NOBLESVILLE - A former Noblesville High School art student sees a market in his hometown for the tattoo parlor he’s opened here.Walter Craig, 40, learned the art of tattooing 17 years ago in California. He’s worked in parlors in Indianapolis, Kokomo, Ind., and other Central Indiana towns.Craig, with the financial backing of a silent owner, sees Noblesville as a great business opportunity, particularly because his parlor is the only one in town.Golden Ink Tattoo Parlor, 2335 Conner St., is also the only tattoo parlor in Hamilton County, said Jim Ginder, the county’s health education specialist.The county doesn’t have an ordinance for tattoo parlors or require tattoo parlors to be licensed, he said, but the Health Department does inspect parlors just as they do places that serve food. The Indiana Department of Health regulates the sanitary operation of tattoo parlors. There are about 200 in Indiana, including around 30 in the Indianapolis area, according to an Internet search.To get a tattoo in Indiana, anyone younger than 18 must be accompanied by and have written permission from a parent or legal guardian. It’s Golden Ink’s policy that clients be at least 18.That’s how old Ron Gregory was when he drove nearly an hour to the south side of Indianapolis to get his first tattoo. Gregory, 25, Noblesville, said the tribal design on his bicep cost about $400, but he still loves it.Gregory is co-chairman of Noblesville Young Professionals, a 35-and-younger program of Noblesville Chamber of Commerce and a financial adviser with Westpoint Financial Group. He said having a tattoo has become more accepted in the business world, and he’s never surprised when someone admits to having one.Sharon McMahon, Noblesville Chamber president, welcomes the new breed of business to the city. “Noblesville is obviously growing and reaching out to younger people and becoming more innovative of some of the services and products they offer.”According to a 2007 survey by the Pew Research Center in Washington, tattoos decorate the bodies of more than one-third of Americans 18-25 years old, which is a big part of Craig’s business. He said 35 and 40-year-olds also make up a good portion of his business. About half are women.It’s a mostly walk-in business, said Craig, whose busiest times are Friday and Saturday nights, when the parlor is open until 10:30 p.m. He has a second tattooist, Adam Harber, then.Craig has hundreds of designs available, or customers may take their own pictures. For those he makes a stencil. He charges $65 per hour, and said a stemmed rose the size of a half-dollar might take 60 to 90 minutes, including prep work.Craig credits his passion to his artist father Walter Craig, Jr., 62, Noblesville, who taught him how to draw just as soon as he could a pencil, still Craig’s favorite medium.Craig has seven tattoos and said being a tattooist allows him a livelihood in his hometown while enjoying the hobby he loves.