Established in March 2003, Dark Arts The Tattoo Studio is one of Bangalore’s oldest and most recognized tattoo studios. The studio was started by Pradeep Menon and Nagender Rao and was initially operating out of a small setup situated in Frazer Town. The studio was initially into Tribal and Celtic designs and had a database of several thousand designs that clients could choose from. This gradually changed as the studio was taking students and interns who had a flair for the art and wanted to start a career in the tattooing industry.
Over the years the studio has produced some of the best artists in the industry who have all been trained by Pradeep Menon. Rollen Lasrado – Inkadellik Tattoo Studio, Sathish P – Indelible Tattoos, Anurag Pradhan – Ink Over Matter, Deep – Deep Craft Tattoos, Pradeep Kumar – Ashtron Tattoos, Karthik Bengre – Sculp Tattoo Studio, Neetu – Tit 4 Tattoo, Arpitha – Moth Mode, Vivek – Viveks Tattoo Parlor, Thapan Das – Ink Over Matter, Leo – Studio 4 Tattoos, Prabeesh – Be You Tattoo Studio, are a few of the recognized artists who have trained at the studio and are currently running their studios successfully.
The studio now has a team of two artists creating waves in the tattoo industry! A calm and serene environment located in the peaceful Koramangala 3rd Block, along with some good music and energetic creative people define the studio. We have tattooed over 20,000 people who are now a universal family.
A team of artists comprising of Pradeep Menon and his colleague who will ensure that you get the best ever tattoo.
Pradeep has completed his Bachelors in Arts with Psychology, Sociology and English Literature as his major subjects. He was initially working with a software firm and was posted to Mumbai to set up one of their branches. Things took a turn for the good when he decided to get a tattoo and was introduced to Dr. J. A. Kohiyar and Sameer Patange. It was when he spoke to Dr. J. A. Kohiyar that his curiosity and interest in the art was kindled. Once at Dr. Kohiyar’s clinic his desire to learn the art grew and he was intrigued by the art form. He immediately quit his corporate job and joined Dr. J. A. Kohiyar and Sameer Patange as an intern to learn the basics of the art. He spent 6 months in Mumbai learning the art of tattooing after which he returned to Bangalore and with the help of Nagender Rao set up Dark Arts The Tattoo Studio in March 2003.
Pradeep has been tattooing ever since and has trained over 30 artists who have now established themselves in the industry.
Pradeep is also the pioneer in setting up the first ever Registered Association for tattoo artists in India:- Karnataka State Tattoo Studios and Artists’ Association. The Association aims at setting guidelines for artists to follow so that artists from India are recognized internationally. Also the Association acts as a platform to help upcoming artists get guidance and inputs from other members who are a part of the association. It also certifies artists and studios so that clients do not have to worry about quality and hygiene. Pradeep is currently the President of the Karnataka State Tattoo Studios and Artists Association.
Having his roots from Meghalaya, Eibor has completed his 12th Grade in Arts and has had a flair for fine arts. He approached a local tattoo studio in 2014, hoping to get trained in tattooing, but was turned down. He then approached his family, hoping they would help him with his passion for learning tattooing, and he was turned down again. His brother Pyndaplang Rymbai then gave him some money and with that he bought his first machines and tattoo kit from Amazon. From there on he started watching videos online and practiced on artificial skin for 4 months. He then did his first tattoo on himself; a koi fish on his leg. He then did a tattoo on his cousin, which boosted his confidence, and there was no stopping him after this.
He continued tattooing for 5 years in Meghalaya, then moved to Mangalore where he worked as a tattoo artist for 2 years, and then shifted to Bangalore, where he is currently working at Dark Arts The Tattoo Studio.
He has attended the InkFusion 2022 Tattoo Seminar held in Bangalore, which has further helped him in tattooing and creating his own style.
Skye, a native of Kerala, embarked on a journey that took her through various cities, working for different corporations after completing her education. Throughout her professional experiences, she honed her interpersonal skills and eventually found herself excelling in team management roles for several renowned companies.
Apart from her corporate pursuits, Skye had a deep-rooted passion for art. She developed a profound appreciation for piercing, tattoos, and all forms of artistic expression. Over the course of more than a year, she dedicated herself to the art of piercing. Through her commitment and continuous learning, Skye became an expert in painless piercings and mastered exceptional aftercare techniques. Currently, she possesses expertise in various piercing types, excluding Dermal and Surface Piercings.
Our Areas Of Expertise
The studio specializes in various styles of tattoo designs. Some of them being:-
Unlike most studios, Dark Arts The Tattoo Studio has a time based charge for the work that is done. The charges are ₹4000/- upwards for half an hour of tattooing depending on the design. And for every additional 15 minutes the charges are ₹2000/- upwards depending on the design.
Designing and consultation charges start at ₹1000/- which is adjusted in the cost of the tattoo.*
Hours of Operation
The Studio is open from Wednesday through Monday.
The Studio operates on all public holidays and tattoos are done only on appointment basis. Walk-ins are taken only if there is availability of slots on that particular day. Clients are requested to book their appointment using the Book Online or send a mail to [email protected]
