My quest to getting inked
As a child I always cast about for opportunities to play in the open air, wander about green fields and bask in the sun. One such evening I stumbled upon a fascinating creature with petite wings and an elongated body, that left me mesmerized. Therein began my preoccupation with dragonflies or helicopters (as I elected to christen them, stemming from my inadequate knowledge of the insect family). Once you start watching dragonflies, you can't help notice how amazing they are. It's agile flight and ability to move in all directions is reflective of the cognizance it bears of its surroundings while exhibiting iridescence. Much like a Gemini's desire to satiate his/her intense curiosity, the dragonfly wanders from pillar to post exploring uncharted territories, leaving no stone unturned. In other words, me -- with a dash of awkwardness, thick spectacles, learning to deal with a tall frame, all at once during my formative years.
Given the impressionable age, popular cultural icons such as the Spice Girls (particularly Sporty Spice) and Buffy - The Vampire Slayer, and a bit of sports on the side influenced my preferences. I considered myself tough and developed a bond with gory, action-oriented televised images (I'm guessing my friends would refute the tough part :)). I was especially in awe of Mel C a.k.a. Sporty Spice with her back-flips, tattoos and easygoing attire. The Celtic tattoo on her arm was my favourite, emblematic of allegiance to one's tribe.
The childish infatuation with tattoos lured me into getting temporary Celtic bands, that I preserved for days on my body. So its safe to assume that she was partially instrumental in motivating me to get mine. My parents, of course, were far from being thrilled with the idea of marking myself for life. I knew I'd have to wait till a respectable age to convince them. The gravity of the situation could only be determined through my patient, unshakable devotion to the art. However, getting a tattoo went from being a fad to meaning something much deeper. According to some, people get tattoos either to rebel, be different or on a drunken whim, but my reasons stand far apart from those (Also read: http://www.thetattooedengineer.com/2011/05/26/why-do-people-get-tattoos/).
Change is imperative, though it may not come easy, but there are certain things that help you hold your ground, such as family and love, which is encapsulated by the etching on my shoulder. It signifies the kind of change that has its source in mental and emotional maturity from the perspective of self-realization.
Drawing from my beliefs and childhood memories, I designed my tattoo starting with a series of Celtic symbols and varied compositions of the dragonfly. Deep down I always knew I wanted the dragonfly, due to the symbolic inference attached to this enchanting creature. Despite the physical pain it was expected to cause, I vowed to see it through.
My tattoo is a part of my identity, stating my belief in evolution, love, family and peace, all that I have come to embrace.
THE JOURNEY
MY CONVICTION, PARENTS' DILEMMA
Understand that your parents belong to a different generation when tattoos were almost exclusively seen on gang members, bikers etc. The circumstances and conditions involved in carrying out the task were not always safe or hygienic, hence the anxiety. For someone who has been raised with all the love and care in the world, I was conscious of my parents grief and their inability to comprehend the arguments I put forth. There was no other alternative but to keep at it and remind them, time and again, that it wasn't to cater to my "cool quotient" rather it would denote elements that I held in great regard. In retrospect I'm glad I spent all those years contemplating what I wanted, it helped me realize the seriousness of it. Considering it will stay with you forever, become a permanent feature, you ought to give it a lot of thought. In order to expunge your parents' prejudice, make them aware of how artists are extensively trained on safe handling and disposal of equipment. Present them with solid facts to allay their fears. Getting a tattoo is not worth losing your parents respect...give them time to come around, trust me..they will, knowing you've grown up into a responsible adult.
MYTHS ABOUT PAIN & ENDURANCE
Honestly, I was petrified when I walked into the tattoo studio. The thought of the blood and pain, kept me up all night. Nevertheless, I had made up my mind to go through with it. Since I got inked on my right shoulder blade, I was spared from the trauma of witnessing the needle pierce my body. Let me dispel the myth for you...the pain is not as bad as you think! Tattoo needles perforate your skin only by about 1/16th of an inch, very insignificant when you consider it. There is blood, of course, but the constant motion leaves you no time to fret about the pain. I barely bled and was done in 40 minutes or so. The threshold for pain varies for every individual and depends on the area you choose for your body art (Read more about tattoo pain scale: http://www.tattoos-hurt.com/tattoo-pain-scale/)
Eventually the pain is worth the beautiful piece of artwork.
