Canvas.

(When I was 16 yrs old)
Me: Appa, listen, two years from now, when I turn 18 and become an adult and shizz, can I get a tattoo?
Dad: No.
Me: Not now! Two years later.
Dad: No.
Me: But… It’s TWO years away.
Dad: (stares at me till I dissipate into thin air)

Getting a tattoo has been left unchecked on my bucket list for quite a while now and it looks like it’s going to stay that way for some time longer. 

Why don’t I have one yet? And, what am I doing here, starting a blog on something that I have zero (ZERO) experience with?

Well, to start off, there are many reasons behind why I haven’t gotten ‘inked’ yet. But, one of the major influencing factors is my family. My parents are not conservative. They are not typically orthodox. They are not restrictive either. But, if one day I feel all rebellious, get a tattoo and head back home, I’ll have to sleep on the streets for the rest of my life. So no, I can’t get one. (Yet!)

One other reason is that I just can’t seem to be able to figure out what I need. It’s quite frustrating and the only outcome from this is an ever-growing Pinterest board.

But the thing is, this isn’t just my family or just my parents. This is the case with most of my friends too. Ask the elders what the big deal is and you will never get a definite answer – Just that expertly mastered look of disgust.

But… WHY?

Tattooing, as a form of body ornamentation, is not a recent practice. It’s been around for ages and researchers date tattoos back to a period as early as 4000BC. The word tattoo is said to have been derived from the Tahitian word meaning ‘to strike’, tatau, and examples can be found in the history of ancient societies in Hawaii and Tahiti as well. But regardless, tattooed men and women alike, are looked at as defiant of social conventions.

Tattoos are a form of expression – religious, in some cultures. And just plain visual verbalization in some others.
For some, it’s a feeling and an identity.
And for some, it is plain aesthetics. Their bodies are a giant canvas that they want to embellish.

So, this is me, a girl with a blank slate, trying to create cognizance about a beautiful form of art. Why should it be looked down at? Why do some people get the tattoos that they do, and why do some people shy away from it? What’s in trend now and who’s in trend now?

This is the beginning of a journey through the industry of tattooing.
So, if you’re already inked from top-to-toe and you’re looking to add more to that canvas; if you’ve always wanted one but can’t decide on your design; if you desperately want one but can’t build up the courage it takes, or if you’re an artist looking out for another artist and some inspiration, come back here for all this and more.

Yours truly,
A Blank Slate. (for just a while longer)