You think it and we ink it... was the call from more than 35 tattoo artists who had gathered under one roof at Princeton Club on May 24 and 25 to give the city its first big brush with body art.

Calcutta International Tattoo Convention, in association with t2 and Ebela, got underway with artists from Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, Chandigarh, Assam, Nagaland and Nepal, alongside 15 from Calcutta, drawing first-timers to tattoo addicts by the hordes. The drone of tattoo machines, spotlights focused on the canvas called skin and deft movement of gloved hands saw a wide range of designs and patterns — from The Last Supper to the girlfriend’s face.

“All the tattoo artists from other states were very happy. They were happy about the arrangements and the response they got from Calcuttans. We are already looking forward to another convention next year,” said Tuhi Dutta, a tattoo artist and member of Kolkata Tattoo Community.

Eye-catchers

 

“This is my first tattoo and there is a reason behind me getting Chucky engraved. Two years ago, I was a complete introvert. My friends had staged an intervention and gave me advice on how to open up. They gave me a nickname — Chucky! I actually did take their advice and became a bit more social. In fact, when I went home to Sikkim for holidays, my parents noticed the change too. I decided to get this tattoo to remind me of the transformation I went through,” said Prabhat Pradhan, 24.

 

 

 

Ripz Basak from Guwahati got his parents’ faces inked on his chest. “This will be a surprise for my parents who will celebrate their anniversary in June. Assam has a tattoo culture. I find the tattoo artists in Calcutta very good,” said Ripz. He also has his wife Meghali’s face tattooed on his chest. “All the tattoos I have are very important for me. I am going to have the Buddha on my back next,” he added.

Kuldeep Singh Bedi got a bottle of Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Whiskey tattooed on his calf. “I used to drink before and JD was my favourite drink,” said the 32-year-old event manager who boasts of 15 tattoos.

“This (Thor) is my first tattoo and I was ready for the pain, though it hurt quite a bit! The trick is to keep your mind off it. So I concentrated on the music I was listening to,” said 24-year-old Rohan Rai, who has just finished his graduation.

Ujjwal Singh got a full back tattoo on the first day of the convention by Bimal and John, tattoo artists from Nepal. “My tattoo is a tribute to the Tibetan culture,” said the 26-year-old who runs a restaurant in town.

ON THE SIDELINES

The Big Bong Theory Forum, a Calcutta-based hip hop outfit consisting of 11 dancers and graffiti artists, showed off freestyle moves.

Wazid of Infinity Riders, a city-based group of young stunt bikers, demonstrated mountain biking stunts.

Hypokrites staged Just Another Day, a 15-minute romantic play featuring Neha Chatterjee and Arkoprovo Roy (below).

THE GIRL GANG

Artist: Tuhi Dutta, 25

Studied: MA in mass communication from Kalyani University

Work experience: Five years.

Her tattoo tale: “I got my first tattoo in 2008. It was a cross shaped like a T. During my graduation, I wanted to get a tattoo done. I was looking for a female tattoo artist but couldn’t find any. I was intrigued. I wanted to learn the art.... Getting tattooed is an addiction. People have this fear about the pain but once they get their first they realise it is bearable and start planning their second tattoo.”

She likes: Johnny Depp “because he is a tattoo freak. In India, I like Sanjay Dutt’s tattoos.”

Top trend: “A tattoo in the Bengali script! One of the loveliest tattoos that I have ever done is one with the Bengali script on a couple from Kerala, who’d fallen in love with the script.”

You’ll find her at: Tuhi’s Tattoo, Salt Lake

Artist: Debanjali Das, 22

Studying: Graphic design at the Government College of Art & Craft

Work experience: Around two years

Her tattoo tale: “I got my first, a gothic motif, five years ago. I used to watch LA Ink on TLC and got inspired. I trained with Tshering from Calcutta Ink.”

Top trends: Trash Polka, which is a variety of bold, paint-style tattoos, particularly those done with black and red ink. Also, dot-work tattoos which are made up of millions of dots, and the self-explanatory watercolour effect.

Fave tattoo artist: Katvon D from LA.

Advice to first-timers: “Just forget about the pain. It is very bearable. Go for it.”

You’ll find her at: Lizard’s Skin Tattoos, opposite South City Mall

Kankana Biswas, a tattoo artist herself, dropped in at the convention to get one. “I got my first tattoo two years ago on my finger. It was Kitto, the name of my kitten that had died at that time. This time I wanted to get a colourful hummingbird on my back. It signifies love and peace,” said the 22-year-old, who got it etched by Anjan Pradhan of Unique Ink, Lake Town. Her tips for the tattoo enthusiast? “Look up the profile of the artist before getting inked. Check if they maintain hygiene, use proper sterilised needles and sealed stuff. Also, get it done by a good artist because a lot depends on the artist.”

THINK BEFORE YOU INK

Talk with the artist before deciding where and how you want your tattoo done. Think about it.

Choose your artist carefully. Go through their portfolios. Ask for suggestions. Tattoo is a lifelong commitment. Apart from the quality of artwork, a good artist ensures a relatively pain-free first-tattoo experience.

If you want to get a job in the hospitality sector, the aviation industry or any field that frowns upon visible ink and has a strict dress code, think twice. If you must, then preferably get it done in a hidden place. It is more expensive and painful to remove a tattoo. So think before you get inked.

It is advisable to not get a tattoo of your significant other’s name. It is an unsaid thing among tattoo-buffs and artists that if you ink your love, it goes bust! But seriously, if you must, make it small and discreet so that you can deal with, ahem, under changing circumstances.

Don’t get tattoos done on hands. No matter how good it looks on Rihanna, tattoos on the hand are nothing but a waste of money. The skin on the hand is different from the rest of your body; it is more delicate, causing tattoos to fade faster. If you have pockets deep enough for constant touch-ups, however, go right ahead!