Talisman

Dr. Priya Selvaraj: Chief guest for the Talisman media launch

Thursday 28 October 2010 marked Talisman’s official press launch, and we’re happy to say that it was a great success!

We chose to keep the event as informal as possible, so rather than delivering a prepared speech, we gave journalists a chance to have one-on-one sessions with us in a sort of a free-flowing interview

Our chief guest for the occasion was Dr. Priya Selvaraj, Assistant Director at GG Hospital (Nungambakkam High Road), accomplished medical professional, and tattoo lover (we’ve had the pleasure of tattooing her 4 times).

Dr. Priya Selvaraj (left) and me (Nisha)

Tattoos tell stories

The launch was centred on the concept that there is a story behind every tattoo. The images we choose to have tattooed on us represent something. They have a meaning; often very personal. In that sense, tattoos can tell you a lot about someone.

See this for yourself with the tattoo below. Going by its accepted symbolic meaning in a number of cultures, what can you deduce about the person sporting the tattoo?

The eagle’s ability to soar into the skies has lead cultures over the ages to associate it with the gods; be it as their messenger, their steed, or a carrier of their wisdom, honour, and bravery.

Learn how to tattoo at Talisman

The launch was also a chance for us to remind the public that we do take tattoo classes. With the demand for tattoos on the rise, learning how to tattoo can be both emotionally rewarding as well as financially viable. A freelance tattoo artist with the right training is always sought after by salons, beauty parlours, etc., and a talented artist can recoup the money spent on training within a year of starting work.

Talisman tattoo trivia

With so many people asking us questions about ourselves and the boutique, the launch was also an opportunity for us to introspect; and the process revealed interesting facts. For example…

• Chennai is opening its doors to tattoos. Gone are the days when tattoos were for a select group of people, and were kept hidden from the public. People of all walks of life and varied backgrounds are choosing to get inked in Chennai, and are less reluctant to show off their tats in public. And as our Facebook fan page shows, a discerning tattoo community is growing … slowly but surely.
• Our largest client base is among homemakers: You’d think that college students or young males with bulging biceps would be the most frequent client … but that’s not the case. The erstwhile ‘housewife’ is perhaps the most trendy demographic in Chennai, and makes up more than 60% of our clientele.
• Custom tattoos have become the rage: There was a time when our flash portfolio (i.e. portfolio of ready-made tattoos) was highly popular; clients would almost always choose ‘butterflies’ and ‘stars’ from our display folders. Now that’s changing. We’re finding that more and more clients are putting some serious thought into their tattoos, often spending months (and sometimes even years) coming up with the ‘perfect’ custom design. This is heartening for us, as it is a sign that tattoos are no longer just a fashion statement, and that they are being seen as the works of art that they really are.
• Tattoos can fade: People are slowly beginning to realize that getting tattooed is just the first step. Taking care of your tattoo is just as important. A neglected tattoo will fade fast. So, as tattoo artists, there’s nothing more satisfying than when clients take their aftercare instructions to heart. As with any artist, we take pride in our work; and to see it stay fresh and beautiful gives us a warm fuzzy feeling .
• Tattoos can be covered up: We’ve had people come to us with tattoos that have been messed up by untrained artists, and most of the time we’ve been able to do a ‘cover up’ tattoo. And clients are beginning to take heart that gross errors can sometimes be corrected. However, this isn’t always the case, so please do make sure you choose a skilled tattoo artist.