From Animator to Tattoo Artist
My Success Story
Like all kids, I loved fantasy super-heroes and sci-fi characters when I was a kid. I loved super-man and he-man, always thought that one day I would be the one to save the world :) because that is what I saw on TV.
The cartoon animation series were like fuel to my life. With my progressing age, I had so many more characters in my favorite list. I loved specific powers of specific super-heroes and super-villains and always dreamed of having the combination in me :).
I had also started realizing that in the real world, this sci-fi fantasy stuff may not be practical. By the time I was 18, I had realized that I couldn't be more than a Human; however, I can create all the fantasy characters I want to be, through Graphics and Animation.
Because of my poor financial conditions, I started learning on my own by downloading torrents of the videos of one of my dream animation school, Gnomon Workshops. I went flipping out to realize how powerful animation softwares like 3D Max, Maya, etc. are.
Sunny Bhanushali
Founder of Aliens
I started spending 16 hours a day learning and practicing through these videos. I started with learning adobe photoshop, adobe illustrator, and adobe flash, which helped me understand the fundamentals of digital designing and opened doors to the graphic world. I got good at 3D Max on my own; however, I realized that I need guidance, or a coach, or an institute, which can help me become a Pro Animator.
Even when my family was in really bad financial shape, my brother helped me get admission to a very well known animation institute in India. I was enormously overwhelmed to learn this art finally. I couldn't sleep for the next few days out of excitement.
However, with the progressing days, I realized that the animation industry in India is in a hole already, the average pay is way less than industry standards, the jobs are less in the market. The animation industry was struggling hard. But I had a dream; I was (am) visionary. I couldn't finish the entire course because of financial issues; however, I started getting job offers. The most available job in animation was of rotoscope expert.
THIS JOB SUCKED TO THE CORE with the salary unimaginably low — the most monotonous job ever with no creative space or voice. I always wanted to create, but this was the opposite. I changed jobs with different profiles (as I was good with a lot of things) only to realize that the real job is wayyyyy different than I expected. Still, I persisted, I worked on so many creative projects on my work-offs and presented to the company seeking a better job profile, but nothing changed. IT SUCKED.
Back then, most of the animation work came from abroad (outside India). The creative work was already done before the job got to India; we were doing just the cleaning work for their projects. All the mundane/boring work is coming to India as the labor is cheap. It's similar to the call centers in India, where US companies build their customer support in India because of the low-cost infrastructure and cheap labor.
I didn't expect the process to be so mundane and dead-like. As an artist, I only craved recognition of my creative work and sufficient earnings to take care of my life. I don't blame anyone or any company; I realized this is not for someone like me, I love the dynamic environment, a place where I will get a space for my creative voice, a place which offers the opportunity to learn more, advance my skills. So I decided to stop pursuing Animation entirely and find something that fits my personality.
I went on to work as a graphic designer, visualizer for a few months; I also hopped into the snoozing world of call centers and worked there for five years while freelancing as a graphic designer. After all these years of inhumanly night shifts work and acquired skills, I was still making peanuts in terms of salary (My last drawn salary in a call center was 30k). I felt stuck, hopeless, and low.
But then one day, I stumbled upon the beautiful art of tattooing when I witness my friend getting his first tattoo. That one day shook me from inside out, it was like,
I FOUND THE WAY OUT.
I realized that I am an artist, I am a great visualizer and a charcoal/graphite artist, I am amazingly good at graphics and animation, what if I combine all of it into tattooing. While I was daydreaming at the tattoo studio, I was again awe-struck to see how expensive the tattoo is, the one he got. Within 6-7 hours of work, that tattoo artist made my one months salary - in just one day - in only a few hours.
I was again flipping out to have this whole reality experience I just had. I started talking to myself (all analytical and mystical at the same time). The light in the darkness, like the prayers, been answered. I can enjoy being an artist, work as per my comfort, make money almost 10X to 100X than what I have been earning all my life, elevate my lifestyle, restore my family, and so much more.
I knew that I am a very fast learner; it will take no time to learn this divine skill of tattoo art and put it in action. I got my first tattoo kit and started on my own (my skin), then on a few friends, and never stopped till date. I have actualized all those characters in my head through tattooing. I always loved Hindu mythology and so started creating conceptual mythological characters for people who approached me for tattooing. People fell in love with my art and art concepts. In no time, I was known for my tattoos on conceptual Indian Mythological Characters (Gods) like Lord Shiva, Lord Brahma, etc.
In the last 8 years, I have gone from making 30K a month to jaw-dropping 15 Lacs a month. With all the due respect, I am making more money than my peers who are great doctors and engineers. AND, still, enjoy my passion for art and lots of creative space and a leading creative voice in my team.
I know that there are so many people like me, struggling hard to find the right platform or career option, which will help them express their creative strength, get to learn more, advance their skills and also make enough money to have a great lifestyle.
I found my way and so I decided to help others like me. I proudly present the - ALIENS TATTOO SCHOOL, recognized by Govt. of India and supported by top companies of the global tattoo industry. We offer the most comprehensive tattoo course to help you learn the skill and put it into action to build your successful life. Our courses have helped hundreds to people across the globe to become a Pro Tattoo Artist.
If you are one of us, you got to move yourself from where you are. I would love to invite you for a FREE 3 DAYS TRIAL TRAINING PROGRAM to help you understand all about tattoo art and its industry.
Enroll for
3-Day Free Tattoo Training Orientation