.
TREASURING IT FOREVER
As I laid eyes on the timeless piece of art, I was filled with immense joy. I couldn't help feeling that I'd battled all odds to get here; my perseverance finally winning over my parents. Just as a dragonfly lives through different stages of its being, I believe I have evolved as an individual too. It symbolizes the change and transition in my life. A dragonfly's short lifespan exemplifies the virtue of seizing every moment and living life to the fullest. By living in the moment I have learnt to be bold and courageous, growing in tacit knowledge. The joy comes not from belonging to a clique but from the pictorial depiction of my belief.
What was once considered a taboo has now evolved into a sophisticated art form, however, take the time to educate yourself about the entire process and in choosing the right artist.
Voila!
THROWING IN MY TWO CENTS
Get inked when it means something to you as you are going to live with it for the rest of your life. I for one would love to get another tattoo but am shackled by my family's orthodox views on body art. Their resistance stems from the sentiment that the dragonfly tattoo is all the body art they can handle, after all I am the first in my family (or even extended family) to get one. To top it all...I belong to the female sex, which from an Indian traditionalist standpoint makes me a rebel (or so its said).
Think it through before taking the plunge, doesn't matter if the whole task takes a few years (it worked out well in my case).Truly comprehend the philosophy behind getting inked, because it's bound to become a part of your identity.
If given the option to get more tattoos, I would probably put a stop to it after another two or three. I wouldn't want to go overboard with the number, but of course "each to his own", do what makes you happy. I'm attempting to settle with happy, though itching to get the next one. Any wise words/ experiences you'd like to share?
Tattoo ideas/ Tattoo blog posts:
http://www.contrariwise.org/
http://www.thetattooedengineer.com/2011/05/26/why-do-people-get-tattoos/
http://www.tattoos-hurt.com/tattoo-pain-scale/
Given the impressionable age, popular cultural icons such as the Spice Girls (particularly Sporty Spice) and Buffy - The Vampire Slayer, and a bit of sports on the side influenced my preferences. I considered myself tough and developed a bond with gory, action-oriented televised images (I'm guessing my friends would refute the tough part :)). I was especially in awe of Mel C a.k.a. Sporty Spice with her back-flips, tattoos and easygoing attire. The Celtic tattoo on her arm was my favourite, emblematic of allegiance to one's tribe.
The childish infatuation with tattoos lured me into getting temporary Celtic bands, that I preserved for days on my body. So its safe to assume that she was partially instrumental in motivating me to get mine. My parents, of course, were far from being thrilled with the idea of marking myself for life. I knew I'd have to wait till a respectable age to convince them. The gravity of the situation could only be determined through my patient, unshakable devotion to the art. However, getting a tattoo went from being a fad to meaning something much deeper. According to some, people get tattoos either to rebel, be different or on a drunken whim, but my reasons stand far apart from those (Also read: http://www.thetattooedengineer.com/2011/05/26/why-do-people-get-tattoos/).
Change is imperative, though it may not come easy, but there are certain things that help you hold your ground, such as family and love, which is encapsulated by the etching on my shoulder. It signifies the kind of change that has its source in mental and emotional maturity from the perspective of self-realization.
Drawing from my beliefs and childhood memories, I designed my tattoo starting with a series of Celtic symbols and varied compositions of the dragonfly. Deep down I always knew I wanted the dragonfly, due to the symbolic inference attached to this enchanting creature. Despite the physical pain it was expected to cause, I vowed to see it through.
My tattoo is a part of my identity, stating my belief in evolution, love, family and peace, all that I have come to embrace.
