Elvis, zombies and an octopus hits at Hull Tattoo Convention

A PHOENIX rising from the ashes, portraits of famous stars and a Powerpuff Girl were among the weird and wonderful designs showcased during a major tattoo convention.

The fourth annual event featured more than 30 artists who inked crowds of people with creative designs at the University of Hull's Asylum bar yesterday.

Weird and wonderful designs on show included a giant octopus, a zombie nurse and a portrait of Elvis.

John Bish, 48, has been running his tattoo studio in Holderness Road, east Hull, for almost 20 years.

He has spent hundreds of painstaking hours carrying out imaginative needlework and says young people have helped to push boundaries in the industry over the past few years.

He said: "Tattooists like myself who have been doing it for ages are having to catch up with the youth.

"The business has really evolved and conventions like this are a great way of showcasing local talent."

Stuart Hunter, 49, flew in from London to be tattooed by John and took along a unique design of a girl holding a large bumble bee.

"It's by a favourite artist of mine and John has done a few of my tattoos in the past," he said.

"It could take up to seven hours and it's bleeding quite a bit but I'm used to it."

Steve Young, of east Hull, has spent thousands of pounds having his legs covered from his ankles to the top of his thighs. His fascination with Japanese designs led him to a tattoo studio having had inkwork in the past.

Steve, 54, said: "I've definitely had more than 100 hours of work done on my body, from a koi carp to the devil.

"My first tattoo cost just 75p and was the name of my favourite American artist Gene Vincent and the Blue Caps.

"I don't regret anything although I did suggest having the eagle on my chest covered up but my daughter told me not to.

"She said she's grown up with it and it would be a shame for something else to be in its place."

Steve took along his son Dave, who is also a tattoo addict, for artists to add to his collection throughout the day.

"He's had a lot of inkwork done, including a Ghostbusters sleeve," Steve said. "Today he's having a portrait of Bill Murray tattooed.

"The layout of the Hull convention is very good and I'll be here for hours."

Mike Laws, 33, of east Hull, organised the Hull Tattoo Convention in the new venue.

He said: "We have artists here from as far away as Cardiff and there's always a lot of interest.

"My first tattoo was a panther and since then I've had a lot more, including a Buddha design on my arm.

"The industry is still booming and Hull definitely needs an event like this with so many artists in the city."

Dave Wilson, 25, of Bridlington, had one of the most daring designs at the show – down his face and across his forehead.

The line patterns are taken from Japanese Manga cartoon The Ghost In The Shell.

It took Dave three years to pluck up the courage to have them tattooed.

He said: "I body pierce in Bridlington so it doesn't affect my line of work but it took a while for people to accept it.

"I will eventually have my whole face and neck tattooed and I've got plenty of random designs.

"There's a frog and a monkey on my leg and a Powerpuff Girl on my chest.

"I like the crazy ones which people wouldn't expect you to get. Being tattooed is addictive."