"Why?" vs "Why not!"

EK:

Boy, it has been about three weeks or so since we've updated the blog.  There have been bunches of projects and events and people keeping us busy, occupied and out of trouble, for which I cannot complain. So while the backlog of stories to share with readers here slowly pile up, we continue
designing, drawing, tattooing and after work, do anything but get back onto the computer to do more work. There will be more pictures to share with the accompanying story, and while my camera hand is noticeably shy (and lazy and forgetful), they will get told!

Some people think long and hard to get their one and only.  (as an aside, very seldom does it end up being the only one... anyone who's had a tattoo knows exactly how addictive they are). Others get it just because. Both reasons are perfectly valid, completely acceptable and totally something I do

respect.

Trust me when I say that I will not keep my mouth shut when I get a request that has got potential to change someone's life for the worse (like the dreaded mistake of tattooing someone's name on your body who could be your ex one day). People might not like to hear the little "don't do this" speech, but hey, it's

better to be silently thanked in the future than cursed soundly and repeatedly in the near future.

But back to topic: speaking of reasons to get a tattoo... well, there are really so many, right?  Sometimes, to represent a phase. Or a passing phase. Sometimes to represent a loved one, or even the person wearing it itself. Sometimes to show belief, or respect, or tribute.  And sometimes, just because it's a nice looking piece and the client would like to wear it.

Two examples of these were done recently, both on the same area of the clients' bodies.  I got a call from Clement, who works downtown, who wanted a lotus flower on the back of her shoulder. A keen Buddhist, the lotus was an apt summing up of her religious beliefs. She had wanted to know the price off the phone, and ended up coming for a consultation.

Clement's lotus, freshly done

A careful lady, Clement asked many questions -- the pain factor, the healing process, the preparation and the entire experience. I appreciate that, for one, because it showed that she wanted to understand what she wanted from the get-go and would leave no stone unturned.  One question that did strike me was that she wondered if she was past the age to get ink. No, I told her, nobody is too old, only too young (if you're below 18). The oldest woman I've tattooed, in fact, was in her early 70s in Augusta. It was her second one, and she thought it was a total hoot to get ink again -- and we had a blast doing it.

More significantly, she said she was doing this as a gesture for herself instead of always doing something for the people in her life -- an affirmation and appreciation for who she is, I suppose. She didn't want it too big, she just wanted something small, nothing flashy, but simple and classic to
remind her of her beliefs. We decided on what to do, and at the end of the week, she came together with two eagerly-curious daughters and one niece in tow (for moral support, I think).

There was a little bit of nervousness over the first few seconds prior to the insertion of the tattoo needles, but she was awfully surprised and how little it hurt when it finally did go in. From someone who was scared of the pain, it was a far cry to have this lady calm and totally relaxed in the chair while the outline went in. When we did the shading and the soft shades of pink in the flower, not only did she comment on how much less she felt the needles but that it didn't even hurt. Really a nice compliment!

By the time we were done, she was running on a good load of endorphins and smiling. As for me, I had fun myself as I'm also a fellow Buddhist and a firm believer in karma, who tries to navigate through the semantically murky religious texts. We exchanged information on rituals, approaches, where to worship and (unsurprisingly) where to eat nearby. She called me a week later after, to let me know that the healing was going well, and she looks at her lotus often, with a smile.

On the other spectrum of "why I need this tattoo", we had another group of clients come visit one weekend, and while they were shuffling through the flash and looking at designs, one of them, Ah Heng, picked up a sheet that had elf faces -- and one that I've been wanting
to do for a while.

"You like this one, huh?" I asked him, trying to fish for a reason.
"Yeah, I do," he said, proferring the rationale: "I like it."  And that was it.

Well, you couldn't fault that, or fault him.  It was an enigmatic face, slightly preternatural, not conventionally pretty but quite haunting. It was the look in the eyes, which you could read a thousand ways. Was she hurt, or sensitive, or seductive? Was she reflective or to create an illusion?

She had fair hair, a tiara and Randy suggested colouring the eyes to give it an accent of light and iridescence.
"Would you like a natural look or the faerie look?" I asked him.
"Half and half," he said.  (not a man of many words, Ah Heng)
"Um.  What colour in the eyes would you like?"
"I don't know."
(and after looking at our colours of ink).... "How about blue or green... clean tones, nothing muddy?"
"Blue."  (silently, I was plumping for green, but oh well)
"Light blue, teal blue, medium blue or....?"
"Medium."  okay.

And so it was on. Style-wise it was completely different than the lotus, with watery blood lines, and grey shades to give texture and depth. But unlike a lot of grey-heavy pieces, we opted to go a little more stark and light in the shading, to give the eyes a more effective 'lilt', if you know what I'm talking about.  The thing about pieces without a bold outline is that the result is never apparent, or even half-apparent.... you only get to see it emerge slowly under the tattoo machine when the differing shades come out.

Unlike Clement's tattoo experience, Ah Heng and I didn't really exchange a word  throughout the entire tattoo.  When it was done, he stood before the mirror.  He just stood there, staring at it for a long time and not saying a word.  At least, until I asked him if he wanted to get bandaged so he could put his shirt back on.

Ah Heng went home happy, yup. He called me a couple of days ago, saying he was coming by for another tattoo. Sometimes, though, I wonder, just like Clement, how many times he looks at his ink in the mirror. Just like how she does with her lotus.