Coast with the most for body art

Original Source - Courier Mail

THE Gold Coast is inking itself a reputation as the tattoo capital of Queensland.

Organisers of this month's annual SURFn'ink Tattoo Festival at the Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre have asked for double the floor space after a record response from international and local artists.


More than 10,000 fans are expected to attend the January 21 festival. And parlours such as Coolangatta's Anchorz Ink are experiencing an upsurge in trade from tourists.

Women are driving the trend, according to artist Marlowe Vincent.

"Girls aren't judged any more when they have a tattoo. When I got my first tattoo, my dad didn't speak to me for six months," Marlowe told The Sunday Mail. "Now it's lost a bit of rebellion. I would say my client base is pretty much half and half. I have a client who is 85."

While Brisbane had a flourishing tattoo industry with artists relying on regular customers, the Coast benefits from tourist trade, she said.

"We get a lot of walk-ins," Marlowe said. "It's gone crazy."

Clients pay $150 for an hour, must be 18 and with the development in ink and tools can ask for a tattoo which resembles a photograph.

Marlowe admits that after a 19-year love affair with tattoos she will keep a large part of her torso as free space.

"I think there is a part of a woman that needs to be kept feminine. We get quite a lot of 18-year-old girls getting heavily tattooed early. It's sad in that they are getting rid of all their real estate. They're not taking their time."

Original Source - Courier Mail