tattoos!
Contact him on: +91 98452 91930



Well.... thats about as much as I can remember.