Shen Yuxin began studying the craft of tattooing during her sophomore year of college. But it was not an easy choice. Her family opposed her career ambitions and cut financial support to the young student. Yet Shen was sure about her chosen path, and after finishing her education she began juggling part-time jobs, often surviving on little sleep, as she pursued her dream of becoming a tattoo artist.

When talking about her love of ink, Shen said, “Tattoos are totally different from drawings on paper. Paper is dead, but skin is different. It’s precious, so we need to be meticulous.”

She sees a story behind every tattoo. “It could be an experience or a romance. Because of this tattooing becomes a kind of ceremony. I tattoo different souls on skin that all looks similar.” Of course, getting a tattoo can be a painful experience, but Shen chooses to comfort her clients with words rather than analgesics. She believes pain is a part of the experience. After she finishes studying tattooing in Shanghai, Shen hopes to open her own tattoo store in her hometown.

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