Across the tribes and different caste communities of India, tattoos have served myriad purposes – some people have had ink permanently mark their skin for beautification, while for others tattoos have acted as a representation of the different stages of womanhood, a mark of great warriors, some as protective totems in the afterlife and it’s even believed to cure certain physical ailments.
In the last 10 years, tattooing in India has come a long way – no longer do OM’s with squiggly lines done in a Goan shack make the cut. Today, being a tattoo artist is a commercially viable profession, and one that stands to gain large repute as art. Equipped with international standard equipment, ink and experience, Indian tattoo artists are making a name for themselves on the constantly growing circuit. Exploring different styles and techniques such as dots, watercolour art, wooden needles to name a few, the tattoos today are an amalgamation of wisdom passed down from the ages and futuristic expression.
In the early days, one would have to be absolutely certain of their design, and it would require minimal design interaction from the artist. Today, all you need is the idea in your head, and these artists will extrapolate that to create something unique to you, art in every meaning of the word. The industry has grown so much today that a story of this nature almost felt crucial – it was time to identify artists who are truly pioneers in the field, and bringing something new to the table.