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SRI LANKA / 2018

Samira Dunuwille

A banker left his senior position to become a successful Pro Tattoo Artist

I was working in a bank for 11 years but i had no job satisfaction and I knew I needed to get out!

Samira Dunuwille, a banker from Sri Lanka has now becomes a pro-tattoo artist! As his passion for tattoos drove him towards the best tattoo artists, he chased sunny and got a tattoo from him. Just then, it was something about Sunny (the artist) that fascinated him so much that he wanted to be exactly like that. Well, that was just what it took for him to switch his career and become a full time tattoo artist. He was getting a tattoo done from Sunny and heard Sunny talk about a tattoo school. That piqued his interest, as he couldn't give up the chance to learn from such great artist and develop his skill for a long gone passion.

Whenever we talk about achievements and milestones in our lives, we always

talk about completing our education from an esteemed college, a high-paying job,

marriage and kids, etc. We rarely hear about doing something that makes us

happy - following our passion.

 

Meet Samira __, a Sri Lankan banker who quit his lucrative bank job to become a full-time tattoo artist. Samira did his masters in finance and marketing to land the nine to five banking job. He always had a knack for doodling and making simple sketches. He would even make small doodles while he was working at the bank in

his free time.

Samira was also interested in tattoos. When he Saw the Aliens Tattoo

founder- Sunny Bhanushali's tattoo portfolio online, he was thoroughly

mesmerised. It was when his passion for art translated into the desire of getting inked, that Samira fell in love with the entire process.

 

The artist who made his tattoo was none other than Sunny whose art is well-recognised across the globe. When he met Sunny, he could not help but talk to him about his own passion towards art and how he truly loves art. He also visits museums and enjoys scrolling through other artists’ artwork to learn and entertain himself with art.

 

Sunny told him about the Aliens Tattoo Art School’s six months tattoo course that teaches novice artists the art of tattooing right from scratch. Watching Sunny create a phenomenal tattoo on him totally impressed Samira and he built up the courage to take up on Sunny’s offer of joining the art school seriously. But just like any human, he too had his doubts and reservations. How would he make the switch from a stable corporate job to becoming a full-time tattoo artist? He knew that the opportunity was huge, the tattoo industry is exploding and with time, more and more people have started accepting tattoos not just in their homes, but also in corporate offices. 

 

The next biggest question in Samira’s mind was “What if I’m not able to learn art in the school if I am not able to cope with the challenging curriculum?”

Sunny smiled and told him not to worry about the difficulty of the process since there would be multiple mentors including Sunny himself who would hand-hold him and all the students to help them learn better. After enrolling for the six months tattoo art course, Samira was both thrilled and relieved. Relieved because he saw many people who did not come from an art background doing exceptionally well under the guidance of mentors. And thrilled to learn seemingly intricate or complicated art concepts to be able to do them all by himself. 

 

It was the fiery passion, that ignition in his soul that motivated Samira to be able to not just graduate from the six months tattoo course, but also earn a livelihood using his art as a profession. It was difficult for him too to convince himself first, and then his friends and family to quit a well-paying bank job. But he pushed through the self-doubt and society’s ‘what will people say?’ mentality to create a livelihood out of his passion.

 

Working in any job without a sense of purpose or interest leads to frustration and feeling dull in life. We all have one life and it is sad to see many people throw a vast majority of it (working on weekdays) over work that does not excite or interest them. 

 

Today, Samira has created dozens of mind-blowing tattoos through his months of training and hard work. His art is cherished by his clients who sing praises for him. “That satisfaction of clients thanking you after you create a tattoo on their body is unmatched,” he says.

 

Check out our flagship six months tattoo training course which helps you become a professional tattoo artist with the help of international award-winning artists as mentors.

Samira's Interview

After he completed his complete course in tattoo art, we did a small group discussion with Samira just to get a feedback and understand how was his experience at Aliens Tattoo School. Following is the brief conversation we had about his experience and journey from a being a BANKER to becoming a PRO TATTOO ARTIST

What made you choose art over every other stream?

Art has always been something I've enjoyed, I've always loved to draw. Art is my passion.

Were you always an artist?

I had been working in a bank for 11 years, but there was no job satisfaction in that. It was very monotonous kind of work. I used to doodle whenever I got time, but not like a pro artist. I've never had any formal education in art, However I was always fascinated to see different types of art. I was drawn to Aliens because they believe anyone can become artist, one just needs love and passion for it.

What is your educational background?

I studied finance and marketing, then I went into banking as I believed what my family believed, to have a secured job.

How does your family respond to this choice of yours?

They were very understanding, and actually happy because they knew that I was finally following my passion. They have shown tremendous support, specially my wife and my kid.

How did you come across tattooing and what made you choose it?

I have many tattoos on my body, I loved getting tattoos, and every time I would get tattooed I would think that I should learn to do this too. I was always fascinated by tattoos, however the idea to become a tattoo artist realised when I first met Sunny.

Who’s your greatest inspiration in the tattoo industry?

Without a doubt, Sunny Bhanushali.

How did you come to know about Aliens Tattoo school? What brought you here?

I came to know about it when I was getting tattooed by Sunny Bhanushali. he was very authentic and genuine when he gave me a brief about tattoo artist's life and future prospects.

How is your overall experience at Aliens tattoo school?

The three months I spent here were amongst the best in my life. I have learnt so much, not only about tattooing but also about life. Sunny's sessions on spiritual science, personality development and business completely changed the way I think. I feel much healthier by mind and body, positive and motivated.

Is it any different than what you expected? Were all your expectations met?

The tattoo I got from Sunny when he visited Sri Lanka came out really good, so I knew the school would be just as good. I was definitely delivered what I was promised. Infact way more than what I expected.

 

Is it any different than what you expected? Were all your expectations met?

The tattoo I got from Sunny when he visited Sri Lanka came out really good, so I knew the school would be just as good. I was definitely delivered what I was promised. Infact way more than what I expected.

 

How confident are you about tattooing after finishing this course?

Now I'm at 200%, I believe I can execute anything. My tattooing foundation is very strong now. The concept of self-learning is embedded in me already, thank to Sunny for that, I can do any style, learn it faster and improvise wherever needed.

 

What are your plans after finishing the course?

I'm hoping down the line I can open my own tattoo studio, However I will be working for 6 months to one year as suggested by Aliens Team.

 

Would you happily be tattooing all your life?

Yes, of course.

 

How much scope do you think tattooing has in India?

There are a lot more people getting tattoos now, even if they are smaller, they're not as taboo as they used to be, so the scope is definitely good. It's similar in Sri Lanka, they demand is increasing and there is need for good artists.

 

Why should one choose to tattoo as a career? Please share your thoughts.

Tattooing isn't for everyone, but if you're passionate about art and creating art that will remain on someone forever, it's definitely for you. Its the most enjoyable way of leaving your mark on the world and the pay isn't bad either.

 

What were the struggles you faced while progressing  through the course?

I didn't have a lot of struggles per-say, but I did find shading a bit hard, but everyone helped me through it.

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