blankanvas

So there I was, with my t-shirt tucked clumsily under my bra. Good going with the Miller Light Beer t-shirt, Pat. You look like a bloody Hooter’s Girl. Until yesterday, I have six tattoos: a Dragon at the small of my back, an ambigramme on my nape, a Gecko climbing up the left thigh, Cupidon resting on the left calf, my personal maxim plastered below my navel and finally, the eternal binding connection with my wife; a Motion Star on my right wrist.

kirby placing the stencil on

I made an appointment with Kirby, of Utopia Studio, after witnessing his intricate strokes against my wife’s skin. My wife was at the tattoo parlor, retouching what was unfortunately a bad ink job of her Motion Star (note to all: white ink requires extremely experienced tattoo artists with a perfectionist streak). I don’t think I’ve seen anyone so passionate about his craft before. I figured at that point that he was to be the one to wake my Dragon up.

the sorry looking dragon and pat's love handles

The Dragon was the first tattoo I’ve got, at the age of 16. Once intimidating, irresponsible neglect has caused the Dragon to fade to a bad tint of dirty green. To awake the Dragon, Kirby drew clouds, in an oriental manner that coil around it like a new coat for a king. I requested as well, the narcissistic bugger that I am, for my surname, Liu in Chinese, to be included “somehow”. He delivered my request wittedly, in that of a Chinese imperial seal.

The inking experience was traumatic in progress, euphoric when ended. 6 tattoos later, I don’t think I’ve quite experience pain of this degree. Because of the intensive shading required, my poor skin endured strokes after strokes of 7 needles dragging at the same time, over what was the longest 2 hours of my life. It doesn’t help having a perfectionist for a tattoo artist. I should’ve gotten the hint from the name of his tattoo parlor.

the dragon awakes

do you notice the missing stroke?

The result of his mastery is amazing. This is undoubtedly the best work of art on my body. It is a shame that there is a typo error to my surname. Yes, a typo error to my surname. I was in complete shock when I realized from the pictures that there is a missing stroke in my surname. Oh my god! How can this happen to me? My surname has been changed by a tattoo artist! Oh my fucking god!

Stuff like that can only happen to me. You don’t even want to hear about that time when Tibetan monks paid my home a surprise visit whilst I was in the midst of, well, entertainment. The good thing is I’m returning to Kirby for a touch up when my tattoo is fully healed. I’ll be making sure to proof read my tattoo this time. Meanwhile, I’ll try to deal with a missing stroke.

If you’re keen on getting inked by Kirby (in spite of his error, he still has the best hands I’ve seen thus far), here’s the details.

Utopia Studio
50 East Coast Road
#02-95 Roxy Square 2 Shopping Centre (opposite Parkway Parade)
T: 6346 1541
W: www.angkongtiam.com (don’t ask… and after a while, I think I kinda like the unassuming tone of it)

Note: Special thanks to my dearest wife, who not only played photographer cum camera(wo)man, but also, allowing me to clutch on to her hands whilst I grimaced in agony.