THE JOURNEY
MY CONVICTION, PARENTS' DILEMMA
Understand that your parents belong to a different generation when tattoos were almost exclusively seen on gang members, bikers etc. The circumstances and conditions involved in carrying out the task were not always safe or hygienic, hence the anxiety. For someone who has been raised with all the love and care in the world, I was conscious of my parents grief and their inability to comprehend the arguments I put forth. There was no other alternative but to keep at it and remind them, time and again, that it wasn't to cater to my "cool quotient" rather it would denote elements that I held in great regard. In retrospect I'm glad I spent all those years contemplating what I wanted, it helped me realize the seriousness of it. Considering it will stay with you forever, become a permanent feature, you ought to give it a lot of thought. In order to expunge your parents' prejudice, make them aware of how artists are extensively trained on safe handling and disposal of equipment. Present them with solid facts to allay their fears. Getting a tattoo is not worth losing your parents respect...give them time to come around, trust me..they will, knowing you've grown up into a responsible adult.
MYTHS ABOUT PAIN & ENDURANCE
Honestly, I was petrified when I walked into the tattoo studio. The thought of the blood and pain, kept me up all night. Nevertheless, I had made up my mind to go through with it. Since I got inked on my right shoulder blade, I was spared from the trauma of witnessing the needle pierce my body. Let me dispel the myth for you...the pain is not as bad as you think! Tattoo needles perforate your skin only by about 1/16th of an inch, very insignificant when you consider it. There is blood, of course, but the constant motion leaves you no time to fret about the pain. I barely bled and was done in 40 minutes or so. The threshold for pain varies for every individual and depends on the area you choose for your body art (Read more about tattoo pain scale: http://www.tattoos-hurt.com/tattoo-pain-scale/)
Eventually the pain is worth the beautiful piece of artwork.
.
TREASURING IT FOREVER
As I laid eyes on the timeless piece of art, I was filled with immense joy. I couldn't help feeling that I'd battled all odds to get here; my perseverance finally winning over my parents. Just as a dragonfly lives through different stages of its being, I believe I have evolved as an individual too. It symbolizes the change and transition in my life. A dragonfly's short lifespan exemplifies the virtue of seizing every moment and living life to the fullest. By living in the moment I have learnt to be bold and courageous, growing in tacit knowledge. The joy comes not from belonging to a clique but from the pictorial depiction of my belief.
What was once considered a taboo has now evolved into a sophisticated art form, however, take the time to educate yourself about the entire process and in choosing the right artist.
Voila!
THROWING IN MY TWO CENTS
Get inked when it means something to you as you are going to live with it for the rest of your life. I for one would love to get another tattoo but am shackled by my family's orthodox views on body art. Their resistance stems from the sentiment that the dragonfly tattoo is all the body art they can handle, after all I am the first in my family (or even extended family) to get one. To top it all...I belong to the female sex, which from an Indian traditionalist standpoint makes me a rebel (or so its said).
Think it through before taking the plunge, doesn't matter if the whole task takes a few years (it worked out well in my case).Truly comprehend the philosophy behind getting inked, because it's bound to become a part of your identity.
If given the option to get more tattoos, I would probably put a stop to it after another two or three. I wouldn't want to go overboard with the number, but of course "each to his own", do what makes you happy. I'm attempting to settle with happy, though itching to get the next one. Any wise words/ experiences you'd like to share?
Tattoo ideas/ Tattoo blog posts:
http://www.contrariwise.org/
http://www.thetattooedengineer.com/2011/05/26/why-do-people-get-tattoos/
http://www.tattoos-hurt.com/tattoo-pain-scale/
Labels: Art, Bodyart, Celtic, Childhood, Dragonfly, Family, Ink, Pain, Self-realisation, Sporty Spice, Symbolism, Tattoo
posted by Evanescent @ 10:44 PM
1 Comments:
I know this girl with the dragon tattoo :) :)
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