Behind a human canvas

I’m sure that there are better words to describe them but I always thought tattoos were "cool." I refer not to the act of getting one, but the tattoos themselves.

Skin art has been around since the beginning of man, and it is done perhaps in every corner of the world. I have seen many beautiful patterns, from the ethnic and traditional donned by the Igorots, to the funkier, contemporary designs. It may look easy, but sometimes it takes years for a skin artist to hone his craft to perfection. There isn’t much room for error because the only way to erase a tattoo is through laser or surgery. Apart from this, tattoos are works of art executed on a human canvas, and this is where my fascination comes from.

I was invited by a friend of mine to swing by his place one evening. He told me that we’d be drinking with a few tattoo artists and that caught my interest. It’s been six years since I last caught one in action. "Get a tat tonight!" my friend said. Although I’ve always wanted one, I doubted that I would that night, but I saw it as a chance to hang out with a different group of artists who are known as the country’s best when it comes to skin art.

Ask anyone who is into tattoos and they will recommend Safeside Tattoo (in Baguio) and not anywhere else. I even have a few expat friends who look for Safeside even if they’ve never been to the Philippines — proof that its reputation has spread overseas by sheer word-of-mouth.

The night turned out to be filled with some very interesting conversation, and it was here that I met Bernie Aquino who shared some insights about art and life. Bernie, 32, has been making tattoos for almost a decade and is originally from Olongapo. When the US bases were still around, this city was home to some of the world’s best tattoo artists. What better place to start working than where the competition is tough and creativity has to be pushed to the limits.

There are an infinite number of designs out there, so originality can give the artist the edge he needs. Making tattoos is a business, but there is no denying that it is an art form. "Dapat walang kopyahan," Bernie told me when I asked him what it takes to be good tattoo artist. "Pangit kapag gumaya ka ‘di ba? Mas maganda kapag nag-iisa lang ‘yung design na ginawa mo." Clients can pick from thousands upon thousands of Bernie’s original designs, or they can make their own. "Kapag nag-tattoo ka, imagination lang talaga. Dapat mayroon kang sariling idea," he added.

My friend actually had one made free-hand earlier that day. He gave Bernie the freedom to make whatever it is that he wanted, offering his arm as canvas. In a way this gave the tattoo a more personal touch since its design wasn’t dictated by anyone else except the artist. The tat turned out really nice, too.

After Bernie finished working, we got to talking about other things, like where I went to school what course I was in. I really wanted to hear his stories but I could tell he was a little reluctant to open up. Experience taught me that a little alcohol can make anyone talk, at least a little more freely.

It wasn’t long before we started laughing and joking. He told me about the first tattoo he ever made. "Kabado ako pare, nanginginig talaga ‘yung kamay ko," he said. It’s normal to feel nervous for any first timer, but the thing was, the girl wanted done on her breast. Talk about a baptism of fire and hey, what a way to start a career! Bernie has since made tattoos on even more private body parts, but it’s all part of the job. "Obligado ka talaga eh, kung doon niya gusto ‘di ba?" he said.

The question of catching a disease also came up in our conversation. He was quick to reassure me that any decent tattoo artist uses sterile needles. "Dapat lang pare, dapat lang." he said seriously. "Business ito eh, bad trip kung magka hepa ka ‘di ba?" We both laughed again. He added that his work supports his family. No one will go to Safeside if there was a risk of catching some weird disease, so cleanliness is the standard.

After much prodding from him I finally told him that I was studying Fine Arts and he told me, "Ok ‘yan, kahit hindi ka born artist kailangan na pag-aralan mo. Nasa iyo na ‘yun kung kaya mo. Kapag sinabi mo sa sarili mo na hindi mo kaya eh di hindi talaga ‘di ba?"

His final words left a lasting impression. Life can be as simple as that. The possibilities are endless as long as we never say, "We can’t."