Dedication, patience and determination

Is must,to be professional tattooist says, Subhojit Chakroborty, who completed his bachelor's in animations and took up tattooing as a profession Purnima Sriram What is your qualification? I pursued my bachelors in animation from Loyola Academy, Alwal. After I finished my graduation, I took up tattooing as a profession. What inspired you to take up tattooing as a profession? Sketching has always been my passion. I always wanted to get into the field of art, so I decided to take up my bachelors in animation but it didn't quite really quench my creative thirst. When I got tattooed for the first time, I realised the effort, hard work and creativity needed and hence I thought of taking it up as my profession. The people who inspirited me were Corey Miller, Mohan Gurung, Dimitry Samohin, Chris Garver and many other great tattooists across the world. I tried following their footsteps.

How much it takes to start up in this profession? My initial investment for a tattoo rookie set up was around Rs.15, 000. Using cheap instruments might cause harm the clients which would reflect my reputation. Hence, I made sure that I buy the best tools for best tattooing. What strategy you follow to attract people to get them tattooed? I don't follow any strategy in particular. It is a business related to art and therefore we cannot follow any kind of strategy. Tattoo lovers are growing in number because people started to appreciate this form of art. It is now a trend and it has also become a way of expression. I always strive to the give best quality work and satisfy my clients.

How many have you done so far? I don't have a count of my work as I have done many so far. I counted till hundred works but after my 100th work, I have stopped counting, so I am sure it is more than hundred. Your best tattoo so far? I had tattooed Lord Shiva's portrait recently which is my favorite tattoo and the best among my many best works. Every time I sit on my work, I only think of doing exceptional tattoos.

Who supported you in this profession? My friends, family supported me in every step of my life. My girlfriend is also an artist from Kolkata. She also supported me a lot by giving me tips and also by corrected my flaws. What are the tools that you use for tattooing? I use professional machines and all sterilised products, disposable ink caps, tips, tubes. I make sure my ambience is neat and clean. I maintain hygiene and safety. I don't take the risk of cross contamination.

How much do you charge? I charge 500 rupees per square inch for both black, grey work and colour work. What is your good day like? It is when I am doing a major piece like whole sleeves. What is your bad day like? It is when I don't get enough time to sleep. It will affect my work and I tend to make mistakes. What is the scope for the youngsters in this profession? There is a lot of scope in this profession for youngsters only if they are ready to invest and devote a lot of time for it. Dedication and determination to do it is the main qualification required for this profession. Passion to learn, hard work will surely get fruitful results to our work. People who are into art can explore this form of art too.