Body Art: Heading Off To A Tattoo Convention

One of the world’s most prestigious gatherings for tattoo lovers, the Brighton Tattoo Convention, is coming up this weekend (May 13-14) so Felix Magazine wants to share a few tips for attending such a convention. Whether you plan to get new ink on the day or are just looking for an artist or studio to apply a piece in the future, conventions are the perfect stop. The UK is one of the five most-tattooed nations in the world and home to some of the giants of the art so it is no surprise that it hosts some of the world’s top conventions. London holds two of the biggest conventions with a third added just this year, The Tattoo Collective.

But conventions can be a bit overwhelming. With so many artists and enthusiasts in one place it can be difficult to know where to start.

A New Tattoo

A big attraction of a tattoo convention is the opportunity to walk away with a permanent memento, perhaps by an artist based overseas.  There a few key things you should keep in mind  – hygiene, process and aftercare.

Tattoo studios are designed for a clinical level of sterilisation but convention venues are not so you should take extra precautions before that needle goes under your skin. When you arrive at your artist’s booth check that everything is wrapped in cling film, all surfaces which come into contact with the artist, the client and the tools are being wiped with antibacterial wipes between each client, and that needles and other tools are kept in a secure and clean place.

If you can arrive early watch how the artist goes through the application process. Are they wearing gloves before they set up their station and tattoo gun? Are their needles coming out of sterile packaging? Are they cleaning and shaving the client’s skin to reduce risk of infection and ingrown hairs?

And lastly aftercare. Remember that tattoos are open wounds and convention venues can be hubs for bacteria. The last thing you want is to risk losing that brand-new tattoo to infection or disease. Make sure the artist is cleaning away excess ink, blood and plasma before securely wrapping the tattoo in either a Dermalize bandage or cling film and tattoo tape. And you need to be just as diligent in your aftercare process.

A New Artist or Studio

The exciting thing is that you can met some of the world’s top tattoo artists and come across new techniques and styles. If you do not want to have your tattoo applied at the convention hall it is the best place to have several pre-ink consultations in one go – window shopping for a tattoo artist. A few key things to look for are an artist’s flash book, how they go about doing the application, and how they interact with clients.

A flash book can give you a good insight into the artist’s style, the designs they can achieve  and the accuracy of their application from paper to skin. If you are looking for a specific type of tattoo (see our article Where to start if you want a seriously amazing tattoo) flash books can help you find an artist who can apply your own vision and then you can narrow it down from there.

If you’ve come across a flash book you really love, hang around the artist’s booth for a while to see how they work. Are they covering all the surfaces? Are they following hygienic protocols? Are they taking ages to do small line-work or are they speedy? That can have a massive impact on your final bill as artists often charge by the hour.

And finally, how are they with the client? Are they ignoring them or chatting with them? Are they keeping the client as comfortable as possible? You may be spending a significant amount of time together so you don’t want to do multiple sittings with someone who is rude or distant. You want to ensure your experience is a good one and often that comes down to the artist’s personality.

A tattoo convention is often a life (and skin) changing experience and it is always worth the ticket price. Aside from tattoo applications, artists and studios, there are competitions, live music and drinks to help you immerse yourself in the tattoo culture.

 

by Natasha MacKenzie

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