The smell of ink and the buzz of tattoo guns echoed through the Perth Convention and Exhibition Centre this weekend as thousands descended on the Australian Tattoo Expo.
More than 300 tattooers from across Australia and parts of Asia flocked to Perth to share their artistry with the community.
Walking around the venue, it was clear that no body part was safe from the tattoo gun during the weekend.
From throats to buttocks to knuckles, any inch of bare skin was offered as a canvas for some permanent artwork.
With featured artists specialising in a range of styles from fine line to realism to traditional Japanese, there were options galore for attendees to chose from.
Some designs even leaned into artists’ special interests, with art from pop culture giants like Disney and Lord of the Rings also available for geekier attendees.
Balinese artist Ryan Berti typically spends his days at his studio in the sunny tourist hotspot of Canggu — but the tattooer made the three-hour trek to Western Australia for the first time just for this event. Talking to PerthNow, the Indonesian professional had one big takeaway from his time in the state so far.
“It’s colder in Perth than I thought, colder than Bali,” he laughed.
Mr Berti specialises in Japanese art and has previously appeared in tattoo conventions in Melbourne, but he was excited to get a chance to connect with the WA tattoo community.
“It’s been fun so far, everyone’s been nice,” he said.
For many artists, meeting inkers from different states and nations is one of the best parts of the Australian Tattoo Expo.
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Perth-based artist Jackson May told PerthNow learning from other industry leaders is one of his expo highlights.
“Rubbing shoulders with some really good artists from over east is great and can give you inspiration,” he said.
“(The expo) puts you in an environment where you’ve got to give your best and try something new, meet new people
“There’s a lot of cool things about conventions from an artist’s point of view.”
Artists were far from the only ones hyped for the three-day event, with hundreds of patrons queuing at the doors at 10am for the chance to be the first in the chair.
“The queue was bloody massive this morning,” one passer-by told PerthNow.
Friday marked 21-year-old Sam’s first time attending a tattoo expo — but he said it’s far from his last.
“It’s been awesome so far,” he told PerthNow.
“There are so many talented tattoo artists everywhere, and it’s so cool being with all the other tattoo lovers around Perth.
“Yeah, I’ll definitely be coming back another year.” Sam wasn’t the only attendee who observed the unity that the common interest brought to the event.
Patrons walking around the hall were quick to sing praises to those in the middle of a session, with comforting phrases like ’Looking good so far’ and ‘Not long to go’ commonly heard through the lanes of the expo.
The overwhelmingly positive vibe even convinced this reporter to join in on the tattooing fun, with a bold new piece on my arm serving as a permanent reminder of this weekend’s event.
Tattoo-printed clothing, Pokemon cards, and even kitschy stuffed ducks were just some of the items that patrons could purchase between sessions.
Competitions also sent the crowd roaring, with accolades like the Shittiest Tattoo causing a hysterical reaction from onlookers.
Perth artists also battled head-to-head for more serious trophies at the event, with Youngbloods artist Joey Armitage taking home the highly coveted Tattoo of the Day award on Friday.
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For those enthralled with the world of tattooing, the Australian Tattoo Expo is a must-see event.
The Australian Tattoo Expo is at the Perth Convention Centre from October 23 - 25.
More details on the expo can be found here.