watching the ink dry

This weekend, my fellow "Miami Ink" fan and I went to the Tattoo & Body Art Expo at the Pomona Fairplex (site of the LA County Fair). Tattoo artists from all over southern California gathered there to display their works and create new ones. Booths were set up where people did tattooing, body piercing, and branding, and vendors sold ink, tools, after-care products, clothes, lingerie, jewelry, and sunglasses. I spent most of my time there looking through portfolios. The original works were most impressive. People get tattoos to celebrate, to memorialize loved ones, and to cover up scars (emotional and surgical) and past mistakes. There was a booth for laser removal, but some artists specialize in cover-ups. I saw a picture of a guy with a scar 6+ inches long over his sternum. He had a tattoo of an open zipper around it with the pull underneath the scar as if someone had unzipped his chest. The artist said the guy came up with the idea and brought in a picture of a zipper, but it didn't have any shadowing and looked flat. The artist worked with him to come up with a more realistic design and the guy was stoked with the outcome.

Overall, it didn't look like people were in too much pain getting tattooed. They say the first line is the hardest. One tattoo artist told me he sometimes uses a topical anesthetic for sensitive areas, but finds that it tightens the skin, which makes it difficult to tattoo and sometimes results in skin tearing. He said tattoos heal like bad sunburns. They may take a week or two and some peeling often occurs.

I had a great time at the Expo and am so glad I was finally able to go. I was out of town the last two years I knew about it. I have no intention of getting a tattoo, but wanted to see what was out there. I got to view a lot of art and speak to some talented artists who were very nice and helpful. And I picked up a couple of cards in case anyone is interested ;).


each of these people gave me permission to take their picture. click on images to enlarge


this girl won the "hot babe" contest. it helps to wear a top that barely covers your front ;)