Seeking that sweet spot

CHENNAI: People abroad have tried everything possible in the art of tattooing, from hiding the entire body behind colour sketches to a stamp of ink even on one’s eyelids, sclera (white portion of the eye) and even one’s teeth. But, considering just the thought of getting one (location irrelevant) is perceived  as a tad wild in the city, it’s little wonder that Chennai-based tattoo artists seem not too bothered about related trends in Europe and the West. “I haven’t learnt about getting a tattoo on the eye and I don’t think it makes a difference, as we won’t get customers in Chennai who would want a tattoo there,” says Praveen of The Rock tattoo studio on Greams Road. Praveen says it’s more or less the same procedure when it comes to getting a tattoo on the eye. He points out, “Except, it is important to be aware of  the medical procedures involved as well. The tattoo artist should know how to handle the eyeball and sclera with care,” he says. However, this veteran in the field admits that he will learn the technology if some of his Chennai clients want him to. However, Praveen has been running his tattoo studio for about 10 years and  has observed a pattern among his city-based clientele. He reveals, “Of late, people want to show their tattoo and so get one in the partly visible places, men mostly in forearms and women just above the ankle.”Even when people come to Praveen the second time, they just want to add to the old tattoo or get another small one elsewhere. On the other hand, he shares that those from Andhra Pradhesh and Bangalore request comparatively bigger tattoos. Ask him just how Chennaiites are these days, and  he offers, “Some of my customers have got their husbands’ name just above the breast. I think that’s crazy enough for Chennai.” And Naveen, owner of Irezumi remembers a guy who got a naked woman tattooed on his shoulders. While Praveen says both men and women come to him in equal numbers, Naveen is of the opinion that  girls outnumber boys these days. Naveen also adds that while women go for soft themes such as butterfly or floral patterns, men prefer to sport bold patterns like lion, dragon or in some cases, a long haired damsel. A few choose to wear their favourite god or deity on their sleeve (quite literally)  like Shiva and Ganapati. From an initial handful of tattoo parlours, the tattoo business has grown tremendously with atleast a dozen across the city. Although many a Chennaiite may seem quite knowledgeable on the subject, perhaps the foremost thing they fear is the pain. “People usually are well aware of the safety measures required and maintenance of a tattoo — it’s just the anxiety about the needle that holds them back,” explains Naveen. While there is no legal age restriction for getting a tattoo, these tattoo artists  as a policy choose not to entertain people below 18. “When young boys look under age, I always ask them to bring their age proof,” laughs Praveen.