Tatt's a lot of ink: Thousands of tattoo fans converge on East London to show off their body art or get new designs added
- More than 1,000 tattoos are expected to be made with 7,000 people set to visit the convention
- The 150 artists have been hand picked from studios across Britain and Ireland
- The event is being hosted by Milan-based magazine Tattoo Life, which also hosts the annual International London Tattoo Convention
More than 1,000 new tattoos are expected to be sketched and drawn at Britain's 'biggest' convention celebrating the UK and Ireland's top inkers.
Billed as 'the new London convention' to showcase the best local artistry, Tattoo Collective is hosting 150 hand-picked studios from Britain and Ireland at the three-day event held at Brick Lane's Old Truman Brewery in east London.
Up to 7,000 guests from around Europe are expected to attend and meet some of the world's most famous artists.
Miki Vialetto, co-founder of the event, said: 'There are tattoo enthusiasts here from Switzerland, Italy and from Spain. It's a good opportunity for them to see what the UK and Ireland can give.
A variety of tattoo styles are represented at the event, including the 'very popular' black and grey designs.
The convention is also selling 'alternative merchandise', ranging from bespoke jewellery and clothing, to stuffed foxes and other taxidermy.
The event is being hosted by Milan-based magazine Tattoo Life, which also hosts the International London Tattoo festival, held annually.
The tattoo convention starts today and runs until February 19.
More than 1,000 tattoos are expected to be sketched and drawn at the convention in east London this weekend
Body piercing artist Aneta Von Cyborg shows off what she can do with her cleaved tongue at the event at the Old Truman Brewery
Up to 7,000 guests from across Europe are expected to attend this weekend to meet some of the world's most famous tattoo artists
One of the event's 150 ink artists, Jo Harrison, works her magic on the leg of a customer
Ms Harrison works beneath her artworks depicting famous faces clad in tattoos, including Queen Elizabeth II and Sir Winston Churchill
Von Cyborg adds another tattoo to her vast collection - this time on her bottom
The model describes herself as a 'freak, weirdo, pervert and exhibitionist'
London-based Von Cyborg has silicon implants under her skin which makes her look as if she has horns
A variety of tattoo styles are represented at the event. Here ink artist Adem Senturk draws galloping stallions on a customer's back
Some visitors were not phased by the pain with a few even reading books as artists set their needles to work
Vicky Ball shows off her arm tattoo of a female pirate, complete with a Jolly Roger head band
Numerous artists from across the country were at the event to show off what the UK and Ireland can do
Colin Snow, 70, shows off his torso covered in tattoos, some of which were done 45 years ago
It is estimated that about one in five of the UK population has a tattoo with that number rising to around one in three young people
According to a YouGov survey only 14 per cent of people with tattoos in the UK regret them in their later life
Early tattoo methods included using chisels, rakes, or picks. Soot-covered thread was also used. The thread would be sewn through the skin
The event is being hosted by Milan-based magazine Tattoo Life, which also hosts the larger International London Tattoo festival, held annually
Tom Storm works dilegently on the already heavily-tattooed arm of Kerrie Hibbert
James Naden showed off his arm tattoo, which pays tribute to one of his favourite rock bands
YouGov found that the median age of getting a first tattoo is 21
A variety of tattoo styles are represented at the event, including the 'very popular' black and grey designs
The convention is also selling 'alternative merchandise', ranging from bespoke jewellery and clothing, to stuffed foxes and other taxidermy
A woman casually talks on the phone while having a tattoo applied
The event is scheduled to run all weekend, starting yesterday and ending on Sunday February 9
Tattoos are becoming increasingly popular with an estimated one in three young adults in the UK choosing to go under the needle
Not all skin on the body is the same and, therefore, will not take tattoo pigment the same. For example, tattoos on elbows, knuckles, knees, and feet are infamous for fading
To get a tattoo, the skin is pierced between 50 and 3,000 times a minute by a tattoo machine
Laser surgery is the most effective way to remove a tattoo. The laser penetrates the skin and breaks up the tattoo pigments so that they can be carried away naturally by the body's immune system
Archeologists have discovered tools in France, Portugal, and Scandinavia that were probably used for tattooing. These are at least 12,000 years old
The tattoo machine was invented by American Samuel O'Reilly around the late 19th century. He based his design on the autographic printer, an engraving machine invented by Thomas Edison
Tattoo artists Red Wright, left, and Alan Alfred have a chat as they get to work on customers
Receiving a tattoo has been described as similar to getting stung by a bee or getting a sunburn
Typically the most painful areas to tattoo are over the bone such as the ankle, collarbone, chest, ribs, and spine
A man with ink all over his head stands behind a glass cabinet filled with skulls
Body artists Humandra tattoos a customer's leg. The artists have been hand-picked for the event
The customer is the picture of relaxation as the artist smiles at his work
For many people tattoos represent significant traits or moments in their lives. Film star Johnny Depp once said: 'My body is my journal and my tattoos are my story'
Green and yellow designs are the most difficult to have removed
Some people opt to get UV tattoos, which are created with ink that is completely invisible in normal daylight but glows brightly under ultraviolet light
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