Kokova Magazine

The 9th International London Tattoo Convention (ILTC) brings together a collection of some of the best tattoo artists that the world has to offer, showcasing the variety and personal styles that make tattoos such an individual choice in, what seems to some, a mass collective.

Tattoos are now more commonplace in everyday life, with many people sporting at least one little piece of body art or script somewhere on their body.

For some a tattoo symbolises a difficult time or represents a stage in their life that they want to remember. For others, the celebration of a loved one; whether that is a family member, a celebrity or a beloved pet.

Getting inked can also be an act of defiance against a strict upbringing or added during a rebellious phase. And for a lot of people it is a way of life or addiction.

But for many people a tattoo is simply a work of art, with their body being the ultimate canvas.

Whatever your reason for getting a tattoo there is no denying that every one is individual and even if you have the same tattoo as someone else it will probably be from a different artist or in a different area on your body, making it as individual and unique as the person who wears it.

The ILTC offers people the chance to see the many different styles of tattooing that the world has to offer and the various techniques that are used in achieving each of those styles. And if you are looking to book in with your favourite artist you can go home with your own tattoo, with many people attending the show for that reason alone.

In every available seat there was a willing customer, ready to share their pain and ecstasy of getting their new tattoo completed, having a follow up session with their artist of choice or having a new design created to cover up an older work.

Changing an old design or completely covering a tattoo is not always done because of a dislike or regret - some people simply enjoy the change in the same way others would redecorated a room in their home. With so much choice available it is easy to see why people go back for more or ask for alterations.

And if you get to the point where you want to have your tattoo removed, either to erase forever or start again then the technology is now available to do this. But bear in mind that it will cost a considerable amount more than the original ink - in money, time and pain.

You would be forgiven for thinking that this event is not suitable for families and children, for those with a more modest love of body art and for those who do not want to get any more tattoos - but you would be wrong...

The ILTC attracts people from all walks of life; from the heavily adorned, multi-pierced individuals to those who came suited and booted with little ink on show.

Parents brought along their wide-eyed children; wide-eyed in excitement at the fire-themed shows and the pretty colours on display and not the least fazed by the collection of multi-tattooed faces and bodies all around.

Aside from tattoos, the weekend had a lot more to offer in the entertainment stakes, with live bands playing in the Voodoo Crypt, a selection of great ales and cider in the Jamaica Inn and a variety of spectacular acts on the Main Stage; including Cervena Fox , The Nerdy Stripper and those fabulous Fuel Girls.

Nestled into the basement amongst the caverns and vaults of Tobacco Docks was a broad selection of merchandise, clothes, paintings and jewellery trade stands. Various colourful pictures of tattoos were also on offer so you could at least buy a good print if you weren't ready to commit to skin.

And when hunger struck the crowds gathered at Henry's Bar & Restaurant, where freshly cooked, hot food was on offer throughout the event.

Many visitors were sporting a multitude of piercings as well as tattoos but it would be wrong to think that these go hand-in-hand for everyone. Many people with piercings would never consider a tattoo and vice versa - so there is no real stereotype.

Throughout the weekend we saw a number of visitors who had taken their body modification a step further and added other methods of adornment to their bodies.

Over the last decade there has been an emerging trend towards scarification, a process of body modification that has in fact been around for centuries. With the right methods a tattoo can actually be removed, whereas scarification involves a permanent scarring of the skin.

Also on show were dermal implants (a kind of body jewellery that is placed underneath the skin - the body heals over the implant and creates a raised design) and we saw a few people who had opted for tongue bifurcation (splitting or forking).

What was commonplace amongst the thousand of people who flocked to the Tobacco Docks over the weekend of 27th - 29th September 2013 was an appreciation of the work involved in creating this level of art and a mutual respect for other people's choices, without discrimination or conflict for those that didn't agree with your choice.

For more details of this international event visit www.thelondontattooconvention.com

Next year the ILTC will be celebrating its 10th Year - so make a date in your diary and book your tickets as early as possible - this is sure to be another spectacular event.

Please note that the more comprehensive collection of images from our photographer page is available but does contain mature adult content and should be viewed with care.