Calves, foreheads, shoulders, knuckles and toes (knuckles and toes) became skin canvas for ink artists at this weekend’s Denver’s tattoo festival. The popular 7th annual convention drew all ages, genders and skin types who strolled through 400 booths which offered everything from realism to mysticism, crystal jewelry to all colors of tattoo ink.
Halls A and B in the downtown Colorado Convention Center presented a circus-like atmosphere as crowds gathered to watch sword swallowers, suspension artists and a contortionist who shot a bow and arrow with her toes from a backward handstand position.
Choosing the perfect tat
Choosing a tattoo can be a long thoughtful process or an impulsive act.
To entice customers to their booths, artists lined their tables with colorful designs and photo examples. Once people committed, they lifted their shorts and shirts and sat for Medusas, Buddhas, cartoon characters, roses, warriors, children’s and lover’s names, memorial dates, a father’s likeness and an evil nun.
Uncool tattoo don'ts include compasses, hourglasses, pocket watches, lions and wolves, according to an informal poll taken at the festival by this reporter.
Festival tattoo-ees were required to sign a contract which stipulated that if they changed their mind mid-tattoo, they had to live with it. “It’s almost like buying a car,” said artist Victor Barroso, owner of Wicked Ink Monkey out of Topeka, Kansas.
A work of (skin) art
Tattoos can be applied quickly with pre-drawn designs for as little as $100, or a serious inking can take hours and cost as much a custom art piece.
People sit for thirty hours in multiple appointments for Zach Smith’s coveted black abstract designs. Though they're not common in the U.S. "meat and potatoes artistic style," he said, you'll find this genre in Eastern Europe and Berlin where tattoo art is much more cutting edge.
The 28-year-old Philadelphian is so well-known, one of his customers who flew in for the convention was flagged by a TSA employee at Denver International Airport.
“She wanted to know if my tattoo was a Zach Smith,” said Christian Talansky.
His forearms are a living museum of Smith’s work, dripping with long black geometric lines which fold around to form a human face on the soft underside of. his skin.
Smith spends hours bouncing tattoo ideas with clients discussing imagery, their emotions and transformative experiences. “It depends on how abstract they’re willing to think.”
If he and a potential client don’t click, he turns them down. “You don’t walk into a sushi restaurant and order chicken fingers,” he said.
Who under 25 doesn't have a tattoo?
Thirty-six percent of Americans aged 18-25 have at least one tattoo, according to the History of Tattoo’s website, and about a third of those claim they’re addicted to covering their skin with inky images. “I’m filling myself in!” said Kaylin Hawkins, of Eerie. “I love decorating my body.”
She only knows one person in her circle of friends who does not have a tattoo, and that is her boyfriend, because “it’s just not his thing.”
On the other hand, tattoos can mean true love.
Hannah Duvall’s has her wedding date, 08-02-17, over her left eyebrow and the word “Humility” in old English script over the right. Her knuckles spell O-P-E-N M-I-N-D. Her colleague Susan Smith’s knuckles say S-T-A-Y T-R-U-E.
Kid-style
Colorado law says that anyone under 18 must have parental consent to undergo body art, so most children opt for stickers, which wash off after about a week.
Perhaps the youngest human canvas at this year's Denver tattoo convention was 16-month-old Eritrea Bogner, whose “Meow” in cursive over her right eyebrow matched her stuffed kitty’s tattoo.
Angelo Mendoza, 7, got a rocket ship sticker which took up his entire right calf and a dragon breathed fire on his left. His cousin, Faith, preferred the unicorn galaxy on her had just gotten one her leg because “it’s where they have rainbow hair.”
The tattoo convention lasts until 8 p.m. Sunday with the usual booths, entertainment from Ringling Bros., Barnum & Bailey juggler and stilt walker James Maltman and contests for best tattoo of the show.
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